>>>-M-A-T-T-E-O-> I turned around to make sure that Ila hadn't followed me before heading inside the club. The lights that lit the place was set dimly to create the mood. Loud, not too overwhelming music, was being played for the people on the dance floor.

Immediately, I was met with a group of half-naked girls.

"Hello, Matteo." Roxy greeted me seductively. Her fragrance was alluring.

"Long time no see, Matty," said Ximena as she swung her arms around my neck. She pulled my body into her, leaning in to give me a kiss on the cheek.

"What are you here for?" Janine asked innocently. "A good time?"

"Actually," I said, "I came to see Charlie."

"That's what Lorenzo said too." Roxy frowned.

The ladies' faces went glum, sad that we weren't here for them.

"Next time, ladies," I promised as I winked at them to lift the mood.

They swooned and then departed to look for men that were interested. Ximena offered to lead me to Lorenzo. Grabbing my hand and walking in front of me, she pulled me through the crowd of people.

My eyes trailed from her hand, that was intertwined with mine, up her arm and down her back. She wore lacey red lingerie that exposed her curves. Her butt swayed from left to right as she walked.

We reached Lorenzo. He was sitting at the bar with a girl on his lap, busy making out with a girl I regconized.

Ximena raised our hands in the air and spun herself, turning slowly to give me a good look of all of her. She smirked confidently as she twirled into me. Ximena playfully grind her hips. I moved my hands to her waist and she giggled. Gently, I tugged her off of me.

Getting the hint, she got on her toes to whisper in my ear, "Until next time."

My eyes lingered on her as she walked away. Her and her exit, I thought as I shook my head clear from fogged up thought.

I turned back to Lorenzo who was handing the girl a hundred dollar bill for her service, whispering sweet nothings in her ear.

Hellen giggled as she got off from his lap and stuff the money in her bra. She finally noticed my presence and started to approach me, looking sexy in her black, tight dress. When Hellen got to me, she ran her hand up from my waist to my chest.

"I'm good," I said. Being rejected, she quickly got her hand off of me and left.

"Was that Ximena?" Lorenzo asked me he wiped off the lipstick on his mouth. I nodded, sitting down on the stool next to him. "She looks good with that new haircut."

"I didn't notice," I shrugged.

"Where is the doctor?" Lorenzo questioned as he looked around.

A blond girl walking past us caught his attention and his eyes followed her. The girl felt his stare and sent a flirtatious wink.

"In the car," I answered.

He raised his eyebrows in questioning why.

"Why would I bring a doctor inside this club?" I asked him.

"To give her the mafia experience, duh," Lorenzo said. I rolled my eyes and began to walk away.

"We should head over to Charlie's office," I said as turned around to see if he was following me.

Lorenzo and I slipped away from the crowd, down the hall which led us to Charlie's office. He owns many clubs like the one we were in, including the one that Stollo's men love to go. Today we were buying Charlie's security footage in hopes of getting any leaked information from drunken men.

We stopped at the door that had a sign that read, 'pimps only'. I cringed as I avoid knocking on the sign.

"Who is it?" Charlie asked.

"Il Bisbiglio," Lorenzo answered.

The door opened and there was Charlie, the drunk he always was. His black hair was messed up, his tie was uneven, and the smell of alcohol reeked from his breath.

"Matteo!" He shouted, overly excited. "My man!"

Charlie raised his arms to hug me but I pushed him away to get inside.

"Dick move to switch up the time on me like that, Charlie," I said, sitting down on the couch. Lorenzo followed and sat beside me.

"I'm a busy man." He hiccupped as he made his way to his desk.

"The USB?" I asked.

"Right here," Charlie said as he patted himself down, trying to find the pocket where he placed the USB in. Eventually, he found it in his back pocket of his suit.

Uncoordinatedly, he tossed it in our direction. It hit Lorenzo in the stomach before plopping into his lap.

"All five videos you asked for." He slurred. "It's all in there."

I raised my eyebrows.

"Don't look at me like that Matteo," Charlie said, pointing his finger at me. "Stollo's men might be great customers, but you and I make good business. Trust me when I tell you that I'm on your side on this one."

"Pay him," I told Lorenzo.

As Lorenzo pulled out wads of cash, I walked out of the office. I looked down at my watch to see that we spent half an hour in the club. I've left Ila in the car for too long.

<-I-L-A-<<< I was playing with the adjustment of my seat when I spotted Matteo walking back towards the car. I unlocked the doors for him. He opened the door and sat in the passenger seat.

"Ready?" I asked.

"Yeah," Matteo said, looking up after buckling his seatbelt. "So, your place?"

"Yup." I nodded as I pulled out of parking.

As quick as New York traffic would let me, I made it to my apartment building.

"This is where you live?" He asked. Matteo was examining the building I lived in through the window. "Looks nice."

"It was my grandma's apartment before she died." I explained, "She's good friends with the landlady."

I drove us into the parking garage. As I parked in my spot, I was reminded of my car. It was still at the donut shop. If not, then it must have been towed.

We got out of the car and I led Matteo to the entrance of the building.

>>>-M-A-T-T-E-O-> "I live on the second floor so I just take the stairs." She explained as we climb to the second floor.

