Capo Dei Capi (Secrets of the Famiglia Part 1)

Chapter 19 (Aliyana)

He is right. There is no denying it, so I say nothing.

“This world will never offer you those comforts for very long, Aliyana. Sooner or later, your luck will run

out, and all you’ll have left is yourself. You should find someone to love while you can and enjoy the

beginning of that love because, if there is one thing I can guarantee you, Aliyana, is that love will end

as fast as it began.”

I have never met this man before today, and our brief moment is just this moment.

But there is something in the sky at work tonight because when he stands next to me, I can sincerely

say that I feel safe. And his words have more truth to it than I will confess to even myself.

I shrug, digesting his all too knowing words.

"I should. But the one I love will be promised to my sister soon. It took me 5 minutes in his company to

see, I am not the one he wants, and I have spent 5 years loving him.”

It's the truth I had to confront today. I have known it for a while. My sister is clueless, and her innocent

attraction to Marco has made it easy to turn a blind eye to the facts.

I am good at pretending blindness, I have done it my whole life.

"I gathered as much when I saw you earlier today. My brother has never been the smartest Jack when

it came to choosing anything. You might just get better. So how about that wager? And no, it isn’t sex."

“If not sex, then prey, do tell what is this wager that has you so anxious you are practically screaming

my name?”

His one side of his face pulls up into a crooked, yet utterly wicked smile as he slips his ringing phone

from his pocket, silencing the call.

It rings again, and I watch his screen flash ‘Killer’ as he puts it on flight mode. All the while, I remain

aware of how devastatingly evil his eyes remain as they watch me with mischievous intentions, I should

know all too well.

My nerves heighten with the knowledge of how corrupt all of this is.

Him.

Me.

Us.

He walks across the room, putting a few UVA lights on.

Brightness comes from the far left of where I am standing barefoot.

His steps are slow, as he advances closer to me, giving me no option but to glance up into his onyx

orbs.

My mind is thoughtless, my body attuned to his inaudible steps.

Black depths stare unblinking.

But where I have seen many eyes, none as full as this man has ever held me at a standstill. Until now

Chaos undisposed.

A war ablaze in a fire couldn’t come close to what I see in his unspeaking irises. The roses sweeten the

air as he draws closer, while I stay, remaining here.

Memories are going through his head as I remain stuck to the ground by just knowing he is walking

toward me.

For the first time since I have met Marco Catelli, I wish to know just how far his crimes go.

He is a killer, Aliyana, does it matter?

My mind screams to walk away, but here I am still, gawking at a made-mad-man.

“You look at me as though you have seen all the ones I have laid to the ground.” His observation isn't

far off.

“Perhaps I am just thinking how deep a hole would I need to dig, to fit them all in.”

He smiles, his mouth twitching to the left, “Or, you’ve figured it out, and now you just crave the words."

My teeth sink into the inside of my cheek, as his jaw flexes under my silent scrutiny. He is right again.

"Tell me, Aliyana, is that what turns you on? Is that what keeps all those boys wrapped around your

little finger waiting for you to whisper their names?”

My mouth tightens, as my eyes get smaller, “Ren never mentioned you being the jealous type.”

He circles me slowly, as his finger twirls around my hair, “I’m surprised he mentioned me at all. I was

under the impression I wasn’t up for discussion and gathering by that assessing look you so innocently

gifted me minutes ago, I would presume I am correct.”

“You know I might look at you in assessing ways, but you look at me knowing more about me than I of

you, yet you still stand here, staring at me, talking to me, unafraid that I just might burn you.” Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

His black depths pierce me with something so dark, it's bursting to be set aflame, and I hope to all that I

believe is holy I am not the one on the other side of that blizzard.

“The word is ‘hoping’ you would burn me.” He grabs my upper arm spinning me to face him.