I quickly turned around and pulled my gun out at whoever this person was.

"Wow, calm down Mr. Romano, I just want to talk" he said, raising his hands in defence.

"You!? What the fuck do you want!?" I yelled.

"To talk sir, nothing more" he said, taking a step closer to me.

"What could you possibly want to talk to me about!?" I shouted.

"About that job position you offered me with your daughter" Matteo said, putting his hands away in the pockets of his pants.

"No, I already told you that I won't give it to you" I said, lowering my gun slowly, carefully.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because of your father!" I said.

"I thought you were the one who goes by 'we aren't our parents, and their actions don't define our actions...'" he said, raising an eyebrow waiting for my answer.

"But your father is worse than mine ever was!" I yelled.

"Maybe, maybe he was. And I agree, my father was a cold-blooded murderer, a psychopath, a monster. But I can assure you sir that I'm nothing like him, I lost my mother at seven years old, I never even met my father, I ended up in the streets at just seven years old, I had to steal to eat, to live, to survive. I only kill criminals and people that have done wrong, I have never killed the innocent, and I swear to you that I never will. Because I am nothing like my father" he said.

"Your word means nothing, boy" I spat.

"I know, I mean we all know what they say, actions speak louder than words. So let me work with you, to prove to you that I am trustworthy and that I am nothing like my father" he said.

"If you never met your father, how do you know what he did?" I asked.

"Because your daughter told me everything, from the very beginning, that he destroyed your life, that he made your life a living hell because he took your wife away from you, because he shot her, and your daughter had to watch her mother die in her arms" he said.

"Lia told you!? When did she tell you!?" I asked.

"I went to her mother's grave searching for answers about my father- about what he did" he replied.

"And how did you know that Lia was going to be there?" I asked.

"I didn't" he replied.

"What-?" I asked.

"That's besides the point, all I wanted to ask is for that job, that's all I'll ever ask of you, Mr. Romano" he said.

"I'll give you a month to prove to me that you're nothing like your father, just like you said. In that month you'll work side by side with my daughter, you'll help her and protect her from anyone and everyone who wishes to harm her. And if you do something to harm her, whether it's physically, mentally, or emotionally, I'll torture you for months and then kill you just like I did to your father" I said.

"Of course sir, when do I start?" he asked.

"Tomorrow morning, be at my house at ten" I replied.

"Thank you so much sir. I promise I won't let you down" he said, walking into the darkness.

I hope so...

I hope your promise is more than just your words...

* * * *

Lia POV:

"Wow, your aim's amazing cous" Elias said, grabbing a gun from the table of weapons.

"Now let's see what you got" I said, stepping out of his way.

"Watch the master" he said, with a wink.

"Mhm" I said, with a chuckle.

"Lia, Elias" my father said, walking into the training room, making Elias freeze in place.

"What is it dad?" I asked, turning to face him.

When I turned to face my father in the eyes, I saw Matteo standing beside him with a smirk on his lips, and his hands tucked in the pockets of his pants.

"What the fuck is he doing here!?" Elias yelled.

"He's here because we made a deal" my father said.

"What kind of deal?" I asked, walking over to them.

"He's going to be working with you for a month, and if he hurts in you anyway, I'll kill him" my father said.

"But he's Marco's son" Elias said.

"So?" my father asked.

"Can I talk to Matteo in private please?" I asked.

"About what?" my father asked.

"Nothing important" I said, grabbing Matteo from his arm and dragging him out of the room.

"See, I told you I'm getting this job" he said, as I led him to my room.

"How? How did you do it? How did you convince my father?" I asked, shutting the door behind us.

"I just asked to meet up with him yesterday and I convinced him that I am nothing like my father and he gave me a chance" he replied.

"My father is a dick, he never listens to anyone, especially to his enemy's son" I said.

"Your father was actually pretty calm and understanding though when he talked to me yesterday. He didn't seem like a dick" Matteo said.

I started pacing around my room as Matteo stared at me cluelessly.

"Um, are you okay?" he asked.

"No, I'm not fine!" I yelled, meeting his eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked, taking a step closer to me, with worry in his eyes.

"He never made time for me! His own daughter! And he decided to talk to you!?" I yelled, slamming my fists on his chest.

