chapter 6

Not edited.

Bianca Halsall

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7: You've been out all night. I don't know where you've been. You're slurring all your words, not making any sense. But I don't fucking care, at all.

Breathing in, we sighed. "No job interviews?"

"Nope."

Fiona groaned, bitting hard on her lip. "Come on. We've been on the hunt for six days straight and still. No fucking luck."

"Shut up. We'll be fine." I drawled. "We just need to start walking around asking if there's help needed. Sitting indoors won't help."

"I'm not going to walk around looking like a creep for a job, B!" I rolled my eyes. "Let's just get Francescos' help."

"You can. I know they're your brothers but I don't trust any of them."

"Not like I do, but do we have a choice here?"

"Yes, actually. We have so many choices to pick from." Honestly, we did. Fiona was just so used to living of the money her brothers work for and, let's not forget, Derek Styles money.

"Name one freaking choic-"

"We could walk café to café, asking them if there's any help needed."

"Next."

"Sign up for online job interviews."

Fiona raised a brow. "We've done that already and not one sent us any feedback."

My eyes dropped heavy, feeling the exhaustion taking over me. "That's why we wait, Fi. It wouldn't hurt to wait a little longer."

"Argh, I'm so bad at this. We shouldn't have taken that year gape. Now we have to start from zero."

She threw a pillow on the wall. Huffing, as she walked to the kitchen. "Maybe I'll actually text Francesco and ask him if he has something I can do."

"Please, don't worry about me. I'm not interested in doing business or getting help from your brothers, Fiona."

"I don't see why you keep refusing. Bianca, it's been a year and six months and we've been living our lifes with the little money we safed up in out bank account."

I snorted. "I lived off the penies in my account. As for you, you had 2 million to your name." I reminded her. "I don't even think a year spent anything close to 1000 thousands."

"For the amount of shopping I did." She laughed, walking in with two mugs of coffee. "So what now? Will you go out and look from something."

"Thanks." I grabbed the cup she held to me, moaning at the delicious taste and smell. "Well, if that's how it starts then why not try."

"As long as you are happy." She shrugged, sipping her coffee. "I really don't understand the strong need to be independent, B. You've been like this ever since 14. Growing up with you just proved how stubborn you'll become."

I smiled, grabbing the head of my laptop and shutting it. "Well-" I said, finishing the delicious coffee made by her. "-see you in a few? Time to go job hunting."

"Yeah. I guess. Nothing on my schedule today except meet up with a friend."

"Sure. See you then, love."

"Bye bitch!" I walked out the apartment with a sigh. Looking down the stairs.

My feet carried me out to the wild street. I sighed, tucking my hands in my pockets and marching down the road.

"Where exactly do people look for jobs?" I wondered. Passing by a few  cafés' and tall buildings I knew I wouldn't get a job in.

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I've been walking around like some headless chicken for six hours. Six damn hours and still had no luck. Firstly, I enetered this restaurant and they literally had a sign on the door saying 'help needed immediately. Dial +01 6786 687 688 if interested' and of course, I took their number down on my phone.

It was now dark. And with all the walking, I came to the realisation that I had no cash to get an Uber or even use the bus. Embarrassing, I know.

So, a woman as small as myself was walking rapidly down the road. Yes, I was scared no lie. Who wouldn't be... there weren't a soul out here. Only a few cars with black panted windows passing by time to time.

I walked between two huge buildings. Advenura Liospa street. A place were most crime was held. I don't really remember how I got here.

The desperate need to get a job bugged me and had me walking down here. And there was no way I'm turning around. Who knew who was following me now.

"Calm down, Bianca. There's nothing to fear." I talked to myself, trying my level best to not overthink this.

Thus surely wasn't the first time I'd walk down the street alone, buy it was the first time I walked alone in an abandoned road knowing clearly no one was in the watch for me

I had to get a job soon. Like really quick because I was left with such little money to go over a month. There's no way in hell was I using Fionas' money. Even though she was my best friend and only family right now.

"Oh my gosh, what was I thinking." I looked behind me to just make sure u really was alone. Gulping, I took a left turn to another street.

I only had to make about four more turns before I was back in the main road, a few street away from our apartment.

Unfortunately, it felt like a struggle because every second felt like an hour.

"You're a strong brave woman who knows how to take care of herself." I chanted, on and on and on.

My fist clenching my phone on my chest. Hair in a tight ponytail. "You're a strong brave woman who knows how to take care of herself." I sang and tried to hold in that little courage and braveness left in me at this point.

It went like this until I took my second last turn, and froze.

"If you run I swear I'll fucking shoot you." A shadow, but even so, I knew who it was. It was him, standing there with a gun pointed. "Tru to play smart and I'll show you what a fucking game is." He barked, my feet took a step back and he growled, I froze.

He was dressed in a black suite, or that what it looked like, it was dark to see. His one hand was tucked in hus pocket and the other pointing his gun without breaking eye contact.

He took in easy laboured breaths and sighed and would clench and un-clench hus fist in his pocket. That long hair falling on his eyes, at this darkness they looked almost black. He had a sinister lazy smile plastered on his face. His whole body relaxed and controlled, unbothered.

"Now, Nick. Who the fuck do you think you are to just fucking betrayal me and run." He asked the man he pointed the gun at.

Poor guy was sweating, blood on his nose and mouth. Barely standing properly as Alessandros' men held him up.

