The Mafia's Belle

Chapter One - One Year Earlier

Okay okay okay. What was that? Such a dramatic beginning to a story. What was the author thinking? That's not a good start. Not when you, my dear reader, need to build up and tenseness of Victor and I's romance. One that sure left my head spinning. Literally. So. Let me start you one hear from that traffic day.

***

I stirred a coffee and put some cash in the register. Paying for the coffee I just made. Watching every customer that came in and out the door. My cousin was bent over the counter. Surveying the cute male customers that were around her age. 

I promised Olivia's that I would help her take a break from guys after the last one dumped her. But now it's been almost a week since the break up and she;s already on the hunt again. Her excuse is the following:

" how can I stay away from guys when the cute nerdy ones are walking and out of this coffee shop. I've ready plenty of romance books. Enough to recognize that this is the perfect place for a coffee barista meets new guy who want's a coffee (and she probably spills it on him) romance."

I like to remind her that she reads smut. Not romance. There's a difference

However that doesn't stop her from looking. Eventually I smacked her on the back of the head with a towel. The towel smack made her look at me and I say, "get back to work. Stop looking so desperate."
"I'm not desperate."
"Okay Olivia, believe what you want to believe. But you and Issac broke up almost two weeks ago... you can take a little time do yourself you know,"
She shook her head and said, "why would I want me time, why I could have a boyfriend?"
"Because you time is good for you."
She gives me an unimpressed look and says, "why? Is it wrong I don't want to be like you? A 21 year old virgin who spends her life working as a barista in college in order to pay off her mounding student debts becuase she can't make up her mind about what degree she wants."
I glared at her but before I could snap back the counter bell rings. I turned and saw Freddie. He smiles at me and says, "the usual please."
I rung him up and said, "does your boss want anything else? We've got crossants, cake pops, and other drinks then a black coffee with three pumps of caramel."
Freddie shakes his head and hands me the payment in cash. While I figured out his change he studies me and says, "you know, after all this itmemi still don't think I know your name."
I just smiled and handed him his change and said, "But I know yours. And that's what matter's isn't it?"
I could feel his eyes on my back as I made the coffee. Then he says, "come on... you've got it at least have a nickname for me... or else I'm going to have to start calling you Belle."
I hesitated before saying softly, "why Belle?"
"It means beautiful in French. How cute." Olivia says before leaning on the counter, batting her eyelashes way to much as she says, "my name is Olivia."
I walked over and showed her head to the side as I handed him his coffee and said, "You can call me Roza."
He chuckles and says, "kid's cute."
Olivia stuck her tongue out and stomps away. Olivia is a month into being an18 year old. So she thinks she's a real cool adult. Therefore calling her kid gets on her ever last nerve. I smiled approvingly at Freddie before I got a bag and stuck a chocolate filled cross ant and handed it to him as I say, "here, a little something for you and your travels."
His face lit up and he took the bag befoer saying, "thank out. That;s very kind of you!"
Then he turns and when he got to the door and opens it saying, "See you tomorrow, mi belle."
I smiled and smiled watching him fondly while Olivia says,  "did he just combine French and Spanish? What a moron."
I shoved her head again and said, "hey. It's two more languages then you know."
She shook her head before watching me as I paid for the croissant I gave him. She interrupts my thoughts with a, "Just ask him out all ready."
I shook my head and said, "Freddie is nice but I wouldn't date him."
"But you give him free snacks and lots of smiles,"
"I think it's unfair that his boss should have to send him here every day. His boss should come down here himself."
"But that's what assistants are for, Rosalind."
"I think it's lazy."
Another customer came in. This guy was tall with dark hair and equally dark eyes that seemed to follow everyone and everything. When his gaze fell on me I felt frozen. Olivia was already swooning. I thought she might faint. He got over to me and says, "are you going to take my order or stare?"
My cheeks flushed to a scarlet and I say, "oh um...welcome to Atlas Coffee, what can I get you?"
He studied the menu so I raise an eye brow and say, "you're going to be rude about me not speaking and you don't even know what you want?"
He smirks at me and says, "don't people usually greet their customers."
Olivia just shoves me to the side and said, "please excuse my incredibly rude cousin. Take as much time as you need sir."
Then she glares at me while I glared at the guy and walked into the back room. I walked over to my locker and grabbed my bag of meds. I poured them into my hands. Six pills today. I took them each, one at a time with a bottle of water. Then I looked back outside and saw Olivia arguing with the guy. So I got a little defensive and came out into the counter saying sternly, "'sir, if you're going to cause a scene you're going to have to leave."
"All I wanted was to have you take my order. But she refused to go get you."
Olivia glared so I shook my head and said, "what would you like, sir?"
"One caramel macchiato with an extra pump of caramel, one black coffee with three pumps of caramel, and two cake pops." He says
I froze, sending Olivia a look. The guy says, "is there a problem?"
"Oh it's nothing... it's just. There's a guy that comes i here and orders that same black coffee with three pumps of caramel everyday. He actually jsut left," I say
I rung up the order and asked, "a name for your order?"
"Whitlock. W-H-I-T-L-O-C-K," he answers
I looked at him curiously. Not many people put their last names on these things. But I wasn't about to ask. Olivia made his order while the guy paid. He paid with cash.
I gave him his change and said softly, "your order will be ready in a moment Mr. Whitlock."
Then we made his order. His eyes burning into me as we did so. When he took his order he said, "good day."
Then he left. My head was foggy but there was something about that guy. He was different. Then Olivia leans in the says softly, ''and your love trope begins."
I punched her in the arm and said, "shut up."