One Night Assassin

|CHAPTER 15| |Welcome to Holinda|

|CHAPTER 15|

|Welcome to Holinda|

The sounds of plates clattering and people chattering feel my ears minute immediately as I step foot in the five star restaurant, making me take a small gasp in as I take in the beautiful aura of the place.

"Welcome to Holinda. Name?" The waitress with bright red lipstick and hair in a neat bun says, snapping me out of my trance to meet her eyes at the front counter.

"Um, I'm here for an interview?" I say trying not to stumble on my words at how nervous I was. The lady gives me a wide eyed look, as if the words I spoke were not in the English dictionary. She stumbles on her words before finally finding the words to speak.

"Uh, let me go get the manager. Please, sir over there for a second," she says before almost running off in a quick sprint. I eye her in confusion before finally just shrugging it off. I knew that this was a very pristine restaurant, but I didn't think the fact that they're so strict on the rules here, that people freak at even the slightest of things.

I sit there for a solid five minutes picking at the remains of the chipped nail polish I had from the other night out. The image of Adriano then popped in my head as I remember that day, and a whirlpool of questions along side of it. 

Did he mean it when he said he didn't leave me behind that night?

If it wasn't him, who was contacting me? I never give anyone I don't trust my number. So who in the hell could do that? 

Who in the hell would WANT to do that?

"Luna?" I hear a familiar deep voice say. That once again, snapped me out of my thoughts and back to reality. Looking up, a smile begins to grow at the sight of Blake.

"Hey, Blake," I say before standing up so I could at least look somewhat into his eyes while we converse.

"What're doing just sitting here? You're supposed to be waiting tables already," he says with a chuckle before adjusting his black bow tie that I guessed was the uniform here.

"I'm waiting for the manager. The girl told me to sit here and wait whi-" I was cut off from my blabbering to hear Blake's deep chuckle.

"What's so funny?" Just getting more chuckles in response, making me roll my eyes and let out a breath. 

"Lune, I'm the manager here. You don't need to wait for my permission to start when I've already given you permission." The shock was probably prominent by my facial expression. Told by the comforting hand that was placed on my shoulder in that moment.

"Well how was I supposed to know that?" I question firmly before rolling my eyes once again and shoving his hand off my shoulder.

"Now, Luna. Don't roll your eyes or one day they'll get stuck in the back of your head," he says with a smirk that made me not help but smile in return.

"That saying is older than my mom, Blake," I say before crossing my arms in defense, making him laugh with a huge toothy grin plastered on his face.

The smile on his face fell when his eyes met what was behind me. The smile soon fell on mine as well once I turned to see a group of waiters and waitresses all grouped around and whispering to each other as they look at the both of us. I look back over at Blake to see all humor gone and replaced with something much more...

Cold-blooded 

"Don't be mad at me for this one, Lune..." He whispers before tilting his head down and running his fingers through his dirty blonde locks. He then looks up with a stern expression this time, making me raise my eyebrows in anticipation of what he'll do next.

"Don't f*****g roll your eyes at me!" He yells loud enough for the kitchen to hear but not the people in the dinner; who were in a room separated by a glass door. My eyes go wide as my breath hitches. He looks over my shoulder at the people before letting out a shaky breath and giving me a cold stare. 

"Blake?" I say with such confusion that it didn't even sound like my own voice. He just narrows his eyes before taking small steps toward me, making me back up with every step he took forward.

"You call me, Mr. Silva. Listen, kid, this is your first day and you're already getting on my bad side. So I'd suggest going and waiting on some tables before I decide to fire you early on in the job." I just shake my head and glare daggers at him for a good second before finally smirking in the end.

Kid? Who's he calling kid?

"Sure thing, Mr. Silvia." The tone I spoke through greeted teeth could probably cut anyone due to how sharp it was. I end up just walking away in disbelief, seeing the people eyeing me in petty and fear as soon as I lay eyes on them.

"What're you looking at?! Go back to work!" I hear a deep voice yell from behind me, making everyone that was watching the show scatter away from the scene. Which only made me roll my eyes at how they all just listen to him like lap dogs and fall at his feet when need be.

Quickly, I go up to a rack that had a bunch of chef clothes along with waiters clothes. But I stop when I come across an apron. I snag the cloth before tying it to fit me properly. I knew I didn't have a name tag like the other people, but I just rolled my eyes before tying up my hair in a ponytail and deciding to go with it. 

