Diavolo

six - target A

Once again I woke up screaming, shaking, unable to breath. I felt like I was drowning. My breathing became more rapid, more shallow. I stayed curled up in bed trembling. When does this all stop ? The pain just doesn't stop, I'm reliving the same memories that haunt me every time I close my eyes. It's like a punishment to remind me never to forget, but not a day goes by where I don't think about her.

Giving up on sleep, I took slow steady breaths as I made my way out of bed. I opened my door to find a sticky note stuck to it, "Didn't want to wake you, check your laptop. From X," I went over to get the laptop from under the bed and walked downstairs towards the kitchen, I almost jumped out of my skin when I walked around the corner. Gabe's brother was sat at the dining table eating a bowl of...cereal? Who even eats cereal at 4 a.m.

I went over to the sink to fill up a glass of water then set my laptop and glass on the dining table opposite the brunette. As I opened the laptop I could feel his eyes burning a hole in my head, choosing to ignore his presence I instead checked the files that Xanders sent me.

"Wanna talk about it?"

I looked up from my screen raising my eyebrow at him, what could he possibly want to talk about. Oh no. Please say he didn't hear me screaming earlier.

"I heard you erm screaming."

Great...

I felt a lump forming in my throat, "oh...you heard it?"

"Yeh I thought someone was trying to kill you but Gabe said it was apparently normal."

I though to myself normal...Nothing about that was normal but I guess everyone is so used to it now it doesn't really faze them.

I sighed, "sorry if I woke you up."

"Don't stress about it, sleep is for the weak anyways." He shrugged

I chuckled then looked back at the screen trying to remember the password for these files.

"So you don't wanna talk about it?"

I let out another sigh, then shook my head. Truth is I do want to, I want someone else to see what I've been through, as selfish as it sounds I want someone to help me carry this weight on my shoulder but I didn't want to break down in front of him. At a young age I was taught to never show signs of weakness. So I'm not going to now.

He nodded his head, "Everyone has a chapter they don't read out loud."

I couldn't help but to smile, it's true. Everyone has that one thing that'll stay with them for the rest of their lives no matter how hard they try to forget it, they don't want to be vulnerable so they don't speak about it, "what are you?..Shakespeare?" I asked.

He laughed, a genuine laugh this time, it was actually nice to hear him laugh. We were always at each others throat, we've never had a conversation.

I shifted my focus back onto the screen finally being able to access the files while Gabe's brother put his bowl in the sink. I clicked on the file which read 'Target A.' The first thing that came up was the profile information about me that was on Gabe's phone, then underneath in bold red were coordinates of a location. That moment I knew exactly who was behind all this and I think it's time the devil payed him another visit but this time he won't get away alive.

"What you looking at?"

I slammed my laptop shut and leaned forward glaring at him with my hands clasped together on the table, "do you have an off switch?" I asked bringing the glass of water to my lips.

Once again he leans in copying my actions, "Not when you keep turning me on."

I slapped a hand over my mouth to stop myself from spitting water everywhere, then I leaned forward again concealing the shocked expression in my face. "We both know you wouldn't be able to handle it Mr. Santoro," I said whilst biting my lip. Two can play that game.

Yet again I get no reaction from him, it's like he can see right through me. "Do you wanna bet Miss. De Rosa." He grinned at me with those stupid cute dimples.

I could feel my stomach doing back flips looking at his face, "You wish pretty boy." I said getting up and pushing my chair in.

"You know as much as I love it when you call me pretty boy, my name's Roman."

Roman Santoro... Why does that name sound familiar.

"I'll keep that in mind agent," I shouted over my shoulder as I made my way out of the kitchen.

***

After a well needed shower, I was dressed and packed making my way back down stairs in a black t-shirt, jeans, a red leather jacket and combat boots. With a gun in my waistband and a knife in my belt I was almost ready.
Setting my duffle bag down by the door I then went in the armoury to fill up another duffel bag with 9mm hand guns, 2 AK-47s and my personal favourite an M16, I packed a sniper rifle, 4 smoke grenades, 3 frag grenades, a few knives just in case and some bullet proof vests. I ran downstairs with the bag and set it next to my other bag.

"Where you going bambina?"

I whipped my head around, "Oh hey... Pops."

His face changed from happy to concerned, "What happened to your cheek Letoya?"

Crap. I forgot about the bruise, I ended up telling Papa everything that happened in the armoury and he did not look happy so I quickly changed the subject, "when did you get here?"

"Just 10 minutes ago, I wanted to surprise you but it looks like you're going somewhere." He pointed at the bags behind me.

I frowned, "Oh I'm sorry Papa..If I had known you were coming I-"

"It okay pumpkin, now where are you off to?"

"Just going to visit a friend Pops, nothing interesting," I lied, I couldn't have him sitting at home worrying about me.

He raised an eyebrow not believing a word I said, "Oh yeh? Are you planning on assassinating that friend?" He asked eyeing up the long rectangular case behind me.

"Dammit," I muttered, "I'll be back before you know it Papa, I promise. Carlson, Toni and the guys will stay with you. I just need to do this."

He pulled me into his warm embrace and whispered, "Just come back Tesoro, come back to me alive. That's all I ask."

"Always Papa, I'll always come back." I whispered.