Chapter 5

Alessandro

"Any news yet?" I asked Javis. He shook his head. I glanced back to look at Felicita resting on the leather chair. "How the hell was it ambushed?"

"All men dead."

"Edoardo?" I questioned. He's the only person I could think of, as Ravi wouldn't do anything to jeopardise his delivery, or would he? I feared what would happen now with the girl. I knew what would happen if the shoe were on the other foot, I would want her back. I would make him bring her back. I inhaled a deep breath and moved to the bar to make a drink, I gazed at Felicita, unsure of what was about to occur. I had to get her away from everyone. It wasn't my duty to keep her safe and out of arms way. This was an act of whim, I had never done this bullshit before, what on earth was she doing to me?

Sat on the leather chair, I sipped my drink and thought over possible options. I had to have answers and now…the whole scenario frustrated me.

"Boss, rumours are it was Edoardo, hence the reason he got your attention earlier."

"Find my shit, it needs to be delivered to Ravi. I want that shit to him like yesterday or he'll call for his part of the deal. And find out where the bastard is, Troy put a tracker on his car," I growled.

"His car hasn't moved. Why not hand the girl back?" Javis asked.

I paused, I had to think very carefully with my answer. "What did you say?" I had to check before I fucking ripped his throat apart.

"Why not hand the girl…" My ears never deceived me. He said exactly what I thought he did. Without time to think I stood up and grabbed Javis by the throat and crashed his body into the side of the plane, pinning him like some rag doll. He struggled to breath as he placed his hands on-top of mine. He never fought me, as like all my men, they were terrified of me. I narrowed my eyes at him and grit my teeth.

"You ever suggest that again, I'll have your fucking tongue. Do I make myself clear?" I seethed.

"Yes boss," he said, as he struggled for breath.

Felicita groaned; I saw her eyes flicker. I released Javis, who turned away holding his throat and coughing violently. I rushed to her and sat in the chair beside her. She turned over and cuddled into me. My eyes fell to Javis, as he shook his head. He knew my answer to why I wouldn't hand her over and he was right, this was what frightened me. I was in deep water and drowning rapidly. I had no emotions for the opposite sex, I use them to my advantage. I did not care about what happened to them once I finished and disposed of them. They were pussy, clear and simple. So why was I cradling Felicita in my arms?

"Boss we're almost landing."

"Good." I carefully moved, not wishing to disturb Felicita, but she shot up, wide eyed and checked her surroundings. "Strap in," I ordered her, when she glanced up at me with those precious eyes and scratched the side of her neck. I raised my brow as she moved to the chair and buckled in.

The plane landed and the car was ready to meet us like ordered. We sat in the car without a word passing our lips. I glanced at her to find her staring out the window and I just knew she was crying, probably confused and still in shock. I left her alone as the car drove the streets taking me to my harbour home. I felt she would be safer here, out the way, even if it wouldn't take much for someone to track me down.

The car pulled up to the gates and we drove in, relived we had made it here without any further attempt on our lives.

Outside the house I opened my car door and raced around to hold the door for Felicita. She wiped her cheek, not wishing me to see the tears she had shed. I was no fool, I was many things, but a fool was never one of them.

Tightly, I wrapped my arm around her waist and chauffeured her towards the main door. The door opened and we were greeted by my housemaids, all ready to serve us. I watched as Felicita looked around her new surroundings.

"I'll show her to her room," I informed the staff.

I showed her to the grand stairwell and took her up to her room. I opened the door, allowing her to enter first. Her feet padded on the carpet as she looked around the impressive large bedroom with a king size bed, teal bedding and one wall painted in the same colour.

"I'll leave you for a short while and check on you later. Please get some rest, it's been a crazy evening," I told her. I left the room, closing the door behind me. Her life tonight had been full of mixed and unwanted invitations. My stomach churned as memories of the evening revolved around my mind. The best part was making love to her.

In my office, I checked over e-mails, only my mind was with Felicita. Again.

In a heartbeat I was at the office door, opening it to go back to Felicita and be with her. I hurried as quickly as my feet could carry me up the stairwell and stormed down the corridor to her room. I knocked loudly on the wooden door, trying to be patient, even though I was feeling less so. There was no answer.

I pressed my ear to the door wishing to hear a single sound from her but I heard nothing. In the heat of the moment, panic took over and I pushed the door open. Inside, there was no sign of her. The bed hadn't been touched. I saw her heels kicked carelessly across the floor.

I could hear the sound of running water and I moved towards the bathroom, placing my hand against the door. She had to be in there. I slowly pushed it open to see Felicita sitting in the shower with her knees drawn to her chest. She was sobbing, her entire body shaking as she heaved for breath. I carelessly ripped my jacket from me, discarding it somewhere behind me as I rushed to her. Dropping beside her, I pulled her against me, not caring as the freezing water soaked my through my shirt. I reached up to turn it to warm. She began rocking, biting on her nails and staring trance like at the opposite wall. My heart ached, this was my fault.

She whimpered the tighter I held her, before whispering, "I am tarnished in blood. All I can hear is the guns, and all I can see is and blood, everything is covered in blood."

That bastard Edoardo. I drew her closer to my chest. It was obvious she had never witnessed anything like this before and now she was in the same boat as me, possibly about to sink. This devil was ready for bloody war.