"Stop" he said, with some type of a calm voice as he grabbed both of my wrists.

"I hate him so much!" I yelled, as tears formed on my eyes.

"Stop" he yelled, as he started walking forward and I walked back until my back slammed against the wall and he pinned my hands to my side, his face only mere inches away from mine.

"I... hate him..." I said, as tears rolled down my cheeks.

"You don't hate him, and I'm sure of it. You're just mad at him at the moment" he said, never breaking eye contact.

"Then why did he never make time for me when I was younger? Why was he always working and never cared if I was, okay? Why!? Why did he get drunk every time!? Why did he never care about me when I needed him most!? When I got nightmares every night of my mother dying in my arms. Why!?" I said, my voice breaking and swallowed the lump in the throat.

"I don't know Lia" he said, as he let me go and took a few steps back.

"I just wanted my father! That's all! Was that too much to ask for!?" I yelled.

"Lia..." he mumbled, as my father walked in.

"Are you two done talking because I have a mission for you" my dad said.

"Yeah, come on let's go" I said, walking past Matteo, pretending that nothing happened.

~~~

So, what's the mission dad?" I asked.

"I need you to go and check out an abandoned warehouse" my dad said.

"Sure, where is it?" Matteo asked.

"I'll send you the destination on the GPS of your phone, all you have to do is follow it and you'll get there" my dad replied.

"Let's go then" I said, as I made my way to the door.

"Be careful, and stick by each other's sides" my dad said.

"Yes, dad" I said, as we walked out of his office.

"Who's driving?" Matteo asked.

"You are, now get in the car" I said.

"Of course, Bellissima" he said, as he turned on the car and the destination appeared on his phone just like my father had told us.

~~~

"So, what did you tell my father to convince him?" I asked, going through one of the boxes there were at the abandoned warehouse.

" i already told you a thousand times, I just talked to him, made him believe that I am nothing like my father" he replied, as he pulled out a gun from of the boxes we were looking through.

"Right, well you were very convincing because my father doesn't listen to people very quickly, and knowing who your father was made it even harder for you" I said, standing up and meeting his gaze.

"Well, I guess I'm pretty convincing, Bellissima" he said with a wink as he stood up as well.

"Hands behind your head and we won't shoot you both!" a man yelled, pointing a gun at us, as many more men appeared around us with guns pointed at our heads.

"Who the hell are you!?" Matteo yelled, as we raised our hands in the air slowly.

"I said behind your fucking heads!" he yelled, shooting me in my leg, making me fall to my knees and I let out a scream.

"Lia! What the fuck!? Who the hell are you!?" Matteo yelled, getting down on his knees as I fell on my back, but before I hit my head, he grabbed me and held me in his arms.

"No, who the hell are you!?" the man yelled.

"My name is Matteo, now tell me who the hell you are!" Matteo yelled, as he put pressure on my thigh.

"My name is Giovanni, now what the hell are you two kids doing in here!?" he yelled.

"Why do you care!? This warehouse is abandoned and is no one's property" Matteo yelled, with fury in his eyes as he pulled out his gun and still held me with his other hand.

"This is our meeting place asshole!" the man yelled.

"Wow, your meeting place is a shit hole" Matteo said, as he rolled his eyes.

"Shut the fuck up before I shoot your girlfriend in the head this time!" the man yelled.

"Over my dead body!" Matteo yelled, placing me gently on the ground and rose to his feet with his gun still pointed at the man who just shot me.

"Get the fuck out and I won't shoot her again!" the man yelled as I tried to stand on my two feet but the pain from my thigh made it impossible to do so.

"Leave him alone, or I'll call my father to kill all of you!" I yelled, finally being able to stand up. I limped over to Matteo's side, as my eyes met the eyes of the man who just shot me.

"And why should I give a fuck about your father?" the man asked.

"Oh you should" Matteo said, with a smirk on his lips.

"Why?" the man repeated.

"Because my father is Dante Romano and if he finds out you shot me, he'll torture you till you beg for his forgiveness" I said.

"You're lying! Dante doesn't even have a wife, more or less a daughter! You lying bitch!" the man yelled.

