9. Alessandro

Chapter nine

Alessandro

"Adriana," I say firmly as she disappears into the club.

I can't decide what gets me angrier as I watch Adriana run into the club. Her swollen lips from fucking kissing some cunt or the man who had his hands on her.

What the fuck did that asshole do to her? Why the fuck did she let him touch her like that? It makes my veins boil with a dangerously uncontrollable rage.

What is this woman doing to me?

In my world, I can't afford falling for a woman. It is a weakness taken advantage of. I always have girls throwing themselves at me left and right, but it is always just sex for me.

Until Adriana… Adriana-fucking-Gustavo. The daughter of my worst enemy alive. Fuck!

I told her, too, that it was just sex and it was what drove her away for the second time. But I cannot lie to myself anymore. Deep inside, I know I want her; I'm obsessed with her.

I was the fucking first to take her virginity… to claim that innocent luscious body of hers… and when I think about it, about any other fucking man tasting her, it makes me want to cut their tongue out and balls off.

Nobody touches what's mine. He wouldn't ever lay his hand on anyone else.

"SON OF A BITCH!" I shout at him at the top of my lungs.

I connect my fist to his jaw hard. He grunts in pain as he loses his balance and falls to the ground. He spews some blood mixed with saliva on the ground.

I kick him hard in the groin, then on his face. He spits out more blood as he tries to crawl away, yelling.

I press him flat on the ground with my foot, pushing the heel of my shoe into his body. He groans in pain again.

"LEARN TO STAY THE FUCK AWAY. SHE BELONGS TO ME." I growl even louder as I smash his fingers with my feet.

"Fuck! Oh, fuck!" he cries.

Taking his left arm and breaking his other fingers leaves him wailing in more pain.

Without hesitation, I pick him up from the ground, landing a few more punches on his face until I'm sure his nose is broken and bleeding.

I toss his body violently toward a trash can. The impact knocks over the can, spilling the waste, and a couple of dirt piles on his body.

" Notte (Night)," the word leaves my mouth in a grunt, as I kick him hard for the last time on his head, leaving him unconscious on the ground.

"Fuck all of you!" I say, trying to calm myself.

I pull out a cigar and lighter from my pocket. My knuckles are bruised and stained with blood. I clean the stains by rubbing them on my black shirt.

I'm holding myself back from making a scene by entering the club Adriana ran into. I'd fucking fish her out of that fucking place. Even if it means tearing the whole damn place apart.

Adriana's mine. That I know for sure now. I'm one selfish bastard and although I hate to admit it, I don't want to see her with anyone else.

Taking a long drag, I walk back to my car but stop for a few glances at the entrance of the club. I don't see Adriana walk out.

I slide into my car, releasing a cloud of smoke from my mouth and nostrils, still fucking pissed.

I came here to meet someone named Cruz on this street to help solve the shipment problem. But instead, I found him dead in his home.

His body was dangling from the rope strapped to his neck, hanging from the ceiling. The knife cuts on his body tell me he was tortured first.

It's almost as if someone keeps beating me in this little game we have going on. It infuriates me.

I'm stuck with no possible means of getting a coke shipment in the quickest way. And Adriana... I'm fucking mad she is here.

I take another drag, sitting patiently in the car, waiting to see her again. I need to. Now, she's my only hope to save Father's business. Father would hate me if I let anything happen to it.

He still hasn't fully recovered and Mother and I are still going back and forth over the deal. I find myself considering the option right now, considering there are no alternatives left.

Daniel hasn't been of any help lately. He's always out or busy, not picking up his calls. I could have died at the warehouse last night.

My eyes fix on the front door of the club. A couple of guys stroll inside. It's a few minutes to three a.m., and the sky is getting clearer with the full moon up.

The street lights blink simultaneously for a few moments before getting stable. The man I beat up is still laying by the dumpster in the dark.

My phone rings with my private investigator, Kristev's name, popping on the screen. I hope this is good.

"What did you find?" I ask as I answer the call.

"Someone named Brielle Dankworth," he answers. It makes more sense now. I kept seeing the initials B.D. on my father's transaction documents. And, in the letter I found.

"What about her?"

"Nothing much. Just that she was adopted by French parents and lived in France for some years before moving to New York City."

People start to exit the club. I watch closely to look out for Adriana.

"Where is she now?" I ask.

"Dead."

"Shit." A moment of silence passes between us. My eyes are still fixed on the door.

"What else?"

"Nothing I could find yet."

"Do your fucking job right and let me know when you find anything else," I add before I end the call.

I keep my eyes glued to the door as I spot lots of people exiting the club. But none looks like Adriana. I can still recall the outfit she has on. The way she walks is unmistakable, too.

It's getting late, but I still wait for her. I kill the fire on the cigar and watch a sedan park close to the club through the side mirror. It is parked by the side of the road and the driver turns off the headlights completely.

It's exactly 4 a.m. when I spot Adriana walking out of the club as I check my phone.

Someone is beside her. A lady. She is an inch shorter than Adriana. Another person joins them a second later. A guy this time. I grip the steering wheel tight till my knuckles turn white, watching the guy hold Adriana's waist.

