Alessio
“What makes you say that?” I asked, my tone cold as I tried to draw a clear line.
“The way they’re all looking at you, serving you drinks,” she replied, her hand on my thigh. With every inch she moved closer, her hand slowly traveled up. “Now, how about I take you to a private room?”
Images of Mena filled my mind-and the promise I had made. When it came to relationships, others had low expectations for me. That’s the reason why I had set high expectations for myself. What we had was real, and no amount of pussy was worth risking that. None.
With a firm grasp, I wrapped my hand around the stripper’s wrist and gently pushed her away. Her mouth was slightly parted, eyes shocked as I denied her advances. “Get lost.”
She was frozen in her spot and did not move a muscle-so I did. I rose from my seat and walked off, carrying my drink in my hand, instantly feeling dizzy. After a few drinks too many, the alcohol began to hit me. Wanting some air, I fought to make my way through the lounge as some of the guys tried stopping me along the way.
Eventually, I stepped outside. I lit a cigarette in the cold air and drew in a long drag. I thought about Mena every two seconds to the point I thought I was going insane, but our last conversation still bothered me. I needed us to be okay, and I needed her to know that I truly am sorry.
That would be the only way for me to relax and let the situation go.
Footsteps approached, and I glanced around, seeing Donni and Levi. I tried to escape, but Donni cornered me from the left, and Levi from the right.
“What?” I sneered, not wanting to talk to either one of them. Not when I had other things to think about.
“We came to check on you,” Donni sounded concerned. Levi backed him up, “We did. You looked pretty wasted back there.”
“I’m not wasted,” I snapped back, even though I could feel the impact of the alcohol in my system.
They exchanged a look, then shrugged. “If you say so,” Donni said.
“I am not drunk,” I spoke word for word. First, I emptied my glass in one go, then I drank Donni’s and then Levi’s. The alcohol burned my throat, but if this was what was necessary to get them off my back, so be it.
“He’s not drunk?” Donni chuckled in a whisper, lighting up his own cigarette. “Listen, did you patch things up with Mena already?”
A frown appeared on my face, “What do you know?”
“You know Dante can’t keep his mouth shut,” Levi spoke.
“And we heard you in the hallway, ye-” Donni started to say but was cut short by a quick shake of the head from Levi, a silent warning to choose his next words carefully.
I let out a heavy sigh, “You can say it. I yelled at her, but I didn’t mean to. It’s just my way of talking.”
There was no point in denying it as it had already happened and everyone heard.
“You can’t let it get to you. You need to fix it right now or forget about it,” Donni scolded as if he were the one in charge. “You have many people depending on you. They are here to honor Stefano, and you can’t lead them like this. You look weak, vulnerable.”
His gaze bore into me, but behind those eyes, I could sense a fear, perhaps wondering if he might’ve overstepped. He didn’t, though. His words made sense, and I felt the same. I had been more worried about my argument with Mena than anything else.
“You’re right,” I admitted, knowing exactly what needed to be done.
Donni looked startled, Levi as well. Both of them were not used to me giving in that quickly. “I’m glad I could get through to you for once,” Donni spoke with a smile.
“Yes, you did,” I spoke. “I need to fix it right now-I will call her again!”
“Good job, Donni,” Levi sighed, covering his face, clearly thinking it wasn’t the best idea. Donni scratched his head. “Not quite what I meant.”
Ignoring their reactions, I put down the glass in my hand and stomped out my cigarette. Grabbing my phone, I dialed Mena’s number, hoping she would pick up. As expected, she didn’t, and the call went to voicemail. That was alright. Both worked for me.
“Mena!” I spoke after the beep. “You are my world, and I’m an idiot. I never meant to yell at you, I should yell at myself for being so fucking stupid,” I began, pouring my heart out.
I walked away as Donni tried to snatch the phone away and succeeded in keeping it out of
his reach. “You’re right, I have to work, and I will work so hard for you. Please don’t give up on me and give me a second chance.”
“Give that phone here,” Donni hissed. “You’re humiliating yourself for what? Levi, help.”
I kept going, “I’m sorry, okay? I’m sorry, and I love you so much, so please don’t be angry anymore. It will always be you, Mena, and if I die this week, I want you to know that you are the best person I’ve ever been with and the best sex I ever had-”
“That’s it,” Levi breathed, joining Donni. “I can’t listen to this any longer.”
