Undercover

You Before Everything Else

MATTIA'S POV:

"Shut up a second" I said to Alejandro as I set Liv down in the backseat of his car. She'd fallen asleep and I didn't wanna wake her up till I had to.

"So you didn't get Maria at all?" said Alejandro as we started driving.

"We were up against an AK-47 and grenades, fuck Maria, we're lucky to still be alive" I sighed, glancing back at Liv. She did most of the work, maybe she really was cut out for the mafia life.

"What happened to Liv's ankle?" he asked.

"Bullet pierced it" I said, taking out my phone.

"You should've told her to stay in the car"

"You really think I didn't? She never listens to me, she's different" I said, leaning my elbow on the window.

"Different how?"

"I don't know, I guess I'm not used to powerful women taking over my missions the way she did"

"Oh shit" said Alejandro. I laughed quietly to myself, it was stupid but true at the same time. I liked having control over the situation, but so did Liv. And that's where we clashed most often. We both wanted the power.

"So what then?" said Alé, snapping me out of my thoughts. I shrugged my shoulders and looked straight ahead, unsure of how to take it from here.

"I don't want to ever put her in that position again, her life was at risk" I said, wincing at the thought of anything worse happening to her. She was too good for this life, she didn't deserve any of the bad shit we had to go through.

"Are you saying she's weak?" said Alejandro.

OLIVIA'S POV:

I sat quietly in the backseat with my eyes closed, listening to their conversation. I held my breath waiting for Mattia's answer.

"Maybe?"

I felt like I'd taken a low blow when he said that. It was almost as if nothing really mattered to him.

"That's bullshit, look what she did back there" said Alejandro, jumping to my defence.

"No I know, I know" said Mattia "but that was a one time thing, if Maria backs off then we won't ever have to get Liv involved again"

"They're only going to come back worse" he sighed, slouching in his seat. We pulled up to the hideout and Alejandro turned the engine off. My eyes snapped open and I opened the door, walking inside to the house.

MATTIA'S POV:

"She heard all that, didn't she?" said Alejandro. I threw my head back in frustration, squeezing my eyes shut.

"Fuck!" I shouted, getting out of the car quickly. I ran after her but she was already inside, talking to Kairi. I approached her with caution and she gave me a cold stare before going back to her conversation with Kai.

"Liv?" I said, scratching the back of my neck. She ignored me and kept talking.

"Yeah, also did you know I saved someone's life today?" she said sarcastically. Kai looked at me and tried not to laugh.

"Liv, I'm really sorry, I didn't mean-"

"Anyway, goodnight" she said to Kairi, turning around and walking past me out the kitchen. I heard a door slam and buried my head in my hands.

"What did you do?" Kairi asked, pouring me a drink. But I pushed it away instead.

"I fucked up, as usual" I said, standing up and walking upstairs. I checked all the rooms until I found one which was shut. I knocked gently and leaned my head against the door, there was no way she fell asleep that quick.

"Hey, can we talk?" I said, opening the door a crack. She was lying in bed with her phone in one hand.

"I have nothing to talk to you about" she said, keeping her eyes on the screen. I walked inside and closed the door behind me, going to sit on the bed.

"Good point, I'll do the talking" I said "I didn't mean what I said in the car at all-"

"I'm not too weak for this conversation, right?" she said sarcastically, sitting up and glaring at me. I sighed at her.

"I thought we agreed that I was doing the talking?"

"Get out, Mattia" she said, lying back down. But I lied down next to her, tucking a hand underneath my head. I gently moved my hand and put her phone down so I could see her properly.

"I don't want you in that position again because I could lose you" I said softly.

"You'll never lose me, Mattia" she said, frowning slightly.

"Yeah but there's no promises when you're living a life like this one" I said.

"You're the best thing to ever happen to me, I don't know how I got so lucky meeting you, even though we argue like cats and dogs" I said, making her laugh a little.

"I'd never be able to forgive myself if anything happens to you, Olivia" I said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear "obviously I couldn't say that in front of Alejandro which is why I covered it up, which was stupid"

"I get it" she said, giving me a shy smile.

"You're not weak, Liv" I said "I've never been intimidated by a woman before, but then I met you"

Her cheeks went red as she turned on her back, smiling up at the ceiling. I stared at her for a second, half surprised that this didn't escalate into a screaming match like it always did.

"You don't mean that" she said. I scoffed and turned on my back too.

"Trust me, you're scary when you're angry" I said, laughing with her. She turned on her side and placed her leg over mine, resting her head on my shoulder with her eyes closed.

Her heart was as cold as ice, but in the right hands she'd melt.