So, tell me who is your favourite character till now?

"YOUR INVITATION CARD has already been delivered." I hum in response as I open the card and look at the design.

"Thanks." I close it and sigh, the loud sound of slurping echoes in the hall. Monica coughs. "Have I disturbed you?"
I can hear her glittery linings of love that will sprout from her mouth. "No, it's a dog that is licking me."

"Your pussy?!"

It's my time to cough. "Oh, Umbria! What the fuck did you have to say this?" I raise my voice. "He is licking my ankle, you cunt. Ask Christian to give you if you're lacking it so much."

"And whom will you ask?"

I cut the call throwing it aside, resting my arm on my face to cover my eyes. "Today is Satan's day."

The dog, I mean, Ro jumps on the sofa and playfully licks my skin. "Do whatever you want to, tear the invitation, and yesterday's practice will turn into reality," I murmur as he visibly stiffens and quietly starts to lick his limbs.

I sigh walking to the wardrobe that is filled with party dresses. I pull out a dusty blue tiered pleated evening gown, close one part of the door to find the attached mirror on it and expect the worst image of me.

"You look beautiful," Aristide murmurs as he leans against the door frame.

I roll my eyes to hide any embarrassing colours to paint my face. "I know I am beautiful, no need to say that."

"Where are we going?" I look at him over my shoulder and roll my eyes.

"There is no 'we' here. I am going and you are staying here."

He makes me turn to look at him. "Are you even hearing yourself?" He fakes a laugh, "You just healed your injury and you are going back to the war knowing how weak you still are."

I remove his hand from my shoulder. "I don't need your assistance, Leone. I like you, I am not depending upon you."

"If you feel even a cent of attraction to someone does know depending isn't a sign of vulnerability, it's a sign of trustworthy."

"Which I don't do."

"You have to, 'cause I already laid my life in front of you, Caterina and you too should do."

I shake my head. "Depending upon you also means confronting whether the deed is right or wrong and by the last time I don't think you are a good assistant to my trust job."

He forcefully laughs. "You sai-"

"What I said doesn't matter, Leone. The main thing that needs attention is that you weren't the one I got to like. I am into the person who fights against me and for me when time in need. I don't want a lap dog who barks whatever the master says. Fight me, not submit to me unless you want to do it while we are being intimate."

I patiently wait for him to understand what I want to say. He takes a deep breath and speaks to me lowly. "Then give another chance. Take me with you."

I stubbornly shake my head. "No," this won't be. Is he stupid? I am already taking a high risk to go alone and his being in high search by the FBI is another reason why we are in an isolated place.

Salvatore soon received consciousness after two days we came here and from then onwards he lowered all the news related to Aristide's search. I sigh about to shake my head when he whips me around and kisses me.

The pleasant sensation doesn't match the roar of my heartbeat. I want to place my ear near his chest and listen to whether his heart beats at the same rate as mine does.

He doesn't want to delve deeper as he only molds my two uppers and lower lips to his own. He pulls back and kneads my hair tucking a few front white hairs of mine. "I want to show you where trust is everything we need to go on with life. Give me another chance, Caterina, another chance to show you that you can rest your head on my shoulder and I will cover your face from the heat."

I don't want to, the still search process through his search engine and all is entirely fucking up my mind still I nod my head. "One last chance for me to trust you and then after tonight's event it will be a step-up process or step-down one."

He nods frantically and places my hand on his chest. "One last chance."

Oh, Umbria!

"Now, go and get ready."

↓

My nerves are spike high for tonight's shit to go overboard. I glance at my partner who stands stiff and tall. As tall as he can be yet my two inches heel reaches his eyes.

"Remember a drunken gold digger bitch is your mate today and you came here-"

"To open up petrol companies to raise my marketing agenda after my success in Florida." I nod my head and soon we head inside the banquet hall.

Different types of men and women appear near our eyes but the one we want to capture isn't still here. I take a wine glass from the walking waiter and drunkenly giggle at him while sipping my wine.

"Well, isn't he the FBI officer everyone is talking about?" My shoulder stiffens at the sound of an unknown profile approaching from behind us.

We turn back to look at the man who raises his glass and comes near us. "Who are you, young lady?"

