>>>-M-A-T-T-E-O-> I was done with my breakfast before Ila. Scrolling through the notifications on my phone, I waited for her to finish. I noticed that she ate slower than she had at the beginning. Ila must be getting full.

One of the notification alerted me that I had missed a text message around 4 in the morning. It was concerning Ila's room. After reading it, I decided to tell Ila of the good news.

"You're room is done," I told her after she finished the last bite of her breakfast burrito.

"Already?" She asked in shock.

"I had them clean it over the night," I said, hoping to show off the power I had around here. I leaned forward, propping my elbows on the table waiting for her impresses response. Her reply was far from what I expected.

"You made them clean it last night? It must have taken hours to finish." She said, frowning.

"I am the one paying them." I defended.

"Still. They could have done it today. It's not like I'm going to be in there the whole day." Ila scowled at me.

I frowned and leaned back in my chair. My attempt to impress her had failed.

"Do you want to see it or not?" I asked, trying to get rid of the guilt Ila made me feel.

<-I-L-A-<<< Going up the stairs was a struggle after eating so many burritos. Nevertheless, with much effort, I made it to my room with Matteo.

I grabbed the doorknob and tried turning it but found out it was jammed. I looked at Matteo for help. He smirked as he removed his right hand from his pocket, dangling a key in front of my face.

"There's a lock, just like you asked." He said.

I moved out of the way for Matteo to unlock the door. I walked to the center of the room as Matteo stayed in the doorway. It looked like Aletta never destroyed my room.

"They did a good job," I said.

Matteo walked to my side and handed me the key to the room.

"Thanks," I told him as I pocketed it.

After locking the door behind us, we bumped into Marcella at the stairs. She was still in her sleepwear. It was noticeable that she just woke up and walked out of her room. Her hair was all tangled up and she was missing a sock on her right foot.

"You're awake early," Matteo said. He looked down at his wrist to check the time, "It's only ten."

It was clear that Marcella was not an early bird.

"There are some things you have to sacrifice for a new pair of shoes," Marcella said, ending with a yawn.

"You're planning to go right now?" Matteo asked.

"Yes, that means we have only eight hours to shop."

"Wait... what?" I asked, wondering if I had heard right.

"I promise to have her home by six." She told Matteo, completely ignoring my question.

"Seriously? Eight hours?" I asked.

"But first we have to change," Marcella said, disregarding what I had asked once again. She grabbed my hand and dragged me up the stairs to her room on the floor above. I looked at Matteo for help but he just waved and walked down the stairs in the opposite direction.

We got to her room and she threw clothes at me to change. She gave me high-waisted jean shorts in the color of light blue and a pastel yellow baseball shirt that was missing the bottom half. Clearly, it was cropped to meet the high-waisted jeans.

Marcella transformed from her sleepy mess within seven minutes. Changed out of her sleepwear, Marcella wore a black, tight-fitting shirt and black, ripped skinny jeans. I saw her slip something metal into her bra and decided not to ask her about it.

I was almost done tying the matching pastel yellow high top converse when impatient Marcella grabbed my elbow and dragged me out of her room and down the stairs.

"Marcella!" I yelled for her to stop walking down so fast as she hauled me behind her. I tried to avoid stepping on the shoelaces that could eventually lead me to my death.

Unfortunately, I wasn't successful. We nearly made it to the first floor when Marcella finally decided to let go of me. I didn't see that coming and the next thing I knew, I tripped and was flying down the few last steps of the stairs.

"Ahhh," I screamed as I closed my eyes.

I felt someone catch me, but the force of me coming down took both of us to the floor. Fortunately, the person broke my fall and I landed in their arms, on top of them.

Opening my eyes after I felt everything went still, I was met with familiar green eyes. Seeing his face so close to mine caused my breath to hitch. The concerned face turned smug.

"Comfortable?" Matteo asked as his lips formed a smirk. I felt his hands on my waist tightened a bit.

I opened my mouth to say something sarcastic when Aiden appeared in the dining room doorway.

"I came, thinking that someone was yelling because they were hurt or something. I guess it was a different type of scream." He obliviously said as he looked the compromising position Matteo and I was in. "Shouldn't they get a room for that?"

"Ila fell," Marcella said, explaining the situation.

"Fell?" Aiden asked, caught off guard, "Ila fell in love with Matteo?"

"Matteo caught -"

"Feelings?" He asked, attempting to finish her sentence. "He caught feelings?"

Matteo cleared his throat, straying my concentration away from Aiden and Marcella who continued to bickering. I looked back down at Matteo, wondering why he wanted my attention. Suddenly, I remembered that I was still laying on top of him. Quickly, I got up, muttering 'thank you' and 'sorry' as I did.

Instead of getting up with me, Matteo sat up on the ground next to my feet. He grabbed my shoelaces and proceeded to tie them.

"Thank you," I said after he was done.

"It's whatever," said Matteo as he stood up.

"Seeing that Ila didn't break anything, let's get going," Marcella said, walking over.

She stopped in front of Matteo and held her hand out, waiting. Matteo, as if he knew this was going to happen, was already opening his leather wallet. In her palms, Matteo placed a black card. She grasped the card and smiled.

If it didn't come across yet, Marcella must love shopping.

"Take it easy."

"I'll try," Marcella said, making no promises. She grabbed my hand and began dragging me to the front door.

I realized that neither Giovanni or Matteo was following behind us.

"Wait, you guys aren't coming with?" I asked, worried for my sake. I almost broke an arm because Marcella was so eager to go to the mall.

"I rather have Kianzo punch me in the liver," Giovanni stated. Matteo nodded his head in agreement.

Before I could ask why, I was pulled out of the door.

<•••>

I figured out why.

Marcella shopped like it was a sport. She had swiped Matteo's black card so many times in the span of five hours. I'm surprised it hasn't broken yet.

Before going to our fourth shopping mall in New York, I suggested taking a break and go eat somewhere.

"How do you like your life of crime?" Marcella asked me before sipping the sparkling water she ordered.

"I haven't done anything illegal yet."

"There is going to be a meet in a few week."

"A meet?"

"It's exactly what it is. People meeting at a place for some dealing." Marcella explained, "A little group who claim to be a small mafia wants to take part as one of our suppliers. We want to check out what they can provide for us."

"I rather not." I declined the offer, but my curiously spiked up.

"It'll be fun."

"It'll be dangerous." I corrected her.

"You need to loosen up. Take a break, you know?"

"A break?" I asked her, my eyebrow raised up, "A break from the law?"

"Sounds ridiculous but that could be my point." Marcella said, "Being in the mafia, you do whatever whenever. Well, depending on rank, but you made it to the top without having to struggle at the bottom. Of course, we know there are consequences, but we don't receive them unless we get caught. That part is easy. The police fear us."

Marcella stopped talking as the waiter approached us with our ordered food.

He set down my lasagna in front of me and placed Marcella's burger in front her. Making sure that the waiter was far enough that he couldn't hear her, she started to speak again.

"Look, I just bought you two million dollars worth of clothing."

I gasped, "Two million? Are you out of your mind."

"That's the thing. You don't have to worry. The money that is backing up the card isn't even real."

"Two million fake dollars?" I whispered with solidity as I freaked out.

"You can consider this as your first act of criminality." She smiled as if she was proud of me.

"Technically, I didn't do anything but hold the bags. You were the one swiping the card." I defended myself.

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