Athena
The next day, Luciano dropped me off at the office, his words lingering in the air as he mentioned meeting someone. Reluctantly, I stepped into the elevator, feeling a mix of anticipation and apprehension. As the doors closed, I contemplated the events of the previous day and the consequences of my actions.
So many people to worry about. Giorgia, Luca, Marcus …Ah shit Marcus.
My mind wandered to Marcus, who had suffered at Luciano’s hands. A pang of guilt flickered within me, but it quickly faded as I reminded myself of the bigger picture.
Marcus was merely collateral in this dangerous game, and my focus had to remain on fulfilling my mission and protecting myself.
Hell, he was part of the mafia too so if anything, he may have deserved what was coming.
Right?
Okay, perhaps he did not. Ah shit, I was being such a weakling. I’d drop by on the fifth floor, check him out, see if he was fine like Luciano claimed, and get the hell out of there.
When the elevator doors opened, I strode purposefully toward the security office, my footsteps echoing in the empty corridor. As I pushed open the door, the sight of Marcus sitting there, his face displaying the marks of Luciano’s rage, elicited a mix of emotions within me.
While a part of me felt a fleeting sense of guilt for his suffering, I couldn’t afford to dwell on it. My allegiance was to the mission, and Marcus was unfortunately caught in the crossfire.
I guess my plans to use him were over.
“Hey,” I mumbled, unsure of what to say.
My words were laced with an attempt at concern. However, the underlying truth remained: his pain and well-being were of secondary importance to me. In this treacherous world, personal connections had to be severed or used as means to an end.
“Hey,” Marcus greeted me with what seemed to be genuine happiness, embracing me as if I were a long-lost friend. There was a stupid grin on his face that I wanted to smack. “I’m okay. I swear I don’t feel as bad as it looks.” His words of reassurance stung because they carried an unspoken implication: he pitied me.
Me? Hell, I wasn’t the one who looked like they had kissed a moving truck! The weight of his pity became too much to bear and I lost my shit.
“Stop! Just stop!” I burst out, my voice sharp and tinged with bitterness. “Don’t pity me,”
“You live with him.” He said kindly. “If I knew you went through this, I wouldn’t have done that.”
“What the hell? Pity yourself, Marcus! I’m fine. Fucking fine. I’m not the one who looks like my face was bashed by a moving truck!” I fumed. He made to speak again, infuriating me even more.
“Don’t you dare say a word? I-” I paused rubbing my forehead. “I don’t like you like that. I can’t be yours.”
The words hung heavy in the air, a harsh reflection of my internal struggle. I couldn’t stand being the object of sympathy. Shit only served as a reminder of the dangerous path I had chosen and the sacrifices I had made.
Marcus’s expression changed his face a mix of surprise and confusion. He seemed taken aback by my outburst, unsure of how to respond.
“Raven,” He said, green eyes flashing with hurt.
“I just came to see if you were alive. That’s all. And you are. Fucking great!”
“There’s no need to be a bitch about it,” He spat.
I shrugged, giving him a careless look over my shoulder. “Didn’t you know? I’m a big-time bitch. Luciano will mess up more than your face next time-”
“You don’t mean that,” He spat, grabbing my arm. I wrenched it out of his hold just in time. I had wanted to use him all along. But if it would end up with him losing his life or some shit, then I didn’t want to anymore. I could be heartless, but I didn’t think I was that heartless.
“I do.”
He blinked as if waking from a trance and stepped back. Without waiting for a response, I turned and left the security office, the weight of our encounter still lingering in the air.
With a curt nod, I walked back to the elevator and continued my journey upwards. The burden of his injuries was not mine to bear. I pushed aside any lingering guilt, reminding myself that sacrifices had to be made in pursuit of my mission.
***
By noon, Luciano still hadn’t returned, leaving me to fend for myself. Feeling the rumblings of hunger, I decided to head to the cafeteria for a quick lunch. Little did I know that I would stumble upon an unwelcome surprise.
Unwelcome was a fucking understatement.
I entered the bustling cafeteria, and the chatter of my colleagues filled the air. Their voices grew louder as I walked to the counter to order my lunch and that caught my attention.
Curiosity piqued, I discreetly approached a table near a group of gossiping women, pretending to be focused on admiring my food.
What I heard however sent a surge of anger coursing through my veins.
“The boss’s assistant. Heard they’re sleeping together.”
Unless they had a different boss or Luciano had a different assistant, then they were gossiping about me. Their words cut rather deep, fueling the flames of frustration within me.
“Slut,”
What the hell?
I glared at the women, the whispers reaching my ears, driving me even mad.
“Heard she’s not only shagging the boss. Did you see Marcus?”
“Oh my gosh, I did see him! He looked like shit!”
“Oh, he must feel like it, Diana. The boss found out Marcus was tupping his beloved Raven and had someone beat the shit out of him.”
Oh, I wanted to kill someone.
I clenched my fists, struggling to contain my rising anger. How could they spread such baseless rumors? Had they no respect for the truth? The weight of their accusations bore down on me, threatening to erode my resolve.
I had three choices. I could succumb to their malicious gossip, allowing it to consume me and dictate my actions. Or, I could rise above it, refusing to let their words define me.
Or I could just stab Diana in the eye with a fork.
Oh, I wanted to take the last option so badly. Show these idiots who I was and mop their dumbasses on the floor.
Taking a deep breath, I straightened my posture and gathered my composure. I reminded myself of the mission I was entrusted with and the importance of my role in unraveling the truth. Their baseless gossip would not deter me.
With newfound determination, I stabbed into my pasta, resisting the urge to curse them out and refusing to acknowledge them. I knew my worth, and their idle talk could not tarnish the integrity of my purpose. They were just jealous. Ah, yes that would explain it all. Jealous bitches who couldn’t get what I had.
The sole attention of the mighty and sexy Luciano.
Throwing their dear boss off-grid and rendering them jobless. That seemed like the littlest of punishment. Maybe I could do a quick background check on all of them and then toss their dirty asses into prison. I grinned at the thought. Relishing it.
Let’s see how they would like it.
“Look at her laugh. I don’t know what he sees in her!”
“She must know how to give a good head. Heard that nonsense wins men over faster.”
Collecting my tray of food, I rose suddenly and watched them snap their mouths shut. Three women.
The one with a gigantic bob cut on her head had to be Diana. She sat in the middle between a blonde-haired witch and a black-haired bramble, peering up at me warily.
Those names suited them quite well didn’t they? Diana, witch, and bramble. I considered tossing my tray all over their pretty dense heads but held back. I was Athena, a skilled operative on a mission, and I would not allow their petty rumors to derail me.
“You three have nothing better to do than gossip?” I asked, arching a brow at them.
“We… We weren’t talking to you!” Diana spat a sneer on her pale face.
“No,” I replied, “You were talking about me instead. Considering I just heard a bunch of shitty things about myself, I’m forced to consider the option of suing you all for slander.”
They all gasped simultaneously and I smirked. “And harassment. I also wonder, what your boss would think if he heard his workers were spreading such dirty and scandalous rumors about him.”
Now they whitened in horror, sharing glances. I held up my phone and waved it cheekily, before sauntering out of the cafeteria. They may have ruined my meal but I bet I just ruined their whole day.