Everyone is well known to my Rosè-de-jewelers but the owner behind this shop is unknown to them. I am well known for keeping my profile private. Privacy is the best term to pull out anonymous strings. So, knowing enough that no one will know me here is giving me immense happiness but them knowing about Aristide is another fucked up shit I am going to kill for.I gallop the drink place it near the table and chuckle obnoxiously pointing my finger at Aristide. "Him, being an FBI officer?" I laugh loudly. "God, another goat to your handsome face proving similarity to that officer."

The man's eyes seem confused but his posture proves that whatever he is sprouting is correct. "And who are you, young lady?"

I gasp keeping my hand on my chest to show him the fake engagement ring I wore earlier. "I am? I am his wife." I bent lowly to reach his height. "I mean soon be but our activities seem nothing slow." I giggle letting the man loosen his composure and soon he relaxes.

"So, he isn't the FBI?" I wave my head turning sideways to smack my lips on his cheek to kiss winking at him.

"He is the owner of mining and he came here to approach for the higher altitudes for the petrol station here." I turn to look at him who glares at the man. "Right, baby?"

His eyes shine in appreciation, so he likes these cringe-worthy words. He pulls me closer to him and kisses my temple. He left half of his face hidden in my hair and inhaled my lavender shampoo. "Yes," he rasps. "And it's all because of this woman standing close to me. Without her, I might have not been here and I am kind of proud to have her as mine."

The man introduces himself to us and we soon get connected to others through him or without him. By that time, Aristide staked his claim on me by either kissing me publicly or growling at anyone who stood near me. I want to laugh despite the way he is doing everything in a sexy manner.

I tuck ten business cards in my bralette and have three soft drinks only. It's only been two hours and we both thought to hit the iron while it was still hot.

"By the way, I heard about Ivanov having the biggest deal on these certain liquid categories," Aristide speaks, his fingers drawing imaginary lines on my skin causing rapid goosebumps to rise.

Everyone at the small table is silent. I rest my head on his shoulder and access them. Maxim never met me but I met him and it's all the attributes I will be getting to use against him.One of them coughs to break the ice. "How do you know about Maxim?"

Aristide chuckles. Thankfully, we already made a fake website related to him but it can only be accessed using the TOR browser, and being in the banquet hall, they only provide this browser so that no leaked information gets spread. "Being in a Russian banquet hall and not knowing the king who owns the throne will be a shame."

"That's right."

Aristide's grip soon tightens around my hips and places a kiss, on the top of my head, to calm down my nerves. How he knows my heart is fluttering badly is beyond my mind transaction.Everyone looks behind us. The shadow soon enlarges the table of the poker game and comes to the most awaited person, Maxim Ivanov.

Dante never showed my face anywhere just because he was shameful enough to bring a daughter into Cosa Nostra instead of a son. Every deal, transaction, money laundering, or anything is supposedly done by a middleman. As soon as Dante died, the middleman's position was allotted to Carlos.

I smirk at him as he acts oblivious to our presence. He turns to look at us with a stern expression, and a little startled expression before combining into neutral.

"Who are you?" He asks. Martin, the first guy we encountered laughs in an unsteady manner and recites the similar lines I told him earlier.

Maxim's guard snatches the business card of Aristide and accesses it on their already hacked website. No sooner they will know who is behind all of this, I will be the one drinking wine and spitting on Maxim's shoes.

But first, I need to go to the office cabin situated at the end hallway protected by an eye scanner and fingerprint system. I whine lowly pulling several person 'directions to me. In a high pitch, I mewl. "Can't we dance? Honey, I want to dance. Come on." I drag him with me and we both attract the eyes of the audience.

His hands are on my hips and mine are around his neck. He pulls me closer as the light dims and sensuality glows in the fog."Je ne savais pas que Je dirai ça mais mes yeux sont incapables de se concentrer sur quelqu'un d'autre que toi, mon doux monstre." He purrs near my ear and I shiver in response.

[ french translation: I never knew I would be saying this but my eyes are unable to focus on anyone except you, my sweet monster.]

"When did you start sweet-talking?" I ask lowly as he twirls me around him and then tugs closer.He chuckles kissing my jaws. "By the time I got to know I like you."

