----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*Jackson's POV*

As soon as Zara's car pulled away and I knew Ashley was safe I turned my head towards Andrew, shooting daggers with my eyes. He was crouched down on the ground grabbing his stomach. His jaw was swollen.

"Look man I already told you, i'm independent — I don't work for Vito he just wanted me to deliver a message which I don't think you ever got"

"You mean 'Che i giochi abbiano inizio?' I knew you were delivering that before you gave it to Ashley, yes I had men tailing you as they should you little ratto"

He opened his mouth to say something then stopped, shocked.

" I'll admit I had no idea you were gonna try to contact Ashley again after you delivered that note but to be sure I had her take my car since the Mafia installs a tracking device in all their famiglia vehicles"

" Why do you think I made her pullover?," He spat blood. " I knew it was pointless as soon as you call but at least I got to mess with her head a little"

I squeezed my fist until my knuckles turned white. " Cosa le hai detto?, I hope you didn't flap your mouth too much"

" What did I say?," He smirked, repeating my question. " Nothing a little tongue can't fix, am I right?"

"Questo è tutto," I felt nauseous. What did the boss see in this cazzo? " I'm done"

I cocked my gun and shot his leg.

" AHHHH merda!"

" Swearing won't help you now buddy" I strode over to him as he struggled to crawl backward.

" Oh shit, wait, wait, wait WAIT"

" What?" I snapped, pointing my gun to his other leg.

" That's not fair, no weapons"

I laughed. " Oh you think you can disrespect my baccello di vaniglia and get away with it?"

" I-I was just joking —GESÙ!"

He hollered when I shot his other leg.

" Wrong," I changed the bullets. " It's Jackson you maiale "

This time I aimed for his skull.

Stop me.

Someone stop me.

Please.

" Wait! I uh can be of use to you, no, no, no, no—!"

" Merda!" The gun flew out of my hand.

" What you just planned on having him all to yourself?" Aiden limped over to me. " Cazzo"

" You could've shot my arm off!" I yelled but I wasn't mad. How could I be when he just saved me from adding one more body count to my list.

He grinned. " Bene, serves you right. Maybe you'll come visit me next time huh?"

I smiled. " So what do we do with him?"

He scratched his chin. " Well first I think we oughta take him to the warehouse to get looked at by one of the doctors there, we need him alive if he's gonna be useful"

He met my eyes hazel to green.

You good bro?

Yeah.

" I'm suing!" Andrew cried out in pain.

"Maybe we should let him bleed out a little longer" I said but grabbed him by the shoulders and dragged him in the back of the Audi Aiden drove here. No way I was gonna let him bleed out in my car. I already have to disinfect the passenger seat where his butt touched.

Jimmy one of our famiglia members that came with Aiden drove off with Andrew in the Audi.

"How'd you know I was here?" I asked when I got in my car.

" Zara called," He said while inspecting a cracked phone he found on the floor. " Ashley was worried"

" Oh" I did my best to hide the smile that was forming on my lips.

She always knows.

She always knows that I need her, even if I don't.

"Woah, be careful where you flash those things" Aiden laughed, referring to my teeth.

I couldn't stop smiling.

I've got a broken nose and a busted lip, yet that woman has me smiling.

Dannazione.

"Can we stop at Burger King i'm hungry" Aiden muttered.

" Do you have money?" I asked.

" Dunno, why don't you use some of the millions of dollars you inherited from this job?"

" Might need that to buy a house someday" I blurted surprised by my own words.

Apparently Aiden was shocked too because he dropped the phone he was inspecting and looked up at me quizzically. " For Ashley? YOU WANNA BUY A HOUSE FOR ASHLEY?"

"Idiota," I smacked his arm. " Keep your voice down"

" We're in a car dumbass, what, is she hiding in the trunk or something?"

I missed talking to him like brothers.

Like family.

Famiglia.

" What about you?" I asked after a moment of silence. " I know you wanted to buy Sadie a house"

" I loved her man" His voice cracked.

" Don't you dare cry on me cazzo" I joked.

"Never" He turned to look through the window.

" I hope we find her" I lied.

" Me too" He replied, which shocked me.

" Really? why?"

" Because," He sighed. " I'm gonna kill her. No one messes with the famiglia and gets away with it, worst of all —no one messes with my heart and gets away with it"

" Besides," I added to lighten the mood. " You've still got Zara"

" Ayeee" He grinned knocking his knuckles with mine.

I can almost hear Ashley snorting in my head.

Pfft, men.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

small