Honest

seventeen

I missed the knife fight. I know, I know, I suck but...well I didn't want to be there in case a blade strayed and also... I have to get away.

From the Vitale Famiglia.

They're nothing but trouble.

I slip out of the door. I'm almost to my car, I open the door only to have it shut. I jump back and there he is, looming over me with a troubled smile.

“You're not leaving? Are you?”

You someone's a lunatic when they ask a question, and break it up.

Like, Don't you love me? Anymore?

Or, Is that blood? I smell?

This how you identify a true lunatic.

I swallow. “Yes. I'm going home. Aren't you in the middle of a knife fight?"

He smiles. “Of course not. I won. My sister is tending to her wounds. Let me cook you some food before you g—"

“No! That's okay. Listen, Giuseppe—

He looks at me, “Yes?”

“This is the last time we'll meet. This was fun but it's over now. We're eneimes—”

“You want to be enemy?" he asks innocently. “But I don't want to be your enemy."

Okay. I swallow, looking away from the heartstopping adorable face he's making.

His hair's in his eyes, and they're all big and round, and ugh! He's like a puppy. He's giving me puppy dog eyes does the treachery never end?!

“Listen," He starts deeply, leaning into his arm. Leaning into my lips. “I'm a little obsessed with you. And...I want to get to you better."

“I don't think that's a good idea, Giuseppe,"

He grins breathlessly, taking my hand. “Why not? We're almost perfectly matched. You are a Queenpin in the making, I am Don in the making. We don't have to have any secrets, any boundaries...we can just...be. Don't you want that?”

When it puts it that way, it sounds unreasonable to be opposed to dating someone who descended from the slaughterer of my family.

“Giuseppe—”

“Hear me out," He says earnestly. So I do. I look him in the eyes, and hear what he has to say. “I know our families don't get along. And I know why. But that doesn't matter.”

“This doesn't have to be a doomed Romeo and Juliet love. We can unite families. Or...we could try, and if we don't work, we can go back to killing each other casually.”

Killing casually, is the best killing. So relaxing.

“I really like you, Desiree. Really, really like you.” He smiles hopefully. ”What do you say?"

Y'know he almost sounds like a normal, rational human being.

But we both know that isn't nearly the case.

“Giuseppe. If I say no...what will do?"

He smiles crookedly. “I guess we'll have to see.”

“So you're threatening me," I bristle.

“No," He soothed. “It's not a threat. I'm don't plan on you saying no. Anyway, if I were, wouldn't you just try to kill me. And what I have to do then," He grabs my chin roughly, “Huh? Cause I can't just let you kill me.”

I sneer. “You think you'd win?"

“I think we're evenly matched. I guess it would it depend."

“Are you lying."

He pulls me close. “I promise you, I'll always be honest. I hate liars, you know that.”

“You honestly think we're evenly matched?" This disbelief coats my tone I can't help it.

I just never would have guessed someone like him would admit that.

“In speed and strength? Absolutely. I dare say intellect. You're like my perfect equal. That's why I'm so interested in you. And we're almost equally attractive. You have a slight edge though—you have tits.”

“You have abs."

“So do you.”

I smirk. “I do. Don't I?" I work f*****g hard for those abs.

He smirks back, knowing he's damn near convinced me. “How about before you go, we work out again? My sister's gone, probably plotting my death."

“After that, will you let go home without a fight?" I can't believe I'm agreeing to this but...the man has a point.

I mean, how often do you meet someone who you have chemistry with, a shared background.

He's right about one thing, it's lonely at the top. And most of the world doesn't understand. But he does.

I'll see. I'll see if it works. But we'll go slow.

“A fight? No. Seduction? No promises.”

He backs away, extending his hand. “Will you stay? A few more hours?”

I inspect his hand, placing mine in his. “Sure. A few more hours."

He smiles, pecking my forehead. “Good. I'm glad."

And I'm stupid. God!