Page 53 of There Is No Love

Alora

Ilookeddownat my wrist in Lukas's hand, the two of us making our way down the stairs. I glanced up at his arm, to his face, studying him. He had to have an angle. He was Luka ‘Savage’ Rossi, and if everything I had heard about him was true, the Savage nickname fit. I had heard he got the nickname because he was a force of nature in the ring. He was violent, wild, untamed, and uncontrolled when it came to fighting. They say this part of him also carried into his dealings with men in the business that crossed him. But this man holding my wrist seems anything but savage. He was always cracking jokes and had a smile on his face more often than not. I was beginning to think the rumors about him weren't true. That it was just something he had cooked up himself to scare people. I walked with him down the hallway, and into a dining room. His father sat at the head of the table, Arturo to the right of him, and Voralie to the left. He looked up at me and I could have sworn I saw the hints of a smile on his lips before his face went cold. My dad had the same look on his face, emotionless, almost as if they were corpses, somehow still walking amongst the living. The room was quite fancy, a beautiful crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, lighting reflecting and dancing off the walls around us.

Voralie stood up and smiled. “Did you get settled in?”

“Yes, Voralie, thank you.”

“Dear, please. Just call me mom. I thought we already discussed this.”

“Mom?” Stefano snapped, “why the hell would she call you mom? Voralie, know your place and sit down.”

Voralie nodded and sat back down in her seat, a frown coming across her face. I wanted to pull the knife from my leg and throw it between his eyes.

“Father, if Alora wants to call her mom, she will,” Luka walked to the seat next to his mother and pulled it out for me.

I sat down and looked at Stefano, “I think I would rather like to call her mom. Mom suits her very well.”

Luka took the seat next to me, “well then it’s settled.”

Stefano shook his head, “I don't know how things are run in your house, Alora, but in this house, I am the boss and the men run things,”

I smiled and nodded. “My father would say the same thing.”

“Well, then you best know your place while you are under my roof.” He stared me down as a young man laid a plate in front of him, four more placing plates in front of us after. “A Volante under my roof.” He grunted and put a bite in his mouth.

“A Rossi,” Luka said.

Stefano looked up at him, “excuse me?”

“She is my wife, and therefore a Rossi,” he replied, “so you best get used to having her around.”

“Oh,” Stefano set his fork down, sitting back on his seat, a smug look on his face, “Is that so? You’re taking up for your bitch over your father?’

Luka stood up, his chair flying backward, and crashing to the floor. “What the fu,”

“Woah,” Arturo interrupted, “everyone calm down. This marriage is supposed to bring peace between our families.”

Stefano stood up. “There will never be peace between Gabriele and me.” He walked around the table, staring me down as he made his way towards the door. “You two can pretend all you want, follow Vigo’s orders all you want. You don't fool me. But his time is ending, and soon a new leader will emerge.” He looked at me, a small laugh escaping his lips. “You will do good to remember one thing, my dear. I have eyes everywhere, even in Alberoville. Whether you find yourself hitting the shops on Oak Street, dinner with Vigo, or I don't know, walking the pier. I have eyes everywhere.” He gave me a smirk and walked out.

I felt my chest tighten. I had felt like someone was watching me on the dock the other night. Was it one of his spies? Was I being tailed? Did he know about my meeting? Would he find out, and intervene? Take her away before I could find her?

“Don’t pay any attention to him,” Luka rested his hand on mine, “he is just trying to scare you.”

I let out a sigh, “I don’t scare that easily.” I lied. I was scared, not for me, but Elena. I had been searching for her since that night. I thought I saw her walking down the street. I had never been so close. Did Stefano know of Elena? Know of her connection to me? Memories of that night started playing through my head, I felt my heart start to race.

“Alora?”

I shook my head and looked at Luka, “what?”

“Are you good?”

I nodded. “I’m fine.” I looked at the door again, before turning to my plate and eating my food.

“I am sure you are tired from the flight,” Voralie smiled at me as she walked with me to the bottom of the stairs. “You get some rest, tomorrow you and I will talk. I will tell you all about your mother.”

I rested my hand on her arm, “I would like that.”

“Me too.” she smiled and kissed my cheek, “sleep well dear.” She patted my hand a couple of times and then turned to go down the hallway.

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