"P-please, S-Sir.  I'm so sorry...I-I-" he cried in pain as Alessandro smacked his gun on his nose, only making it bleed out more.

I gringed when a crack ranged out in the quiet street. "Don't fucking hive me your sorry bullshit, I've heard enough, Nick." He said calmly, like he wasn't just pointing a gun at someone.

"If you don't fucking tell me who you're working with-"

"I swear! I swear...-I-I wouldn't ever betrayal y-you... pleasee-"

"Oh, is that so?" Alessandro laughed, his head fell back and he looked up the dark sky. He was silent for a straight minute. A sinister smile not dropping.

It made me shiver in anticipation for his next move. "Well then." He sighed, looking down at him again. "I thought maybe killing your family would have made you talk. But I guess that didn't go..."

My heart stopped and I felt it squeeze for the loss of this man. I nearly gasped as I stared shocked at what I was witnessing. I was confused, but not so much, because I already known The Esposito brothers were involved in some shitty illegal matters.

Even though, Alessandro had never let me get into anything or anyway close to it. He claimed he wanted me every way but never near his work and business. And now...

"I guess we just end your useless excuse of a life now. What do you think, Nick?"

"No, No, No...please, please sir-"

Alessandro shook his head and silenced him. "Why do you want to live? Your children is dead, your wife and... your little sister." The man cried, griefing.

"I'm doing you a favour by killing you, you know." And then he loaded the gun, my eyes went wide.

Before I could take my next breath, the gun went off. Just like that, boom, and he was on the floor. I saw blurry for a straight thirty seconds.

My ears ringed and buzzed with pain, and throat throbbed when I came to the realisation that I just screamed.

"B-Bianca?"

Alessandro.

Alessandro stiffened when he turned and saw me there, only this time he didn't meet my eyes or get my attention like he always did when he walked in a room, my gaze was pinned on the dead body on the floor.

As my breathing came back to me, my eyes saw clearly. I let out another agonising scream, my whole body shaking violently.

Hands were on me. Warm, huge rough hands. They grabbed on my waist and stadied me when I lost my balance. My feet too weak to co-operate.

A hand pulled me in a chest, pushing my face in it to cover up my eyes for the scene I just witnessed.

It was already ingraved in my mind.

I could never forget the look as his soul left his eyes.

The thudding of his body on the floor...

The pounding of my heart when he begged for his life...

His grieving pain when he was reminded about his long gone family...

And he did it all...

ALESSANDRO

"Fuck. Get his fucking body out of her!" Alessandro barked at someone. Hus whole body stiff as he tightened hus hold on me, holding me in place.

My eyes were heavily shut. Hands fisting a whole bunch of his suite jacket and with an open mouth. Shivers, they run down my body in waves.

I can't believe what I just saw.

I fucking didn't see that.

No....no, no fucking... shit, I saw that...

"Baby?" Hand snuggled me to him, keeping from moving. He was breathing shakingly, like it bothered him seeing me like this, when clearly it didn't.

He was an acting bastard.

He killed that man without hesitation and overreacts when it comes to me simply reacting to it all...

"Fuck, Bianca, Tesoro. What the fuck are you doing here." He mumbles to himself, cursing some other things in Italian. His hands went to my thighs and he pulled me up bridal style.

As he did, I got myself together and jumped away from him like he burned me. Stumbling to stand as I created enough distance between us. His whole face morphed in pain like I hurt him with that simple move.

Hands held in fort of him, he looked behind him, probably checking if his job was done. He then looked at me, intensely, really looked at me. "Why...why the fuck are you here? It's freaking 10pm and you're-"

"I saw you kill him." I don't know why bit I had to let him know, my fingers pointed to the exact spot hus body slumped on. "You-you killed that man, I saw you-"

"Come here, Tesoro."

"You killed him." I cried, my hands clutching my chest, phone long gone somewhere. "You pulled that gun, even-even when he beg-"

"Come to me, please, tesoro." Alessandro took a step and I gasped, my eyes glued to his feet. He froze again when I jumped back away. "Baby-"

"I-I-I-"

"Shh, it's okay, baby. You're okay, my love. Just-" his hand went through his hair, eyes searching my eyes, trying to meet them and I didn't let that. I couldn't look in his eyes, it was too hard. I just couldn't. "-please, Mia regina? Let me hold you, Tesoro."

Other step forward, I took two steps backwards. Refusing to let him reach towards me. He cursed. "Cazzo. Baby, please...look at me, Bianca. Look in my eyes, baby..."

I shook my head, looking heatedly at his shiny shoes. "No, no, no, no-"

"Bianca." He forced out my name a little angrily, dominating me and forcing me to shut my eyes. "Look at me, now."

"No!"

"You have to look at me baby, please." My heart hammered, all it wanted for me to do was stare into those beautiful eyes I'm s in love with, but my mind wouldn't let me.

I was shaking everywhere. Kept shaking my head and repeating the same word 'no' like all song. I didn't know I was crying until I felt salty water on m lips.

"I can explain, please. Please let me just... let me hold you, please-" as he said this, he moved and managed to grab my elbow.

I shrieked, eyes popped open in fright. A strangled scream left out of my mouth, burning my throat. "Bianca!" He snapped, refusing to let go when is tugged on his hold.

His hands wrapped around my waist and one held both my wrist behind my back. "Fuck!" Pushing me to his chest, Alessandro smashed his lips on mine.

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K~☺