A lil note/warning...

Huge escalation in this chapter. Beware and take caution, because I wasn't playing when I said that it'll escalate quickly. Don't take this warning too lightly, and take heed at the end. I understand if it moves too fast for you, because I think it moved too fast, even for me. I almost gave myself a heart attack.

Okay, sorry, uh, continue...

Back to Brimmy's POV

"He's what now?" I ask, dumbfounded, staring at Marie.

She looks back down at her lap, "He controls the Italian mafia, and even some of the American one too." She adds.

I open and close my mouth, trying to talk, but failing miserably.

"Are you joking with me?" I whisper, but knowing that she's not one to joke about something so serious.

"No, this isn't a joke...I'm sorry.." She says, seemingly guilty.

I shake my head, "No, it's okay, you don't have to be sorry. It's him that should be apologizing." I scowl, standing abruptly.

"Wh-where're you going?" Marie asls, standing as well, tugging my arm to prevent further movement.

"I'm just gonna go look for Marcello, I may or may not have a little chat with him." I pull my arm away from her.

Her eyes widen in fear, "N-no! Please don't! You'll anger him!" She pleads.

"Then you shouldn't have told me he was a mafia leader." I speed past her, but realize that I have no idea where he's at.

Well dang, that plan failed.

I don't stop my march though, no, I continue down the hall, my only intention is to find Marcello.

I spot Dante and stop, "Where's Marcello?" I snap.

I guess the look on my face was enough for him to make the decision to not make any if his usual snarky comments. Instead, he points to the left of us, "His office is at the end of the hall."

Without saying another word, I step past him and down the hall, my only hesitation being that I just figured out this scary, intimidating stanger is a mafia leader and I'm about to approach him.

A hidden anger boils to the surface unexpectedly. I really don't like secrets. He didn't have an obligation to tell me, I'm just a stranger from America, but I still throw my sense out the window and encourage myself to feed into the anger.

Maybe not the best idea, but I don't really care. I remember when he had the chance to strangle me when we were in the dark corner and he had his hand around my neck, saying he could kill me. He didn't.

And he won't.

I don't know where this sudden confident boost comes from, but if I do end up being murdered by Marcello, I can at least haunt him for the rest of his life.

I burst through the door I'm assuming is his office to find him sitting at his desk, buried in a head of papers.

At my entrance, his head shoots up, a furious look I'm his eyes, but once he realizes who it is and how p*ssed off she looks, his face drops to one of confusion.

"Brimmy?" He asks, his brow furrowing.

"Don't 'Brimmy' me!" I exclaim, glaring at him, "Why didn't you tell me that you were part of the mafia?"

"You never asked?" He shrugs, standing from his chair, "And what gives you the right to burst into my office like that?"

Now the tables have turned. Well, a little.

Now we're both just mad, which won't end well.

"Because I can!" I shout.

"I think not." His eyes narrow to slits, "This is my house and my office. Now, I don't know why you think you have the right to do whatever you want, but you better knock it off before I do something I definitely won't regret." He threatens.

"What're you gonna do?" I ask, laughing like a maniac. "Kill me?" More rounds of crazy laughter, "Go ahead, I have nothing to live for anyway."

Now, don't get me wrong, I don't wanna die, like, I really would like to live, but he doesn't need to know that. I'm just really, really hoping he's bluffing right now.

"Maybe I will." He whispers dangerously, stalking towards me.

I take a step back, only to run into the wall

I actually feel really scared right now, so bravo to me for not peeing my pants and crying. For someone that's absolutely petrified, I think I'm holding up pretty darn well.

If I survive, maybe I can look back on this moment with pride.

And can I just say...WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?!

I figured out he's a murderer, and I go to him to LECTURE HIM?!

Seriously, Brimmy?!

I shake myself at myself in disappointment, knowing I wouldn't been in this position if I had any common sense. I think Derek has broken the logical part of my brain. Maybe the breakup has damaged my mind and I can't think straight? That seems like the only logical reason I keep doing what I do without any regard.

I gasp when I feel hands roughly grabbing mine and pin them above my head. Ouch, that's gonna leave a bruise later...if I'm even alive.

After glancing up at my hands, I look back to Marcello, and when I look into his eyes, really look, I come to the conclusion.

"You're not gonna hurt me." I whisper challengingly.

"Don't tempt me, Brimmy." He warns, but I already see the truth.

If he wanted to kill me, he would've done it sooner. He's had so many opportunities to get the job done, yet he hasn't laid a hand on me...for the most part.

"You won't kill me." I challenge again.

He squeezes my hands threateningly, but I don't give him a reaction.

"If you wanted to, you would've done it by now." I whisper again, more confidently.

"Don't be so sure." He matches my level of intensity with his whisper, his voice raspy.

His face is so close to mine, I can feel his breath mingling with my own.

Is it this normal to be so close to someone who claims they're gonna kill you?

I open my mouth to speak, but before I can, I'm surprised when he closes the distance between our faces and plants his lips on mine in a heated kiss, causing me to freeze.

No, don't get me wrong, I would've pulled back, but:

1. He's kinda got me trapped, so I can't exactly move.

And 2. Omg, fireworks! Sparklers! Tingles! Fire!

The heat thaws my frozen frame a bit, and I find myself melting into him.

Wait, no! Bad Brimmy! He was seriously threatening to kill you moments ago, and now you're actually kissing him?!

Finding it hard to breathe, I pull away to catch a breath, and he rests his forehead against mine, breathing just as heavily as me.

"I thought you wanted to kill me?" I question, looking back into his eyes.

"Was the kiss that bad?" He quirks an eyebrow and smiles a bit, which is only the second time I've seen it. I wish he'd do it more, he's got these really cute dimples on each cheek and I just wanna poke them, but I refrain.

"Eh, it was okay." I shrug, teasing him. He doesn't need to know how good it was, I refuse to give his ego that big of a boost.

"Just okay?" He asks, mocking a look of hurt.

"Don't give yourself too much credit." Is the only thing I say before he pulls away from me.

"Wouldn't dream of it." He winks. Yes, winks.

I'll take that as making progress.