chapter 20: Date night 3

"Cataliya never really did like being in the mafia."

Andre started saying as he decided on telling Adria about his sister. They were still laid down on the beach sand, staring at the night sky.

Hearing vulnerability in his voice, she diverted her attention from the sky and gave it all to Andre as she gazed up at him, her head still on his chest.

Andre wasn't looking at her but he knew he had her attention. He continued speaking.

"My father never failed to remind us of our roots. That we weren't just in the mafia, we were the mafia itself but he never forced us.

He said that though we were the mafia, we still had a choice. As a child I had already made my choice. I would follow him to meetings with other leaders and he never failed to introduce me to them as his heir to the position.

While he conducted his meetings I would sneak away and go into the training room. I enjoyed the thrills I got whenever a trigger was pulled and the bullet released.

Everyone there knew me as the Don's son and someone not to be messed with. I first handled a gun when I was eight. You might feel that I was too young to use a gun, perhaps I was."

He paused, reflecting on his younger years when he often pressured his father into entrusting him with his own gun but his father refused.

He stroked Adria's hair tenderly as he continued his story.

"My father was against me and cataliya being exposed to violence but I was headstrong and did not listen. Most kids my age would be thinking about football and making friends while I thought about owning a gun and perfecting how to use it.

Cataliya sometimes followed father and I to the headquarters but she stayed away from violence.

When there she would abandon us and go to the computer room on the HQ. She loved computers and had learned to code when she was just 13.

She told dad that she would join the mafia but instead of going into the field, she would be among the security team.

My dad agreed. Though we were opposites, we were still the mischievous siblings, causing trouble wherever we went."

The pause this time was longer and Adria thought he wasn't going to continue anymore. She was about to speak when he looked down and locked eyes with her. She stopped breathing as her head went blank, what she had wanted to say long forgotten as it got lost in the wind.

The way he looked right now was like a Greek god, straight from Olympus. Andre chuckled softly as he gazed at her.

"Breathe Renee."

Adria drew in a long breath as she averted her eyes from his shyly. Her face was flushed as she was embarrassed she was caught staring at him by him.

'Being this handsome and hot at the same time should be a crime.' she muttered lowly but he heard her clearly.

Leaning closer he whispered sexily into her ears,

"You think I'm handsome and hot at the same time, hmmm."

Adria shrank further into him, wishing she could disappear. First he caught her and now he heard her.

"Stop acting like you don't know you are." She responded trying to hide her embarrassment as she poked his chest gently.

"Mhmm. Come on, we better head back now so you don't catch a cold." He told her, preparing to stand up and head back.

"Yeah, we should but aren't you tired to drive?" She questioned, lifting one of her perfectly shaped eyebrows.

"We aren't going back to the haven this night. I have a cabin nearby, that's where we are staying." He told her as they both stood facing each other.

"You had everything planned before you had even asked me, didn't you?" She inquired as they began their journey to the cabin.

"Guilty as charged." He said cheekily.

"Mhmm, what if I had said no huh?" She enquired, keeping the conversation going.

They walked side by side as Adria leaned into him, feeling his warmth.

"I was sure you would say yes." He replied, feeling so sure of himself.

"Getting too full of yourself, aren't you Mr Lopez?" Adria said playfully.

"Yeah, guess I need someone to tame me, don't I miss Wilhelm?" He replied, playing along as he maintained a smile on his face.

"You sure do, but who would be perfect for the job?" She put a hand on her chin rubbing it as if thinking hard about it.

"Don't stress your pretty little head, I already have someone who's doing a great job." He said, playfully flicking her forehead.

"Is that so? Well I wish whoever it is luck, because you are something else entirely." She replied, yawning softly as her eyes fluttered slightly. She was already feeling sleepy.

"Someone's sleepy." Andre commented as he was supporting half her weight as the walked.

"Are we there yet?" She questioned sleepily.

"Almost." He replied.

He stopped walking and faced Adria as he sensed she had stopped walking along with him.

"Carry me." She said pouting cutely as she lifted her arms, gesturing that he should carry her.

Andre only shook his head laughing as he turned and gestured she should get on his back.

"Well hop on."

"Yippee." She exclaimed as she hopped onto his back, wrapping her arms loosely around his neck.

Andre made sure she held him firmly as he protectively held her legs. He continued walking and soon they arrived at the door of his cabin.

"We are here." He stated, on getting no response he concluded that she had fallen asleep.

He turned her so he could carry her on his front. Though asleep, she still hung onto him like a koala. He fished the keys from his pocket as he inserted it into the keyhole.

Unlocking the door, he went in and used his foot to push it back as he locked it with the key. He placed the key on the center table as he went into the room.

He gently placed Adria on the bed, being careful so not to wake her. He was about to go change when he noticed that both their clothes were still damp from earlier.

He knew if she slept like that through the night, she would definitely wake up with a cold the next morning. He decided to change her, gently taking off her clothes.

She was left in her undergarments still asleep as he debated within himself whether to take them off or not. He agreed on the former as he took them off but being careful as he didn't look.

He successfully got her clothes off, wearing her one of his black shirt and a short that settled on her waist. He got rid of his own clothes as he settled on wearing only his boxers.

Getting under the duvets, he lightly pulled Adria towards him, wrapping an arm around her. Like she knew, she snuggled more into him, enjoying the warmth he emitted.

Before Andre fell asleep, he heard her mutter something along the lines of,

'love you andre.'

• •~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

( Unknown location)

"What information do you have for me?" Fiore asked.

He was seated at the end of a long table in what looked like a conference room. There were five of his most loyal and trusted men seated along the table.

Fiore inhaled and released a long puff of smoke from the cocaine between his fingers.

"The school the girl attends is hosting their annual gala on the twentieth of this month. I believe they both will be present, we can strike then." One of the men said.

"An annual gala, it should be interesting. Make a plan and run it through me, we would attack that night." Marco commanded as he stood up, throwing the cocaine on the ground as he crushed it with the heel of his shoe.

He was about to leave when he suddenly turned and faced his men as he remembered something.

"One more thing, focus on the girl, I want her. Don't go after Lopez yet. Am I understood?"

There was a chorus of 'yes Don' from each person in the room. He didn't bother acknowledging them as he left the room.

When he got to his room, he took a picture frame from the bedside table as he caressed it.

"I couldn't have you mi amor because he took you from me. Since I couldn't have you, well, I just have to settle for your lovely daughter. I do have to admit, she is a sight for sore eyes." He said grinning evilly.