"It's okay, it's okay," I whispered to calm her. I ran my hand up and down her arm, whilst I kissed the top of her head. I longed to take all this away from her and fill her mind with a life she deserved. I never wished for any of this to happen to her. Maybe, when I first cast my eyes on her I should've walked away. Instead, I'd tarnished her with dark, nasty, unspeakable sights. "I'm so sorry. I really am." It was the truth.

I carefully slipped from the shower to run her a hot bath. She needed to warm up. I reached for some essence that was on the cabinet side, and poured the bottle in. I glanced back to find Felicita still looking dazed. Once the water was deep enough, I went back to her, holding out my hand for her to take. She glanced at it, making no move. She didn't trust me and I hated that. I vowed to win her trust back. After a few long seconds, she sighed, taking my hand and allowing me to pull her to stand.

She stood before me and I placed my fingers carefully under the spaghetti straps of the dress, needing to get rid of the garment that was laced in blood. The dress dropped to her feet. She stepped out as I kicked it away - that dress will be burned. We laced our hands and she climbed into the bath, sinking down into the bubbles.

I stripped out of my own clothes and I moved carefully in behind Felicita, moulding our bodies together when she laid back, pressing her head to my chest. I splashed the water over her body, determined to remove all the blood she felt stained her.

"Let me wash your hair," I told her. She sat forward. I wet her hair using my hands for a cup. I found the shampoo in the cabinet beside the bath and squirted the liquid into my hand. I began to lather up her hair in the sweet-smelling shampoo, gently I caressed her head before using my hands to rinse it.

I wrapped my arms around her and drew her back onto my chest, squirting bodywash onto her stomach to wash her clean.

With the bath finished, I towel dried each part of her beautiful body, patting to be gentle. I took a second to admire her figure, drinking in her perfection, loving the size of her boobs, her delicate flat tummy, and bottom…

"Come let me dry your hair."

Holding hands, we sauntered through to the bedroom for me to locate the hairdryer. She sat on a chair and I set about drying her brunette locks.

"There you go," I delicately told her, moving her hair to the side so I could put my lips to her neck. I placed my hand on her shoulder, where her hand then rested on mine.

"Thank you."

"You have nothing to thank me for. It was my fault you witnessed what you did. Now you need to rest."

I ambled to the tray of drinks to pour her a Jack Daniels. I gazed at her, lost in her beauty, her flawlessness. I picked up the tumbler and passed it to her.

"Drink this, it'll help you settle."

"Will you stay with me?" Her words were whisper like. So, moved to the bed for her to lay on my chest, cuddling with my arm wrapped around her.

I'm so angry with Edoardo for what he made Felicita see tonight, I'll soon be wearing that man's blood.

Felicita settled and I carefully slipped away and made the trip downstairs to see Javis.

"Boss, everything is a goddamn nightmare. Ravi is wanting to speak with you urgently and Edoardo, we're certain was behind tonight and the ambush of the cocaine to Ravi. The whole things is getting out of hand," he spoke with panic.

"Fine… I'll make all the relevant calls."

"Have you been with Felicita all this time?" he questioned me.

I faced him, grimacing. "What is happening to you, boss? You never allow a pussy to get in the way of business." He was right, I didn't and here I was doing the opposite.

Anger flared, and so to change the subject I retrieved my phone from my desk to make the call to Ravi.

"Finally, I was beginning to think you were fucking avoiding me, Alessandro, but please do what you wish, we have forever," he said calmly. "Where are my drugs, we had a fucking deal… you either sort this shit out now or I'll be coming for the girl," he hissed.

"I'll sort it."

"I lost fucking men today and someone needs to pay," he added.

"Of course. I'll have a new shipment to you shortly."

"You'd better, or I swear… her pussy is mine." He hung up. My stomach curdled to the thought of him touching my girl.

"I have Edoardo's number," Javis informed me.

I snatched the paper from him and put the number into my phone. Pressing it to my ear, I waited impatiently for him to answer.

"Mr Lavis' phone, how can I help?" I heard a woman.

"Tell the bastard to get on this line now before I lose my shit," I growled.

I waited a few seconds.

"Allow me to guess, I have something of yours and you have something I'm very interested in purchasing. I'm sure we can come to some agreement, Alessandro."

"She isn't for sale."

"Then why are we speaking? Do come back to me when you are prepared to make the trade. I'm pretty certain that what I have is worth more than that cunt you have. Oh, and by the way, nice try with the tracker," he chuckled. My fists tightened ready to punch the daylights out the nearest thing or person to me. "So, you think about it and give me a call. I'm happy to negotiate. I mean what is she worth… against all this cocaine… sleep tight." He hung up. I was aware he was laughing his smug face off.

"Boss…"

"Not now, Javis… not now."

I sat outside, with a glass of whiskey, staring into the sky and gathering my options. It was obvious that the easiest solution would be to hand Felicita over. I had two people after the same person and all because I set my eyes on her. She was in danger, no matter which angle you looked at it. She was the key. She held the cards. The fact remained that if I let her go, she wouldn't stay alive.

Her life was in mayhem through my own fault. A young innocent woman had been pulled into hell, and for what? Because I took a liking to her. I really should learn to not let my dick do the talking.