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It's day three here in Naples. I woke up with the worst hangover yesterday, and practically slept all day, but we all got up and went to dinner, then came back to drink wine while we watched Italian movies on TV in the living room. 

After I shower, I finally decide to turn on my phone again. I allow it to catch up in time, the text vibration going off for a solid thirty seconds. When I finally look, most texts and missed calls are from Alexei, though a few are from Irina. 

"Aleksandra", Irina's somber voice echoes from the one voicemail she's left me. "Please allow Alexei to speak to you. He has been a mess since you left. I understand you were both angry at each other, but remember the value of your necklace; the promise he made you. If you come home now, he's promised to apologize for being for crude to you. Please call one of us, just to tell us you are safe."

I get dressed for the day, as we've decided to go to a beach west of Naples for some time out of the house. I dress in a bikini, then put on some short and a top. I pack my backpack with two towels, sunscreen, sunglasses, and a water bottle. 

The three of us meet downstairs and wait for the car to pick us up. The ride isn't too long, maybe twenty minutes, and Dina will call him when we're ready. 

May, who carries the cooler with more drinks and a couple snacks, hurries through the sand and finally drops it some space away from Dina and I. Next to two women sunbathing in the sand, I watch May ask if we're able to lay next to them. They both sit up, listen to May's question, then nod their heads. 

Dina and I walk over and greet the two women. Holding hands, they then release and loosely hold up their hands for a handshake. "So sorry about my friend, she's terrible at social cues", I nod to May. "That's May, I'm Aleks, and that's Dina."

"Penelope", the feminine one, who's closer to us, replies. "This is my wife, Aella."

"Goddamn, you two are hot", May snickers. 

"You can join", the wife smirks, a heavy Italian accent falls from her lips. Penelope turns and hits her shoulder, but laughs. 

The three of us get comfortable next to the couple who seems to be on their honeymoon or something. The four of us girls all chat and get to know each other, and Aella just soaks in the sun above us. 

We learn their from the same city as we are, but now live outside of Rome. "What do you two for work?" May asks, on the opposite side of Dina from me. 

"I'm a stay at home wife", Penelope giggles lightly. "Aella works for my father to run our family business."

"You work for the Italian Mafia", I hear Dina almost interrupt. Aella sits up, and all of us turn our heads to Dina. What the fuck. "Don't worry. We do, too."

"Dina", I snap.

"What", Dina shrugs. "I could smell it on Aella from a mile away. She screams Head of House."

"You're good at this." Penelope laughs. "So you guys are from the other mafia in the city?"

"My brother, and her, who knows what", she points at me with her thumb, "is the underboss. We're all Russian. Except May, we adopted May a few weeks ago."

"Volkov", Aella states. "I've met him once. Just killed that Castro guy. Piece of shit he was."

Penelope and I both snicker. 

While we all sunbathe, I first tell them all about the Sasha Sokolov situation, and they tell us about a traitor in their family who has since been killed. Though at first I was hesitant, Dina seems to know that it's okay to trust them.

After hours of talking and becoming friends with this couple, we all decide we are starving and want to go out for dinner together. The five of us pack our stuff up, and we plan to meet at a restaurant in two hours near the city center. 

When I get back and look at my phone again after my shower, there's one new message from Alexei. 

"We have new information on your parents and on my father. You are a lot more involved than I thought, and I need to keep you safe with me." Those his words are semi-sweet, his tone is stone cold. "I was going to allow you to cool off a bit, but I cannot risk yours and Dina's security. Please tell me where you are." Sound in the background sounds like the tarmac we left from at home. 

"Dina", I yell for her. She comes in quickly from her room, that's just across the hall. "Did you tell Alexei where we are?" Though he says he doesn't know, that wouldn't be the first time he kept something from me. 

"No", she shakes her head. "But when you turned on your phone, I bet he tracked it."

I'm simply so stupid for not thinking of that. I had just randomly thought to open my phone that I totally spaced on the fact that he can see everything. 

"Well, I'm guessing he's on his way", I roll my eyes. "It sounded like he was at an airport." 

"Then we have a few hours left of freedom", Dina shrugs, then goes back into her room to finish her hair. I finish getting ready for dinner. 

The car picks us up once again and we head beck into Naples. Aella and Penelope have already arrived. They stand outside, their bodies flushed together, in their own little world. We get out of the car slowly, but slam the door to get their attention. I want what they got. 

Aella is dressed in a beautifully tailored suit to fit her perfect, tall body. Penelope is in a white sun dress with bright red heels, her makeup is so subtle, you wouldn't think she's wearing any unless you really look. 

"Good to see you both again", Dina greets the couple. 

"You as well", Aella speaks formally. "Our table is upstairs when we're ready."

Aella and Penelope lead us up a clay staircase to the roof top, where the large table is set with water and wine for our party. Penelope pours us all a glass of the chilled white wine, and May pours the still water. 

The server brings us as beautiful spread of appetizers to start off our night; oysters, shrimp, bruschetta, other delicacies from Naples. The server then brings us a round of limoncello martinis, which is well accepted by all of us. 

Penelope tells us the whole story of how the two of them met, how scared she was of Aella, and all of the teasing that went on before they really discovered they loved each other. 

While they speak, I daydream of Alexei. While he and I did not have quite that much excitement, having someone love me again like he did made me feel like I lived on Cloud nine. I am so torn with myself. I truly want to hate him so bad, but every time I think about him, I want to take back the words I said to him and just make up. I want to be with him again and love my new life with him. But he is so incredibly stubborn, that has never been something I want to deal with in a relationship. 

Just before our dinners arrive, I decide to go downstairs to use the bathroom. The inside dining room is quite dark, lit with old lanterns and candles on each table. The room is quite full, so I just keep my head down and make my way to the bathroom to do my business.

When I head back into the dining room, I hear my name. Looking around, I spot Dario at a table with a few people. He gets up and gets up to greet me. "How are you?"

"I'm good", I smile. He brings me in to place a kiss on my cheek. "What brings you here for dinner?"

"Just out with some friends", he smiles back at me. "What about you?"

"My friends and I-"

"She's here with me", I hear a deep voice behind me, and then a hand on my waist. Dario's face goes blank. 

I turn quickly to see Alexei standing behind me, looking down at me with a smirk on his face.