^^^ She's so gorgeous ❤️😭❤️😭❤️ Raise your hand if you agree.

IMPORTANT: I know someone has read this before reading Mia Regina and I just wanted to say to those who just skipped to this book THIS IS NOT A STANDALONE. GO READ MIA REGINA FIRST! Aight, now moving on. 😂 Semester is over and I love it.

I told myself that I wouldn't freak out but... Escort Me Baby has gotten 100k reads like WHAT THE FUCK?!?!?!?! I'm gonna cry. I never imagined that I'd get that far or any of my books to get over a couple hundred reads. I didn't think people would like Athena's character in EMB, her bitchiness and villain-like tendencies in particular, but I guess I was wrong. Thank you so much 😭😭😭 You guys have no idea how much I love you all and how much this means to me.

Enjoy this chapter and point out my mistakes. ❤️

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In a blink of an eye, Ashton punched Alicio's face and knocked him to the ground. Horror imprisoned my face in its claws as he continued going at it. "Ashton, stop!" I screamed, my heart ready to burst through my chest. Low profile was what I wanted to keep for two weeks, but this surely wasn't a good start being among the royal criminals.

"What in the bloody hell!" Arabelle exclaimed, reaching forward to pull my brother off her husband, but Athena held her back as Alicio kicked my brother back and immediately rose to his feet.

"Let the boy blow some steam off," Athena said nonchalantly, sighing to herself and tightening her hold around Arabelle's forearm. "Alicio's brother did rape Arie, so let Ashton get a couple more punches in."

"Stop!" I yelled at Ashton who went at it with no intention to stop. He wanted to kill Alicio for what Astor did to me, and it was quite evident right now. "Ashton, please!" I pleaded and looked to Augustus and Eros who stepped forward, but Athena stopped them with a reassuring nod of her head.

"Talk about zero to a hundred real quick," Rome laughed and pulled out his phone uneasily with the black pug resting on his other arm. "Giants' quarterback is about to get famous on worldstar!"

Eros snatched the phone from his younger brother and slid it in his pocket. "Grow the fuck up."

"Sexy," Lina smirked, tilting her head to the side and admiring my brother as he landed another punch on Alicio who then swung back at him.

I groaned and grabbed Ashton's shoulder to pull him back. He yanked my hold off and kicked Alicio to the floor again. Climbing on the fallen man, he began pounding Alicio's face into the floor viciously, making the man bleed and showing me a side of him that I had never seen before; a rather horrific one.

"I think that's enough now," Athena finally declared and started approaching the quarreling men.

"You're going to kill him, Ashton." I leapt forward and grasped his shoulder once again, but this time he absentmindedly nudged me with brutal force that made me stumble back into someone's arms. The strong hold on me tightened and situated me on my feet carefully before I finally looked at the man. Leo stood there glaring at the bloody scene in front of him without sparing me a glance, though he did isolate me to the side so that I wouldn't get hurt in the fight.

Mike entered the scene and put his arms around my brother along with Eros to untangle him from a broken nosed Alicio who was lifted to his feet by his wife and Gus. "I'm going to kill this motherfucker," Ashton struggled against the tight hold on him as his eyes shoved swords through Alicio's chest.

"Fucking barbaric idiot!" Alicio spat blood onto the floor and glowered at my brother in rage whilst holding onto his nose.

"Let me go!" Ashton screamed furiously at the Irish man, wrestling off the restraints on him and lunging forward at his target.

Mike grabbed him by the back of his collar and jerked on it. "That's enough."

Ashton turned around and swatted away Mike's hand, trembling in anger and glaring at the man. "Aunt Wendy would be so disappointed in you."

"Ashton!" I gasped, absolutely dumbfounded by his comment. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

He completely shunned me out and directed his wrath toward Leo. "And you," Ashton growled and plunged himself forward to land a punch on the man standing by my side. Almost immediately, I stepped in front of Leo like a shield and placed a hand on my brother's chest, forcing him back. Ashton refused to meet my gaze and fumed like a bull staring right at Leo. "You sick asshole. Your sister is married into the family that raped your girl and she also pretended to be someone else to get into my house," he seethed and looked at everyone gathered at the scene who knew the truth. "Please tell me that you all didn't plan everything that has happened to us."

