SECRETS ARE CURRENCIES

ARIANA’S POV

I needed to leave, i felt this choking feeling that crept into my soul as soon I opened my eyes in the morning, im afraid for myself and my child, I needed a plan fast, my door opened and the bodyguard assigned to me came in.

 “ Good morning, Miss Rinaldi, your father has instructed you to meet him in his office,” He said gesturing to the door, I took a step forward but then my light flowing gown caught on a chipped part of my chair, it pulled it and exposed a very impressionable amount of breasts in his face, which caught him by surprise, he stood there transfixed, unable to move away from the enticing view of my full breasts.

I cleared my throat as I moved my dress back in place, “I apologize about that,” he immediately said gesturing to the door.

“I never got your name, you just started following me about” I inquired as I moved closer to him, “um… im Lorenzo” he stuttered, clearly indicating that he just started this gig new, and he must have pulled a lot of strings to get this high up.

I saw this as a golden chance, an opportunity the universe had placed right in my lap, I moved closer to him again, just a step closer, I looked at him intently, praying for a last-minute hail Mary.

“Is This is your first gig or something, a lot of unprofessional conduct has been noted, but I'm forgiving, I wouldn't want my father taking your arm as a souvenir for something that can be corrected,” I said sounding calm, but with a hint of superiority.

 “This won't repeat itself, it was an error, unexpected’ he replied stoically as a tree, his gesture seemed to tell me he needed more coercing. 

“But how am I to know that? should I instead inform my father, and we can make sure it doesn't?” I asked again, circling him this time and stopping in front of him.

“I understand this is blackmail of some sort, I will appreciate it if you state your terms and end the small talk” he replied, I appreciated the gusto, “I want to see my cousin, Fiona,” I started, “secretly tonight, arrange it” I finished, he hesitated for a while before he agreed and gestured towards the door, I followed promptly.

These steps suddenly felt like hell, with the king of the devils waiting for me at the other side, I soon reached his office and I opened it gently, “papa you asked for me” I called as I peered in.

There was silence, but he gestured for me to come in, which I did almost immediately, my mind a million thoughts, and plans of how to leave her permanently started to form in my mind.

“Mateo, did he rape you?” he asked me, his question made my heart skip, how do I answer this? I was quiet, he turned to me, he was furious, “Did he rape you!” he yelled banging his palm on the table.

“No, papa, but….” I started, “I begged him to stop, and he didn't listen” I cried, trying to explain myself to my father, even I can't fully phantom what had happened between Mateo and me that night, it feels like a distant memory now but when I visualize it, it is so vivid it does something to me, that I instantly no longer want to remember.

“You grew up together, under the same roof, I took him in, and he humiliates me this way, he fucks his fucking sister” he yelled, “and you let him!” pointed at me, I was quiet with my head down I dared not raise them.

“You know I had heard something, when I sent Luchi to Malta, he came back with strange news, really strange news I don't believe my daughter would dare to do!” he shouted, my chest tightened, it can't be true, I was spotted, he lunges at me and grabbed my neck.

“A stripper! You and that immoral cousin of yours!” he shouted again, the veins in his throat getting thicker with each high tone, “I'm not a stripper papa, is an exotic dancer, I don't fuck men, I'm a virgin!” I answered in the same tone, where I got the nerve I would never know.

He pushed me and I fell on the soft padding of the couch behind me, “no fucking difference!” he shouted again “You should know by now that I have spies all over the world!” he yelled as he almost slapped me.

“You are an embarrassment!” he cried, tears streaming down my face.

“Get out of my sight!” he shouted at me again, with tears in my eyes I bolted from the room, and out of the door, the tears clouded my vision, the sniffles my hearing, I crashed into something, I tumbled and almost landed on the floor, but someone had broken my fall, by grabbing me and immediately pulling me close.

My heart jumped as I looked up at my saviour, the bastard who had ruined my life.

“You should watch where you are running off to Bambino” 

The tears dried from my eyes, “W…why are you here?” I asked with an anxious stutter as I immediately pulled myself away from him.

“Why are you asking? did you miss me” he asked smiling and moving past me, toward my father’s office chambers.

His smile im certain would soon fade when he hears what my father has to say, I need to leave here before everything goes to shit.

By night my guard had sneaked me out of the house and I met up with Fiona, she hugged me tightly, with tears staining her eyes.

 

“Fi I need to run away, my father knows what we do in Malta, you told me no one would recognise us” I cried, “Silvio is going to kill me when he finds out I'm pregnant for his rival” I continued.

“What do we do Ariana” she asked as she sniffled.

 “We need to get two train tickets out of Italy and then we plan everything after” I suggested, fiona nodded and hugged me again, I missed her so much, her round face and cheery brown eyes that had kept me sane through those hard moments of my life, the only friend, the best friend I could ever have. 

“Planning a trip?” I heard a voice say behind me, a voice all too familiar, it seemed that I couldn't escape it even if I wanted to.

I turned and Silvio appeared from the shadow behind the building. 

“I was on my way home when I spotted you and your companion here,” he said, moving past Fiona, taking my hand and kissing them lightly,

 “Why are you both out so late, at this hour?” he asked, I was mute, my hands shook anxiously and I started to lightly tap my foot, fiona smiled and stepped in front of us “We are just coming back from the mall, see that the guard over there” she smiled gesturing to Lorenzo who stood watching anxiously in the corner.

“Oh I see, next time take my black card, you are Argento now,” he said, his words sounded reassuring and it scared me, it scared me to think of the evil things he does in secret.

I nodded and smiled, “ I should get going now, it's late, we just stepped out to get some air” I replied gesturing to Lorenzo to start the car.

“Oh no I will feel much more comfortable, taking you back home myself” he offered, 

“Oh no, there is no need for that, Lorenzo is very capable of taking me home” I quickly declined, and he shot me a glare.

 “I Insist,” he said, taking my hand and leading me to my car, “follow behind’ he told Lorenzo who swiftly obeyed.

Soon I was in the back seat of his car, on my way home to where I was supposed to be under house arrest.

It didn't take long to reach my father’s villa, and the car stopped, “wait here” Silvio said before getting down from the car and turning to my end, he opened the door, took my hand and helped me out like a gentleman.

But just then, I saw Mateo storm out of the villa, my father shouting close behind him, he came down the stairs and then he saw Silvio.

Silvio stops him in his tracks.

“You murdered my mother’s cousin” he retorted, as he reached for the holster inside his suit, to bring out his gun.

“He called my woman a whore” 

In a matter of seconds, both men were pointing their guns at each other's faces.