ALEK
To think I’d just taken a shower before I left for the fight club, now I’m back in the shower…but it’s a far less pleasant experience. Guilt climbs my spine as I scrub the sweat, blood, and cum off my body.
I can’t believe I did that, and with Tommaso of all people. Not just the incredibly dangerous sex in the alleyway, but the fight. I could have been called out by Lucas or anyone for not really being willing to kill Tommaso.
I got lucky that Lucas left the club before the fight had really gotten started to deal with the drama back at the house.
It’s clear, though, that there’s some kind of draw to Tommaso I hadn’t expected. One that is completely unwelcome. One that makes my eyes burn and throat tight.
How could I do that? How could I just throw myself at Tommaso like it was nothing, get lost in the moment? There are many things I’m willing to do, but I hadn’t expected that to be one of them.
It can’t happen again. It won’t happen again. It’s too dangerous. We could get caught by the Bianchis, and there’s noexcuse for shacking up with the enemy that I can give that won’t throw my position completely under the bus.
I stare at the water dripping down the wall of the shower for a long moment or two.
She would be so…disappointed in me. I know it.
I brush my fingers along my lips, and I can practically still taste him there. I growl out in frustration and pound my fist against the tile. The water splashes around me and I’m brought back into reality.
I have shit to do; I can’t just stay in here feeling sorry for myself. It’ll be better to get my mind off it anyway. Think about something else for a while, or forever.
After rinsing off my body and my hair, I get out of the shower, towel off, and get dressed. It’s late at night, but I need to get back to the Bianchi house before they realize I’m nowhere to be found, before Lucas finds out about the fight.
As I’m heading down one of the corridors to leave the underground hideout, several people approach me. Bec and Dante. They look like they mean business.
“Whatever it is, I do not have the time for it right now,” I tell them.
They step in front of me, clearly meaning to block my exit. I eye them from head to toe. A woman and a man. Not particularly bigger than me, or stronger. I can get them out of my way easily if I really want to; but I’m not all that interested in starting drama within the Rose.
“Are you sure abut working with the Dresvanni and being undercover with the Bianchi?” Bec asks me.
I lick my lips before I respond, trying to think of something to say other than, get out of my way. “I get the feeling that it doesn’t matter what I say, how you feel about it isn’t going to change.”
Dante folds his arms and looks at me with an irritated expression pulling at his features. “You’re risking the safety ofthis operation,” he says. “We don’t even know why you’re doing this.”
“I’m not the only one who wants to take the Bianchi family down,” I remind them. “I’m just the only one willing to put myself on the inside.”
I take a step to the side and attempt to step around Bec, but she puts a hand on the concrete wall and blocks me with her arm.
“Careful, you don’t want to mess with me,” I say in a low tone. “Jake should have told you that.”
“Oh, he did,” Bec admits, “But I’m not feeling peachy about you working two different guys and putting yourself and the Rose under the line of fire. Plenty of us feel the same way.”
I suck my teeth briefly. “Look, I’m not loving it either, but being on the inside is the only way we’re going to get the information about Bianchi, and the Dresvannis are trying to help us. They have their reasons, I have mine.” I step even closer to Bec and Dante, almost nose to nose with Bec. She smells like fireball liquor, and I have a feeling this conversation isn’t going to make much headway.
“But you’re the only one who can do it?” Dante asks.
“Why, you want to do it?” I ask him. “I said I’m the only one willing, not the only one capable, there’s a difference. Before I showed up, you all were scrambling, trying to figure out what the Bianchis next move was. Now, we,I, have a front row seat to it. It might get me iced, but trust me, I’m not going down without taking them with it. If you’re not prepared to actually fight, maybe you don’t belong here at all. I’ve only been here a few month, yet even I know that being part of the Rose means being prepared to sacrifice your life at any moment.”
Dante and Bec stare at me, the tension in the air lifting to something more awkward and embarrassing.
“Maybe I’m just not willing to sacrifice my life for whatever revenge plot you’re up to,” Bec insist. “But you’re right, we’ve wanted to lower the Bianchis down a peg for a few years. You’re the reason we’re as close to it as we are.”
“We just wanna make sure you’re not messing around,” Dante adds. “This isn’t a game; it’s leading to war.”
“You think I don’t know that?” I ask. “You fuckers have no idea what a real war is like. But don’t worry, I’ll be the one that shows you.”
Bec steps out of my way. “Just go do whatever it is you need to do, and don’t get caught.”
