C H A N E L

It's been a week since I was kidnapped by Vincenzo and almost killed by my father. It's been a week since my father was killed. Ever since I slept in Giovanni's bed.

Everything was slowly starting to get back to normal.

Except for me and Giovanni we're back to square one. He hated me and I gave him the same energy back.

We were currently in the kitchen and I was waiting for Giovanni to make food.

Giovanni came into the kitchen with his usual formal shirts and pants. He looked so conceited. He wore his usual scowl.

He stared at me with a callous grin and I glared back at him. Anger flashed in my eyes and I had the urge to smack the smirk off his face.

I had been ignoring him ever since I slept in his bed the last time. I woke up to my head on his chest. I panicked and ran out of the room. I didn't have a dream that night, though.

He was trying to get on my nerves. He was trying to make fall for him.

I rolled my eyes and walked away from him.

I wasn't going to be something he played with. I had already gone through enough.

Losing most of my family.

"Can you make pancakes?" I heard Tobias ask Giovanni.

"For dinner?" Luke scoffed at Tobias's stupid request.

He snarled at him. "I'll make what I please."

He was still the same asshole. He hadn't changed.

All of a sudden Derrick surged into the kitchen. He looked worried and cautious. "We have a problem," he said. "A big problem."

"Now, that I have taken over our fathers gang. I've had insight on things and there's a bounty on you, Chanel," he told me.

"A what?" I shouted.

"A bounty for one hundred million dollars. Apparently father left a legacy and a lot of debt. Also, they may or may not think you're Giovanni's significant other," he explained, sheepishly.

"Significant other? Like what?" I asked.

"They think you have a girlfriend Giovanni," he said.

Giovanni has a girlfriend, yeah right.

I laughed. "Giovanni getting a girlfriend? How bonkers," I mentioned, sarcastically.

"They think your his girlfriend, Chanel," Derrick stated.

"They what? Why would they think that? Why would anyone think that?" I exclaimed in disgust.

"All of his rivals think so," Derrick stated.

"Well it's simple then, we just ignore them," I said. I shrugged my shoulders and acted like it was no problem.

"They want you dead or alive," Derrick also mentioned.

"What? I'm going to die?" I exclaimed.

"I think we should hand her over," Giovanni answered, nonchalantly.

I panicked. "What? No!"

Grae cut in. "I agree, we'll get money and we don't have to worry about you anymore, all you seem to do is cause problems."

"Guys, I thought we were friends," I said. I pouted my lower lip. "What will they do with me?"

"I guess, you'll find out," Grae snickered.

"Y-You can't be serious," I said, implausibly.

"I was suggesting that you guys should go back to America. It'll eliminate the threat from Italy, but I'm not sure if people know back in America. I'll help you Chanel, I won't let them get you. Also I will stay back in Italy and defeat the rival gangs here," Derrick assured.

"I still think we should hand her over," Grae said.

"Enough," Giovanni boomed. Everyone looked at him. "We leave tomorrow, we're going back to America."

"But . . ." Grae blurted out.

"It's not up for discussion," Giovanni roared. The gang immediately backed down from the subject.

"I can't believe this is happening," I panicked. "I was just a normal girl who only had to worry about being the most popular girl in school, now, I have to worry about rival gangs and bounties."

Giovanni grunted in agitation. "Quit your worrying, I don't need you're encumbrance."

"Would you stop saying big words!" I snapped. "It's annoying."

He made a mocking noise and walked away. "Missed being in my bed, princess? You can come whenever you like," he proclaimed, provocatively.

My face twisted in disgust and I grew provoked. I thought he would be mature about it, he obviously isn't.

"Stop," I told him.

He went into his office and I shivered in distaste.

Why was he acting like this?

"Where do you always show up from?" I snarled once I saw Amelia in our kitchen.

She was sat in the chair at the kitchen table on her phone.

She narrowed her eyes at me. "What are you still doing here? Giovanni never got bored of you yet?"

I sneered at her. "FYI, no one could get bored of me."

She pursued her lips and stared at me with intensity. Her eyes were very blue, and I was jealous of that.

I've always had a boring eye colour, they were just pale brown, they sometimes even had specs of green within them.

"Don't think that highly of yourself," she muttered. "Not everyone likes you."

"I can see that," I croaked.

"You don't want to get on my bad side, you're getting pretty fucking close, rich girl" she sputtered.

She was scary, but I could be scary too.

"Trust me, you don't want to get on my bad side, too," I told her, roughly. "You don't scare me, bitch."

"Listen here, if you think Giovanni would want to be with you when he could have me, you're wrong," she seethed through jealousy.

"So, you're jealous? That's what this is about? Because he's all yours," I told her. "Although I can't guarantee he would be satisfied with what you have to offer," I blustered her.

"Oh, like you're any better," and with that she got up and left. She went in Giovanni's room, which would only mean one thing.

I sighed. Why was she so obsessed with him? He's so egotistical. He's so arrogant and cold. Why would she want to stick with when all he does is break her heart?

I needed a breath of air.

I put on my designer jacket and went out of the house.

Going outside seemed to make me relax. It let me release my annoyance from Amelia.

Giovanni said they weren't together, so I didn't really worry that I would break them up. I couldn't deal with having that burden on my shoulder again.

I looked at the house and saw two bodies moving with the lights on. It was Giovanni and Amelia in his room. They were doing it, while there was an open window and everyone could see exactly what they were doing.