"Jesus! Ashton, no. You're assuming. Just calm down and I'll explain everything," I offered, my heart erratically thumping in my chest with tears ready to break through.

He scoffed incredulously, turning to face me. "Did you know this motherfucker's sister was married into that family? Did you know about Arabelle the entire time?"

"Watch your mouth," Leo's strong voice blared from behind me. "I'll cut your tongue out without flinching."

"Come at me," Ashton challenged the man like an idiot.

"Oh my God! Stop this nonsense, Ashton!" I chided and grabbed his wrist that he immediately brushed off.

"How can you be okay with this?" He shook his head at me and let out a frustrated laugh. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"Alicio saved my damn life. He's the one who helped me when I was kidnapped, or else I would be in a grave or maybe even worse," I spat through my gritted teeth.

"What about Aunt Wendy then?" A lone, tormented tear ripped down his cheek as his lips quivered ever so slightly. "He couldn't save her? Because I don't see her here, Arie." His voice was barely above a whisper, brittle to the point of cracking as he looked at me in anger, but mostly dismay to my actions. "I'm your brother. Your fucking twin, and I feel like you don't tell me anything."

"Ashton..."

"Don't," he shook his head and glanced down at his bruised knuckles. "I need air." Turning around, he started walking down the long hall and stopped at the end, contemplating whether to go left or right. "What the fuck is this maze?"

"Perhaps I can be of assistance," Lina volunteered and maneuvered around the blood on the floor, following my brother. "I can show you to your guest bedroom and maybe help you with your hand."

They both disappeared down the hall to the right, leaving me to stand in tears and fear that he might get hurt. "He didn't mean any of it," I looked at Alicio and slowly walked to his side. "I'm sorry. He doesn't know the whole story." My fingers fiddled with one another anxiously as I turned to Arabelle. "He's naive. I know he screwed up, but please don't hurt him," I begged like a pathetic little girl who was lower than the sewers. Damn it! What have I become?

"Relax," Athena laid a reassuring hand on my shoulder with a hint of care in her voice as she wiped a tear from my cheek and flicked it away. "No one's going to hurt him. He needed to let it out and he did."

Arabelle looked at me in pity and then at her husband. "I believe Alicio had it coming, yeah?" She chuckled to lighten up the mood due to which Alicio turned around and stomped down the hall. "Well, you should rest. It was a long flight I suppose and I should make sure he gets his nose fixed. Sleep well, princess."

Smiling one last time, she followed her husband and vanished. "You need to talk to your brother. Allow me to lead the way," Athena offered and slowly turned me around by my shoulders. Leo wasn't there anymore and neither was Rome.

"Ashton got some balls," Gus laughed. "I really like him."

Mike stood next to Eros silently as his green eyes watched me. "I'm sorry for what he said," I apologized on the behalf of my brother. I could only imagine what must be going through his mind after what Ashton stupidly said.

"Well," Mike sighed, "People say things they don't mean in anger, and your brother is upset with all this. What brother wouldn't be?" He stepped forward and placed a soft kiss on my temple. "Go lend him a shoulder, Arie. He needs it." After one last glance, he walked away with Gus right behind him.

Athena started strutting down the hall, her six inch heels clacking against the polished marbled floor. "The palace is huge and you'll surely get lost, so I suggest you follow me if you want to find your brother." She looked over her shoulder and waited for Eros and I to catch up to her. Eros placed a hand on the small of her back and shared a sweet smile with the woman before giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. Third wheeling at its finest.

I looked away and kept striding beside them without a word. "Make sure that Ashton doesn't lash out like that again. You know how dangerous it can get."

"I know." I stiffened and calmed my breathing as we approached an elevator. Does this place really need an elevator?

"Fair warning, the family is huge. The cousins from both Drago side and Bonferroni side are here. These people are ridiculously influential, even more than me, but they are all still nothing against the king." She tucked a strand of her soft curls behind her ear whilst stepping into the elevator and pressing the button to the second floor. "Bruise any one of their egos and with a snap of their finger, they'll have your head."

