𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆: 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐈

~Vengeance~

-"Be aware, but not bothered"-

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Matteo was always quiet and smart. He read the rules before he broke them and overanalyzed things. He was born into the Mafia life and didn't know any different from what he was taught.

Not many people caught his attention. He was unbothered and didn't care about anything. Death was just another inevitable situation for him. He truly didn't care.

He was the opposite of Ida.

She was free-spirited and always seemed to be happy. Always ready for an adventure and talked too much for her good. Her amber eyes always seemed to light up no matter what was happening. She was mischievous and young.

She's juvenile and bubbly. So blameless and trusting...

But somehow...Matteo likes it. It's true about what they say...opposites attract.

"So what do you do?" Matteo asked while sipping on his scotch. It was 11 p.m and Midnight stayed true to her word when he said that they were going to give them a tour of the club.

The club was posh and luxurious, fancy cars and wealthy people lurked with all sorts of costly drinks in their hands. In the corners, men held rare cigars to their lips while seductive dancers sat in laps and inhaled lines of white powder and smoked with ecstasy.

Neon and bright lights flashed on the marble tile with loud harmonies and sweaty bodies moving against each other in rhythm. Moneyed poles and high-end leather chairs were the seats of many as they threw wads of cash at the posts where skilled women danced erotically.

It also happened to be the night of one of their missions.

Everyone was here but did their own thing. Ida and Matteo were the only ones at the bar and making small talk. Ida was leading this extermination because it was her specialty.

"What do you mean?" she responded while her head tilted to the side that made her whiskey-colored eyes glow in the flashing lights. She looked breathtaking under all the vivid lights, not to mention the skin-tight maroon bodycon dress that hugs her small curves and emphasized her slim figure.

The dress was a shade darker than her hair and completely contradicted her pale skin.

It was hard to contain himself. He's never felt so attracted to someone before. Sure he was a playboy but he was nothing like Luca or Antonio.

He just wanted to be loved and cared for and he only resorted to sex as a last option.

"Like what's your role in this?" he asked again, this time more specific. Ida licked her vermilion lipstick and flipped her hair over her shoulder. Such a simple movement had his thoughts straying.

"I assume you know who Vengeance is?" she smiled slightly.

Vengeance was a femme fatale. A seductress assassin that many gangs and Mafia's wanted to get their hands on. She killed with a simple knife to the neck or poison. She got the job done cleanly and effortlessly and never made a mess out of things. Her target was always dead in a matter of minutes with her.

She killed those who betrayed her. That's where the name Vengeance came from.

It was said that she worked independently but she was committed to the King and only the King.

Matteo almost choked on his expensive drink. He instantly knew.

"You're kidding?!" he gaped. Ida just giggled while she gulped her martini. She scooted closer to him and whispered in his ear. Her soft smooth cheek brushed against his and a seductive manner.

"You see that man? Blue shirt, looks around 30 with a bunch of girls around him? He smuggled money from one of the shipments. He has a thing for red-heads," she winked as she walked away. Her hips swayed as she walked and he bit his lip.

He got his hands full with her.

She made her way to the man and whispered in his ear as she did to Matteo. A simple bat of her long lashes that were lengthened with mascara and a flip of her hair had the man's eyes filling with desire.

Her hands were playing with his belt buckle while the other hand ran along his torso. Matteo's fist clenched and he looked away with envy. When he looked back Ida and the man were gone.

He started to chug his whiskey quickly. He didn't like this.

"Easy there 'Teo," Luca chuckled. His face shifted from one of playfulness to one of concern when he saw Matteo's scowl.

"Cosa ti è strisciato su per il culo?" he muttered.

(What crawled up your ass?)

From the other corner of the room where Antonio was flirting with an uninterested Starr, they came over to see what happened with Matteo.

"Did you find out about Vengeance?" Starr smirked. He grunted in response. Antonio's and Luca's eyebrows scrunched in confusion. She whispered under her breath about who it was.

They both gulped nervously and thought the same thing.

Did everyone have secret identities?!

Before they could say anything else, Ida skipped over to them with her hands covered in blood. She hummed the Scooby-Doo theme song while asking the bartender for a towel. It was no problem since the King owned the club and it was a regular hang-out for members of his Mafia.

After her hands were clean she looked back up to meet an astonished Matteo, Luca, and Antonio. Blade, Oscar, and Starr looked unfazed and called someone to pick up the body.

Ida's hum of Scooby-Doo quickly came to a halt as she caught glimpses of their faces.

"What?" she chirped. No words came out of their mouths. Of course, all the notorious criminal legends belonged to the King.

"Welp the mission is over, so what now?" Oscar mumbled. Ida smiled, flashing her pearly straight white teeth.

"Less talking more drinking!" she burst as she disappeared into the crowd yet again. Everyone dispersed yet again, leaving Matteo alone with his empty scotch.

The way she moved put him in a trance. Her hips swayed as she danced to the beat of the song. Beads of sweat had formed on her body, making it glisten with the flashing lights.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a man approach her and snake his hand around her waist from behind.

Before he could even think, his feet were already marching towards her. But Ida already had the situation handled as she stomped on his toe with her Givenchy heels. He couldn't help but laugh while the man reached for her neck, she caught his hand and snapped one of his fingers.

He bolted in the opposite direction, getting as far away as he could from Ida.

His deep chuckle caught her attention almost instantly.

His dark brown curtain hair made her want to touch it. His deep blue eyes froze her movements as they raked over her body. His sharp square jawline that had a slight stubble seemed more highlighted with the colorful lights.

Matteo inched closer to her until their chests were pressed against each other. Their breaths were in perfect sync.

"I don't know why I'm jealous of that man that you killed," he smiled. She laughed slightly. She had never been left speechless before. It was foreign for her. He took her breath away.

She had a comeback for everything, but with him...she couldn't seem to get her words out.

So she let the alcohol speak for her.

"You're a bad idea but I like bad ideas," she hummed as she rested her head on his chest. He tangled his hands in her auburn hair that was smooth to the touch.

"You are the only good idea I've had in a while" he whispered to her, inhaling her cherry blossom scent. She smiled against his chest.

They continued to sway to the music gracefully together for the rest of the night, like long-lost lovers.

It was truly love at first sight.