J e y r i

I thought that I'd barely be able to sleep lying down next to him but, I don't even remember falling asleep, I just woke up the next morning. He wasn't there when I woke but there was a black dress lying down on the chair beside me with a note on it that had my name on it.

He did say there would be a funeral- I didn't expect him to be inviting me...

After I got all washed up and dressed, I hesitantly walked out of the room and looked around me. If I can remember clearly from last night... Hayley and them should be somewhere around here.

It felt like I'd been wandering around forever so I felt relieved when I bumped into the maid from yesterday.

"Hayley?" She asked, raising her eyebrow as I asked where she'd be. She clapped her hands and smiled before ushering me to follow her, "Last time I checked, she was in the kitchen- the rest of the girls must be downstairs as well. Would you like me to take you there?"

"I'll take her." I heard Gio's voice and I spun around. He was standing right behind me and he looked down at me and smiled. There it goes, it seems forced again. "How did you sleep? Wonderful I hope?"

I nodded, looking away from him and he chuckled. He was dressed up as usual in a black suit, he looked me up and down and let out a low whistle. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you," I said, as he led me downstairs to where everyone else was.

Everyone looked up as we walked into the room. They were all wearing formal clothes and just like me the girls had on black dresses as well. Damn, they're gonna get the wrong idea.

He didn't stay in the room after he brought me down. He walked right back upstairs without saying anything to anyone.

"Where'd you go?" Hayley asked me as I walked up to them and Mel nodded on with her, "Yeah, where'd you go Jeyri? I saw you coming down with Gio." She said in a hushed tone.

My eyes met with Astarte, well... she knows where I went. I expected her to feel some type of way after last night but she grinned and huddled up with us. "Did you guys do it? Did you guys fuck or what?" She asked and Hayley shushed her,

"They'll hear you!"

She snorted, "They're not bothering to listen to us! Besides... I want details. I went through all that yesterday- spill it."

I expected Hayley or Mel to say something in my defense but they looked just as curious to know. You've gotta be kidding me.

"What are the four of you over there whispering about?" Matteo asked and Astarte sighed, "Man, get off our dicks! Don't you have things to do?"

"We're girls y'know-" Hayley whispered, "Shhh, this guy's really suspicious of me for no reason. I helped him out. A little gratitude wouldn't hurt." She said, pointing at him.

"What's the issue anyway?" Melanie asked and Matteo sighed, "The guys she's with, led Gio right into a trap. He made a deal with us beforehand to be on our side but, he broke that deal yesterday when he did that. Gio got injured because of him. He admitted to it as well, any chance you've got any clues as to what he's thinking?"

"Hey, does it look like I know what it's in his damn brain?" Astarte shot back and he scowled at her. "If it happens that you're a traitor too, we'll off you right along with him."

"Oh really?" She asked, smirking. "Go ahead, try to if you can."

He looked at her, almost as if he was judging whether he wanted to not, and rolled his eyes before pulling out his gun and pointing it up at her head. We all let out a gasp but she just smiled.

"Matte-"

"Calm your tits, Melanie," Astarte said, cutting her off. She grinned and gripped her hand on his gun before pressing her head against it. "Go on, shoot me. What's wrong? Just pull the trigger, it isn't that hard, Drago."

He gritted his teeth and she slowly edged closer to him. A knife slipped out from her sleeve and she held it up against his neck, "You should really check everywhere next time you're trying to take my weapons. Now see what happened? You can't kill me but I-" She pressed the knife down harder on his skin, "I can kill you."

The sound of loud clapping filled the room and everyone paused and looked toward it. "That's enough, Astarte. Matter, if you wouldn't kill my dear Astarte, that would be lovely," Lucifer said laughing, as he walked down the steps alongside Gio. He wasn't chained or anything, he had on a new suit and tie just like the rest of them.

Astarte snorted and dropped her knife before brushing off her hands, "Huh? You're okay?"

"Matteo put the gun down..." Gio said with a sigh, "They're not our enemies."

"I'm sorry, what?" Matteo's face frowned up in confusion as they walked toward us and Gio placed his hand on Lucifer's shoulder, "It's true that he did betray us and led me into that trap but, he also might be the only reason I survived it. Killing him right now doesn't bring us any benefit but if he ends up betraying us again, I'll have no choice but to. As for now, we'll work together."

"Ha, at least one of them is intelligent!" Astarte chimed in.

"Oh boy..." Hayley mumbled, shaking her head. She leaned in close to me and scratched her head, "Is it just me, or are you lost as well?" She whispered, "They all seem so pent up as well-"

"I'm sorta just as lost as you are..." I whispered and she nodded, "Oh good. I thought it was the hunger getting to me."

"He's coming?" Matteo asked in a loud voice, pulling us from our conversation, "To her funeral?"

"It's more than just her funeral, people will be there... other families, other bosses. They'll be coming to validate my standing... and my allies. They're coming as well... " Gio replied, glancing over at me. "Each one of you girls will be paired with either of us. Melanie is with Matteo, Jeyri will stay with me, Astarte is with Lucifer, Sebastian you stay with...?"

"Hayley." Sebastian spoke up before Hayley could say her name and Gio nodded, "Right. Sebastian with Hayley."

"It's for your own good, and protection." Gio explained, "After all this is through, you can all go home." He was talking to everyone but he was looking directly at me.

We all drove according to the pairs he decided. He seemed deep in thought throughout the entire drive, he had a frown on his face for the longest time. He kept flipping a ring in his hand over and over and he paused as he noticed me looking,

"It was my mother's ring." He said with a mournful look on his face.

"Sorry for your loss."

"It was her time a long while ago..." He placed it back into his pocket and sighed, "Where are your parents Jeyri?"

"They live out in a small town... I'm not actually from the city- so I moved away from home once I finished school and well, you can see how that's going..."

"Visit them while you can." He mumbled, looking out the window, "You only have the two you got..."

"Can I ask something?"

"Sì?"

"Why did you bring us along- to your mom's funeral I mean. I know you said it's for protection but, wouldn't it be more protection if no one knew we existed...? Well in all this anyway."

"Word has most likely already spread about you. That was apparent from the fact that they attacked Sebastian at your house, which means they were probably targeting you. So the other families probably know your face by now."

"But won't they know my face even more now?"

He smiled, "Sì." He cupped my face with his hands and leaned in closer before running his thumb along my lips, "They'll see your face and your everything, all the attention will be drawn to me and thus you. They'll see..." His voice trailed off and he chuckled,

"ti vedranno morire, " (they will see you die.) He whispered.

"Huh?"

"Hmm? Nothing." He turned away from and looked back out the window, "We're almost there."

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