We Were Villains

16

ANGELO

I leaned against the balcony railing, flicking cigarette ashes and taking another long drag. I heard the balcony door slide open and Julian step through.

"Where'd you get the cigarettes?" He asked, plucking the cigarette package from my fingers and shoved them into the back pocket of his jeans. He stared at me, waiting for an explanation.

"Store across the funeral home," I mumbled, hating that I'd been caught.

"You promised you'd quit, Angel," he murmured, his stare burning into the side of my face. "You know-"

I closed my eyes. "I know, Jules."

"If you know then why are you smoking?" He snapped, and by his impatient tone I knew he meant business. "You know how bad your asthma gets, idiot."

I narrowed my eyes. "Don't call me an idiot."

"Then don't act like one."

"Can you two stop bickering like an old married couple for five seconds?" Mattia stepped outside with us. He glanced at Julian and then me with an angry glare. "What the hell are you doing?"

I turned away, sucking back the last of my cigarette before twisting it out on the railing. I spun around and walked into the hotel room, annoyed. "Is Alessia up yet?"

We needed to get on the road.

"No, not yet," Mattia said.

I headed towards the adjoining room but my younger brother caught my arm. "She didn't sleep well. Leave her to sleep until the car arrives."

I paused. "What do you mean she didn't sleep well?"

"She-"

"Did she have a nightmare?"

"I don't know - " my brother snapped.

"Ugh, you're a doctor Mattia, you're supposed to know everything." I smirked when his face contorted into disdain. He hated when I said that.

Julian chuckled behind us, his fingers wrapping around my forearm. He tugged me over to the bed we slept in last night. I lay down on the bed, Julian beside me, as Mattia stood with his arms crossed, his glare unwavering.

"What?" I asked, rolling my eyes.

"You need to look after yourself, Angelo."

"I know that, Matty."

"Good. I don't want to see another cigarette in your hand or I'll shove it up your ass. Got it?" I mock saluted him with my hand as he walked into the adjoining room. I waited until the door clicked shut before glancing at Julian.

"Isn't he annoying?"

"He's right though."

I huffed, not liking that my boyfriend took my brothers side. Julian patted my hand. "When do you have that meeting with Jonas?"

I checked my watch. "In half an hour."

"Are you sure you're okay to go alone? Abel will kick your ass if he finds out I didn't go -"

"Abel won't find out," I said, narrowing my eyes at Julian. "I can take care of myself. If this asshat shoots me, he signs up for a very painful death."

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"I don't k-know anything," the man - Jonas - whimpered, cowering, using his hands to shield himself from the gun in my hand, "I don't know anything, I s-swear."

I pistol whipped him, blood spurting from his nose. I took a satisfying breath and checked my watch. I cracked my neck, focusing on Jonas again.

"If I hear that you knew about the shipment being flagged, I'll kill you," I threatened, anger raging in my veins. "I'll kill every member of your little family and make you watch before I tear your body to pieces ... am I understood?"

Jonas nodded fiercely. "Y-yes, understood sir."

I scoffed. "Don't call me sir, it makes me sound old," I muttered, lowering my gun and tucking it into my waistband. "Get the fuck out of my face, you little scumbag."

Jonas wrapped his leather jacket tighter, skittering away from me. He screwed up a shipment of goods that I needed to reach New York by next week that got flagged and caught by the police.

I turned and strode from the alleyway, getting into the rental. I drove fifteen minutes to the private airstrip and stepped out into the rain. I jogged up to the plane, nodding to the security and up the stairs.

Mattia and Alessia were in the back seats, chatting. I slid into the seat next to Julian, across from my siblings. "Everything good?"

"All good."

Alessia slept like a baby on the plane. I covered her up with a throw blanket, sitting across from her. I should have put her in the back, in one of the bunks, but I didn't want to risk waking her up. She hadn't been sleeping well, according to Mattia, and I intended on letting her sleep as much as she wanted when we reached home.

I swished the glass of whisky, sipping it. If I couldn't have my cigarettes, I'd have my damn whisky. "How did Luca do on the streets?" I asked Mattia, finishing my glass and filling it again.

My brother sighed. "He won. Collected all the debts owed too."

"Good," I said, yawning. "I am putting an extra bodyguard on Alessia. She won't know, of course, but he'll be around the house more."

"What's his name?" Julian asked, pulling out his laptop from his bag.

"Christian. He'll be on her security team at school too."

"I'm sure she'll love that," Mattia muttered and I glared at him. "Have you even talked to her about school yet?"

"No, her mother just died, Matty. I'm not telling her she has to go to school so soon." I ignored my brothers knowing look and focused on my sister. Her eyes drooped shut and her head slowly fell onto Mattia's shoulder.

I knew I had to protect her at that moment from everything in our lives. I had that panic inside of me, half excited - half terrified now that she lived with us, her big brothers. I was terrified that something or someone would get to her and hurt her. But I would do anything to protect her and I will. 

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I carried Alessia into the house, in the stairs and into her bedroom. I lay her down gently on her bed, though she stirred and blinked rapidly. "Wha-"

"Shh, go back to sleep," I murmured, tucking her under the duvet. "We're home now."

"You should have woken me up and -" she broke into a yawn and I smiled. "What time is it?"

"6:30. Go back to sleep, it's okay. I'll wake you when dinner is ready." She slowly lay her head back into the pillows, closing her eyes. I leaned closer to her and kissed her forehead. "Sweet dreams, bambina."

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Thank you for reading.
- Charlie 🧡