It's been a month since we've returned from Italy. Luke's gun wound healed completely and I haven't been in much danger since then. Giovanni's father had been exploded with the plane and it was a good thing I haven't heard anything from him. He wasn't out to get me.

The bounty was officially off and no one tried to kill me or capture me. I finally felt safe and like I could take a break from all the crime.

My life had been a roller coaster ride since I've met the gang.

"How's my favourite girl doing?" Tobias asked.

I was currently eating ice cream since Giovanni made me drop mine than kidnap me. Luke got me ice cream from his work.

"Eating ice cream," I answered. There was a spoonful of Cookies 'N' Cream ice cream in my mouth.

He chuckled. "You're something else."

Tobias was about to take a bite of my ice cream, but I slapped his hand before he could.

"Hey!" I exclaimed. "Don't touch."

"Come on, just one bite," Tobias whined. He tried to get ahold of my ice cream, but I clutched it close.

"Toby! No!" I shouted. I didn't want him to take any.

He sighed and finally let go. "Okay, fine." He sat down in the chair next to me. I ate another spoonful. I faced him.

"So . . ." I held the spoon and pointed it at him. "How did you become a part of the gang?"

"I was young and in an orphanage, I was on the street and Giovanni found me and offered to help, it was probably one of the greatest things that happened to me," he told me.

I nodded my head. Giovanni took him in. That was nice, he had done something for someone other than himself. I wonder how the rest of the gang came together. Did Giovanni do nice things for the other members of his gang?

"How about the others?" I asked.

"Grae was his best friend since they were in grade school together and they were training together since they were children. Luke had been stuck with his abusive father and got kicked out of his house, Giovanni helped him out. He isn't as bad as he poses himself to be, just trust me," Tobias explained.

"I don't know," I said, truthfully.

"Just give him a chance, let him explain, there's more to him, he just had it bad," Tobias defended him.

"Everyone has had it bad before, it doesn't give him a free pass to kill people whenever he likes," I scoffed at him. That's awful.

"I know, I know, it doesn't, but he needs to know that someone is there for him. You have to be the one who's there for him," Tobias told me.

I just shrugged my shoulders. "He doesn't like me much."

"Give him a chance," Tobias said.

There was a sudden bang heard throughout the house and Tobias got off from the stool, his facial expression was knowing. He knew exactly what was happening.

"What was that?" I asked Tobias.

"Nothing," he answered, quickly. I knew he was lying.

I looked at him sceptically and hesitantly followed the noise. It was louder in the direction to the basement. The scary basement that brings back many memories.

The more steps I've went down I heard screaming and groaning.

"I see, you've missed your payment," I heard a rough voice ask. Giovanni. There was a man tied in the same chair that I was in when I was first kidnapped.

A loud scream escaped from his mouth. I saw Giovanni using a torture device on him. I wasn't sure what it was, but it was causing him pain.

I cringed. I blocked my ears. I couldn't listen to this. It made me sick to my stomach.

Tobias followed behind me. He grabbed ahold of my shoulder. "Chanel, don't," he whispered.

"Why is he doing that?" I asked. My heart was beating vastly. I didn't want to see this.

"Giovanni hates when someone doesn't give him his money," Tobias explained to me in a hushed voice.

"He's doing that just for money?" I asked. I could never watch this part in movies, now it was becoming a reality.

"You won't understand, Chanel," Tobias told me.

"I would understand, I grew up where money was the only thing that mattered,"I muttered. "I'm pretty sure no one had done that."

"You don't know that," he told me.

"That doesn't mean he could-" I got cut off by my scream when my heel tripped on the stair. I fell flat on my face and everything was silent.

I heard Giovanni growl and the man stopped with the screaming. At least I got him to stop torturing the guy.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" He grumbled. I looked back to see Tobias with a guilty look written on his face.

"Tobias," he snarled at Tobias. "The fuck so this?"

"Sorry, Boss. She went her self, I tried to stop her," Tobias threw me under the bus, I glared at him. He had a straight face and went back up the stairs once Giovanni gave him permission too.

I was going to follow behind Tobias when Giovanni gnarled out my name. "Chanel." I slowly spun on my heel and held a sheepish look. "Would you like to watch is that why you were so concerned?"

I immediately exclaimed out. "No! I would not like that!"

He smirked. "Would you rather be the one interrogated?" He was about to grab my arm.

What kind of question was that? "Of course not!" I jumped away from him.

How could he say these things so nonchalantly. He grabbed my arm. "Well, since you decided to stick your nose in business other than yours, you will stay here until I'm finished."

My jaw dropped open. My eyes widened. I had to hear this guy screaming while Giovanni tortured him. I would not want that.

"No!" I exclaimed I tried to get out of his grip, but he pushed me down, so I was sat down in the basement floor. "I don't want to watch," I yelled, horrifically. I had a terrified expression plastered on my face.

I tried to stand up, but Giovanni pushed me back down. "You don't have a choice," he gnarled at me.

