|Sybella Fiori|
|2 weeks later|

"One, two, three, four, five," I sighed looking at the knives in front of me. I'm about to leave for my brief with Santino; I'm looking forward to it because it will distract me and that's all my mind wants.

"We are ready for you," Antonio said softly.

"I know," I whispered staring at the knife dipped in gold, one of the many gifts Jay gave me. "I'll be outside in two minutes."

"Okay," he nodded hesitantly and then left.

I slipped a knife in each holster attached to my ankle then two others on the sides of my thighs and the final one at the nape of my neck, the last one acts as a thick choker.

On my way to the location, I looked at pictures of Avyanna on her first trip to the beach, she was only a month old but loved the feeling of the sand, she ate some of it and I was so worried but when we called the doctor, him and Jay laughed because it was okay.

Before getting out of the car I checked in my purse for the blanket and it was there so I felt safe. I know they're looking down at me from heaven...I know they're safe but they're just not with me.

I've been doing a lot of praying even though I don't believe in God; why should I? He took my family away and that is no god to me, just a petulant and sick-with-power man who sits at the high chair but...Avyanna and Jay deserve to be in paradise so every night I pray for them to be up there, forgetting about the ending I caused. I don't have a child so I'm not a mother any longer or a wife...I'm just a heartbroken woman and the world has many of them already.

What a waste of a pretty face.

When we got to Santino's building, I jumped off the car and followed his butler who was waiting for me by the door with a flute of champagne "Thank you," I said softly.

"You're welcome, Ms. Fiori," he bowed his head and then took me up to the penthouse using the stairs; since this is a historic building there's no elevator which doesn't bother me because is only six floors and Santino's penthouse starts on the third one.

The butler unlocked the door with eight keys, a code, an eye scan and fingerprint. After all that circus we were inside of Santino's place; the first floor is the guest floor where you can find countless rooms dedicated to entertaining people.

"Bella," he said as he rushed down the spiral staircase covered with a red carpet with gold details on the sides "you look beautiful," he pecked my cheeks three times.

"Thank you," I smiled softly "you look beautiful too," I made him chuckle. "Is Ilya here already?"

He shook his head "His plane just arrived so he will be here in 40 minutes, do you want some breakfast?"

"Sure," I followed him into the gorgeous and traditionally French kitchen. "Where is he coming from?" I asked just to make conversation.

"Tulum," he looked at me weirded out "why?"

I shrugged "Just trying to make some conversation."

"We've been friends since you were three, you don't have to make casual conversation," Santino said as he took a seat at the head at the table with an uninterrupted view of the Eiffel Tower. "Do you like Ilya?"

"No," I replied with a deep sigh. "I just want to converse."

"Then why don't you tell me why you seem so sad," he told as he spread butter all over a slice of bread.

"I'm not sad," I lied "just tired." A deep sigh left my mouth as I reached for a strawberry "How are you? What is this you're doing for the nonexistent wife?"

Santino took a sip of his orange juice "I've been doing a lot of thinking and I want a family. I want a baby to feed in the middle of the night, a wife to hold for the rest of my life; I want to show them the world, use my money for something more than lavish parties and financing crimes," he smiled softly. "Wouldn't that be nice? Don't you want to have a family? I remember you playing mommy with rag dolls," he chuckled.

I gazed down at my stomach and remembered those days when I was pregnant...filled with happiness, folding new clothes for my baby girl every day. I had clothes for her to wear until she turned six...she was going to have such a good life filled with love and luxuries; my biggest wish was to spoil her but her daddy said we had to raise a hard-working girl who knew there was more to life than the bubble I wanted to build around her...he was right, not even money and power could keep her safe.

"Yeah," I nodded slowly. "I would love to be a mother," I don't think I can do it again "but I haven't found the right man," he died; I had everything Santino wanted and it was taken from me.

"Can I be the godfather of your baby?" He grinned.

I looked at him and nodded "I would love that," I placed my hand on top of his and he kissed the back of it. "I wish I liked brunettes so I could like you," he said and I giggled...immediately I felt guilty because I'm not supposed to smile or anything of that sort but he can't suspect something's wrong.

"So if I were to go blonde, would you put a ring on it?" I joked.

"I would have to fuck you first," he grinned "then I would decide, also I'm stuck with you forever anyway, I don't need to marry you for that."

