My Crown

Chapter 6

"Liizzzzaaaaaaa!!!!"
To say that Caroline was happy to see me was an understatement. The girl was ecstatic.

"Girl, America was so boring. I wish you could have come with. Tony was working all the time and I wasn't allowed out."

"I can't breathe." I choked out.

I love her but her hugs are what I imagine a hug from a boa constrictor feels.

"Sorry. I just missed you." She says letting go.

"So, you choose to suffocate me?" She playfully slaps me.
"I feel sorry for Antonio." I mutter under my breath.

I take a minute to look at my smiling friend as she tells me about the trip. Caroline is one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen and she looks even better today. Her long blonde hair has that wavy beach look while her bright blue eyes remind me of the swimming pool. She is also sporting a slight tan. I guess she was out more in America.

"What about you, what's been going on since I left?" Her excitement tampers down. A lot of people think that she is just a pretty face but she is so much more than that. In fact, she's incredibly intelligent and resourceful.

She was a child model to help her mother support them and her younger brother back in... Alabama, I think. After a series of horrific events, she ended up in Venice with no one and nothing.

Antonio found her and offered her a job as his personal maid. He is absolutely in love with her now, he just has to step up and claim her. But he treats her right and she's happy. That's all I want for her.

"Mario's dead." I inform her. She freezes and I begin to question whether I should have eased into it more. Then come the water works. This girl cries at everything. She sobbed like a baby when we watched Titanic and I know for a fact that she had seen it a hundred times before.

"Thank you." She throws her arms around me, this time her hug is more gentle though.
Mario hurt her, a lot. Whenever Antonio wasn't around. She told him and that ended with Mario in the infirmary for a few days and Caroline chained to his side ever since. And he didn't even know the half of it

As much as he wanted to, Antonio couldn't kill a soldier without reason and hurting a maid isn't reason enough in this house. I know for a fact Mario still taunted Caroline when he could. His death is like a weight lifted off her shoulders.

"No one hurts my girl." And I mean it. I will avenge every single one of my friends. They've been through too much. And these pathetic males deserve nothing short of death.

"You sound just like Tony." She laughs wiping her tears. I see the sadness in her eyes when she says this and sigh. Antonio better hurry up and claim her before I rip his dick off and gift it to her since she's so fond of it.

¤

"That's her." Caroline points at the girl reading a book in the garden. So she's the woman Luciano is so intrigued with. I get it.

"What do we know about her?" I ask assessing her from top to bottom.

"She's twenty-three years old and in medical school. Her parents live in North Dakota with her sister and she has a brother in Argentina. She saved Lorenzo's life when he was shot." My heart rate increases at the mention of his name but otherwise keep my calm.

The girl was indeed pretty. She had dark brown hair and chocolate eyes with perfectly tan skin. She exuded a certain innocence and cheeriness that reminded me of Izzy from Grey's Anatomy. Well, first season Izzy. I can live without.

"Boss man is already protective over her. She even slapped him and he didn't do anything." Caroline goes on but I already have everything I need. It's your typical cliche of good girl and bad boy.

"Do you think she's plan B?" I nod. The girl looks up at us and I smirk. She'll be perfect.

¤

"What is that whore doing here?" I seethe looking at Ariana. Ariana is a model Luciano ocassionally hooks up with and she is currently strutting over to his office. What is he thinking? Is he trying to blow things with Ophelia?

"Take care of it." I instruct Melly who goes over to the bitch. I make my way to Vivian for answers. They've been back for one week and he's already screwing up my plan B.

"They got in a huge fight. Her mother is sick and she wants to go back. It's nothing serious and boss is footing the bill but she isn't talking to him now." I roll my eyes at their ridiculous fight. How are they both older than me?

"Thank you, Viv." I say then walk back to my room.
"Hey you." I find Isabella on my bed. I've always had such a soft spot for her. She's the only one allowed in my room whenever she wants.
"You said I could do your hair today." She reminds me. Dammit. Why did I agree to that?

"No backsies. You're the queen around here. You need to at least have bomb hair since you insist on dressing like a nun." I roll my eyes at her and she jumps off the bed.

"Come on. I brought my best hair products for you." She leads me to the bathroom and I already regret my decision. Isa says she always wanted to be a hairdresser before she wound up here so we all let her do our hair. She's actually really good.

"The new doc said my hair was popping. This conditioner works miracles, I swear." She tries to convince me.

"The new doc?"

"Yeah, Ophelia. She's really nice."
Isabella knows Ophelia?

"How close are you two?" I hate to ask this of her.
"Don't worry. I'm team Liza." She assures me brushing my wet hair.

"Who says we're fighting?" She raises an eyebrow at me.

"If they fall in love Luciano backs out of our deal. The deal has a clause, if he backs out, I can walk away. I'm hoping I can find a way to bring you with me." I tell her looking in the mirror. I notice her face brighten up at the prospect. She knows she can't stay here much longer. I can only protect her for so long.

"So, we get doc and boss man together." She smiles switching on the blow drier.

Maybe Isabella will help her see sense. Plus, if they get close, maybe she can protect her. This has to work.

¤

"You haven't checked up on me in months!" There goes Pamela's hyperbolic memory. "Don't roll your eyes at me. Bella, taking my break!" She yells out to the room.

"I was here two days ago." I remind her as we walk out. "What do you need?" She asks as we sit down out back.
"Nothing."
"Nothing?"
"Nothing."

"I don't buy it." Pam was never one for nonsense, "It's just been a while since we talked about anything other than the plan." I admit.

"You missed me?" She looks confused and I roll my eyes. "You know what, forget about it." I get up, but she grabs my arm. "You actually missed me, didn't you?" She laughs in my face and I flip her off. Bitch.

"You, me and Melly are getting drunk in my room tomorrow. Right now, I gotta get back to work." I frown at her.
"Not all of us are masterminds that concocted a plan to get us out of work." She says walking away. I smile watching her walk off like the queen of Sheba.

The truth is, Luciano and Ophelia are getting closer. It's only a matter of time until he backs off and I walk free. Once I'm gone, I'll never get to see my girls again. This is goodbye. I hate the thought of leaving them behind but I need out. Call me selfish, but I'm sick and tired of this.

"Your time is ticking, you know." I look up to see Gianni. Oh joy. I'm actually not being sarcastic, messing with him gives me joy.

"Gianni, doesn't all time tick? Or does yours tock?" I ask him innocently. He furrows his brows and I give him a sickly-sweet smile.

"There's no point talking to you. You're old news, already insignificant." I laugh cruelly, "And yet you're still stalking me. Why is that?"

"I don't trust you." He simply replies. I watch his gigantic figure walk away with an air of aggression. Poor guy.

I do miss the old days though. He was such a cute teen.

-------------------------------------------------

Behind the cold facade.