"Take this to table 17," I immediately get shoved a large plate, making me jump back at the woman's haste to give me the food. 

Sighing, I walk over to the table that had a light over them that shined 17. I walked over before setting down the tray of food and telling them to enjoy.

I hastily make my way back to the kitchen before finally sitting and waiting for the next table to wait on. 

This is gonna be a long day

• . • . •

I sit down at the stupid little fancy booths as soon as the restaurant was closed. Probably looking like a disheveled piece of hell. Taking my hair down, I run my finger through my hair when I feel a dip next to me.

"You know, it's hell for everyone their first day," I hear a feminine voice that had a slight southern accent say from beside me, making me turn to look at the pretty woman with green eyes and bleach blonde hair that sat beside me.

"Huh?"

"First day on the job. It's a total b***h for everyone. Rude, rich, snobby people. And dont even get me started on Chef Silvia. He's a d**k to everyone who works here. He's like the Chef Ramsey of Holinda. But, if we're being honest here, he is one damn fine asshole," she says before sticking the pen she had behind her ear. I guess I looked confused, because she just laughed at me before going back to just twiddling her thumbs.

"I'm guessing you don't talk that much," she says, making me let out a nervous laugh in response.

"No, I just... Thought that it was gonna be different here," I say in an exhausted voice before continuing.

"I mean, it's barely the first day and I'm already tired of the people I have to deal with." She just nods her head before taking in a deep breath. 

"Welcome to Holinda, honey. It was almost impossible for me to get a job here in the first place. You wouldn't believe the stupid things I had to say and do just to get this job." A beep suddenly interrupts our conversation, making the woman look in her bag before finally rushing to get up.

"Uh, I've got to go. I'll tell you the story next time we talk." She then grabs a napkin before grabbing the pen behind her ear and scribbling on it.

"Here's my number in case anything happens at the restaurant or if you just wanna chat. Good luck working here, bye, sugar," she says in her sweet southern accent before running out of the door and unwrapping her apron. I then grab the napkin before studying it and shoving it into my pocket with a sigh.

I lay my arms down before resting my head down for a beat. I end up letting out a groan when I feel the seat next to me dip.

"Is there something you ne-" I quickly stop talking when I look up to see Blake's face.

"Oh great, it you," I say before laying my head back down on my arms. I then feel his hand rest on my shoulder in a soft manner.

"Now that's no way to talk to a partner," he says in a humorous tone, making me scoff at his play on words before bringing my head up to glare straight into his forest green eyes.

"One, you are not my partner. Two, I really hate you right now. And three, are you seriously kidding around right now after that stunt you just pulled back there?!" I don't even give him a chance to answer, I instead shake my head before undoing my apron and going out the other side of the booth. Since the left side was being blocked by said annoying person.

"Wait," I hear Blake's voice say in an exhausted tone. And for some weird reason, I stopped. Maybe it was for the fact I wanted to hear him apologize, or because I wanted him to say something, just so I could end up yelling at him about it in the end to vent my anger out. 

Slowly, I turn around to face him with my arms shielding myself in a crossed manner. The look of guilt shining clear on his model like face. I understood the fact he pulled that stunt for a reason, but he could have handled that in a totally different way. At least in a way where he wasn't being a total d**k. 

"I'm sorry," is all he blurts out throwing his hands up after having a moment of contemplation, making me let out a scoff in disbelief.

"No, Blake. You're using 'sorry' in the wrong context," I say putting quotations around the word, stepping closer. He tries to speak again, but I cut him off before he could even say a coherent word.

"You say sorry when you do something you don't mean to do. And after you make that mistake, you feel sorry. But you, Blake? You were just being an asshole, and that's all there is to it," I finish with a smile that showed my anger a thousand times more than any other facial expression would. I was a foot away from Blake at this point, but I decide to just walk away once again when he decides to just look at me with no words to say. The sudden feel of his hand on my upper arm the only thing that was stopping me from leaving.

"It's part of the act, Luna." The tone of his voice made me turn around and look at him like he feel out of a tree. Not believing that he was pinning him being an asshole on 'acting'.

"Act. So you're telling me that you weren't showing your personality even in the slightest back there?" I say in more of a statement rather than question. He rubs his tired looking green eyes before looking at me with a tired expression written on his face. The look actually made me feel a bit guilty. I mean come on, he's not only having to deal with being the manager of a five star restaurant, but he has to work on the other side of the law as well and not get caught.