"Y-You can't make me," I cried out. I didn't want to watch this. I couldn't watch it.

Giovanni ignored me. He went over to the man and continued his torture. I immediately covered my ears to block out the appalling yelling.

I brought my knees up to my chest and rocked my body back and forth. I could still hear the violent screams coming from the guy.

"Please, Giovanni I can't hear it anymore," I begged. I was still trying to block out the noise and comfort my body.

He was being an asshole and completely rude. This was unnecessary.

He stopped the torture and let the guy off with a harsh warning. "You better get me my money."

The man nodded his head. He nodded it so quickly it looked like it was about to fall off. "In the meantime I would like to take your motorcycle as collateral."

The man nodded again. Giovanni released the man from the chair and he was trembling with fear. Tears were dried up in his eyes and sweat was noticeable in his forehead.

I uncovered my ears and wrapped them around my legs. I pulled my knees closer to my chest and took deep breaths.

I hated that Giovanni forced me to watch that.

"Stay here," he ordered, harshly to me. I felt my hair stand up in the back of my neck as shivers went down my spine.

I scoffed. "What am I, a dog?"

"You better be here when I'm back," he growled. He sounded austere. He was severe in his manner and it made my body tremble. I believed it would be best if I stayed, but I didn't care what was the best thing to do.

I grumbled in understanding as he dragged the guy up the basement stairs.

I waited for the footsteps to be out of hearing before walking up them. I was about to open the door, but when I wiggled it, it was locked. He locked me in here. I felt tears in my eyes. He actually locked me in. What the hell is wrong with him?

I knocked, wickedly on the door and yelled in circumvention. "Giovanni!" I shouted. "Open the door!"

After a few loud pounds on the door from my small fists, I gave up and sat on the first step. I needed to get out of here before I have a panic attack again. I could feel it coming.

I chocked on gasps and buried my palms in my face. My chest heaved in and out and my throat felt clogged up. "Please," I clogged out from my strangled breaths.

It felt like forever before someone opened the door. I felt my head spin and my vision started to see little stars dancing around over my head.

The door slammed shut and I was stuck in here with a person. I looked up from my hands to see a dark figure above me. He was tall and looked like Giovanni. I was stuck in here with Giovanni.

What was he going to do?

He grabbed my arm and dragged me down the stairs. I tried to release his grip from my arm, but it was like steel.

"No!" I exclaimed in fear. "Stop, Giovanni, stop it!"

He didn't listen he continued to bring me to the last level of the stairs, before releasing me roughly.

"Ow!" I cried out when my heel twisted from the hard force.

"You're really asking for it, Chanel," he spat out. My name sounded even harsher coming out of his pressed lips

"Asking for what? You're the one torturing people, like who does that?" I shouted, acerbically.

"We do, that's our job," he spoke, firmly.

"Well, I don't like it," I said, apprehensively. I placed my hands balled in fists by my side and I stood my spot, confidently.

"It doesn't matter what you like!" He shouted. He was starting to get angrier. I didn't think that would be possible.

"And why make me watch it, huh?" I yelled in rage. I felt frustrated tears in the crease of my eyes. He really knew how to get under my skin. "I-I didn't like that," I said, quieter this time.

He glared at me. I felt his gaze harden. "That was unacceptable, I know," he lowered his voice, but it still had the stern and husky interpretation. "But interfering with my work is also unacceptable. What I do is none of your business," he explained to me.

"It was my business ever since you decided to kidnap me!" I elucidated. I felt anger rushing through my body again.

"You brought that onto yourself," he said.

"Oh? So, I grabbed a rope and tied myself up. I placed myself in your trunk and asked to be kidnapped because I'm pretty sure-no-I know that didn't happen!" I yelled, crassly.

He walked towards me, his tall height intimidated me, but I stood my ground. I wasn't going to let him get the satisfaction of agitating me.

"I'm sorry about that," he muttered. His eyes flickered at my pouty lips and I licked them. I bit my lips anxiously.

Did he just apologize? Did he genuinely apologize. I knew that won't add up for all he had done, but it was a first.

He had trouble apologizing to me since the beginning. I guess, I could take it.

I gazed at his pink lips and then looked back up at him through my long eyelashes. They were extensions and were still fluttering with every blink I took, to make sure this was real. It was happening.

Being here with Giovanni was actually happening.

"Just because you apologized, it still does-" I got cut off by Giovanni. He lowered his neck and brushed his lips to mine. I felt my mouth bob open and close

"Can I kiss you?" He asked. He remembered what I told him.

It kind of ruined the moment when he asked, but I appreciated that he remembered.

He was the only boy I was nervous around. He made my heart flutter and my cheeks flush. No one had ever had that reaction on me before.

I gave him a nod, all the words left my mouth. He smiled as his lips pressing against mine.

He smiled, a genuine smile before kissing me and I let him.

He released from my lips and I whimpered at the loss of his warm kiss. My lips were puffy and swollen and I felt my eyes glass over. I liked kissing him.

He was different than the other guys.

There were sparks.