Meeting Them

                 Amara Luca

"20?"

" See Sir you are elder and I respect elders but I can't allow you to steal from me!"

The old man sighed with irritation.

"It's 20 or nothing girl!! Don't waste my time! Get going!"

The girl wanted it desperately but her attitude showed something else.

"My final price is 18...neither yours nor mine"

The vendor cleaned the sweat running down his forehead and moved his head in a no.

Her eyes were fixed on the juicy looking apples.

They sure will bring a smile on Aiden's face.

She turned around to leave, showing her indifference in buying them.

With a little hope still in her heart.

"Hey! You!"

The vendor called from behind, making her squeal in happiness internally.

"Yes?"

She turned around trying to hide the wide smile with her cold exterior.

"5 kgs take from this side"

Without wasting a second she choose the best apples for her dearest brother.

Leaving with a bright smile on her face she hopped like a kindergarten girl.

An old song was humming on her lips as her brown eyes looked at everything around her in excitement.

Small children playing, mothers scolding, cars honking, signals changing.

Every day's hustle was keeping her mind occupied.

When suddenly her feet felt different and when she looked down she sighed.

The sole of her worn out sneakers was again coming out.

Her eyes looked around for a solution to find nothing.

The stationery shop was still a kilometre walk and this scorching heat will burn her feet till then.

Sighing loudly she sat on the pavement with her shoe in her hand.

Scrutinising and cursing it, again and again, she looked around for any kind of help.

No car was going to stop for her, they were zooming past her at crazy speeds.

Especially those local busses.

Her eyes fell on her companion that sat at the other side of the road just like her.

Except for a few differences of course.

For first the thing was an 'it' and well she was a 'she'

Second is that it had a little longer tongue than her which was drooling its saliva on the gravel.

And third, is that it looked calm in this burning heat while she was getting roasted like a fudging peanut.

The dog was looking at her like she was her arch enemy.

Oh, come on now even dogs hate me!

She thought.

Ignoring his stare she placed her hand over her eyes forming a protective gear.

"Excuse me ma'am can you please stand?"

Her happy mood was long gone , replaced by an irritated one.

Turning around she found a boy half her age looking down at her.

Standing up to her height and brushing her jeans she looked down at him.

"Why! Is this road your property? I can't see a board here saying this road belongs to you!"

The boy ignored her completely and muttered something like crazy under his breath.

"Oh so now you have the audacity to ignore me!! Listen, kid -"

"I am not a kid, I am 11 years old"

He interrupted her and she again boiled in irritation.

"I don't care just move aside and let me sit! Why can't a person sit in peace for a few minutes....why God...why-"

"Dad! Here!Come!"

The boy suddenly screamed in excitement making her forget her next words.

Her eyes looked at the person's dad and she couldn't hide the joy she felt.

"Jay Uncle!! How are you! What are you doing here? Didn't you leave for the city yesterday?"

The man had a gentle smile on her face as he placed his hand on her head.

This gesture of his always brought a smile on her face.

"I did.. .was on my way to the city when I saw you sitting here like the world has fallen on your shoulders"

He chuckled remembering the gloomy look on this always smiling face.

"What happened Amara? Everything fine my child?"

She gave him her brightest smile with a nod of her head.

Pointing towards her worn out sole she gave him a lot of helplessness.

"Oh dear, only this? Come get in the car ...let me drop you back"

"No uncle please you will have to go back..it's fine ...I.."

She has not even completed her sentence when the boy was already dragging her towards the car.

Jay smiled as he saw her literary getting dragged by his son, who is half her size.

"You little bully!! Leave my hand! Two elders were talking... who told you to interfere....ahhh leave my hand!!"

The little boy was more stubborn than her.

"Two elders....well I only saw one so I interfered!!"

The boy said and Jay chuckled.

"Huh? What did you say? I am double your age you bafoon !! "

"That's not even a word"

"Well, it is ...you are following the wrong dictionary!"

"It is not!"

"It is!"

"It is not"

"I said it is!"

Jay smiled watching them having a childish fight.

For how much he wished he could take care of this girl as his own daughter.

