My body was sprawled over Alessandro keeping him down. His brow eyes were wide and a million and one questions ran through his head.

Three bodies fell with a thump and I retracted my hand from the air. The men had fired aimed at the ceiling thinking the glass would shatter.

Absolutely foolish.

At least they were clever enough to use silencers.

Alessandro immediately flipped us so his body covered mine. His jaw was clenched tight and hands fisted.
"There aren't anymore " I whispered hastily before we caused a distraction. The loud music helped mask the sound. The alcohol intake of most of these people probably helped too. There were bullets buried in the ceiling for god's sake.

Alessandro stood up and pulled me along with him up the staircase where one of the bodies lay. He crouched down inspecting it.
"A clean head shot " he stated factually. And I stood with indifference. Every shot I took was clean. Clean and precise. His voice was unnaturally calm but there was ferociousness in his eyes. A storm brewing.

He pulled out his phone and began barking orders while bringing me further up with him. "Three bodies. Nicholas I want them gone now"
There was a sharp intake of breath- must've been something Nicholas said.
"She's fine. If the security cameras were being watched like I specifically ordered you'd know " he seethed as we came to the third floor.

He pushed open a hidden door and pulled me in before shutting it.
"I don't appreciate being hauled around. Especially after saving your life" I gritted .
"I'm in my office " he said before putting his phone down and focusing his heated gaze on me.

"Clearly both of us have our secrets " he started out leaning on a desk. There was numerous screens on one of the walls showing live footage from the cameras.
My eyes drifted to the tinted glass. The office was in the balcony.
"Clearly " I emphasized staring right back at him.

He shook his head and crossed his toned arms causing the fabric of his suit to be pulled taut. I dragged my gaze away from his arms and focused back on his face.

"Why do you have a gun on you?" He finally asked.

"Precautions never hurt do they Mr.Raimondo?"I answered stepping forward.

He sighed before getting up and closing the distance between us. "Why " he drawled out placing his hand on the side of my face. " is it so difficult for you to call me Alessandro "

His phone buzzed again and he increased the distance between us to retrieve it. His absence suddenly made me cold I wrapped my arms around myself.

Alessandro stared at me with raised eyebrows and muttered "Jesus " before hanging up.

"Three head shots. Clean headshots. With a handgun that you had strapped on your leg"

"Practice " I simply stated and he slowly nodded.

"Fiorella , I've made my intentions clear to you yes?" He asked taking my hands in his larger calloused ones.
"Yes " I nodded
"I was skeptical of asking you this. You have to understand that I didn't want to put you in danger-"
"Everyone is always in some kind of danger Alessandro. Weather it be big or small" I softly said cupping his cheek. One of his hands covered mine as he leaned in more and the other rested right on my hip.

His eyes glimmered and a small smile crept up his lips. "I wanted to be sure that you could handle this life. And after today- you saved my life- I know you can handle it. But I'm warning you now- if you want to back away, this is your last chance because after this I won't let you go " he said letting his voice sink in.
A million thoughts raced through my head. I was being sucked into a past that had nearly ended my life. A past that still haunted me. But there was this indescribable feeling Alessandro elicited.
"I can handle it" I nodded
"Anything you want Fiorella I will give you it" he announced.
"I want the truth"
His thumb drew feathery circles on my waist and his intense gaze was focused on me.
"I need your trust, there will be things that I will do without an explanation at the given moment but I need to know that you won't assume the worst"
He nodded along my words.
"And I want you. All of you. All strings attached. No one else. Just me and you "
His eyes nearly glowed in this low lighting.
"Can you give me that Alessandro ? Can you promise to be faithful? I don't just want a relationship. I need a partnership " I said with a steady gaze.

All in or nothing.

"Your wish is my command" he whispered dropping his other hand to my waist. His arms trapped me in and he pulled me closer. Our bodies flush against one another. I held his face in both of my hands. My thumbs running over his cheeks. Every little dent, every line, every mark- I took it all in.

Closing my eyes I leaned my forehead against his and he followed suit. His warm breath fanning my face every so often. We basked in each other's presence. It was enough.

A knock on the door resounded before Joseph walked in.

Alessandro gave him his full attention while keeping me close.

Without knowing he cracked the walls I had up.

Joseph's gaze followed Alessandro's arm that was wrapped around my waist. His blonde eyebrows rising up and his eyes dark and still.

Uncertainty was displayed al over his face and he seemed conflicted.

"You can say whatever you have to in Ella's presence" Alessandro's voice boomed not a second later. He was back in boss mood.

"They weren't Daviano's men" Joseph said running a hand through his hair. He was stressed. I looked towards Alessandro wondering who this Daviano person was but he already knew what I was thinking.
"Daviano- Daviano Giuseppe Donatello is one of my underbosses. Well my father's as of now"
He finished and I nodded my head.

Joseph pursed his lips.
"What" I began "is your problem with me?"

He needs to get it through his thick skull that I wasn't going anywhere.