"In order for me to pass off as a hard ass boss. I have to play the roll as one. It's just what we do, lune." He shrugs his shoulders. But what he said just made a large question pop up in my head.

We?

"We? As in..." I shake my head in confusion. Who else could he be talking about? Hell, what else could he be talking about? I didn't know everyone in this business had to play a role in life on the outside, and on the inside.

He just lets out a sigh before gesturing for me to sit in the booth. I raise an eyebrow in mischief before hesitantly sliding in on one side. Blake following my action as he got in on the other side. A sigh leaves his lips before he finally looks up from staring down at the table and faces me.

"You remember how, Quest; the old man, told you about having a job on the outside so we didn't get caught?" He speaks under his breath so only I could here and none of the security cameras around us could. I just shake my head in a haste to hear what he'll say next.

"Well, you're not the only one who has to do that, Lune. We all have to do that, everyone who works in this industry." 

"So everyone. Even Adriano?" I ask, surprised and confused onto how 'the scariest man in the world' got a normal everyday job on the outside.

"Yup, even that heartless bastard had to be a normal human being and get a dead end job. Just like the rest of us." I just give him a look of incredulousness before finally speaking my mind.

"Dead end job? Last time I checked, you were a manager at a five star restaurant. Now that doesn't seem very 'dead' to me." He just chuckles before pointing at me with his index finger to allude to something I was saying.

"Oh, but you should see Adriano. This is a conversation that should only be between you two, but riddle me this. Who's going to hire the most dangerous, most wanted man in not only America, but Italy as well?" He corks an eyebrow, making my mind only begin to reel at the thought of Adriano being anything but a scary assassin. And question why he wouldn't tell me about him having a regular job.

Before I could go too deep into thought, I feel Blake's warm hands in capture my wrist in a soft manner, making me give him a look in concern at the expression written on his face that mirrored something similar to mine.

"All I'm saying, is there's a lot more in this industry they didn't tell you about, a part of the story they're missing out on." His words made the feel of my tongue go numb out of how frightened I was. I've never seen anyone so serious when talking about anything. Let alone something that was actually something to fear.

"I'm sure Adriano mentioned to you about the whole test, but he probably didn't tell you the whole story. Since he cares about you and all that stupid crap, he probably didn't want to scare you by telling you the truth." I just shake my heads at his words, not understanding what else there could be to add onto the story.

"What else could there be? He's already told me about how I need to be prepared and all th-"

"No no no, Lune. It's something way more than that." The fear then begins to turn to frustration. I didn't understand why anyone would just tell me the god damn truth.

"Blake, please. Tell me what to expect, I need someone to tell me." I was almost pleading at this point. And it was true what I said, I just wanted someone to tell me the truth.

"I wish I could, Luna, but I seriously, legitimately can't. They make the test different for each person and I can't tell you what to expect. All I can say is... It is very rare that people actually make it out alive." My pulse rate begins to skyrocket at the last part of what he said. My breath starts to pick up as I couldn't move in fear of my heart stopping.

"What kind of assassin business is this?" I ask Blake with no humor. Just the sound of my scared voice trying to speak the words audibly. He just shakes his head before slowly closing his eyes.

"One you shouldn't be a part of. One your father was a damn brave man to be in, especially with a family. But there's something important you need to know, something I can't tell you, but I can hint at you." It was as if he were speaking in code, as if what he was saying he could get killed for if he said it aloud. I just nod my head for him to continue, as he does so.

"Let's just say, Adriano, is not the most dangerous man in the world by choice," he says with a corked eyebrow before backing up and letting go of my arms. I swallow down the ball in my throat, in fear that I might choke if I don't. 

I didn't understand. How could Adriano unwillingly be an assassin? There was no way I was hearing that correctly. I could've just misunderstood the whole thing, right. I mean he didn't directly say that he didn't want to be an assassin exactly. But what else could he have meant by that?

"Hey, we need to leave. It's eight o'clock already, the restaurant closed thirty minutes ago," he says standing up before closing his phone. He then lends out a hand in which I took to help me up out of the booth. The pain of my feet killing me due to the fact I've had to be on them for the past twelve hours.

"By the way, you don't need to work this many hours next time. I'm kind of aware of your situation so nine to twelve will work just fine for me." The smile on his face making a reappearance, making the tension in the room finally ease down a bit.

"Thanks," I mutter looking into his comforting green eyes again, making me smile at how genuinely nice he is. Almost as if it were not a normal thing to see a person with emotions nowadays.