"And why are you telling me all this?"

"It's a tip," Eros chimed in. "They are all egotistical assholes and bitches."

"There's this saying among them, 'Family first'. They all fight like dogs and certainly want to strangle each other, but they can't severely harm anyone in the family. It's a strict rule."

"If you offend anyone, you better sleep with one eye open." Eros dramatically pointed to his eye. "Everyone is ruthless here."

"No one will hurt you or your brother. You're somewhat of a legend around here," Athena revealed when the elevator let us out onto the second floor of the majestic palace.

"A legend?" I laughed as I followed her like a little dog. Men in black suits patrolled the halls and nodded to us in acknowledgment.

"They may not know everything, but everyone knows that Leo was smitten with a girl named Arie. No one would dare lay a finger on you or Ashton, so rest assured." We turn into another hall and walk below the beautifully lit chandeliers. "The only two who can lay a finger are Federigo and Marsilia. Federigo likes you and he doesn't like many, so you're safe with him, but Marsilia," Athena laughed to herself. "Beware of her. She may seem old and harmless, but she's the worst woman you'll ever meet."

"Worse than you?" I scoffed.

"Sadly, yes," Athena sighed and stopped in her tracks to face me. "Don't talk back to her and keep your head low. Ask your brother to do the same because no one can save you from her. There's a reason why everyone fears her, even Federigo and Leo to an extent. She lives up to her conniving reputation. In simple words, stay clear of her."

"Noted," I shakily breathed in a long stretch of air and swallowed the forming lump in my throat. Well, this should be fun considering I broke her grandson's heart. "Where is Ashton's room?"

"The last one to the left and yours is opposite his to the right."

"Well, you really did plan everything," I commented looking at the wide hall separating Ashton and my room.

"I had to," she smirked and winked at me before walking toward Ashton's room. "Out of curiosity, why does Belle call you princess?"

"Because of the Princess Ariel bullshit," I groaned internally. "Our names look alike if you remove the 'L'."

"That's stupid," Eros commented. "Your name isn't even pronounced in that manner even if you remove the 'L'."

"Exactly," I rolled my eyes at all those who thought it was funny, including Aunt Wendy.

"It's more like Aria. Just need to knock out the 'A'," Athena said and stopped in front of Ashton's door.

"Exactly," I agreed once again. "Finally something we agree on."

"And probably the last thing we agree on."

I snorted. "Indeed."

"Anyhow, there's an Aria in the family though," Athena smirked at me like a vixen. "You'll probably meet her tomorrow. Let's hope she likes you. She's the closest thing to Leo's mother."

"Why do I need her to like me? And there's Amelia anyways," I countered and narrowed my eyes at what she was trying to insinuate.

"Well, I don't know how much you know about the family history, but it definitely isn't my story to tell. Just know that she's more valued and influential than Amelia." With that being said, she opened the door to reveal Lina wiping away the blood from my brother's hand who was still red with his jaw clenched tight, sitting on the bed.

"You guys are right on time. Ashton and I were just going to have some mind-blowing sex." Lina grinned from ear to ear when Ashton chuckled and shook his head.

"Lina," Athena scolded her with a stern look.

"I'm kidding," she laughed and met my brother's gaze. "I made him laugh, so you're welcome, Arie." After placing a soft kiss on the apple of his cheek, she turned around and beamed. "Everyone is probably partying right now. After you guys are done talking, come join us outside and meet everyone. You don't have to dress up, it's casual."

"Thank you, but I'm tired, so I'll probably stay in," I smiled meekly. "Ashton is always ready to party though."

"Will you be coming?" Lina glanced down at my brother with a certain glimmer in her eyes.

"Depends on how this conversation goes," Ashton stared at me emotionless.

Lina grabbed me by my shoulders and stared me down. "You better not fuck it up, Arie, and ruin the vacation for your brother. Yeah?"

"God damn." Amazed by the commanding tone of her voice and a clear goal in her eyes, I nodded vigorously, a bit intimidated by the youngest Bonferroni sibling. I'd be a fool to expect anything less from her. "Okay."