"Where did you learn to fire like that " he asked and I felt Alessandro stiffen besides me. His lips in tight line. Eyes narrowed to the point where his top lashes brushed against the bottom ones.He had held himself from asking that.

"Why is that your concern?" I questioned stepping forward growing agitated. Alessandro kept and iron grip on my arm and held me back.

"You can easily be a spy sent here to take down us all. Especially what you just did. Those men could have been with you " he said accusing me.

"Just because I can fire better than half of your men, you accuse me of being a spy?"

"Then how do you explain yourself ?" Joseph fired back.

Alessandro opened his mouth to interject but I was quicker.
"I didn't have an easy life Joseph. I am here because I fought for my life-I picked up some skills along the way" I seethed anger getting the best of me.

I was still working on self control.

Old memories began to resurface and fisted my hands and shut my eyes.

The feeling of cold hard leather being dragged against my skin became all too real. The anticipation of the hit was the worst.

"Fiorella?" Alessandro's voice broke me out of my trance and looked up to see Joseph gone.
"Are you alright?" He asked with concern etched over his face.

My heart clenched. I wanted him to be mine so much it hurt.

I nodded in response. "I'm fine. Can you take me home now?"

He gave me a sharp nod and led me out of the office to his car from the back entrance.

"Tonight... it... none of this was supposed to happen " he sighed accelerating.

I stayed quiet. Lost in a mess known as the past.

I didn't realize the car had stopped moving until Alessandro gently touched my arm.

"Fiorella? We are here" he said.

I blinked a few times to see that the car wasn't even on.

"Thank you" I tightly smiled trying to get out. Alessandro quickly got out and helped me exist the car.

"I'm completely fine." I said "you don't have to walk me upstairs " I tightly smiled.

I was feeling too much too fast.

He completely ignored me and proceeded to walk besides me.

The ride to my floor was completely silent besides the creaking elevator.

I had been numb for years. I planned on staying that way.

I silently opened my door and let him inside.

Alessandro took a seat on the couch and was the first one to break the silence.
"Why do you have a thirty five thousand dollar lamp and live here?" He questioned staring at the vintage lamp in the corner of the room.

Because I wanted to blend in?

Because sometimes I still think they'll come back for me?

"It's easy to get around from here " I answered taking seat across from him. I wasn't sure where this was going.

Frankly I wasn't quite sure of anything now.

"I'm not.." he stared out and stopped with furrowed eyebrows.

"I don't know how to date" he blurted out. That was the last thing I expected him to say right now.

I stared at him with a loss of words.

"I've slept with women. I've never dated any of them"

I opened and closed my mouth like a fish out of water unsure of what to say.

"And I don't have an STI's or STD's " he said sitting forward with his hands in his knees.

His suit barely had any wrinkles in it.

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked stupidity

"The truth is what you asked for. This is truth."

"I..alright." I said nodding my head. That was all I could do.

"It's really late you should head off" I said standing up and Alessandro followed my movements.

He seemed reluctant to leave but he kissed my forehead and left.

I locked the door behind him and leaned against for a few moments to calm my breathing before going into my room.

Of course he slept with numerous women.
He we nearly chiseled out of marble by God himself.

I wiped off all of my makeup. My steely gaze stared back at me through the mirror. I was beautiful.

But I wasn't special.

I stood in front of the mirror staring at the gorgeous dress. It dropped to the floor with a light thud and pooled around my ankles on the floor.

White splotches and deformed skin was faint but present on my inner thighs.

I stepped out of the circle the dress had made and looked in the mirror.

The women he slept with didn't look like this.

They were the most beautiful, sexy, flawless women with smooth and silky skin.

I ran fingers over my stomach. There was nothing smooth or silly about me.

I was burnt, stretched, and stitched in all kinds of places.

The longer I looked at myself the blurrier my reflection became.

My hands fisted at my sides and my lip quivered.

I turned away from the grotesque sight and headed off to the bathroom. I kept the light off and turned on the hot water before stepping in.

The tears mixed in with the water before they even left my eyes.

Slowly my knees gave out beneath me and I felt everything like an avalanche.

Maybe George knew I was like this. Maybe he'd seen a sliver of my damage.

That's why he chose a supermodel over me.

A sob racked my body and I buried my face in my hands as the water continued to rush down.

It was already too late. I was stupid to think I could be with Alessandro. I just dug myself a grave.

He was everything George wasn't.

Why would Alessandro want someone as fucked up as me?

Someone used and thrown around like a rag.

The cold marble ground pressed into my knees.

I was broken beyond repair, only held together by sheer force.

***

MY GOD THIS STORY HAS HIT 1K READS. THANK YOU GUYS SOO SO MUCH.

It's honestly fantastic to be able to share my creation with so many people.

I'm extremely thankful for each an every one of you for the support!

Also I got accepted into college (uni) which is fantastic and scary at the same time.

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-LoveBigBooks

PS. I'm really exhausted and didn't proof read.