Her apartment was behind the first door of the hall. Attached to her car keys was her home key. After unlocking the door, she opened it for me. Ila closed the door behind us and placed her keys in a bowl on a shelf next to the door.

"Doesn't look like a grandma's place," I said.

It was clean just like the living room pictures in the magazines. I was welcomed by the smell of roses and vanilla. The place was theme white and gray with hints of bold colors. On her white couch, varieties of bright, solid-colored pillows were arranged. Pictures with colors of orange, yellow, and red hung on her white walls. Gray furniture contrasted with the dark brown colored floorboards.

"I did a lot of redecorating." She admitted. Ila walked to the gray desk by the window. She set her purse down and turned to me.

<-I-L-A-<<< "Do you need anything?" I asked.

"I'm fine." He said.

"You can have a seat on the couch while I go grab my stuff," I said.

"It's okay," Matteo said as he started to walk around to examine the room.

"Okay..." I said, unsure of what he was planning to do as he waited for me.

"I was planning to grab my stuff to bring back to the mafia house before we talk to the landlady," I explained. "She lives on the first floor so it'll be all in one trip."

"Sounds good." He said.

I left him alone in the living room. I rummaged through my closet and found two suitcases. I filled one with clothes, shoes, makeup, and other womanly necessities. In the smaller bag of the two, I placed my laptop, medical books, and books for reading,

I was finished and zipping the suitcases close when the doorbell rang. I jolted up in horror. Who could that be? Charlotte? Quinten? The police? I ran out of my room and bolted for the door. Matteo was already looking through the peak hole. I pushed him aside and looked for myself. I sighed in relief at the sight of the old Asian lady. It was Mrs. Kim, the landlord.

I opened the door and greeted her with a smile. I felt Matteo move from behind the door to beside me.

"Mrs. Kim, why are you here?" I asked, "I was about to head over to your place."

Mrs. Kim chuckled, "I was looking at the security cameras and saw you walking with this handsome man and I had to check it out for myself."

I looked at Matteo as Mrs. Kim sat herself down on the coach. She was referring to him and Matteo looked pleased with the compliment.

"Why did you want to speak with me?" Mrs. Kim frowned in worry, "Are you planning to move out?"

"No," I said, reassuring her. Matteo raised his eyebrows.

I walked over to Mrs. Kim was and sat across from her. Matteo also took a seat in a single chair.

"I'm planning on taking a vacation," I told her, making up a believable lie. I didn't want her winding up upon mafia affairs. Mrs. Kim looked pleasantly surprised.

"Not once have I seen Ila bring a man up to her apartment! Never would I imagine her going on a trip with a dashing boy like you!" She said happily as she turned towards Matteo. "What's your name, handsome man?"

Matteo chuckled attractively and introduced himself with a fake name, "Matthew Castro."

"I was convinced that Ila was going to die alone or turn into a lesbian." Mrs. Kim yapped, her brown eyes gleamed with happiness behind her thick seeing glasses.

"Mrs. Kim!" I shouted in hopes of shutting her up to keep me from getting any more embarrassed. I also don't want her associating with Matteo furthermore.

"So how long will you be gone?" She asked, getting back on topic.

Matteo leaned forward, interested.

>>>-M-A-T-T-E-O-> "About three months," Ila said unsurely.

I raised my eyebrow, amused. Did she not know? If you join the mafia, you're in it for life.

"I want to pay the money advance but I currently don't have the money for it. I'm planning on sending you the money when it's time to pay for rent."

"Of course you can do that," Mrs. Kim said delightfully. "Tell me, where are you guys going?"

The talk about money made me remember about the cash I had in the pocket of the jacket.

<-I-L-A-<<< I was about to answer with a tropical place but the movement of Matteo reaching in the inside pocket of his jacket made me freeze. I feared that Matteo was revealing his gun but instead he pulled out wads of cash. Hundred bills were stacked neatly and were nicely bundled.

"This should do for more than 3 months." He said, casually tossing the money onto the coffee table in front of us.

I grabbed his money and handed it back to him, "No. Absolutely not."

>>>-M-A-T-T-E-O-> "Take it," I said, pushing the money back into her hands.

"No." She stubbornly stood her ground. "I don't want to owe or be in debt to you."

"You don't have to pay me back."

"Are you kidding me? You think I believe that you won't hold this over my head?" She argued. "I saw what you did to Abel because he couldn't pay you back."

"Fine," I said, snatching the money.

Instead of pocketing the cash, I handed it to Mrs. Kim. Ila wasn't the landlady. All I had to do was to convince Mrs. Kim to take the money.

"Ila likes to be independent," I said, acting hurt. "Sometimes she doesn't understand that all I want to do is take care of her. Please take my money and go."

Mrs. Kim clutched the money to her chest as she swooned over my words.

"The love I feel in this room between the two of you reminds me of my younger days." She said cheerfully as she got up.

"No. Mrs. Kim, please give the money back to him. I can pay the rent myself." Ila begged.

Mrs. Kim pretended not to hear and continue walking. Before closing the door behind her, she said, "You couple have fun!"

<~> Please show much love :)