Book One of Mafia Ultimatums
As a young child Arieon Anderson was orphaned when she lost a brother and her parents in a fire that started in their home.
Dominic Dellucci and some members of his mafia, were on a stakeout in the neighborhood on a ri...
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"Luca! Where are we going?" I insisted when I realized that Pietro definitely wasn't taking us back home. He kept ignoring me and just had a smug look on his face.
"Stop asking me questions. I swear I'll grab you and sedate you right now, then throw you out of the car." He rolled his eyes before snapping his head to look out the window.
"Are you trying to pick a fight? Or do you just wanna grab me." I spat then turned to the window once I realized what I said and remembered what had happened today in the kitchen.
When I turned back to him, he was watching me. Gosh he was staring at me. He broke the stare and his eyes travelled down to my waist, as if he was really contemplating grabbing me.
His eyes travelled back up my body slowly- it was as if my skin tingled just under his gaze. I turned back to the window before our eyes could meet again. Then none of us spoke for the rest of the ride.
"We're here." He said before getting out of the car. Before I could turn to my door, it was opened by Pietro and I got out. He pointed behind me and I spun around to see Luca a few feet from the car, he was at the start of a concrete walkway surrounded by many plants and flowers, illuminated by ground lights.
I could hear the faint sound of gentle waves crashing in the wind and I could smell the fresh beach scent.
I walked over to him and once I was next to him he started to walk. The walk down to the beach was short and quiet, had many steps down and there was that rare glimmer in Luca's eyes as he walked.
Before we took those final steps to the beach he told me to close my eyes.
"Why?" I huffed.
"Just do it." He said as he smacked a heavy hand over my eyes and I obliged in closing them.
His hand moved down to my face and seemed to take years to slip to my neck, where his fingertips applied a slight pressure on my skin. Oh god what was he doing. His hand finally came down on my shoulder and my arm before he grabbed my hand gently and started to pull me forward.
"This. Is my favorite beach- it's actually my favorite place." He spoke, "Heisler Park, Laguna Beach."
My hand was pulled out to my side now and we stopped walking, "Open your eyes."
I did just that, we were below the street level, which along with all the buildings there and everything were higher up above the coast.
The breathtaking view of the lights a little distance away, shone high and illuminated the beach we stood on.
The wind was strong and blew my hair and the bottom of my romper up wildly, revealing my weapons but I couldn't help it, so I didn't bother, as no one was here anyways.
I turned over to Luca, and he was gazing nostalgically at the lights. They honestly brought out his eyes, gosh everything brought out his eyes. I don't think anything could ever dull those green eyes, not even his bad moods, they always stood out but sometimes twinkled, glistened and sparked in rarity.
He was looking rather domestic in a pair of jeans-despite the damn dress shirt, it was a nice change from the normal black or white deal, and his hair was even more messily laid than usual. It was literally and completely effortless; there wasn't a hand passed over or through it even once, it was just existing. Just as he was in this moment he chose to share with me, just existing.
"What made this place your favorite?" I whispered loudly, to barely be heard over the whistle of the wind.
I thought I said it loud enough, I wasn't sure-
"The way it feels. It feels like I've entered some sort of alternate universe, it's peaceful. The view, the feel of the wind, the sound of the ocean, it's refreshing. It's- different." He stated.
"The mafia, while very satisfying to me- is demanding, as I am." He chided and shrugged as he turned to me and chuckled. He snapped his head back to the view before continuing and so did I.
"Here, there's just nothing- and I enjoy that." He stated. I guess I could relate to the feeling. It seemed quite normal, average- it was polar opposite to the mafia.
"Don't you ever miss how things were before?" He asked in that cool steady voice of his.
My head automatically turned towards him, though he didn't move an inch, he remained staring at the lights, and I turned back to them quickly.
He didn't have to be specific, I already knew what he was asking.
"I don't remember much about my life from before, everything was just- calm. My memories seem to be a blur of laughing with my family at home- or in our yard- in a restaurant. A bunch of 'I love you's' before bed. Happiness, just pure bliss. Then it was all gone. Sometimes it feels like they're just memories and it was just a sort of dream, and then sometimes it feels like I lost them yesterday." I finished then swallowed hard. Tears were prodding the backs of my eyes and a pain built up in my throat, my sorrows willing to choke me, wanting to jump out in screams.
I looked at Luca once again and my eyes dropped to our connected hands. I let go of his and dropped my hand to my side.
I'm with Lorenzo. Oh god. I'm with Lorenzo. I completely forgot Lorenzo- but my hand was left cold without Luca's touch. I held my own hand and dropped them both in front of me.
Once again, he finally turned away from the lights and was looking at me.
Mio Dio, just look at the lights again.
He walked up to me then stepped to the side, passing by me. I turned around to watch him and he walked straight for the waves.
"Dai." He spoke as he kept walking. (Come on.)
I started to walk towards him and noticed the feel of the sand change as I got closer to the soft waves.
"It gets rocky as you get further just-" was all I heard Luca say before there was a loud splash and I looked up. Luca was lying in the sand with the water just barely covering him.
My eyes widened for a second before he sat up and I started to laugh hysterically.
"Thanks for the warning." I chimed before I felt my foot slide from beneath me off a smooth rock before I caught my footing on the sand.
"Good god." I huffed.
"At least only one of us fell this time. Else this would've been the what? Hundredth time both of us fell together?" He chuckled slightly and was just getting back on his feet.
"Come here." He stretched a hand towards me and I hesitated on taking it. "Dai. I can't return you to Lorenzo with any scratches." The corner of his mouth turned up into a small smirk.
I exhaled with a smile on my face before rolling my eyes and grabbing his hand.
"Maldestro." He closed his hand over mine. (Clumsy.)
