Page 12 of The Diávolos: Part One
Thirty minutes later, I push the door of Sharp Shooters open, and walk out into the dark alley, the only light a streetlamp several feet away. I breathe in the cool air and turn to my right, where Gianis is waiting to take me home. My father thinks I need to be followed everywhere I go now that I’ve moved back. I was in Antium City for years with no protection and he never seemed to care where I was or what I did. Now, he insists Gianis accompany me whenever I go out at night. Although I don’t totally agree with this demand, walking through an alley in the streets of Downtown Cebrene at this time of day isn't safe for anyone. As much as I love my independence, a small part of me is thankful to have a lethal enforcer by my side.
“Ang,” Gianis says, as he pushes himself off the side of the building.
“Hey, G, thanks for coming back for me.” I still wonder why he didn’t wait for me. But if there’s one thing I know about him, it’s that he is very secretive with respect to his whereabouts. I debate asking if the name Evan sounds familiar to him, but I refrain from it. He knows everyone of importance in the city, and I’m sure he’s aware of every single person who walks in and out of the range, given I’ve been going for weeks. He’s only stepped foot in the establishment once, but I guess it was enough for him to vet the place. He wouldn’t risk sending me into the line of danger.
He nods at my response. For once, I know Gianis is okay with my father’s methods regarding me. He’s been obsessive about my safety ever since the kidnapping. He barely leaves my side and constantly checks on me. He doesn’t let me go anywhere alone, unless it’s with Aria. I wouldn’t be surprised if he planted a tracker on me. But I’m thankful for his concern. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t ever leave my house. There are three things that make me feel safe now. Shooting, Gianis, and my admirer.
We walk the rest of the way to his car parked on the side of the road and I look up at Gianis’ six-foot-four, chiseled frame. The dim light of the streetlamps shines on his face, making his sculpted cheekbones and sharp jawline more prominent. His long legs walk in glorious strides and his charcoal grey-fitted suit jacket flaps in the wind, exposing his handgun tucked into the side of his pants. He isbeautiful. We’ve grown even closer over the last few weeks, and it reminds me of when we were young. We’ve been around each other ever since I was little, and although I have never beeninlove with him, I did grow attached. We used to play together all the time as kids—me following him around everywhere—and when we both grew as teenagers, he started looking at me differently. He still looks at me the same way now, but I’ve always been too scared to give in. He’s the first boy I ever loved. He’s family, and I would never do anything to jeopardize our friendship.
We shared our first kiss when I was fifteen and he was nineteen. It was my first time kissing a boy, so I didn’t know what to expect. I wasn’t a prude or anything, but I was one of the only girls left in my grade that hadn’t even gotten to first base. All the boys were scared to approach me because of Gianis. I used to be the one following him around, but the roles reversed, and no boy felt comfortable talking to me.
I don’t blame them. Even as a young adult, G was big, tall, and intimidating.
It took a while to convince him to pop my kissing cherry, but he finally conceded, agreeing that he would rather be my first than let some ‘horn-dog’ teenager slobber all over me. That got a loud “ew” from me, and I debated whether I wanted to be kissed after all.
Gianis was a lot more experienced, having already been with girls, but he was gentle, and showed me how to pucker my lips and tilt my head. It was the opposite of slobbery, and I wondered why it took me so long to ask him to teach me.
It wasn’t the only time our lips touched, but we never passed first base. Everyone thought we would start dating eventually, but I was never interested in taking our relationship to the next level.
Eventually, we decided to stop whatever we were doing, in case my father caught wind of it. He trusted Gianis, but I’m sure he wouldn’t have been happy to find out that he was sticking his tongue down my throat whenever he got the chance.
“Are you okay?” he asks, his brows furrowed, and I’m brought back to the present.
I snap my head forward and look straight ahead. “Yeah, why?” I answer, shaking off the thoughts of his lips on mine.
He raises an eyebrow. “You were staring at me.”
“Sorry, I was…daydreaming?”Good one, Ang.
“You don’t seem so sure of that,” he chuckles softly.
I give him a little wink. “I was just thinking about how I don’t need a chaperone.” Not exactly true, but he doesn’t need to know that.
He shakes his head and lets out a little sigh. “You know I didn’tchooseto be your glorified babysitter, right?”
I roll my eyes at him as we reach our ride. For once, he’s not driving one of his obnoxious sports cars. I open the door and slip into the passenger seat of the sedan, and he heads toward my place.
When Gianis pulls up to my house, I get out of the car and shut the door without saying goodbye. He’s used to my attitude by now and doesn’t think twice before backing out of the driveway. I can’t help my bitterness. Ever since I moved back to Cebrene, I have been in a terrible mood, but I know Gianis understands. He always does.
“Pssht, so much for protection,” I mumble, noticing he didn’t even wait for me to get inside before driving away.
My father wanted me to have two bodyguards, but I fought him tooth and nail. Gianis suggested installing a top-of-the-line security system that contacts him as soon as the alarm is triggered, and he reluctantly agreed. I’d convinced myself I was free of my father’s hold in Antium, but it feels like I’m almost back to square one now. I guess this arrangement is better than nothing.
I didn’t choose to live in this specific house, but I had to compromise with my father when I came back from The Big A. If I wanted to live on my own, I had to live inhispart of the city, in a househeowned, where he would be able to ensure my protection.
I step in, disable the alarm, and lock the door behind me. I set my things down on a chair in the family room and make my way down the long and wide hallway, passing the powder room, office, guest bedroom, and the main living room. This place is unnecessarily big for one person with three more bedrooms upstairs and a home theater in the basement. The sensor lights turn on as I walk through the corridor toward the kitchen located at the back of the house.
I’m starving given that I skipped dinner to go to the range. I don’t normally forget to eat, but my mind has been distracted with the move, the fragile state of my safety, and my newfound secret admirer. I open the fridge and the first thing I see is a white box with a sticky note on the top. I rip it off and read it out loud.I’ll take care of you, it says.
I drop the piece of paper as if it’s a hot potato, and my instinct is to look around the room. I squint my eyes to peer outside the patio doors, but it’s too dark, and I see no movement. My house is surrounded by sensor lights. I’d obviously be alerted if someone was on the property. But somehow, this intruder has found a way around my security system, and I don’t know if I should be concerned or impressed.
I open the cardboard container and find a whole cheesecake. My favorite. I dig in and smile, the weight of the day melting away. All thanks to an unknown person who chose me as the target of their undivided attention.
“They've promised that dreams can come true - but forgot to mention that nightmares are dreams, too.”—Oscar Wilde
Ileave the shooting range and let out a huge sigh of relief. I sling my bag over my shoulder and lift the hood of my sweatshirt over my head as I walk down the alley. My two bodyguards, Sebastian and Gregory, stayed behind to not bring any attention to me. I have to keep a low profile. It’s never a good idea for a high-ranking member of the mob to be seen alone and vulnerable.
I wasn’t expecting Angelica to be at Sharp Shooters at the same time I was. I knew she came here a few nights a week, always on Thursdays, but I didn’t think I’d run into her. I was only supposed to pop in, talk to the owner, and head out. But when our bodies collided in the hallway, I couldn’t help but feel a crackle of electricity pass between us. Her hair was in a messy bun, and it brushed against my face as I picked up her phone from the floor. The fresh aroma of rose and peony, mixed with a hint of sweet cocoa hits my nose, taunting me to pull on the loose strands that were poking out.
