The mafia au where Rosalind refuses to put her trust in anyone until she falls into Niall's hands. She fights it every step of the way, but you can't choose who you love, and you definitely can't push the feelings away. The secrets between them, muc...
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warnings: contains swearing, mentions of violence, sexual content, and drug use
Rosalind's recovery was slow and painful, but worst of all, it was boring. She'd spent weeks in bed, hardly able to even sit up. As her wound healed, another one grew. Niall was twisting the knife in her gut with each passing moment they spent together.
The softness he offered her in touches and kisses. It was enough to open Rosalind up from the inside out. She'd craved it, touches like that, her whole life. She was never a child, not even when she was one. She's never gotten the softness.
As if that wasn't bad enough, Niall had been coming around the shop more and more. It aggravated her, the way him and Luca got along. The laughs and jokes they shared, Rosalind wanted to burst both of their bubbles.
She wouldn't, though. Her anger management was a challenge and she'd admit that to no one. The self control was hard, she learned. Rosalind's favorite thing was instant gratification and anything that didn't give her that sent her into a fit that ruined a lot of good things.
Every day was a challenge for Rosalind but she was grateful to be back at work, mind occupied on other things. Luca held Rosalind back, making sure she didn't dive in head first like she usually did.
"I can go with you to Roger's," Rosalind murmured, arms crossing over her chest as she looked at all the eyes on her. The ones she didn't want to see were Niall's.
Their deal with Rogers included both Rosalind and Niall. A loan taken out on both of their accounts. Rogers was notorious for pulling stunts which is why Luca was going in her place. It didn't make her any less mad.
"It's better that you just stay here," Luca explained, tugging his jacket on. "Don't want anything to happen to you, Roz."
"So I'm just supposed to sit around here all day doing absolutely nothing?" Rosalind demanded, eyes flicking between Niall and Luca, almost daring them to speak.
"The last time you went, things got physical," Niall responded, and unsureness to his voice. Rosalind wished he wouldn't of said that because was there a logical reason he would know that?
"Yeah you had those bruises for weeks, Roz," Luca added. "Just sit this one out, please?"
Rosalind would be lying if she said collecting the money owed to her wasn't her favorite part. The rush she got from every situation was what she lived for, what got her here in the first place.
"You're no good to us if you're dead," Luca told her, looking up at her from across the room. "Then I'll be in charge? Or even worse, Gio? Nah, Roz. No one does this better than you."
"Fine," Rosalind conceded, sitting down at the desk. "Don't fuck this up," she warned. "Get the money and leave. He's a sick fuck, likes to talk and shit. Don't buy into it or else next thing you know, you've put down 10 large on some bogus stock that'll go under before you walk out the door."