"What the fuck did you just call her!?" Matteo said, as he was about to pull the trigger.

"Don't shoot him!" I yelled, making him freeze in place.

"Why the fuck not!?" Matteo yelled, narrowing his eyes at the man.

"Maybe because we're surrounded by men ready to shoot at us any second now!" I yelled.

Matteo slowly lowered his gun, his eyes never leaving the man's of who just shot me.

"Now, will I have to tell my father about this or are you going to stitch me up, right here, right now!" I shouted.

The man gave the other men a nod and all the men lowered their guns. Matteo carried me to a table and placed me down on my back. The man who shot me got out a box with disinfectant and stitches. Matteo grabbed my hand tightly so I couldn't feel the pain of the stitches, but when he applied the disinfectant I screamed in pain, and let tears roll down my cheeks. Matteo squeezed my hand to reassure me that everything was okay. I think I was squeezing his hand too tightly though because I could see him wince in pain. I bit my lip as I saw the needle inching closer to my thigh, and when I felt the needle pierce my skin I screamed even louder, I bit my lip so hard that I started tasting blood in my mouth and could feel it drip down my lip slowly. As he finished the second stitch I felt a bit of relief, but when he started on the third stitch I couldn't do it anymore, I kicked my other foot in the air, kicking a man that was next to me in the face.

"Per cosa diavolo era!?" the man yelled, rubbing his chin. (what the hell was that for!?)

"I'm sorry but if you were getting stitches without any anaesthesia, you would be crying like a baby! You're lucky I only fucking kicked you in the face, stronzo!" I yelled. (asshole)

"There stop screaming, you're done" the man said, stepping away from me as I let a sigh out as relief.

"Finally" I said, taking a look at my thigh to see it stitched up, like I was never shot at all.

"Are you okay?" Matteo asked, helping me up.

"Mhm, just great" I said, grazing my thumb over my lip to remove any blood that still remained on my lip.

"I'm going to kill that man, I fucking swear" Matteo whispered as he rested his hands on either sides of where I was sitting.

"No, you're not because we're going to go, unless you want to kill him and end up getting shot as well" I said in a low voice so only he could hear.

"But he fucking shot you!" Matteo whisper-yelled.

"And he helped me, now let's just go" I said, as I wrapped my hands around his neck.

"Fine, let's go" he said, as he lifted me up in his arms.

"You aren't going to tell your father, right?" the man asked, as we turned away to leave.

"No, I'm not going to tell him" I said, as Matteo turned around to make me face him.

"Good, this never happened, I never met you nor shot you now get out, both of you" he said.

"Watch your tone old man, she may have told you that she won't tell him, but I didn't say I wouldn't, so watch the way you speak to her, or I'll cut out your tongue!" Matteo said, narrowing his eyes at the man, before he turned around and walked us out of the place.

~~~

"How are we going to go back home without my father asking a million questions as to why you're carrying me inside my own home?" I asked.

"I'll figure something out, Bellissima" he said, his eyes never meeting mine as he kept them on the dark road before us.

"Thank you for helping me today" I said, with a smile, as I gazed out of the window staring up at the night sky.

"No problem, I made a deal with your father after all, didn't I?" he said.

"You really are nothing like him" I mumbled to myself.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing, thank you" I said, with a smile.

~~~

"Well, what's she like?" I asked, throwing a pocketknife at the board a few feet in front of me.

"She's kind, smart and very funny" Elias said, as he threw a knife at the board.

"You still haven't told me her name" I said, grabbing another knife and playing with it in my hand.

"Violet" he said, with a huge grin on his face.

"That's such a pretty name" I said, as the huge doors opened wide, we both turned to check who just entered.

"Hey, do you two know where Dante is?" Alessandro asked.

"Uh, no, why?" I asked.

"Because Matteo is here asking for him" Alessandro replied.

"Where is Matteo?" I asked, stepping down from the ring.

"In the main lounge, why?" Alessandro asked.

"Thank you, bye" I said, as I ran out of the training room.

I ran downstairs to the main lounge to see a few men talking and drinking with Matteo sitting down with them at the table with a drink in his hands and playing cards in the other hand. I slowed my steps as I made my way over to him. I went to his side as I took his playing cards from his hand in one swift move, making him flinch and throw his drink all over my clothes.