"Good girl." She kissed me smack dab on the lips, rendering me speechless. "You have kissable lips. No wonder Leo loved you."

I stood there stunned while Eros and Ashton laughed, who also shook his head in disgust. Lina winked at Ashton and walked past me to the couple standing by the door. They closed it and left us in somber. Ashton flexed and closed his fist without looking at me while I still recovered from what just happened. Shaking my head, I took a seat next to him and pushed the first aid kit aside.

"Hey," I whispered and brushed my hand over his shoulder.

"Are you going to feed me more lies?" He scowled, looking out the window.

Taking a deep breath, I contemplated where to start and how much to exactly tell him. I couldn't spill any mafia bullshit, so I was a bit limited. I cleared my throat and clasped my hands in my lap. "I was summoned to the station two days after the rape for questioning and that's where I first ran into Leo. He invited Aunt Wendy and I to this event and," I paused for a second to breathe, "that's where she met Mike and they both hit it off."

He was still looking out the window at the night sky as I continued. "After a couple weeks, Astor sent an assassin to kill me." Ashton's head whipped in my direction as I decided to stare at the floor and quickly brush over the events. "Leo saved me and took me to one of his hotels. He took care of me and offered to teach me how to fight. I agreed to it." My warm hands began sweating profusely. "Then at our graduation, another assassin tried to kill me and I fought her off."

"And Leo was there too," Ashton remembered him and so did I; how he handed me my diploma on the stage and later roofied my ass when I was being too stubborn. That asshole!

"Yeah, he took me to his house to protect me because we didn't know who was calling the shots and he was also having a birthday bash the next day. That's where I saw Astor again. He was Leo's friend," I swallowed hard and witnessed Ashton's anger flare to endless proportions.

"That motherfucker!" He growled and gripped the sheets tightly on his sides. Seeing that this little information had his blood boiling, I decided to keep the other relation under the veil; the relation being Astor was Arabelle's husband at that time.

"Leo realized that it was all Astor's doings, so he approached him with a deal to call off his assassins and leave me alone, but Astor screwed up by having me attacked again. Leo was with me when it happened and fought off the men, but got shot in the process." My eyes welled up as I relived the past where everything started, where I met Leo and how I fell in love with him. "Leo saved me time and again, and I don't know the exact moment, but I knew I fell for him."

My mind took a stroll down memory lane that had pictures of Leo all around with frames disclosing our moments together which unknowingly put a smile on my face. "Maybe it was the little things he did that made me fall in love with him, but we were crazy about each other just like Aunt Wendy and Mike." I cleared my throat and maneuvered back to the filthy Astor alley. "Astor went into hiding, but he had men do his dirty work. He had Lina kidnapped and hurt her very badly. She was only fourteen back then," I grimaced, taking a shaky breath.

"What did he do to her?" Ashton asked quietly, his voice unbelievably low.

"Trust me, you don't want to know," I swallowed the enormous lump in my throat as the boulder on my chest got heavier.

"Did Aunt Wendy know about the attacks on you?" He forced my eyes to his with the curiosity in his tone.

"No," I answered honestly. "The day after Athena's birthday party, I decided to tell you guys everything, but you already found out and as soon as you stormed out on us, Aunt Wendy felt a bit dizzy because of the pregnancy, so I went to get her some water. When I got back, a man was injecting her with something."

"And you killed five men," he spoke in a daze as more tears pooled down his face while I nodded. I couldn't begin to imagine coming home to five dead bodies and the most important women in my life missing.

"In self defense, yes, but Astor still got us," I shrugged and let tears drop like no tomorrow. "He had us tied up and was going to rape Aunt Wendy right in front me. I couldn't let that happen, Ashton," I sobbed and looked at the pain reflected on his face. "She was pregnant and finally happy with Mike. I couldn't let anything happen to her, so when he started removing his pants, I told him that she was pregnant and hoped he'd melt, but I was wrong when he injected her with that..." I held my throbbing head in my palms and weeped. "I was so fucking wrong."

Ashton buried his face in his palms and cried. "Alicio was a couple minutes late in stopping Astor before he did what he did," I choked on my words, but continued. "But he did help me so I could kill Astor while he kept the other men busy. I stabbed Astor half to death and left him to bleed. Alicio called Leo and they all came."