This world was a dangerous place and the innocent soul was barely surviving through it with a lot of weight on her shoulders.

.................................................

Meeting him



Vincenzo Gioardino Accardi

"Son listen to me! You only do business all day night!

I want you to get married!

Please meet this girl. I am sure you will like her!"

Mrs Gioardino said showing him a girls picture on her tablet.

His eyes were fixed on his phone screen as he hummed to his mother in response, ignoring her words.

Knowing his habit of being oblivion, she pulled his phone from his hands .

"Oh come on mom! It's important! For God sake stop pestering me for this useless thing! I don't want to get married! How many times do I tell you?"

"Fine! Don't talk to me then!"

If she thought he will be scared of this threat, well she was mistaken because the next second he grabbed his phone back and left.

"Oh God, what do I do with this boy! Please send an angel into his life!"

She sighed as soon Mr Giordino joined his wife with a newspaper in his hand.

"Oh come on he is still young! Let him live his life for once plus I have already seen Rosseau's daughter for him.

She will be his perfect match  and the best part being she knows all about his business."

Mrs Giordino nearly pulled the newspaper, that was blocking his face from her in irritation.

"No please! Not from mafia family.....I have told you a hundred times that look for a decent family girl! Some nice caring girl that can love him like he is her world."

"But-"

"Alright let him decide. Give me my favourite biscuits...why aren't they here?"

Me Giordino said trying to locate them on the big-serving tray.

"I'll get them don't behave like a grump kid!"

He rolled his eyes at her while holding up his hands in the air.

.

.

.

"Sir we have a problem...the cartel in the eastern border is getting stronger. They stopped our shipment yesterday..."

Vincenzo nodded asking him to continue as he himself stood near his car with hands tucked inside his pockets and a cigar placed between his lips.

"They want a 25% share in the latest deal.....only then will they release our shipment"

"Sir?"

"Are you listening?"

"Call him"

Vincenzo said making his assistant hand him the phone with shaking hands.

Vincenzo's stare fell on his shaking hands and he nearly growled at him.

"Keep your hands stable or I will  shoot them and end their function right now!"

His assistant jumped two feet away from him and held both his hands together.

"Hello?"

"Clear my shipment in 2 days or I will blow the very port at 48 hours 1 minute."

"Sir Giordini...we just want 25% ...it's a fair deal! Please -"

"I don't care what's fair. Either the entire profit is mine or nothing. The choice is yours"

With this, he ended the call and threw the phone at his secretary.

His shaking hands managed to catch it at the last moment to which Vincenzo chuckled.

"You are learning steadiness. Good"

The assistant passed him a small smile while placing his hands behind his back.

"Anything else?"

"Yes sir...Ms Claire wants to talk to you..she is calling me continuously?"

"That puttana? What does she want?"

"Sir she threatened that if you don't meet her today.. she will  tell the media..  that she is carrying your baby."

Vincenzo looked least bothered.

Exhaling clouds of smoke he looked up at the sky.

"Sir she was serio-"

"Tell her to come to my place tonight."

"Yes sir"

The secretary hurried away from him once done with his work.

The man can make anyone piss in his pants with just his mere stare, his own men being no exception to it.

.

.

.

He sat in his office engrossed in his work when a knock at his door disturbed him.

Knowing well who it was, he placed his study spectacles on the table and gave her his full attention.

Getting up and leaning his back against his table, with hands folded in front.

A tall hourglass figure model walked in like she owned the place.

Flipping her hair and pouting her lips

Her steps confident and eyes mischievous.

The dress she wore was nothing but a mere piece of lingerie, her body ready to trap him into her trap.

His jaw clenched in anger as he saw the evil behind her beautiful veils.

Without his permission, she had dragged back a chair and seated herself in front of him.

Her cleavage on full display and eyes boring into his with lust and excitementm

"The things I have to do to meet you Vincenzo...really this was my last resort.

Now that I have your attention...can we continue what we left last week?"

Her words came out smooth, not a second of hesitation in them.

He was no longer attracted to her, girls like her irritate him enough to put a bullet through their head.