I stood up and pecked his forehead "I love you, Santino," I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him tightly as I rested my chin on his perfectly combed hair.

He chuckled "I love you too, Bella but you're messing up my hair."

I hugged him tighter "Shut up," my voice broke.

Santino stood up "What's going on? Why are you crying?" He looked for my eyes frantically "Sybella, you never cry. Why are you fucking crying?!"

I wrapped my arms around his torso tightly "Just hold me, I need someone to hold me."

The man wrapped his strong arms around me and hugged me tightly "Tell me what's wrong," he whispered against my hair.

"Take me to your bedroom," I whispered.

He picked me up bridal style and took me to the top floor where his bedroom is "Why did you want me to bring you here?"

I sat on the edge of the bed "Because there are no microphones or hidden cameras, you're not that stupid," I sniffled.

Santino sat beside me "I can bring a camera and some microphones if you want," he elbowed my rib cage. "We can make a porno."

I looked at him and giggled wholeheartedly because he can really turn my mood around "You're trying to find wife, you can't fuck me in the process."

"Yes I can," he cupped my face and then pecked my lips which took me by surprise so I pushed him away "Woah!" He fell on his ass to the floor.

I covered my mouth "I'm so sorry, Santino," I offered him my hand to help him up but he pulled me down. "Ouch!" We accidentally butted foreheads, "you stupid motherfu—" he flipped us over causing me to gasp. "I want to get up, let me up."

"No," he shook his head looking into my eyes. "I've been wanting to be like this with you for so many years."

I giggled weakly looking into his eyes "That's creepy and you don't like brunettes."

"I call it romantic but you get wet with the sound of knives," he smiled. "What's your definition of romantic?"

"Santino, your dick is poking me," I chuckled softly.

"I want it to do more than poke you," he pecked my lips once again.

"I was just crying and now you want to fuck me," I pushed him off and sat up. "That's a dick move, even for a fuckboy."

"That's the definition of a fuckboy, honey," he placed his hand on my thigh. "Besides you never want to tell me why you're sad—"

"Jay and Avyanna were killed," I blurted out but no tears a formed in my eyes; guess I've cried them all already.

Santino sat up quickly "Jay? As in your main bodyguard? And who is Avyanna?"

I nodded slowly looking out the window "He was more than a bodyguard to me." I glanced at him "He was the father of my baby and love of my life."

The man frowned "What?! You had a baby and a husband? Why didn't you tell me?"

"He wasn't my husband but he was going to propose..." I stared at the diamond ring in my left middle finger "I don't know who killed him and for some reason, I just don't give a fuck; I want to stop hearing gunshots for a little while..."

"How old was Avyanna?" He asked carefully.

"Six months," I looked at him "she had dirty blonde hair at the top of her head like his father and these gorgeous blue eyes..." I sniffled. "I was going to take her places, teach her how to throw knives, shoot a gun," I smiled weakly and so did Santino. "She was going to have everything I didn't."

"I'm sorry, Bella," he leaned in and wrapped his arms around me tightly. "I shouldn't have kissed you," we both chuckled and for the first time in two weeks I felt warm and safe. Slava and Anna are my best friends but Santino is my family. I never told him about Jay and Avyanna because he has more important things in life, unlike Anna who only cares about spending money and looking pretty; don't misunderstand me, I love her but she doesn't know what the world is outside of her bubble and sometimes someone that pristine is needed in life.

"I love you, Santino," I whispered. "Can we cuddle?"

"Of course," he lay down on the floor and pulled me on top of himself. "Where are you living?"

"Spain," I hid my face in the crook of his neck "but I've already put the house up for sale, I can't go back there..."

"Don't worry, I'll give you a new home," he pecked the top of my head. "And I will help you get through the grief or accompany you in it because I know how stubborn you are."

A half-smile curved my lips "You know me so well, we might be the same person."

"We were about to become one but you've never been hot and needy for me," he whispered.

My eyes fell on his' "I was in love with you for five years but you were too busy with other girls."

"What?!" He exclaimed. "You have got to be fucking kidding me! I could've been your owner?" He gazed down at me.

My right eyebrow arched before gripping his dick "Nobody will ever own me, imbecile."

"That feels nice," Santino whispered looking into my eyes.

I stared into his orbs for a couple of seconds before the urge of an unknown feeling took over me; my lips crushed against his.