"Fucking shit," Ashton muttered under his breath and looked up at me. His eyes were bloodshot, his cheeks flushed and hands trembling. "Damn it, Arie!" He immediately put his arms around me and pulled me into his chest tightly. "I'm so sorry. Why didn't you tell me any of this?"

"Because I thought you'd blame me for what happened to Aunt Wendy," I mumbled against his chest before he pulled away and frowned at me.

"It wasn't your fault, Arie." He cupped my face and wiped away my tears with his thumbs. "That Astor bitch did it and I'm glad he's dead or else I'd be hunting him down right now."

"I miss her so much, Ashton," I cried and nuzzled my head back into his chest. "I want her to come back."

"I do too," he whispered, running his hand up and down my back. "We used to tell each other everything, Arie."

"I'm sorry."

"Promise me that you'll tell me everything that happens to you because it's just the two of us right now. We can't keep secrets from each other." He pulled away and wiped his tears with the back of his hand. "I have been keeping something from you too. Mike actually bought our team earlier this year."

"What?" I coughed and stared at him wide-eyed. "Why didn't I hear anything about it?"

"Because it happened discreetly and the name of the new owner wasn't given to any news outlets," he tried to defend himself.

"It's your job to tell me," I yelled, mounting from the bed. "You should have told me."

"Look at you. You freak out easily which is why I didn't tell you." He crossed his arms across his chest and shook his head at me. "If I wanted to tell him about Ana, I would have told him by now."

"Oh, shut up," I glared at him. "Why didn't Fred tell me about this?"

"Because he knows you don't give a fuck about football and he doesn't know anything about Ana's dad either, so shut the fuck up," he narrowed his brown eyes at me.

"You're the one who needs to shut the fuck up," I countered, smacking his head. "Don't ever lash out like you did today, especially not in front of the president of Italy."

"Whatever," he smacked my arm and began heading toward the door. "I'm going to the party."

"I mean it, Ashton. Keep your head low and stay away from Evelina."

***

After taking some pain killers, I slipped into a deep slumber in my new room until loud knocks on the door literally threw me off the bed. My heart raced for the hills as I frantically rushed to my suitcase and rummaged for my gun.

"Bitch, open the door," Soph shouted from the other side and put me at ease. Fucking Soph and more so, fucking paranoia.

I touched my forehead and pressed the bandage down before trudging over to the door and opening it. "What are you doing?" I scowled at her, grumpily.

"I got goodies!" She held up two black bags wearing pajamas and a baggy t-shirt, her hair in a messy bun at the top of her head.

"It's the middle of the night," I argued.

"And everyone is still partying, but you and I are going to party separately by the pool." Before I knew it, she grabbed my wrist and dragged me out of the room, not giving me a chance to wear anything on my feet. Defying her demands would be a waste because she was one stubborn bitch, so I let her haul me wherever she wished.

Taking the elevator and somehow reaching the vacant pool outside was a blur, so Soph was the only way back to my room. I sat by the edge and dipped my feet in the cold water. "This shit is cold," I groaned and pulled out my feet as Soph slowly settled down next to me and placed the two bags in front of me.

She pulled out a bottle of wine and dangled it in my face. "You're drinking tonight."

I scoffed, shaking my head. "How about no?"

"How about yes?" She glared at me and dared me to argue. "I'm getting married soon and I need my maid of honor to be daring. Anyways, it's just rosé. It can't hurt you, so get to it."

"I'm not drinking."

"Oh, we'll see about that," she wiggled her brows wickedly and I knew this was going to be a long night.

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IMPORTANT: I know I said that this will have Leo's POV too but the chap was getting a bit too long and I didn't even finish his POV, so I'm just going to make a different chapter. I have to complete it and then I'll post it hopefully tomorrow, so yes, you're getting two chapters. Make sure to read both.

Was Ashton overreacting with Alicio?

Did Mike deserve what Ashton said?

Do you guys think Marsilia will be harsh on Arie when they properly meet?

Who's excited to meet the cousins?

Much love ❤️
~Reet