16| Happiness

Chapter Sixteen

Alessio

I watch as Alice stares at her ring. "You like it?" I ask for the fifth time.

"Like is an understatement. I love it. You picked out the perfect ring. You know, I think you should ditch the paper company and own like a jewelry store because you have an eye for jewelry my dear fiance."

Paper company, right what she thinks I run with her childhood best friend. A paper company front that is actually a murder for hire. My stomach rumbles at the thought of my job as the CEO of a paper company. Alice does not know what the company truly entails. She doesn't know of the thousands of people that die every six months, of the true millions of dollars made there.

She doesn't know that behind Tara, Damien, and Odette's smile is a bloodthirst that can't seemed to be quenched with the sheer number of jobs I give them. Alice especially does not know that I was in New York slitting some random man's throat because I was paid to less than two weeks ago and I didn't have any agents on hand.

I killed him with no effort, not even sparing him a second thought until this moment.

If Alice were to find out, would she love me enough to stay?

No, she wont. There's no way in hell she would.

And the thought of sitting down and telling her, sickens me. I can't tell her. History has shown that's a bad idea.

Life is different, there is no eminient danger or reason for me to ever tell her. There are no enemies to defeat, just mundane life or as mundane as it can be. I can go my entire life, we can go our entire life without her ever knowing.

I'm a free man, and Leo and Alice are friends. He would never hurt her, and if he did. I will kill him, or at least everyone close to him. He knows that, as much as he has me by my balls I have the same grip on his.

I'm in my mid thirties with more than enough money I ever thought was possible. Why continue? Why continue to live a lie? After we get married, I am quitting. Leo will understand.

I can't continue to live a lie.

Alice holds the ring up to the light and squeals again. "I need to call mom! I need to call Melissa! Leo too! Oh! And Aria! Do you think she'll be one of my bridesmaids? God, I hope she does, she would never be my flower girl. Maybe one of my cousins kids can. And we should start thinking about who will go. I can think of about fifty-God my family is huge now that I think about it. And you have to invite the office."

"Alice, Alice," I say cutting her off. "I think all of that can wait. I have this room for the next three days, and you on the phone making wedding plans, wasn't something I had in mind for our stay." I take the phone from her hand and place it on the nightstand. Her eyes widen, then dilate from our position, me on top with my weight on top, engulfing her.

"Alessio," she murmurs. "Is that a gun or are you just excited to see me?"

I kiss her forehead. I wish this moment, this happiness could last forever.

~

I sit behind my desk. Aria is no longer in my office with her laptop and the sounds of her teacher spouting off some new lesson plan for her. She, instead, has her own now, or the equivalent to an office, right across from me. It's supposed to be Leo's but he's too busy to actually sit down and use it. It's hers as far as I am concerned.

I can see directly into the room filled to the brim with all the essentials she will need, excluding all the distractions that comes with this office. There's no Damien, or loud arguments or me yelling at some dumbass over the phone. It's perfect for her.

I would rather her be home, with Alice in the background cheering her on but she rather be here. She likes it here, too much. To Alice, it seems like her grown attachment to me from her month long psych ward trip.

But it's not the case, I wish it was something that cute.

But, it's more like Aria has an internship here. During her hour breaks, I often catch her speaking to whoever will answer her questions on guns and how to kill someone effectively. Suppose she didn't grow up the way she did. I would be worried about her and Charlie being in the same room for more than a minute.

But, with how she grew up, I know the truth. She wants to work here one day, no other job is feigning her interest. Alice has tried, many times showing her her work with philanthropy or engineering but her eyes doesn't glow the same way with that with when she hears about shooting a man in the face and the payout after.

I turn my attention down to my desk, filled to the brim with paperwork. Contract after contract, and no one else here is smart enough to be able to lead these fools in the right direction or if needed able to do the job themselves. The best bet is Tara but she doesn't have the work ethic to be able to do this. She can handle a few days being in charge but for the foreseeable future? This company will be abandoned, flushing this company I cultivated down the toilet.

