The Billionaire's Assassin Wife

It was around nine-thirty when Reyna, the ‘Royal Assassin’ of the Assassination Circus, finished her task of assassinating Fernando Casares in the privacy of his own home. Ten fifteen marked the clock when she made it back to the ‘Tent’. “Miss Royal.” Guiseppe Frollo, the ‘Mime’ of the circus troupe, greeted her in the office of the Ringmaster. “You seem awfully happy, considering you’re here.” Reyna notes with annoyance. The lady’s always annoyed- whether it be at her next target or her own colleagues- and so it’s no surprise. The Ringmaster (real name Mario Rovino) turns around in his swiveling chair with a proud smile. “Making us proud again, Royal?” “As per my task.” She bows her head respectively towards the Ringmaster. “Now, we have an even bigger one for you- sit down.” Reyna takes a seat on the chair before the desk of the Ringmaster, sitting at the very edge. Instinct, training- or maybe something else entirely- always has her ready to flee. Ready to fight back. “As you know, we in the Circus focus on killing off what we can to help aid in the cleanse of Italy.” The Ringmaster starts. “No, I had no idea.” Reyna mumbles sarcastically. The Ringmaster’s eyes narrow at her. “Your next task is to protect- become a nanny, to be exact.” “A what now?” Reyna asks, Italian accent thick to show her surprise. “A nanny, woman, don’t you know what that is?” Frollo asks, his voice laced with contempt. Reyna, though it stung a bit, shoves Frollo’s cigarette into his mouth when he opens it to puff with her palm and Frollo gags, winces and coughs at the same time. “I don’t know if you recall or not that I’m an assassin.” Reyna says flatly. “Shall I spell it out for you?” She gives a cold look to Frollo. “And I know what a nanny is, idiota.” “Mime, please leave. The rest shall be discussed privately.” The Ringleader says firmly. “Alright, alright.” Frollo coughs a bit more as he gets up and leaves. “It wouldn’t kill you to be nicer to him, Reyna, he’s our only source of inner and outer intel.” “It possibly would kill me, Signore.” Reyna replies. “But anyways. This whole ‘nanny’ business. Why did it come up?” “Ah, well.” The Ringleader sighs, leaning back in his chair. “I’m sure you’ve heard about the Delgado and Provenza fiasco, correct?” Reyna blinks twice before shaking her head, her normal apathetic expression making it almost hard to believe. “You- you haven’t heard of it?” “Non.” “Reyna, ragazza, just how and why not?!” The Ringleader demands. “It’s all over the notizie, child!” “I… I like to focus on my job?” Reyna makes a face. “I mean, I don’t really care.” “It has been, Reyna, fifteen years. Why are you still like this? Would it interest you if Montenegro was involved?” “Montenegro is my only interest, really. Let me be honest.” Reyna nods. “Axel Montenegro. The rest of the world can burn.” “Special Agent Roy?” “He’s a different case. I wouldn’t kill him, I’d help him but I wouldn’t drop everything just to see him unless he was injured and even then I’d question his credibility.” “You must, ragazza, do this for us. Lucifer Provenza needs your assistance.” “If I must, but I don’t think I’m qualified. I failed once, why would this time be any different?” Reyna says quietly. “I know it might reopen some wounds, but you’re twenty-three, now, Reyna. You’re not the same eight year old I brought here.” The Ringleader says softly. “You can decide. I’ll give you an hour. Take your time and pick your answer carefully.” “What if I refuse?” Reyna gets up. “Then I’ll seek some other of the troupe to aid Lucifer.” The Ringleader follows suit. “Lucifer, eh?” Reyna opens the door. “The devil has a child?” The Ringleader nods, though Reyna can’t see him as she leaves. “Oh, Reyna. This is but for your own good, ragazza.” The Ringleader sits down. Reyna’s combat boots click on the tile floor as she walks down the empty hallway, portraits of every single troupe member that died line the walls to praise them. Like a hall of fame. Plenty of times Reyna has wondered if she’d get her portrait hung up too. Wondered what her portrait plaque would say. What would it say? Something I’ve said or something they think would be fitting? Reyna reaches her room in the massive and grandiose manor. As the doorknob twisted and Reyna’s eyes fell on the bed, she saw him. “Lucas.” She breathes out. The six year old sun kissed boy with copper hair stood there with his pure white St. Agnes’ School for Gifted Children’s uniform. As Reyna blinked, the bullet wounds and blood appeared right where she’d last seen them, the metallic scent of blood filling her nose. “Reyna- woah!” Julius Cyprus barely manages to duck