Alessandro's POV
My stomach turned as I glared at the glass in my hand; it was full of alcohol.My head kept replaying the same shit over and over and I couldn’t get it out.I knew I was still in shock — I’d never expected today to come.I clenched my jaw, downed the last bit, and threw the glass onto the table, not giving a shit if it smashed or not.
“We’ve got the wrong raggaza.”
“Dannatamente giusto l’hai fatto!”I growled, stopping my hand from rubbing my head and staring straight at Salvatore.Bruno was nowhere to be seen and that pissed me off more.“I want her out of here as soon as possible.We have no time to deal with another problem.”
Even though I’d wanted to find her for years, in the moment she stood in front of me I’d changed my mind.Maybe I’d softened for a second because she looked vulnerable, but then I remembered what she did to me.I wasn’t prepared for seeing Ariana again.I didn’t know how to react.Forgive her?Maybe.Make her life hell?Maybe that too.But seeing her now brought back everything — the shit she put me through.
She looked different.Thin, pale, almost unrecognizable.Her face was carved out, hair longer than I remembered — I’d told her years ago to let it grow because I liked it long.She looked ill.I wondered if anyone had been looking after her.
“Are you out of your fucking mind?”Salvatore muttered.I snapped out of my reverie and glared at him.“We can’t just let her go after we practically abducted her.We don’t know who she is.For all we know, she’s a source that could put our dirty asses in fucking jail!”
I stared at him, baffled.How did he not know who Ariana was?
“Trust me, she’s not going to talk.Just get her out of here as soon as possible.”I grabbed a fistful of my hair and demanded.
“Why are you so eager to let her go?Do you know her?”Salvatore asked suddenly.I glared and stepped toward him, jaw tight, fists clenched.
“I don’t know — maybe I do.You tell me, Salvatore.”
“What the fuck do you mean?”His brows drew together.“Alessandro, do you know her?”
“Dang, that ragazza in there looks so familiar.”Bruno walked back in, confusion written on his face.“Alessandro, is she one of your hookups?”he chuckled.
I lost it, unloading a string of profanity at him.Bruno blinked, taken aback by my reaction.The room went quiet; both men looked between each other like they hadn’t expected me to snap.
“Alessandro, what is going on?Speak to us.”Salvatore demanded.
“We kidnapped Ariana...”I said.
“What?!”
“Fuck, I knew it!”
Bruno shrugged like he’d expected something.“It wasn’t us — it was Nico and Miller.The second I saw her I knew she was someone we knew.”
“That’s not the point...”Salvatore trailed off, eyes on me.“Ariana...as in your Ariana?”
My nostrils flared at the name being said like that.
“Not my Ariana, but yes — that Ariana.”I turned back to the table and sat down.
“Alessandro, this is big.You need to keep her so we can find her father.Don’t you want some revenge?”
“No.To hell with revenge.I don’t even want to look at that fucking family.It’s none of our business.We have bigger things to worry about, not this shit.Get rid of her.”I snapped.
“Don’t take drastic measures just off temper.Cool down, then we’ll discuss it.”Salvatore growled.“Bruno, let’s go.”
They turned to leave.My anger surged, ready to explode.
“I made it clear: I don’t want to get involved.Get her out of here or God help me, I will fucking kill her in front of you raggazi.”
Hours later, when the heat finally drained out of me, I’d had time to think.I was on my way back to the estate after telling the men to handle the problem.As much as I’d wanted her gone, the idea of her being gone again hurt — but I couldn’t afford weakness.If I let this woman crumble me, the whole mafia would be at risk, and I wasn’t about to let that happen.
After I ordered the boys to take care of Ariana, I went out and drank — a lot — and fucked someone quick to blow off steam.My mind was scattered.Ariana’s return had thrown everything into chaos.I never saw this coming.
I started wondering about the husband she left me for — the man she’d chosen over me.Could he not keep her?
