CAPO

43. Leaving

"We were supposed to leave an hour ago and you're still busy packing?"

Arabella grumbled something under her breath as she hurriedly folded her pieces of clothing, not paying the impatient man in her doorway any mind.

"I left you for fifteen minutes to go say goodbye to my moyher Arabella. I expected you'd be done packing by now,"

Irritated, Arabella's eyes snapped to Giovanni. "I despise being rushed and you know this. Why are you rushing me? I'm working as fast as I can with the limited suitcase space I have,"

Giovanni narrowed his eyes, the corner of his lip twitching, "You look so pretty when you're mad,"

Arabella ignored him flat, resuming folding her items before stuffing them into the suitcase. Giovanni sighed, making his way to the annoyed girl. He slumped his arms over her shoulders from behind her, pulling her close to his chest.

"Forgive me, my love. I just hate being late," He whispered to her. Arabella nodded, "I know, and I'm sorry I'm taking forever, it's just the suitcase is so small,"

She laughed at the end, laying her head back against his chest. Giovanni hummed, "Just stuff them in," He started, "Like this," He released her and grabbed handfuls of clothes, messily stuffing them into the suitcase, clumping them in the sides and every little space he could find. After he was done, he zipped it up, putting his hands on his hips.

"See? All done," He smiled, looking quite proud of himself. Arabella shook her head, watching as he pulled it from her bed, another suitcase in his other hand. Arabella kissed her cats until they became annoyed, and then she followed behind Giovanni, making her way past him and to her two best friends that sat at her counter.

"We're off," Arabella smiled. Cleo instantly pulled her into a hug, kissing her cheek, "Be safe, babe. We love you,"

"I love you," She said, pressing a kiss to her best friends cheek. Joy smiled, and Cleo passed Arabella to them. Joy swung her side to side, "We're gonna miss you, y'know? I love you,"

"Be good and don't do anything I wouldn't do,"

Arabella blinked away a few tears before she turned, watching as Giovanni shot her two friends a nod before he made his way out of the door. Arabella spared her apartment a last look before she closed the door behind herself, jogging to catch up to Giovanni.

"Let me help," She said. Giovanni shook his head, "Open the door," Arabella jogged towards the door, pulling it open as Giovanni walked out, squinting his eyes at the bright sunlight.

After loading in her suitcases, Giovanni slipped on his black sunglasses before he climbed into the car, turning the key in the ignition, wasting no time in turning onto the street.

Arabella by the Arctic Monkeys was playing throughout their car. The girl hummed along whilst she stared out the window as they drove to the airport. Giovanni was softly tapping his fingers to the song on the steering wheel, not a word being spoken by the two. Excitement was bubbling hot in Arabella's veins and it showed as she fiddled with her fingers, her bottom lip pulled between her teeth as she chewed on it.

The silence was short lived though, because an Italian song came on after and Giovanni was singing along as he was being watched by his girl, her lips pulled into a smile at the man beside her. She never got used to hearing him speak his native tongue, it just sounded so much easier and fluid to her than when he spoke English.

As they pulled up to the airport, Arabella noticed a sleek white plane, and a black Jeep next to it, Enzo leaning against the front, a thick black cigar between his fingers.

Rafael was the one to load in their suitcases to the plane, and Arabella turned to Giovanni beside her, "A private jet? Really?" Giovanni nodded, a cocky smirk flashing across his lips before he walked up to Enzo, wasting no time in pulling his brother into a hug, Italian words shared between them as they hugged.

"Prendersi cura del business. E dopo la mamma, sì?,"
[Look after the business. And after mother, yes?]

"Sì, Giovanni.Ti amo, fratello,"
[I love you, brother.]

An almost sad smile washed over Giovanni's face, "Ti amo," He said, pulling away. He stepped back, clearing his throat awkwardly as he made his way towards the plane, taking the sunglasses from his face.
[I love you.]

Now Arabella was the one pulled into a hug by Enzo and he spoke next to her ear, "Look after him and yourself, Bella," He murmured, rubbing her back as he squeezed her, "I will," Arabella replied, pulling back as he released her, a wide smile across her face.

Arabella made her way up the stairs to the plane, noticing Giovanni already sat in a white plush seat. The plane was large with white and beige details, and next to the man was a small brown table, a whiskey glass next to him.

She slumped down in the seat across from him, watching as a short waitress walled up to her, handing her a tall glass with a deep red liquid inside. And upon smelling it momentarily, Arabella recognised it as the wine she and her lover drank on their first date.

Giovanni looked at her, leaning his head against his chair as he took a sip from his whiskey. She smiled at him, "Excited?" She asked.

The man shrugged, "Only exciting the first time, I've grown used to Italy,"

Arabella raised her brow, "I assumed as such. Tell me, where will we be staying?"

Giovanni shot her a sly smirk, "I have an ocean view house in Sicily, we'll be staying there," Arabella rolled her eyes, "Of course you have an ocean view house in Sicily. Where else do you have houses?"

The man shrugged, "Italy, France, the States, South Africa, etcetera. Can't have too many houses, you know?"

She shook her head, completely bewildered by his ability to tell her he was filthy rich in such a nonchalant way. And as she felt the plane slowly take up, Arabella was oblivious to the plans Giovanni was conjuring up in his mind.

They would not just be visiting Italy.