CHAPTER FOUR

Vittoria's POV

I flinched, closing my eyes. For a moment everything was silent.

I opened my eyes and turned around to see Benito’s body lying on the floor, a pool of blood spreading slowly from beneath him. His eyes were wide open, fixed and lifeless.

He was dead.

My stomach twisted and a wave of nausea washed over me. I wanted to turn away but my eyes were glued to his body.

“Get this mess cleaned,” I heard Lorenzo say. Mess? I wondered, was Benito not his family?

The other men quickly grabbed Benito's lifeless body and carried it out of the room.

My gaze remained glued to the pool of blood they had left in his wake, a maid rushed in quickly and started cleaning it.

“Vittoria,” I heard Ricardo say but I didn't respond. I was pissed, why was it so easy for them to kill someone. Without hesitation.

“Vittoria,” he said again softly, but I watched the maid in silence.

The scent of his cologne filled my senses as he stood behind me, sending a shiver down my spine.

I turned slowly to face him, my eyes locked on his. “Are you okay?” he asked, his voice calm but with an edge.

I couldn't find my voice for a moment as his concern shocked me. “I….I,” I managed to say, my voice trembling as I looked away from his gaze. “I don't know.”

His gaze softened slightly for a moment and I thought he was going to suggest we leave. “You'll get used to it,” he said and moved to sit down on the couch.

I opened my mouth to speak as he tapped the space beside him, signalling for me to sit down.

I looked around to see that all the men were watching me, both Lorenzo's and Ricardo’s with amusement written on their faces. They found my reaction to murder funny.

I took a deep breath and sat down beside him clutching my handbag tightly as I tried to blink back the tears gathering in my eyes.

“So where were we?” Lorenzo said and they continued talking. I zoned out of the conversation, my mind racing with questions, I couldn't help but wonder what was wrong with the men.

A man had just been killed but they continued like nothing happened. I observed Lorenzo's men, looking for a hint of anger or even sadness but I couldn't see any. Wasn't Benito their brother or at least a distant relative? Or were they just pretending? Hiding their feelings?

I didn't notice when the meeting ended as I stared blankly at the floor, my mind still racing with thoughts.

A soft touch on my back jolted me and I looked up to see Ricardo, his hand still on my back.

“Let's go,” he said quietly and I stood up with him.

“I hope we do this again,” Lorenzo said happily and shook Ricardo’s hand.

As I watched them laugh together I couldn't help but wonder if they were mentally stable.

I knew they were enemies, probably even more so after the event of the day but they shook hands and laughed like they were brothers. It was confusing.

We followed Ricardo out of the house and as we walked towards the cars, he slowed down and gestured for me to walk beside him.

“Are you okay?” he asked again, his voice filled with concern. I didn't answer at first, I just stared at him. After the response he gave me inside the house I was hesitant about answering.

“I'm not okay,” I finally said, my voice trembling as I shook my head.

He didn't say anything but gave me a small nod and entered the car.

The ride was quiet except for the soft music the driver was playing. I looked through the window, watching the buildings and city lights as we drove past them.

“It will get better,” Ricardo suddenly said and I turned to look at him. “Maybe not right now but with time….”

I watched him for a moment, wondering how someone could be so confusing, cold as ice one minute then kind and soft the next. You couldn't predict which one to expect.

“How do you know?” I dared to ask.

He glanced at me, his dark eyes locking on mine.“Because I have been where you are.”

I found that hard to believe, I couldn't imagine Ricardo Lombardi trembling after seeing someone get shot. I had assumed he had been a heartless monster since birth.

I looked back out the window, the rest of the ride passing in silence until we arrived at my street.

“It's okay, you can drop me here,” I announced, not wanting them to know my house. I had a feeling that they already did but I still didn't want them to take me there.

“Okay ma'am,” the driver said and stopped. I quickly slid out of the car and thanked Ricardo before rushing home.

I lay on my bed that night, staring at the ceiling, my body was weak with exhaustion but my mind was wide awake.

The events of the day kept replaying in my head, the way Benito grabbed me, the feeling of the cold barrel on my face, the sound of the gunshot, and Benito's body on the floor. I closed my eyes, forcing the memories away but they remained in my head.

I wondered how my father felt, being a part of them. The father I knew disliked killing even insects, how did he feel working with people who killed their fellow humans as easily as they would step on an ant?

I had to stop them. But I wondered how I was going to do that, even if I ruined the Lombardi's, which was my main mission, that wouldn't be the end of the Mafia in New York, there were so many other families.

“I have to focus on my goal,” I said firmly to myself. “I'm not the police, my job isn't fighting the Mafia, my job is getting revenge.”

The sunlight streaming through the windows woke me up and for a moment I just laid on my bed.

I sat up slowly, the thought of going to work spoiling my mood.

I would have to face him again, or maybe not, maybe I'll be hooked up with a lot of work at Mr Palazzo's office.

I came down from the bed and rushed into the bathroom.

When I stepped out, I moved to the closet, looking for something decent to wear.

I grabbed a loose red chiffon shirt and searched for my black skirt to go with it.

When I put on the skirt and looked in the mirror, I frowned. Was it always this short? I turned slightly, examining myself, it was also tighter. Had I grown fatter?

I sighed, pulling the fabric down a bit but it didn't help matters, I did my hair and grabbed my bag before going downstairs to have breakfast.

I stepped into the building to see a group of men emerge from the corridor, one of them was holding a bag.

As they moved closer, I saw that it was Mr Palazzo leading them.

He smiled as he saw me, “Miss Balotelli,” he said as I walked towards him.

“Good morning sir, are you going somewhere?” I asked, glancing at the luggage in his hand.

“I'm leaving for a business trip,” he said, glancing at the men behind him. “I'll be back next week.”

“Okay, what…do I do?”

“Oh yes, in the meantime, you'll be working at the Don's office.”

I blinked, his words hitting me like a train. “The Don’s office?”

He nodded, “Yes, until I return.”

Before I could respond, he walked past me, the men following in his wake.

I stood there, rooted to the spot as the weight of his words sank in.

My plans of avoiding Ricardo had been washed down the drain.