No Strings Attached

CHAPTER 2

"You've disabled the cameras?" I ask, speaking quietly as I eye the small house Giovanni is in, the darkness making it harder.

Probably my fault for doing majority of my hits at night, but it's easier to get away with shit when the world is dark and sleeping.

"They'll see nothing," Ari reassures me from his motorbike sat across the street, talking to me through our ear coms. "But they'll hear everything," he says, "I never got why you choose to leave the sound," he ponders, and I chuckle in response. "I want them to know I'm a woman. I don't know why, but they need to know that a man could never pull this off," I explain, unsure of how to word it.

My Grandfather always doubts me because he grew up with men swarming the underworld, the idea of a girl making these hits still surprising him, which is part of the reason he always asks me and doubts my abilities to make hits.

"Right," Ari chuckles, and I can just picture him shaking his head.

"I'm going in, make sure no one else tries to enter the house," I say, pushing myself off the wall I was leaning against and waking to the front steps of the house.

"Don't worry Ana. Ari's got you," he murmurs, and I hum in response as I open the door.

It's incredible the amount of men who leave their doors unlocked, it's like they want someone to come in.

I walk inside and follow the sound of a TV, getting my gun from its holster and pointing it ahead of me.

As I get closer I hear the noise from the TV stop, the clicking of my boots obviously making their way to Giovanni.

"Who's there?" he shouts, and I smirk when I hear the sound of a gun being loaded.

I stop in the middle of the hallway and let him come to me, my gun aimed straight ahead as a man appears.

I scan his appearance quickly and smirk when I see his adams apple bob in a gulp, his eyes running down my body.

"Do you know who I am Giovanni?" I ask sweetly, a bad habit I need to stop, but toying with them is just too much fun.

His eyes harden as he raises his gun to me, but I swiftly pull the trigger and my bullet lodges itself right between his eyes, killing him instantly as his body crumples to the ground.

I walk over to him and kick his body, making sure he's dead before I start my favourite part. Leaving my mark on him, making sure everyone who sees this knows it's the work of The Fiore Mortale.

I rip his shirt open with my knife and with steady hands carve a small flower into his chest. The same flower tattood on Mom and I, so everyone will know this one belonged to me. It was me who killed this man, not my Grandfather, for he would be nothing without me.

Once I've completed my little sketch I stand up, looking at the flower in satisfaction before walking back down the hallway and out the front door. I leave it slightly ajar so his body is found sooner and make eye contact with Ari.

"I'm all good," I murmur, nodding at him as he nods at me and rides off.

If people saw Ari and I together it would put us both in danger, and I care too deeply about the man who's a Father to me to put him such danger.

I walk down the dark street to where I parked my car and get in, locking it before driving off.

My phone connects to the bluetooth and I slam the steering wheel in frustration when I see my Grandfather ringing me. I reluctantly answer and am greeted by more doubts, "Did you do it?" he asks, his voice laced with doubt. "Yes, and no one saw," I reply, my knuckles white from gripping the wheel so tightly.