I make extra effort to stop myself from dashing out of my car and punching him in the face.

Adriana has a big trash bag in her hand and walks to the trash can I spilled. The drunkard is still by its side. She is startled as she stares at him, then back up, checking around.

I can't make out what the others say to her, but they begin to walk faster. They have no idea I'm watching them.

I let them walk down the street, watching them go through the rearview mirror before I get out of my car. The guy parts from them at the end of the street and takes a different turn.

I walk slowly, aware that someone is trailing behind me. The sedan passes me as I watch Adriana and her friend go. I recognize the car. It had been the same car that stopped by the club.

Adriana and her friend are caught up in a conversation, laughing hard on the path. I can tell they are both slightly drunk.

They finally end up in front of a small apartment at the end of the street. It's a seven-minute walk as I check my wristwatch. Maybe faster if they weren't so drunk.

I can't believe she's careless enough to think she's safe here. She's the daughter of Manny Gustavo, for Christ's sake. He'd have everyone searching for her.

My gut tells me the people in the sedan are here for her. One of them had gotten out of the car and is now walking behind me.

I hasten my steps just before Adriana unlocks the door.

"Hey, beautiful," I say, closing the distance between us. I turn to the lady beside her. Adriana's jaw drops as she sees me. Her friend has a drunken smile on her round face. Her blue eyes are holding my gaze.

"Who is this hottie?" she says. She has a British accent. Strands of her orange-colored hair stick to her face.

"How the fuck do you not understand to stay the fuck away from me?" Adriana barks. Her voice is louder than usual. She isn't as drunk as I thought she was.

"Do you know him?" her friend questions, exchanging glances between Adriana and me.

The sedan passes by us.

"How did you find me?"

"Just the way your father's men did," I reply, nodding at the sedan that has slowly driven past us. She gasps.

"Did you really think they weren't going to find you?"

"What's going on?" her friend asks, confused.

"Play along. One of them is behind us," I whisper.

"Who? What the fuck is happening, Diana?"

"Diana?" I say with my brows raised higher. I almost cough out a laugh. At least she thought it right to change her name.

Adriana breaks our eye contact and stares at her friend.

"Kat, just stay calm and smile. Act natural," Adriana whispers.

I mimic having a conversation with the both of them as I see the other guy walking towards us through the corner of my eye. He has his arms underneath his hoodie. I can tell he is hiding a gun there.

"He's almost here," Adriana mumbles as she fakes a turn. Her blonde hair looks shorter.

"I'm this close to fucking peeing on myself. I don't like this. Any of this." Kat says nervously.

I punch him the moment he steps closer. A gun falls from underneath his hoodie. Just like I had predicted.

"Fuck! Fucking Christ!" Kat exclaims.

Adriana quickly grabs the gun and points it in my direction. I punch the guy in the abdomen and he groans loudly.

"Someone's feisty tonight," I say to Adriana.

"I'll fucking kill you," she grunts.

I slam my fist into the guy's face as he grips his stomach in pain.

"You've got me fucking hard, Poppy," I smirk.

"The guy behind you might beat you to it," I add, gripping the other guy by his hoodie.

"Duck!" I yell to Adriana as I use his body as a shield. They are quick enough to fall to their knees as a bullet comes flying from behind.

"Arggh!" the guy in the hoody yells. The bullet hits his chest instead of mine.

Kat screams, crouching on the ground. Adriana slides the gun to my feet.

"Son of a bitch," the shooter grunts as he takes another shot at me. I use the other guy's body as a shield again while swiftly picking up the gun. Blood splatters as the bullet meets his head this time.

I take a quick shot at the shooter's chest. He falls to the ground with a loud groan.

"Wait here," I command.

"Someone explain what the fuck is happening," Kat screams.

"I'm so sorry," Adriana replies.

I leave their side, cautiously walking down the street. I can't find the sedan anywhere. I turn back to meet Adriana and Kat, still on the ground.

"You can't stay here tonight. They've found you, Adriana."

"Who is Adriana? And who the fuck are you?"

Adriana pushes my arm away as I try to help her up. She looks pissed. Oh God… It makes me even harder.

She stands to her feet and helps Kat up. Kat is terrified, moving slowly away from the dead bodies with her hand covering her mouth.

"I'm fucking calling the police. I've got two dead men at my apartment," she says, searching her purse frantically for her phone.

Adriana grabs it forcefully from her and holds it out in the air.

"Kat, I'm sorry but I can't let you do that."

"Are you fucking crazy?"

I see a car's headlight flash from a distance.

"While I'm enjoying this little show, we can't stay out here. More are coming."

"Alessandro!" Adriana yells as she turns. Her eyes bulge as she stares at the guy on the ground with a gun in his hand. I pull the trigger before he does, killing him this time. A bullet through his fucking brain.

Kat covers her ears, afraid, as she squeezes her eyes shut. I walk to their front door as Adriana goes to meet Kat. I notice the door is ajar.

"Diana, the window is broken."

I hold the doorknob, spotting new scratches on the metal surrounding the keyhole.

"Someone was here."