I pulled my jacket tighter around my body and walked further away from the large villa. It was a chilly day, today.

And I didn't want to see anymore of that.

We were in an expensive neighbourhood. They were lots of large and luxurious houses. Many different sizes and colours. They were all so beautiful.

I was about to turn a corner when I noticed a black van driving my way. At first I didn't think much about it, but then it continued to follow behind me.

How stupid could I be? There was a fucking bounty on me.

I sped up and my heels started to click faster on the paving sidewalk. My heart was beating in my chest. There was no one to save me, now. I had to defend myself.

I exhaled and stopped on the sidewalk. I turned around to face the van. The van came to a stop. I felt my heart beating fast, I tried to calm it.

The door swung open and a guy came out of it. He approached me, but I stepped back.

I took off my heels to prepare myself to run. This guy looked young, he looked around Giovanni's age. Why did all the bad guys have to look so attractive?

He had curly brown hair and a tan complexion. His jaw was sharp and he smiled at me. It was not a heart warming smile and rather more of a ominous smile. My stomach churned and my palms started to sweat.

Why did I always end up getting kidnapped? I was like a kidnapping magnet.

"Now, you can either come with me, alive, or you can put up a fight and come with me, dead," he snickered. "Your choice, babe."

The name he called me, made me cringe in dislike.

"Don't call me that!" I grumbled at him.

His lips just curled into a sadistic smile. My heart skipped a beat in fear.

"I'm guessing you chose the latter one," he thundered. He got out his gun, he had so casually in his pocket.

How many enemies did Giovanni have?

"I choose none," I snarled.

"That was not an option, babe. Nice try," he said, sardonically.

"Go away," I told him. "Leave me alone."

He chuckled, satirically. "Not a chance, babe, you're worth one hundred million dollars. Any fool would not take that opportunity."

He came up to me and I took off, running. Fuck, the plan to fight back, he had a gun.

This was absolutely crazy. I would always get in trouble when I was with this gang. It was dangerous for me.

He got back in his car and drove after me. I would never be able to out run a car. I was going to die.

I wonder who set the bounty out for me?

I was met by a building wall and a fence, it cornered me in. I couldn't run away.

I turned around and saw the same guy. "Look," I opposed with him. "I understand I'm a lot of money, maybe a little too much, but I'm sure we could work this out."

"You're a really naive, girl," he chortled. "Aren't you?"

I smiled a deceitful smile. "I don't know? Am I?"

He approached me, walking closer to me. I tried to walk back, but the wall was pressed against my back. He grabbed a hold of my wrists and pinned them to the wall. My heels slipping through my fingers as he does.

I tried to wiggle out of his grip, but I couldn't. He held them harshly on the wall above my head.

"I kind of like you like this better," he said, disturbingly. He had a faint, ghoulish smile plastered on his face. I wanted nothing but to slap it off of him.

I felt my heart race and my face paled. He brought his head closer to my neck and I panicked. I felt tears claw at the corner of my eyes. I was powerless again.

Why did everyone want to hurt me?

I tried to get away from him. He was about place his lips on the crook of my slender neck.

When he was pushed off of me. He let go of my hands and I brought them close to my body. I felt so violated again.

He was brought to the floor and punched multiple times by a furious Giovanni. He tried to reach for his gun, but I picked it up. He must've dropped it when he attacked me.

Giovanni's eyes narrowed. "Flavio?" He asked, harshly.

"Giovanni, never thought you would have a soft spot for a gullible hostage," Flavio chuckled. He had a cut lip and blood was coming out from his mouth. His teeth were stained red. Giovanni got him good.

"Tell everyone the bounty is off. She was already handed in," he told him in a threateningly low voice.

Flavio nodded his head. Giovanni gave him one last punch as a warning and let him go with a growl.

He scurried off into his van and drove away as fast as he could. Coward.

Giovanni glared daggers at me. I wiped my eyes, tears fell down my cheeks.

"I didn't need you to do that, I was handling it," I snarked at him.

I wasn't handling it. I was glad he did that.

"That's the third time I've saved you, a thank you would be appreciated," he grumbled at me.

I should apologize, but I was too stubborn to do so.

I walked away from him and bumped into his shoulder on the way out. "I could've handled it."

He groaned in annoyance. He charged towards me.

"Handled it?" He snarled. "Tell me," he grabbed my arms like Flavio did and pinned then against the wall. "He held you like this?"

I squirmed in his grasp. I gulped, anxiously.

"Now, show me, how you would've handled it?" He mocked. He found this amusing.

I grind my teeth together and clenched my jaw. My eyes held fear, but I tried hard to hide it. I couldn't show him he was right.

"Let go," I whined. My eyes held unshed tears. "I don't need you to do this, okay? I just-I just, don't. I know I'm weak, I can't fight back. I just froze, that's all I tend to do in these situations, I-" I cut myself off. There were tears falling freely down my cheeks and I looked down, ashamed.

Giovanni let go of my hands and lifted my chin up with his soft fingertips. He stared at me, intensely. He held an indifferent look and his lips perused in a thin line.

He was about to lean towards me when something flashed in his eyes. He immediately backed away from me.

"Be more deliberate," he snarled. "I'm not playing fucking damsel in distress." With that he walked away back to the direction of the house.

I stood at the wall.

What was that?