I read through the contracts, one by one, filing them, researching who is who and the potential danger and pay. There seems to be no end to the number of people wanting someone else dead. I run a hand through my hair as I skim over one particular name.

Patrick Kinsman

He's an Irishman who has killed too many of my men than I would have liked. Leo personally has sent this kill to my desk weeks ago. Four, exactly four of my better agents were sent to kill him, and none of them have come back in one piece...literally.

In the last few days, things like legs, arms, and even eyeballs have been delivered to the agents' houses and loved ones. Patrick is a nuisance, and he must be dealt with. I need to put together a crew, of all my best men and kill him myself.

It won't be long before he finds the office, all the agents happened to live in New York, and there's no telling what information they told him, before he cut them to pieces.

I would send Aria away from here but, it would be too suspicious, suddenly telling her and Alice that they can't be here. Alice would question it. She asks everything involving denying Aria anything. I pick up the phone and dial Leo's number.

"You know, I am currently in Italy right now? Which means the time difference is quite different."

"Six hours," I inform him. "Hardly anything at all."

Leo sighs, "what can I help you with friend."

"Patrick Kinsman. He's killed four of the agents I sent after him and sent their body parts to New York."

"I know that."

"You know?"

"Yes, and I know you need to kill him. Patrick Kinsman has been causing quite a stir in Europe, and I need him dead. I don't care how you get it done or how many people you need to send. Get it done."

I clench my jaw, "I know that, but I think he's in New York or close to coming. It won't be long before he-"

"Alessio!" I hear from the halls followed by gunshots, rapidly firing. Shit! I duck under my desk and grab my gun. Shit, fuck! I knew this was going to happen. It has to be him. It could only be him. Why didn't I call Leo sooner, or hell...relocate everyone into a new building.

Shit, I need to get out of here. My car is on the ground floor, just a quick thirty floors down, which may be now filled to the brim with whatever soldier and I have a twelve-year-old to protect other than myself.

I can't get on the elevator. They're probably drawing their weapons on me as soon as the doors open. The stairs are the only way out of this mess. I check my bullets-fifteen. Shit, I need more.

I need to get to the weapons closet.

I need to get to Aria.

I ease from my desk. These see-through windows are gonna be the death of me. This is hardly a good way to cover. With my gun close to my chest, slowly I open the door. Chaos, as far as my eyes can see. Papers are thrown in the air. Chairs are turned over. Gunshots ring through the office. I need to find Aria, and I need to do it now.

Find Aria.

I stay low as I cross the hall into Aria's room. She is nowhere in eyesight-good girl. "Aria!" I yell out. "Aria!"

"In here! I'm in the cabinet." She calls out. I rush to her and open the door. Her knees are to her chest, with a small gun pressed to her chest-waiting to be fired at anyone who may be a danger to her.

"Where did you get the gun?"

"Stole it from Damien," she answers at a hush. "He leaves them on his desk like their notepads." That damn Damien, he let a little girl take a fucking gun off of him. "What is going on?"

"Someone is trying to kill me, maybe the agents, maybe all of us."

She nods her head. "Okay. I figured as much. What's the plan?"

"The car...you know where it?" She nods her head. "We need to get to the car. The stairs are our only way down. How many bullets do you have?"

She checks the ammunition. "Ten. I don't know if that's enough."

"It's enough. I assume you know how to use it?"

"Yes." She holds up the gun, the safety on. I switch off her safety, much to her dismay to the fact that she forgot. She mutters a curse so low that I can't make out what it is. It will be the first and last time she doesn't check.

"We're going to get out of here. When we leave this room, head for the stairs. It's next to Damien's desk. When we leave this room, do not look back. Please do not wait for me. Shoot first and ask questions later, keep yourself safe under any circumstances-do you hear me?"

"Yes."

