Chapter 7: Confrontation
1585 Words
Isabella’s POV
“What the f**k is wrong with you?!” I scream so loud my throat burns. “Are you all retarded or something?!”
The three men in front of me flinch and none of them dares to look me in the eye. I can see the sweat dripping down one of their temples. Good. They should be terrified.
“You had one job!” I continue, pacing back and forth across the room. “One simple job! Shoot her. Kill her. End of story. And what do I get? She’s still alive!”
One of the men finally speaks up with his voice trembling.
“M—Miss Isabella, we tried. It was supposed to be a clean drive-by, but the girl hid behind a hydrant. She was fast and there were people screaming everywhere. We had to leave before the cops...”
SLAP!
My palm connects with his cheek so hard that my hand stings.
“Shut up!” I yell. “I don’t want to hear your pathetic excuses!”
He lowers his head immediately, rubbing the side of his face but saying nothing more. I take a deep breath, but it does nothing to calm me and my blood is still boiling.
“I give you guns, I give you cars, I give you money...and this is the best you can do?” I shout again. “You can’t even take out one useless girl who can barely stand on her own two feet?!”
They stay quiet. Cowards. Every single one of them. I cross my arms staring each of them down.
“You incompetent fools wouldn’t know precision if it hit you in the face,” I sneer. “You failed me and now that b***h probably thinks she’s untouchable.”
One of them clears his throat cautiously.
“What should we do next, Miss Isabella?”
I turn my glare on him and for a moment I want to throw something...maybe the crystal glass sitting on the table...but then a different kind of idea forms in my head and a smile slowly creeps across my lips.
“You want to know what we’ll do next?” I say, lowering my voice. “We’ll send her a message.”
They exchange nervous glances and I can tell they don’t like where this is going, but they know better than to speak. I grab a piece of paper from the desk and push it to one of the men.
“Write this down and make sure she gets it personally,” I say, dictating. “Tell her I want to meet her. Today at seven, somewhere public and somewhere she can’t hide behind hydrants and heroes.”
I pause, smirking at my own words.
“Tell her it’s not a threat. Tell her it’s a conversation.”
One of the men nods immediately and folds the paper.
“Yes, Miss Isabella. We’ll deliver it.”
“Good,” I say coldly. “And make sure she knows if she doesn’t show up, things will get ugly.”
They hurry out of the room and I finally sink into my chair, rubbing my temples. For a brief moment, the silence feels much...too much. I hate it… I hate the thought of that girl breathing, walking and existing. She’s supposed to be gone by now.
I pour myself a glass of wine and take a long sip and the burn calms me slightly. You’ll get what’s coming to you, Aria, I think. No one crosses Isabella and lives peacefully afterward.
***
Hours later the same men return. I’m sitting by the window when the door opens and one of them says, “Miss Isabella, she accepted.”
I turn around slowly.
“She what?”
“She accepted to meet you,” he says. “But she insisted it should be in a public place.”
I smile.
“Of course she did. Coward.” I finish my drink, stand up and grab my purse. “Let’s make sure this little meeting is one she won’t forget.”
***
The café is already half full when I arrive. I pick the corner seat facing the door...always my favorite spot. You can watch everyone walk in and no one sneaks up on you. I order a cappuccino I have no intention of drinking and wait.
A few minutes later she walks in... Aria. Wearing an oversized hoodie, looking like she’s trying to disappear. Pathetic fool.
She spots me right away and stiffens. I tilt my head and wave, smiling sweetly, the kind of smile that carries poison behind it. She walks over slowly with her guard high.
“Well, well, well,” I say as she sits. “Look who decided to show up. I almost didn’t recognize you under that… outfit. What’s with the hoodie? Planning to rob the place?”
“Nice to see you too,” she mutters with her voice steady but cold.
“Oh, manners,” I mock. “How refreshing. I thought I was dealing with a street rat, but maybe you’re just a rat with some training.”
“Get to the point, Isabella,” she says sharply. “Why did you call me here?”
I lean back in my chair, crossing one leg over the other.
“Relax. I’m in a good mood today. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be breathing.”
She raises a brow.
“Is that supposed to scare me?”
“It’s supposed to remind you of your place,” I reply. “You’re messing with something way out of your league. So here’s my offer.
One time only.” I lean forward lowering my voice. “Stay away from Dante. Don’t call him, don’t meet him, don’t even think about him. Do that, and maybe I’ll let you live.”
She looks at me...really looks at me...and then lets out a soft laugh.
“Wow. You’re serious.”
“Dead serious,” I say.
She leans forward with eyes fierce.
“You know what I think? If Dante really loves you, then you wouldn’t be so scared of me.”
That hits harder than I expect but I don’t show it. Instead I smirk.
“Cute. Trying to sound brave doesn’t make you brave.”
“I’m not scared of you,” she says firmly. “You can threaten me all you want, but I’m not walking away.”
“Big words for someone who almost got her head blown off yesterday,” I snap.
“Maybe,” she says. “But I’m still standing, aren’t I?”
My jaw tightens as she stands up ready to leave.
“You’ll regret this,” I warn with my voice low. “You have no idea who you’re dealing with.”
She glances back once with her face calm.
“Neither do you.”
Then she walks away just like that without no fear and no hesitation. I watch her leave with every muscle in my body trembling with rage.
I slam my hand against the table, making the cup rattle.
“That little witch,” I hiss.
One of my men appears beside me waiting silently for orders.
“Follow her,” I say through gritted teeth. “Find out where she lives. I want everything...address, family, history and dig into her background. I want to know what makes her tick.”
He nods quickly.
“Yes, Miss Isabella.”
I stay seated for a few more minutes, trying to steady my breathing. My heart still races. The nerve of that girl...to talk back to me like that, to mock me in public.
I pick up my phone and dial Dante’s number. Once... twice but I get no answer. I try again and still nothing.
“Damn it,” I whisper under my breath. I toss the phone on the table and close my eyes for a moment. Is he ignoring me now too?
Fine.. let him. I’ll deal with him later. For now there’s another pest to handle.
***
It’s almost midnight when I get home. I pour myself another drink, this time stronger and pace around my living room. My phone finally buzzes and one of my men walks in.
“Miss Isabella,” he says slightly out of breath. “We found her.”
I stop pacing.
“Where?”
“She lives in a small duplex not far from the east end. Quiet area, but that’s not all.” He hesitates and then adds, “She’s got an ex-boyfriend. Name’s Walters.”
I squint.
“And?”
“From what we gathered, the two of them aren’t completely over. People say it’s just a break not a full breakup. He’s still in love with her.”
I can feel a slow smile spreading across my face.
“Is that so?”
He nods.
“Yes, ma’am. We confirmed it.”
I take another sip of my drink, thinking and the warmth spreads through me, feeding the spark of an idea already forming in my head. Slowly I put the glass down and turn toward him.
“Well,” I say softly, almost to myself. “Isn’t that interesting.”
I grab my coat from the chair feeling the familiar thrill of control settle in again.
“Let’s go,” I say, glancing back at him.
He blinks.
“Go? Where to, Miss Isabella?”
I smile coldly.
“Let’s go pay that boyfriend a visit…”
- Writer
