His Salvation

***

Brooklyn, New York

Alessandra

The loud music washed over me, euphoria filling every single part of me. Never had I felt more free, more in control of my life than when I was in the throng of sweaty, dancing bodies that were around me. Nothing could ever compare to this moment, the freedom that I longed so much for.

Soon, Alessa...It won't be too long until your plans come to fruition...

Until I can finally get away from the carnage, the sins of my father and the corrupt standing he beheld. His was a bloody life, one that each and every single one of my siblings and I had been pulled into. A timed existence for so many gunned for our heads.

And with good reason after everything that the Rinaldi family has done...

"You're spiraling, Alessa! Let's dancee! We'll worry about our fucked up existence tomorrow!"

Vittoria shouted above the music, making me chuckle as I wrapped my hands around my little sister. Although there was a two year age difference between us, we were closer than any other of our siblings. 

Vittoria had become my partner in crime, the other half of me I didn't even know I needed. Although some of our adventures had resulted in some pretty bad confrontations with our strict as hell father, many more had resulted in the best nights of our lives.

A night just like this.

All of our inhibitions, our fears of returning home or facing the events to come in the next couple of weeks gone and replaced with the happiness that always came whenever we were well and truly living our lives.

Not the Barbie dolls we were in our other life.

"Well said, Tori! Now, how about another shot?"

Tori grinned, nodding enthusiastically as the two of us pushed through the throng of bodies and to the bar where the cute bartender instantly perked up at the sight of us. The handsome brunette grinned at the sight of Tori who returned it in kind, beginning the play to get us more drinks.

Her powers of persuasion were borderline scary. She enjoyed it a little more than she probably should but, then again, she is a Rinaldi.

We were born, raised, to be rotten to the core.

I secretly chuckled as I watched my little sister handle the brunette who hanged onto her every word, his gaze dazedly admiring every single inch of Tori. I could not blame him, though. Whereas I had gained our mother's half Greek genes with my blonde hair and blue-honey brown eyes, my little sister had  gained more of our father with her curly, copper colored locks and amber colored eyes.

Her petite body looked amazing in her little red dress, a great contrast to the short, dusty blue camisole dress I was in that hugged every one of my curves. Many were the times I had longed for my older sister Selene's model, lithe like body and Tori's petite form but my mother had been adamant, praising the Greek genes within me that shone through my body.

It's kinda hard to believe you when you look like freaking Bella Hadid, mum...

I shoved my self depreciating thoughts into the little box in the back of my head, threatening to explode from all the shit I was keeping inside, and focused instead on assessing the crowd of drunk party animals around us.

There is enough time to hate yourself later, Alessa. Most certainly in the weeks to come...

Ignoring all of the winks, waves and wolf whistles from the passing flock, I zeroed in on ensuring that we were still safe, still unrecognizable to all the men our father had posted everywhere.

The expanse of his network is exhausting and annoying, most especially when you've snuck out and are certainly not supposed to be in a burlesque-esque club in downtown Brooklyn.

Because we are the pure princesses, fated to be married off to some dangerous bastard or the other. God forbid Massimo Rinaldi's daughters' purity was questioned. That was, after all, the most important selling point to these narrow-minded bastards- Virgin Brides.

I rolled my eyes at the very thought, the usual disgust washing over me.

Being the daughter of the Head of the Cosa Nostra-the Sicilian Mafia was a pain in the ass.

"Just a little bit more, Alessa...A little longer before your life completely changes..."

My sentence strayed, an unconscious action once my gaze landed on the man standing at the VIP balcony. Just as speechless as those around him were, I shamelessly took in everything about the mysterious figure who screamt power and a kind of darkness.

It really must be the alcohol...the only reason I am admiring a man I have sworn off of...

I had lived around Dark and Dangerous men my entire life. The life I had envisioned for myself after I attained my freedom would bear nothing of the stain of my past-including insanely handsome but dangerous men looking down the rest of us like we are nothing.

It should have put me off, his gaze that seemed to wash over the crowd just like mine had been a few moments ago. But I just couldn't look away, most especially when his gaze landed and stuck to mine.

Ah hell, he caught me looking...

The urge to look away, to be come the demure principessa of the Rinaldi family was strong, but not enough to fight my curiosity, the stubbornness that lurked deep within me that was growing harder and harder to hide.

He reminded me of all the men of power who lurked around my family, hoping and praying for one thing or the other-be it power or our destruction. His darkness did, however, seem to run deeper than what was present on the surface.

He reminded me of my father.

All the more reason to look away, Alessa, daddy issues aside.

Logic overruled my urge to hold his gaze, to admire every single bit of him. Despite the dim lighting in the club, I knew he was the most beautiful man I would ever look upon. He was perfection incarnate.

Just like I'm supposed to be.

I frowned at the very thought, finding myself glaring at the man who reminded me a little too much of the world I had left behind momentarily to enjoy the freedom that was kept from me. 

His head titled to the side, almost in question to my reaction and for a moment, I was sure his eyes were narrowed at my blatant disrespect. I had learnt enough from being around men like him to know that they never took kindly to the challenging of their dominance.

Well, he can kiss my ass...