Gabriella's POV:

I went back to my room just in time to hear my phone ringing. It was Alessio. I wonder what he could possibly want. "Hi," I said awkwardly.

"How are you?" I heard his deep voice from the other end of the phone.

"I'm alright. What about you?" I asked.

"I'm okay. I wanna ask you something if you don't mind," he said a little hesitantly.

"What is it?" I asked curiously.

"Do you know any guy called Luke?" he asked, and I froze.

Alessio's POV: (a few hours earlier)

It had been an entire week since I talked to Marco, yet he hasn't given me any information on that caller. I called him up to five times today, and he hasn't even bothered to call back. I tried to call him one more time; if he still didn't respond, then I'll have no choice but to go to his house again, and it won't be good for him.

Just as I was about to slam the phone down in frustration, the idiot finally picked up. "What?!" he barked harshly, as if I was disturbing his precious slumber.

"Did you forget what I asked you to do?" I growled menacingly, my patience wearing thin.

"Fuck no," he retorted, his tone laced with a mixture of defensiveness and nonchalance. "I've been busy, and it slipped my mind to call you. But I've got the information now. I'll send you a location; meet me there," he said, before abruptly hanging up.

I clenched my jaw in annoyance, my anger simmering just below the surface. I loathed it when people made me wait and showed no remorse for their actions. If he wasn't of use to me, I would have killed him by now.

My phone beeped, and I received an address: "Oceanview Cafe, 808 Oceanview Drive." I took a shower, got dressed, and put on my mask. I hopped on my bike and drove to the location.

As I arrived, I spotted a chair outside the cafe and took a seat, looking around. The idiot was nowhere to be seen. I checked my watch for what felt like the hundredth time, growing increasingly irritated. How hard was it for someone to be punctual?

I pulled out my phone and tried calling him again. Just as I was about to dial, I heard a voice behind me.

"I'm assuming the person you're about to call is me?"

I turned slightly, seeing Marco walking towards me. He sat down in front of me, and I glared at him angrily.

He raised his hands in mock surrender. "Sorry, man. Traffic was bad."

I narrowed my eyes, my annoyance still simmering. "Save it," I growled, my tone low and menacing.

Marco's expression turned serious, and he leaned in closer. "Let's get down to business, then."

I nodded curtly, my eyes never leaving his face. "Tell me what you found out"

Marco hesitates, glancing around before leaning in closer. "The burner phone was registered to a prepaid service. But I managed to bypass the security and track the call."

My eyes narrow. "And?"

Marco's voice drops to a whisper. "The call was made by a person named Luke. No surname, no other identifying information. Just Luke."

My mind racing with endless possibilities. Why would someone named Luke want Gabriella killed? And why would they want her head sent to them?

"What else did you find out?" I pressed, my eyes locked on Marco.

Marco shrugs. "Not much. The phone was used only once, to make that one call to you. But...I did find something strange."

My eyes snap back to Marco, my gaze intense. "What?"

Marco hesitates, glancing around again before leaning in closer. "The phone was purchased with cash, at a store in the city. Well, here's the thing. Burner phones are usually bought online, or through other...channels. It's rare for someone to buy one in person."

I frowned, intrigued. "What are you saying?"

Marco's voice dropped to a whisper. "I'm saying that Luke might be a rookie. He didn't know how to cover his tracks properly. He walked into a store and bought a burner phone with cash. That's not how it's done."

I leaned back in my chair, my mind racing with possibilities. A rookie, huh? That changed things. I might have underestimated Luke. But why would a rookie want Gabriella killed? And what was their motive?

"He doesn't have enough brains to take out the Italian princess. I mean come on, buying a burner phone in person? That's like walking into a gunfight with a knife

He's probably a pawn in someone else's game. He can't conspire against the Italians with his peanut sized brain" he said and I hummed realizing that he's right

"Did you get any information on his personal life?" I asked after some time

"Yes actually. Things get messier and way more complicated" he said with a chuckle and I leaned in, wanting to know more

I leaned in, my curiosity piqued. "How?"

Marco's eyes locked onto mine, his voice taking on a serious tone. "Well, I found out that Luke dated Gabriella's mother during her separation from the former Italian don. They were together until her mother passed away a couple of months ago. He was an active figure in Gabriella's life, which makes this whole situation even more baffling."

I frowned, my mind racing with questions. "What I don't understand is, if he loved her mother, why would he want to help people kill Gabriella? It makes no sense to me."

Marco's expression mirrored my confusion, his eyes narrowing in thought. "I know, right? It's like he's got a split personality or something. But I think there's more to this story than meets the eye."

"Why are you so interested anyway? What ties does a man like you have with the mafia princess?" He asked curiously as he eyed me

"Nothing, I dont kill innocent people. You should know that by now, I don't just kill anyone because I'm paid to. And I'm very sure that, that girl is innocent" I said with a distant look in my eyes

"Whatever you say," Marco said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "I've done your work, please, for the love of God, do not call me anytime soon. I'm tired of seeing your ugly face."

I couldn't help but chuckle at his remark. "You haven't seen my face, Marco. How can you say that it's ugly?" I asked, amusement dancing in my voice.

Marco swallowed, looking away from me with a sheepish grin. "If it ain't ugly, why do you have to cover it?" he retorted, his smile silly and mocking.

I rolled my eyes, shaking my head. "With my job, I can't afford for people to see my face. I knew you were dumb, but not this dumb," I said, my tone light and teasing.

Marco scoffed, his expression playful. "And yet, you need this dumb person's help," he shot back, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

I narrowed my eyes at him, my expression stern. "Okay, I'm done. If you need anything, don't call me," he said, standing up and leaving.

I sighed, watching him go before deciding to head home. As I walked in the door, I reached for my phone and dialed a familiar number. After a few rings, she answered with an awkward "hi." I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face.

We exchanged pleasantries, and I tried to sound casual, but my heart was racing with anticipation. Finally, I got to the point, and the line went quiet for a long time. I wondered if I'd lost her, if she'd hung up on me. But then, I heard her soft voice, hesitant and unsure...

Gabriella's POV:

I took a deep breath, trying to process the sudden turn in conversation. How does he know Luke? Why is he asking me about him?

"Yes," I answered drily, trying to keep my tone neutral.

"May I ask how you know him?" he asked, his voice calm and collected.

I felt a surge of defensiveness, my mind racing with questions. "He was my mother's boyfriend. Why are you asking me this? How do you know him?" I demanded, trying to keep my emotions in check.

The line went quiet for a second,but then, he spoke up, his tone cryptic. "I'll tell you when you come to school."

My jaw ticked with frustration. "I don't know when I can come to school, so fuckin' tell me now!" I snapped, my patience wearing thin.

There was a pause, and for a moment, I thought he'd hung up on me. But then, he spoke up, his voice dripping with amusement. "Well, you better hurry up then."

And with that, he hung up.

I stood there, my phone still clutched in my hand, my mind reeling with questions. Is he being serious? Is he digging into my life? It makes no sense how he knows Luke. From the way he sounded, it seemed like he already knew that I know Luke, so why the fuck did he even ask?

______________________________________ Hey guys

I'm going to be honest with you all, I'm feeling incredibly insecure about this chapter. I've been struggling with writer's block for a while now, and I'm not sure if this chapter meets my usual standards. I've tried my best to push through and get the story moving again, but I'm worried that it might not be as engaging or well-written as I'd like.

That's where you come in! I'd love to hear your thoughts on this chapter. Did it hold your attention? Were there any parts that confused you or didn't quite work? Be honest with me, even if it's not what I want to hear. Your feedback is invaluable in helping me improve and get back on track.

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