A new beginning
1027 Words
Chapter 5: A New Beginning
Elena had never been given a break before. At the café, she had always worked the longest shifts, covered for others when they couldn’t make it, and taken on more responsibilities than she was paid for. Now, she was standing in the middle of her tiny apartment, staring at the two-day break Domenico had somehow forced upon her.
It felt strange.
Her new job at one of Domenico’s establishments wasn’t much different from the café in terms of work, but the environment was entirely different. There was a sense of security she had never felt before. No one looked at her the way Marco had. No one grabbed her arm or expected her to work unpaid overtime. And, most importantly, no one disrespected her.
She had been skeptical when Domenico had offered her the job, thinking it was just another way to control her, but after a few weeks, she had to admit—he had been right. She was safer.
But now, standing in her apartment with nothing to do, she felt lost.
She tried cleaning, but she had already done that before work the day prior. She thought about going to the library, but she had no books to return. She could go for a walk, but something about being outside without a destination made her uneasy.
For the first time in her life, she had free time—and no idea how to spend it.
The knock on her door made her jump. She hesitated before cautiously opening it, only to find Domenico standing there, leaning casually against the frame, dressed in his usual impeccable suit.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, startled.
He smirked. “You looked like you had no idea what to do with yourself.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Are you spying on me?”
He chuckled, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation. “I don’t need to spy to know you wouldn’t know what to do with time off.”
She crossed her arms. “And what? You’re here to entertain me?”
“Something like that.” He handed her a coat. “Put this on.”
She hesitated. “Why?”
“We’re going out.”
Her stomach twisted at the implication. “Domenico—”
“It’s just coffee, Elena. Relax.”
She frowned. She wasn’t sure if she could ever truly relax around him. He had this effect on her—one that made her hyper-aware of every little movement, every breath.
But she found herself putting on the coat anyway.
The drive was quiet, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. Domenico didn’t force conversation, and Elena was grateful for that. She still wasn’t sure why he had taken such an interest in her. She was just a former café worker—someone who had spent her life struggling to survive. He was Domenico Moretti. A mafia don. A man who could have anything and anyone he wanted.
Yet here she was.
The café he took her to was different from the ones she was used to. It was small but elegant, tucked away in a quiet street that felt worlds apart from the city’s usual chaos.
The staff greeted him with nervous respect, their eyes darting between him and Elena curiously. She wondered if they were trying to figure out who she was.
Domenico led her to a corner table and ordered for both of them before she could protest.
“You’re used to working in cafés,” he said, studying her. “Do you ever see yourself running one?”
She blinked at the question. “I don’t know. I’ve never really thought about it.”
He raised a brow. “You love the work.”
She hesitated before nodding. “I do. But owning a place? That’s… different.”
“You don’t think you could?”
She scoffed, shaking her head. “It’s not about whether I could. It’s about the fact that I don’t have money for something like that.”
Domenico leaned back, watching her. “What if you did?”
She frowned. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, what if money wasn’t an issue? If you could start your own café, would you?”
The idea was almost laughable. She had spent her entire life scraping by, barely able to afford food some days. Owning a business wasn’t even in the realm of possibility.
“I…” She hesitated. “I guess I would.”
Domenico smirked like he had just won some silent argument.
Their drinks arrived, and Elena wrapped her hands around her cup, letting the warmth seep into her fingers. She still felt out of place sitting across from him like this, like she was something more than she was.
She looked up at him. “Why are you doing this?”
His smirk faded slightly. “Doing what?”
“This.” She gestured between them. “Taking me out, asking me about my dreams. You don’t do this for other people, do you?”
He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he stirred his coffee, his expression unreadable. Then, finally, he met her gaze.
“No,” he admitted. “I don’t.”
Her breath hitched slightly. She wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
Before she could respond, he leaned forward slightly. “You asked why I’m doing this? It’s because I want to.”
“That doesn’t answer anything,” she said, frustrated.
He smirked again, but there was something softer in his expression now. “Maybe not. But that’s all you’re getting for now.”
Elena sighed, sipping her coffee.
She didn’t understand him. She wasn’t sure she ever would.
But for some reason, she wasn’t running away, either.
She had to admit. Sitting in a cafe as a customer was nice. She could feel her body relax, just a little.
She took a deep breath and relaxed her shoulders. Looking over at Dominico she could se a hint of a genuine smile.
She looked down at her cup and smiled to herself. This was’nt so bad.
- Writer