out of the way of Reyna’s elbow which would have slammed into his nose. He took note of the way she was breathing rather rapidly, eyes slightly dilated and that the usual little color in her face was gone. “You okay?” “Yeah.” Reyna nods, blinking rapidly to calm down. “Must be a side effect of my medications.” Julius’ eyebrows pinch together in worry visibly expressed for Reyna as he looks down at her the half foot in height difference they have. Taking in her never leaving apathetic expression, he brushed some black hair from her face. “If you say so.” “I do, Jules.” Reyna nods again. “It’s nothing serious.” “Well,” Julius leads her into her room. “How you doin’? Post-breakup wise, obviously.” “As I always have?” “Why can’t you feel?” Julius sighs as he flops down on her bed. “How are you doing, post-breakup wise?” Reyna asks, sitting beside him. “Meh. Could be worse, but what makes me feel better is that we still talk to each other.” Julius shrugs. “I’m……sorry?” “I feel like that’s the first time ‘sorry’ has left your lips.” Julius grins up at Reyna. “No, not entirely. But it has been years since I said it.” She sighs. “I was five, I believe, the last time I ever said ‘sorry’ to anyone.” “Which is why it sounds so foreign coming from you.” He snickers. “I mean, you don’t even say ‘thank you’ to people.” “It’s a waste of breath and words. Why say something when people already know it’s custom and the only logical response? I’m not about to waste more than seventy-two hours of my life simply saying ‘thank you’. Those seventy-two hours can be wasted doing something productive.” “One PhD, three MD’s in who knows what categories, four Bachelor’s Degrees and a very good educational history when it comes to Early Childhood Care.” Julius sits up and shakes his head. “Yet you think saying ‘thank you’ is a ‘waste of time’.” “It’s a PhD in Forensic Anthropology, an MD for being a surgeon, psychiatrist and orthopedist as well as ER MD, the Bachelor’s degrees are for my work as a public health worker, alongside the business accountant, analyst and project manager. I have an undergraduate degree in psychology and an EMT certificate of completion. As for the history when it comes to child care, that was developed during my childhood years.” Reyna shrugs. “What do you want me to say?” Julius grins mischievously as Reyna shakes her head. “Don’t say it.” “I wasn’t going to.” “You were thinking about it.” “Well, Dr. Royal, I’m terribly sorry.” “That is a commonly overused lie.” “Alright, alright. Anyway, what’s got you so jumpy today? Or tonight? You know it’s very confusing when you’re trying to say one thing but can’t decide if it should be the other way around.” “The Ringleader came with a proposition to me some while ago. Heck, I have only twenty-five minutes before I need to get back to him.” Reyna sighs. “I guess it wasn’t all that good.” “Apparently, Lucifer Provenza-” “Woah, woah, woah. Hold on.” Julius looks at Reyna seriously. “Lucifer Provenza. Italy’s Devil, requested your assistance?” “He asked the Ringleader to provide a nanny and apparently I’m the only one fit for it.” “Of course you are.” Julius makes a face. “With your resume, I’m sure even Marino would want you as a nanny to his daughter.” “That’s not the point-” “That is the point. The Ringleader asked you because of your impressive resume which I’m sure you didn’t just earn for show.” Julius looks at Reyna accusingly. “Annoying much?” Reyna frowns slightly. “So, the Ringleader wants you to take care of Lucifer’s brat? That’s a new one. You’re not happy, I’m guessing, because you’re set on what you need to do.” “Intuitive.” “Thanks.” “The Ringleader thinks it might be good for me.” Reyna says quietly, her gaze falling on her dresser, the top lined with empty, opened, half full and full orange pill bottles. “Perhaps he thinks it might help me get rid of those.” “Yeah, you should throw some out.” Julius agrees. “I just……” Reyna trails off. “You’re not ready. It’s been fifteen years but you’re still not ready.” “Yes,” Reyna says quietly. “I’m not ready.” “Why, is the question.” It’s been fifteen years and I’ve turned to medications to keep the memories at bay. Caring for a child, it will be like caring for Lucas all over again. It will be letting myself get attached. “I don’t want to get attached to the kid.” “Your main worry is getting attached to some brat?” Julius snorts. “I got attached to ‘some brat’ once and look how I ended when he was killed.” Reyna looks away, scowling slightly. “Medication after medication and I still can’t get over it. I still have nightmares about it.” “He’s mafia. You know damn well what you’re getting into, don’t you?”