Strengthening himself, he stands to his full height and approaches her.

Trapping her by holding the arm rests of her seat.

Showing who was the dominant one here.

His expensive cologne making him irresistible for her.

Her manicured hands moved up to touch his chest, to only have him stop them in between.

"Did I allowed you to touch me Baldracca?"

She smiled not realising the power and mood of the man standing in front of her.

"Untouchable huh? That's what people say about you..but luckily I am the only one who has ever touched you!"

"Tell me mi amore...tell me you still love me Vincenzo...tell me you need me!"

His fists were clenched in anger.

His childhood crush sat in front of him offering him her everything.

But he was not attracted to her anymore.

Her eyes enrage him and her touch disgusts him.

Now that he knows what a fake person she is.

"Chloe Claire...the most successful model in the fashion industry is sitting in front of me with legs open and lips pleading me to fu** her.

Does it still look like I am the one desperate for you?"

Her grey orbs widened in shock as she stands up in rage.

"How dare you disrespect me, Vincenzo! You may be the king of the underworld but after all, you are still a man...and no man...I repeat no man can reject me!!"

"I reject you, Chloe Claire...I refuse to fuc* you let alone love you!

There is the door, vai all' inferno!!"

"I will destroy you, Vincenzo Accardi!! I will tell them I have your baby inside me!!

How can you do this to me?"

He smiled at her, taking a step closer.

"My baby? A wh*** like you can never carry my heir!

And last time I checked you were fuc*** with some assho**  last night."

Her eyes widened in surprise as she held onto his arm to only have him pull back from her.

"Go tell the world ,I don't care ,but just remember to get a DNA test as well.

People won't believe without evidence Miss Claire"

Her face lost all its colour.

She was fooling around with him, she was not pregnant.

Just another one of her attempts to have him soften up to him.

"Fine..you don't believe me.. But I really love you and I will prove it to you!"

He smirked, lifting up his right eyebrow in amusement.

"Oh really?  So prove it, Claire,entertain me"

She moved closer with determination in her eyes.

He could see the challenge in them.

Stubborn, just like a kid whose rich dad couldn't get her the most expensive toy in the market.

"I am telling you, Vincenzo! I will kill myself and your baby...you have to believe me! You can't reject me!"

He turned his back on her, already irritated for her wasting his precious time.

"Go ahead. Everyone has a free will. I won't stop you"

Placing back his specs he ignored her presence and got back to work.

Few minutes passed, and she still stood there glaring daggers at him.

"Need my help?"

Turning up the glass that was placed on his table.

He pulled a tablet from his right drawer and slipped it into the glass.

Pouring water on it, he forwarded the glass towards her.

"Here take this ,it will surely solve your purpose."

Her eyes widened in surprise at the man's audacity.

He was personally offering her poison for suicide.

"What's th..is?"

She managed to ask in a shaking voice.

All her bravery vanishing in thin air.

"You want to die right? I can shoot a bullet through your head but then it will get a bit bloody and messy here.

Rat poison here will make it easier"

"H...ow can you!!You are crazy....!!"

"Don't waste my time girl,just come here and hold this!"

His hand offered her the drink and she held the glass with shaking fingers.

The liquid swirling and her eyes staring at it.

"Go ahead...it will take only 7 minutes"

He said turning his wrist and looking at his rolex.

Few minutes passed and he continued doing his work.

To only have her slam the glass down on his table.

He smirked at this

"" Fu** You!!! Foungoul!!

Go to hell!!"

She ran out of the door slamming the door shut on her way out.

He deeply chuckled at her reaction and picked back the glass in his hands.

Gulping down the liquid he laid back his head on the headrest and closed his eyes .

The headache was killing him and he smiled seeing the empty glass once again.

The girl couldn't distinguish between rat poison and asprin?

She was really stupid...he laughed at his own 15-year-old self who once found this girl very attractive.

Girls are trouble and in his line of business they are nothing more than a distraction.

And he hated distractions.

..................................................

"You wish for something else,but are granted something else.

But happiness surrounds those who belive in giving others what they themselves couldn't get."

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