Before I knew it, me and Blake were already walking out the door and towards where the employees parked their cars. I then spot my car from a small five feet distance and a smile lights up my face as I turn to face Blake.

"Thanks, you know, for the information. That's more than most people have told me," I say shyly before starting to inch my way slowly towards my car, making Blake laugh at the fact I backed up into my car. In which made me jump in shock.

"It's no problem, Lune. But can I ask you something real quick? Just a quick question before we sail our different cars," he says gesturing to the highway that was next to us, making me chuckle at his childish humor.

"Sure, what's up?"

"Just be careful. With everything and everybody, don't let yourself get hurt. Because..." I just raise my eyebrows in question as he starts to get closer to me. 

"Because?" I say dragging out the word before laughing, making my smile soon turn stern when I saw the serious expression on Blake's face. The proximity close enough he could reach out and touch my face, and that he does when I feel his warm skin touch mine.

"Because, Adriano isn't the only one who cares about you," he says with a small smile before rubbing his thumb against my chin and starting to walk off. Numb, I just stand there with my eyes wide open and staring as he waves at me.

"See ya' tomorrow, Lune," he says before giving a small salute in goodbye. Slowly, I wave before quickly jumping into my crappie little Buick I had since I was 16. Letting out a long held breath, my mind goes into overdrive as I start my car to drive away.

I didn't understand what he meant by that. He couldn't have meant anything other than a friendly gesture. I mean come on, look at me and look at him. No guys have ever really found me attractive, even in high school. I've always been that one awkward girl that was flat up and down with no curves whatsoever. And to top it off, I got my nose from my father, in which meaning it was crooked and was very prominent on my face. And I'm not even gonna go into my real flaws here.

But all lack of self esteem aside, I guess that's why I felt like I loved Brian, he was the first guy to really show any feelings towards me. And I guess since I never really had a father figure, I had nothing to go by. I never really got to see how a couple should treat each other. The tears start to stream at the memory of my dad, and the times we had before he was killed. 

I never understood why bad things happened to good people, but I don't think anything could really give me a believable answer.

• . • . •

"How was the first day working with the kid?" I hear a voice say as I start to make my way to my room. Quickly, I try to clean myself up and avoid eye contact in fear that he might find out I had a nervous breakdown.

"Um, it was good," I say with my head down and staring at my feet, trying to avoid the intimidating blue eyes that I knew I would face. I could hear his footsteps as he gets closer, making my heart rate begin to go up with every step.

"Well I've got to get up at nine tomorrow. So I'll see you in the morn-" I say while trying to slip past him and up stairs to my room. I stop abruptly when I feel his hand jerk me back by my arm, making me look straight into those ocean blue eyes I was trying to avoid. His look softens immediately when he lays his eyes on me.

"Luna, what happened? Why have you been crying? I swear if it was that kid, I'll fucki-"

"It wasn't him, it was me. I just... I can't do this Adriano." My voice cracks as I start to cry even more. He pulls me in closer and starts to rub the back of my arms while looking down into my tear stained eyes with a look of sympathy.

"I-It's just my dad and- What if he would be disappointed in me for doing this. I mean, he wouldn't want his little girl to get hurt by following in his footsteps and... That's just exactly what I'm doing, Adriano! My father would want me to go to college, not get myself killed!" I stop to compose myself, and expect to hear Adriano say something. But end up continuing when he just continues to rub my shoulders to comfort me.

"And I know there's a lot you're not telling me.

I don't know all of it, but I know enough to know about you not wanting to even be in this business in the first place. I get there's a lot I don't know about you, but please don't lie to me, Adriano. We're in this f****d up thing together. And even if it's because of you I'm involved now. We're partners, and partners don't go behind each other's back, okay?" I finish with a sigh looking straight into his eyes.

"Okay," is all he says before running his hands through my hair, making me pull him into the hug that I've been needing for a long time.

"Promise me," I shakily command as he continues to caress my hair.

"I promise, Fiore." That was all I needed to hear as I started to finally become relaxed in his hold. My adrenaline starting to slow down as I just basked in Adriano's embrace.

"I'm so sorry I got you involved, Lune. This was never supposed to happen."

I never even questioned what he said. I didn't even think about it in general because I was too busy. Too busy just feeling another persons embrace and empathy. Feeling someone I cared about in my hold as I just feel at home in their arms. 

Feel safe...