Now both of them were trying to take the phone away, but I had much more to say. “No escorts, no side pieces, only you! It will always be you, me, and Naty. Fuck, I love you so much I just want to marry you!”
In a swift motion, Levi pulled the phone from my hand and hid it behind his back. I blinked, still processing from where he had the audacity to take it from me. “I wasn’t finished yet.”
Donni scoffed, “Oh, you are finished.”
“Let’s get him back. He’s drunk,” Levi nudged him.
Drunk? I wasn’t drunk. I might’ve done something I wouldn’t have done any other day, but I was not drunk.
“I’m sober…still,” I stated as an idea suddenly popped into my head. I raised a finger, urging them to wait so I could complete my sentence. “If I’m going to propose to her, I need to buy her a ring. A even bigger one without a tracker.”
“Shit,” Levi muttered under his breath, pushing his face into his palm. “It just keeps getting worse.”
I pointed at Donni, who looked back at me with widened eyes as if he were scared to hear my next request. “Find out what place in this city has the best rings.”
~
So, there we were, standing in a jewelry store, surrounded by the best rings and the hungry eyes of a jeweler who seemed to know he might just hit the jackpot.
He presented the most expensive rings, just as requested. Each one more beautiful and extravagant than the last. Price tags didn’t matter to Mena, she had told me that several times-but they mattered to me. My woman deserved nothing but the best.
My gaze lingered on a pink diamond ring that had grabbed my attention from the first minute. Pink was her favorite color, after all.
“All of our rings are unique pieces. One of a kind,” the jeweler boasted as he saw my interest in the pink piece. He carefully picked up the ring and handed it to me.
Holding the ring between my fingers, I inspected it closely, imagining it on Mena’s hand. It was already obvious that this had to be the one.
I turned to look at the two big idiots who had been shooting each other shady glances for the past ten minutes. “I was thinking,” I grabbed their attention. “Technically I’ll not only be proposing to Mena but also asking Naty to officially accept me as her dad, right?”
Once again they exchanged that annoying glance I hated, but this time I stopped them. “Don’t look at each other, look at me!” I threw a tantrum. “Naty also needs something, don’t you think?”
“Yes,” Donni spoke as he slapped Levi to answer my question. “Definitely,” he sighed.
“Perfect.”
I shifted my focus back to the jeweler. “Give me something in the same color, but a bit more suitable for a six-year-old.”
I had barely finished my sentence, and the jeweler had already disappeared to the back with a big grin plastered on his face.
With him gone, Donni scooted closer. “Don’t you want to think this through?”
Levi nodded. “It’s all going a bit too fast, don’t you think?”
“No,” I shook my head, my decision already made. There was no turning back now.
I was not just choosing a ring. I was choosing a future with the two people I wanted to be with. My heart was set, my mind made up. I was ready to take this step, ready to commit to Mena and Naty in a way I had never committed to anything or anyone before. This was my decision, and no one’s opinion could make me change my mind.
When the jeweler returned, he nearly stumbled over his own feet from the excitement. “This one is also one of a kind,” he spoke, revealing a pink ring with a smaller diamond.
I inspected it closely, squinting my eyes. “This is it.”
The jeweler grew a toothy grin. “So you’ll take both?”
“I’ll take both,” I waved him off. “Prepare them for me.”
~
After buying the rings, we were back outside. Donni and Levi each standing at one side of me for support as we walked. I told them I was doing fine, and I could walk on my own-but apparently, they could no longer look at me making myself look like a fool.
“Thanks for coming with me,” I mumbled, my legs feeling heavy with each step. “The two of you have always been there for me. I don’t have two brothers, I have four.”
As those words left my mouth, I had finally accepted that I was indeed drunk. Otherwise, I would’ve never said something like that, but I meant it. It felt good to have them around, and they were just as important to me as Gian and Dante.
Donni released a sheepish chuckle. “Don’t go confessing your love now. Save that for Mena.”
“B-But Mena is not my brother, you are!” I stopped to pull him into a forceful hug, much to his dismay.
“Alright, that’s enough,” Donni laughed, putting distance between us. After releasing him, my eyes landed on Levi who looked mortified.
“No, no-”
“Levi!” I shouted, ignoring his protests for no affection, and hugged him as well. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten about you,” I pointed my finger to his chest. “You are also my brother, do you understand?”
Levi stared at me with slightly bewildered eyes, which slowly softened as his lips curled into a genuine smile. “I guess, sure.”
He then looked at Donni, “He better be sober in the morning, or Domenico is going to kill us.”