Chapter 7

Alessio:

I wrapped my arm around my wife’s waist as the two of us walked through the airport. We were both heading to the VIP lounge wanting to see a friend of mine before heading to the plane.

To say that she was happy that we were heading to the Maldives would be an understatement. I knew that she’s always wanted to come here. She had told me once about it, but Viktor was a few months old, and I knew that she wouldn’t want to leave him alone.

Her hotel has been running for years now, and it was as she always wished it to be. She has opened a café with Natasha as well. The café would turn into a bar at night, but we rarely allowed the girls to go there, not that they asked to anyway, at night as not to risk them getting drunk in front of their costumers.

“Excited?” I asked Kiara who smiled. Her smile reached her eyes and I couldn’t help but feel my heart skip a beat as my beauty showed me every sense of gratefulness a person could. The way she acted, how patient she was, her beautiful smile. Everything about her made me love her more with each passing moment.

Sure, we had our fights and arguments, but I would never deny the efforts she put in to keep the family safe, happy, and comfortable; whether or not we were arguing. Dad and Artur were also happy being around her. Despite the fact that Artur saw Tatiana after years of him being broken about her being dead, the man has managed to heal with Kiara being around him. He had adopted her as his daughter years ago, respecting the love he had for a woman who didn’t respect or love him back; but he didn’t care, he loved, cared, and protected Kiara as if she was his own daughter.

“Very, we both need this break. Plus, seeing as you’ve planned the whole thing, I always know that I’d be both surprised and satisfied” Kiara laughed and I chuckled. It was true, the two of us needed this trip. We have been too conducted in both work and the kids that we’ve neglected the fact that we sometimes needed to spend our time alone together without risking one of our children walking in on us while we were naked, not that they did, but Kiara still had that fear that it might happen. I kissed my wife’s temple before we entered the VIP lounge not bothering to stop in front of the security man who didn’t even look at us.

“Oh, surprised, of course. Satisfied, I wouldn’t be Alessio Aslanov if not so” I winked at my beauty who laughed. I leaned down to kiss her lips, softly biting her bottom lip making her smile.

“Someone’s tempting me” Kiara teased and I smirked.

“We have a long flight ahead of us, don’t worry, I’ll be sure to please you afterwards. But you know, a little foreplay is always in order” I squeezed her ass making her giggle and try avoiding my grip making me chuckle “we’ll see what we’re in for here, then we’ll leave”

“Your friend might just want to see you, love” Kiara tried defending and I raised an eyebrow at my wife who laughed.

“You and I both know that he NEVER calls to just see me. The man would be trying to bargain his new position, and I could even place my bet on it” I teased my wife. Kiara laughed and shook her head at me before kissing my jawline.

“Alessio Aslanov” Paolo, the new Italian don, smiled when he saw the two of us “M’lady”

The man has taken his father’s position after the man passed away, and rumors had it that the man has been poisoned. Though nothing was confirmed, I chose to keep my hands and ears away from such nonsense. I rarely ever saw the man anyway, nor did I need to be around him. But this was an exception since he was already here and I couldn’t just tell him to get out of my sight. We still needed to keep a good relationship with people.

He took Kiara’s hand in his and kissed her knuckle making her laugh before she kissed my jawline “charming as always, Paolo”

“Aren’t I always, Mi amore?” He asked his wife, Elena who smiled. She walked toward us and Kiara smiled before hugging her. Yasmina and Alberto have been married for a year or so, and though they haven’t started on their best terms. I’m guessing the pair were now happy with one another. But then again, one can never be sure of how a relationship can be between two people. Judging by the man’s reputation, I would either believe that his wife was just as devious as he was, or she was frightened of him.

“How are you?” I asked Paolo who smiled.

“I’m good, and you? How are the kids?” He asked. I couldb tell that he didn’t care about the kids and was just making small conversation before getting to his point. Kiara’s fingers were intertwined with my own, and I ran my thumb over her fingers under the table.

“We’re all good, I’m assuming you and Yasmina are celebrating?” I asked making Paolo laugh. We all sat on the chairs waiting for a waiter to come with the menus which happened ten seconds later before the man walked away to give us our privacy.

“With the new position? No, not yet. There’s a lot to fix up and do, but that’s why I wanted to talk to you” he said looking me in the eye. I nodded in understanding; however, I was confused about what he was talking about.

“Tell me” I asked though I already knew what he was going to go on about. Kiara looked at me and I winked mockingly at her, knowing that I was right. She rolled her eyes and looked at the man, waiting for him to continue what he was about to say.

“I know that you and my dad weren’t on your best terms, but I am not stupid as not to want to have you as a business partner…”

I had to fight back rolling my eyes at him, having already known what he was about to say. The man was just playing with a fire that dad and I turned off years ago, except he didn’t want to learn. He just simply wanted to stir that fire again. But I wasn’t going to allow it; I wasn’t stupid enough to do so.

“Paolo, you know that I don’t partner with anyone who isn’t part of our families. You and I are good friends, but after what happened with your father, I cannot risk an issue like that one again” I said looking the man in the eye. I could tell that my reaction shocked him, however, I wasn’t as stupid as to fall for the same mistake again. The man could be as devious as his father, and this friends act could be a scam, I could be wrong, but I would rather be safe than sorry.

“I understand, but we can always make exceptions, Alessio” Paolo said looking me in the eye. His calm expression changing to one that was angry. My eyes met his and I raised an eyebrow at his change of demeanor before he forced himself to calm down. Kiara looked at Yasmina, the two women fearing the worst to happen in the middle of the airport. I took Kiara’s hand in mine, gently squeezing it to assure her and she smiled.

“I don’t make exceptions in my decisions, Paolo. The only people I make business deals with are related with family, whether blood, or marriages which would link us with blood future wise. Therefore, I suggest that you put that in your head and not ask such questions again” I said glaring at the man who shied back. His eyes met mine and I could already tell that he was fighting back saying anything that would risk him getting punched.

“Malyshka, come on, we need to get going” I told Kiara who nodded and got up from her chair. Paolo and Yasmina got up to shake our hands, I smiled and wrapped my arm around my wife who smiled before an explosion made us freeze. My eyes widened and I wrapped my arms around Kiara, protecting her from the impact.

We looked at each other as our ears processed the loud sound that shocked it. We stood straight, looking at one another, trying to figure out what happened when ten men entered the lounge. Their expressions blank as they walked toward us, and the voice of an all too familiar person spoke. Her eyes glaring daggers at us despite her disappearing for ten years.

“Soldiers, attack…”