"We will both get out this mess safely. Now, let's go. It won't be long before they get here. You stay behind me until I tell you to go." She nods her head, and we rush towards the door. Damien stands tall on top of his desk, two guns in both hands as he shoots at the enemies one by one, with a wicked smile on his face.

"Come on, you bastards! I still have plenty of bullets." Odella is behind him, firing at a slower, less precise aim than I would want from my secretary and assistant. But it's enough. Tara is gone to Serbia. I should have listened to her about sending her so far away as a bad idea.

I rush towards Damien, returning every bullet that is sent my way, killing four people. "Boss! Hey!" Damien jumps from the desk getting into cover. He picks up a nearby assault rifle and hands it to me. "Might need this. That pussy gun of yours won't be enough."

I can't even begin to say what I want to say to him, there's not enough time. "Damien, clear these bastards out of my goddamn office and leave two for questioning. I need to get Aria out of here."

I readjust the assault rifle. It's full. "Sure thing, boss." He turns his attention to Aria, who is quieter than usual under this gunfire while stuck to my hip. "Stick to him, kid. He'll protect you."

I scoff, grabbing Aria, shielding her from the ongoing enemies from our flank. We keep our heads low with our guns high-shooting the few dumb enough to shoot at us. I open the door, "you go in first," I yell.

She rushes past me, and I quickly follow her inside. It's silent inside the stairwell, quieter than I would have thought. For my team, I would have people in the stairs and elevators, for precautious people like myself to kill on sight.

"You think Damien and Odella are going to be okay." Aria asks.

"If I had to bet on anyone, it would be Damien. He's good, really good." I raise my gun as we descend down every flight while Aria does the same behind me. She's calmer than I would have ever guessed. The gunshots before didn't faze her, and neither does the uncertainty that awaits us in the basement.

"I'm glad Charlie is with Alice today," she speaks up.

"Me too."

"He wouldn't have made it out."

"I know."

We descend further down, stopping at the most sudden of noises at the end of the stairs. I lift one finger to my lips, indicating Aria to be silent. She nods and follows behind me. Aria is too good at being quiet, undetected in the face of danger. Maybe if she's still interested and if everything else in the world doesn't strike her fancy. Maybe, under my supervision could she start with poisoning.

The gunshots, being to sound like a mere dream with how far down we are.

Only two people, who are not even facing the stairwell with their own respective gun in hand, dumbasses.

"I don't know, man, I have to say the third one is better than the second one. Like did you see when-" I shoot him in the back of the head before he finishes the statement. The second guy turns and I shoot him before he gets a chance to draw his weapon. Blood splatters the ground, I grab Aria's hand and put her into the car.

I speed through the underground, emerging from the basement. Cop cars, ambulance, traffic and even some FBI crowds the streets in front of the building. "Shit," I curse, tucking the gun from view with Aria doing the same. This is bad, really fucking bad.

"Alessio, the car," Aria says, pointing to the dock.

Alice...shit.

I clear my throat. "Hey," I say at tone that is clearly too high pitched.

"Alessio? Thank God," Alice cries over the phone. "You made it out. I saw," the words barely comes out. "The news said your building had a bunch of shooters and they're saying they're robbing the bank underneath."

Leo, he already spinned the news. A robbery is more plausible then an irishman wanting to kill me and my men.

"I'm fine, we're fine. We got out when we heard the shooting and rushed to the car. We're leaving the building now."

"Alessio, God," she cried. "Is Aria okay?"

I turn my attention to her, "yes. I'm fine. Alessio protected me."

"I'm glad. I'm so happy right now that you two are alright. You guys are the most important things in my life right now. I don't think I could live on without you guys."

"We...we love you too Alice," Aria says.

I turn to Aria who stares at Alice's name on my dashboard. She's never said she loved us before.

"I-I love you to Aria. Alessio, please come home. I want to hug you both right now and I think I will have a breakdown if I don't see you two soon."

I smile, genuinely smile. "We'll be home soon."

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