"MATTEO BIANCHI!" I yelled.

"Oh my god, Lia, I'm so, so sorry" he said, standing up from his seat.

"What the hell was that for!?" I yelled.

"You scared me! What were you accepting?" he asked, trying to hold in his laughter.

"Oh you little prick! Laugh, I fucking dare you Matteo!" I said, crossing my arms over my chest waiting to see what he would do.

"Matteo and Lia, what are you two doing?" my father asked, walking in the main lounge, rearranging his tie.

"He drenched me in vodka!" I yelled.

"Lord please give me patience because I've lost it all with this girl! Ok Lia, go take a shower and change and meet us in my office after" my father said.

"Before I go, why are you wearing a suit?" I asked.

"Because I have an important meeting after I deal with you and Matteo" my father replied, getting impatient.

"With whom?" I asked.

"That is none of your concern, now go" my father said.

"But-" I tried to ask him again, but he cut me off.

"Lia, go!" he shouted.

"Fine" I huffed. Before I could take a step forward Matteo grabbed my forearm and pulled me towards him slightly.

"If you want me to make it up to you, I could join you in the shower, if you'd like, Bellissima" he said, with a smirk growing on his lips.

"W-what?" I asked.

"Just say yes or no" he whispered.

"LIA!" my father yelled.

"R-right, I'm going" I said, as I took a step forward and Matteo let my arm go and shoved his hands in the pockets of his pants, like he always does.

~~~

"But we don't know for sure if that guy is the leader" I said.

"We don't, but when he gave a nod to the men all the men listened to his order and lowered their guns" Matteo said.

"He could just be second in command; his consigliere" I said.

"You both could be right; I'll send a few men to the warehouse tomorrow morning and ask them to bring that man to me" my father said.

"Could I go with them?" I asked.

"No, you have training with Elias tomorrow" my dad replied.

"But we had training today already" I said.

"Exactly and if you want to take over this mafia in a few months, you need to be stronger than any of your opponents, better you be prepared to fight then I just put you on the battlefield and you'd have no clue how to fight" my dad said.

"But I do know how to fight!" I said.

"Yes, you do, but when it comes to missions you just threaten people by mentioning me as your father. What are you going to do once I'm gone? When I'm dead, and you're the new leader of the most powerful mafia?" my dad asked.

"Don't you dare say that! I already lost mum; I can't lose you too! So, stop this bullshit of you saying once you're gone!" I yelled, slamming my hands on the table, and standing to my feet.

"Well whether you like it or not, one day I'm going to be gone so better start preparing from now" my father snapped.

"Can you stop! I already lost mum; I can't lose you too!" I yelled, one last time before I ran out of his office, and straight to the garden.

~~~

"Lia..." I heard a voice mumble my name from behind me.

"What do you want Matteo?" I asked.

"How did you know it was me?" he asked, taking a step closer to me.

"I got used to you coming up from behind me now" I said, as I turned around to look at him.

"Were you crying?" he asked, noticing my red puffy eyes.

"Does it even matter?" I asked.

"Of course it does, if you want to talk, you know I'm here to listen. I know what you're going through, I lost my mother too, at a very young age. Talk to me and I'll listen, I promise" he said, with a smile.

"It hurts so much, Matteo. I pretend like everything is fine, with a smile on my face every day, whilst on the inside I'm dying, my whole world is crumbling beneath my feet, and no one notices it. No one notices my tears, my pain, but then they all notice my mistakes. They think just because I'm smiling, I'm okay, that the pain is gone, but it's not, it never went away. The pain of losing my mother never left me. Just because I'm not crying, doesn't mean the pain is gone..." I said, as tears filled my eyes again.

Matteo stayed silent and listened to everything I had to say, he held me in his arms and listened. He cares about me, my pain, my sadness, he always cared. From the very first time I told him about the death of my mother he listened, when I told him about his father, he listened and reassured me that he would never hurt me the way his father hurt me. He protected me when I got shot, he stood by my side, he held my hand, he showed he cared.

I know I just met him a few days ago, but I think I'm falling for him...