Chapter 7

Dario Bellini is a hitman, the same line of work as Vanessa and is high up in the ranks of their family. Victor trusts him, and so does Vanessa... so of course he would be the first person she would think of calling...

Vanessa doesn't like to think about it that much these days, but Dario and her have had a heated romantic history... One that didn't end the way either of them wanted. Vanessa realised that it would've been easier if they didn't mix business with pleasure, especially when she saw how deeply Dario had been falling for her. Not only that, but she felt she wasn't ready for what Dario wanted... And so because of that, they ended things...

Doesn't mean they didn't meet up every once in a while. Like she said, Dario is a handsome man and she had needs. But unfortunately, not interactions didn't mean as much as they used to... and at the back of her mind, she always wanted more...

The hum of the car fills the silence as they pull out of the alley and onto the dark streets, and as Vanessa looks out the window, all she can think about is Arturo Castellano, and how unsuccessful she was on her mission...

“Talk to me,” Dario says after a few minutes, his eyes shifting to her briefly before returning to the road.

“There’s nothing to say,” Vanessa replies, keeping her gaze out the window. “The job went sideways. I’ll fix it...” She mumbles and perhaps she is unable to look him in the eye simply because of the shame she feels. She knows Victor is going to have words for her.

Dario’s grip on the wheel tightens as he meets Vanessa's nonchalant attitude. “You don’t usually let things go sideways.”

She doesn’t respond, her jaw tightening as she blinks a few times, her mind travelling to how she let herself get distracted by Arturo, the way he confused her, everything about him...

Dario glances at her again, his expression softening slightly. “Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine,” she snaps, sharper than she initially wanted, despite the ringing pains in different parts of her body, as well as a searing headache. She then sighs softly once she realises she might be a little too harsh with him, especially when all he's trying to do is make sure she's okay.

Dario doesn’t flinch, his voice steady. “You don’t sound fine.” Is all he says. He knows Vanessa, and trying to convince people she's okay when she's not is a speciality.

Vanessa exhales slowly, forcing herself to focus just as she finally meets Dario's gaze. She notices his attention shifting as he glances between her and the road momentarily. “I just need to figure out how I’m going to explain this to Victor...”

Dario doesn’t answer immediately. His silence stretches, thick and heavy as he focuses back on the road. Vanessa stares at him in confusion, wondering why he has decided to remain quiet the moment she decides to look at him.

“What?” she asks, her voice guarded.

“You don’t have to explain anything to him,” Dario says quietly and maybe he's right. She could give him as little information as possible. Maybe she shouldn't even tell him that she got that close to him, that she got captured, that she knows who he is...

Vanessa snorts, shaking her head. “You know that’s not how this works...” She lets out. She knows one way or another, Victor is going to gril her on why she couldn't get the job done. So she will need to prepare for that.

“You did your best,” he says, his tone firm. “That’s all he needs to know...”

"That's not good enough..." She trails off, shaking her momentarily before her eyes narrow at Dario. “Since when are you this understanding?”

Dario doesn’t answer, his grip on the wheel tightening again.

Vanessa shifts in her seat, watching him closely. Something about his calmness unsettles her—it’s not like him to let things slide, especially when it comes to Victor’s orders. But tonight, he hasn’t asked the usual questions. He hasn’t demanded details or pressed her for information...  It leaves her wondering if he knows anything about the job she was sent on...

And that makes her suspicious.

“What aren’t you saying?” she asks, her voice low, her gaze scrutinising him.

Dario glances at her briefly, his jaw clenching. “Nothing.”

“Bullshit.” Vanessa retorts.

He sighs, his shoulders tense. “Look, I don’t care about the details right now. I care about you. You’re hurt, you’re tired, and I just want to make sure you’re okay...” He tells her and at a different time, his words would've made his heart flutter. But now, she only finds them frustrating...

Vanessa narrows her eyes. “Why? So you can run back to Victor and tell him I’m falling apart?”

Dario’s hands tighten on the wheel, his voice sharp. “No, Vanessa. That’s not what this is.”

“Then what is it?”

Dario’s knuckles whiten against the wheel as he exhales sharply through his nose. “You don’t trust me. Fine. But I’ve got your back whether you like it or not...”

The tension in the car is suffocating, and Vanessa turns her gaze back to the window, the passing city lights blurring into streaks of colour.

Though she feels frustrated with him, she knows he's right. One thing about Dario is that he is always looking out for her, even when things go south for them, and she's just glad she could count on him tonight.

"You can thank me later for saving your ass tonight by the way..." He lets out and Vanessa can already sense the cocky smile forming on his lips before she even looks at him.

"Fuck off..." She exhales as she shakes her head at him, letting her head relax against the headrest of the chair as she tries not to smile...