My eyes widen and I pull my face to look at his face trying to dissect if the words He said were true or not but the way he is looking at me with so much sincerity, I guess I will take it as true.I cough and soon we are forced apart as other partners swarm between us. I nod absent-mindedly as the words echo in my head ignoring Martin.I like you.I like you.I like you.I know my mother is jealous of what I received and inwardly

I smirk as I look at one of the dim stars staring at me in a solitary state. I guess that's my mother fuming and biting her red nails as she watches me getting the affection she once deserved.The dance continues and I take my escape from the eyes and march to the cabin followed by my so-called liker.

I pull out a card that was given to me by Monica who sent it along with the invitation card and swipe it across the two scanners. The swift click sound lets the door open to my mission."Aristide, the key," I order him as he fuses over his types of equipment.He makes a whole three-hundred-sixty-degree rotation and groans.

"Let me do it, woman. Don't take my part of the fun away from me."

I roll my eyes and with a light spank on my butt, I stand beside the shelf and look around the books. One gets caught in my eyes and I pull it from the rack. I inhale the smell of it and open it.The book named is The Great Gatsby.

I smile opening the first page and reading the dedication by a certain someone.

To my son,
It's time for us to join a dinner and celebrate the joy of winning the estate of Berlusconi.
Your mother,
Susanne Russo

My smile vanishes in thin air as I look at the exact handwriting Dr. Russo has. I find the bookmark which is a collage of Maxim and Susanne.

The entire world vibrated loudly as if the piece of my heart was enough to drown the entire sky in the roar of thunder.

"Caterina, I injected the virus, and now-" He stops when he finds the proofs I am looking at.Just when he is about to tell me something certain someone's footsteps follow the trail we left away. So, I quickly put back the book I found in the exact place.

"Oh, aren't they the new couple who spook everyone?" Maxim's malicious voice appears behind us.I chuckle coldly, the betrayal is fresh and the brain is fogged enough to sprout shits.

"It's still a shame you don't know me, Maxim."

His eyes furrow but then he settles on my eyes and the color seems familiar to him. He laughs coldly.

"Oh God, it's you, Caterina. Sorry," he raises his hands in the air, "the lights were too low to find out your identity." Aristide stands in front of me acting as a protective shield. Maxim then smirks. "Isn't he the FBI everyone is looking for?"

Aristide smirks. "Isn't he the arsehole your gun was aiming at, mon doux monstre?"

I smirk. "Yes, the one and only one. Maxim, meet my beautiful creature, Aristide and well you know the pig, there he is."

Aristide pouts. "I love pork fried rice. Don't insult like that to an animal."

Maxim snarls at him and jumps upon Aristide who slides away and grabs a fistful of Maxim's shirt behind and throws him away.Impressive.

I look at the triceps that get hidden away from my watchful eyes.Both grab each other's collars and roll one over the other on the floor. I sigh pulling Maxim's hair from behind and pushing him down the staircase watching how beautifully he rolls down the stairs.

"I suddenly remember one of the reels where a fictional guy says, 'You fell, Lily,' suddenly I feel like him,"

I smirk side eyeing Aristide who stands up.I descend the stairs calmly stand in front of him and say, "It was just the beginning of your downfall, Maxim. By next time, you will beg to be retarded."

A loud slap echoes in the silent hall. Aristide appears a little late before the input but throws Maxim on the other side with a loud growl.

He snaps. "You think you are the hero whose story everyone will read and throw pity at you?"

"No one is interested in listening to the hero's story. Everyone votes for the villain." I state and with a curl of my white hair, I turn back and walk away from the scene, carrying a stupid handprint on my cheek.

↓

"That fucking shit, how dare he," I scream kicking my flats away as I press on my uninjured foot more to drag myself toward the sofa and take a seat.

I inhale the smoke close my eyes and sigh deeply.Ro barks and jumps on my lap licking my face and especially the swollen region. But after some time his presence disappears and I hear the sound of low whimpering. I chuckle flicking the butt away and open my eyes only to stop to find Aristide standing in front of me.

"What are you doing?"He smiles.

"What I should have done earlier, submitting to you."

↓

nevermind, what I was saying is that congrats for being near to the last couple of pages to the end

And I am thinking of writing one bonus chapter but it might take time.