The Bodyguard

Answers

"Who are they?" The questions hangs between them, the question that Emilia wants answered more than any other, and is willing to do anything to get. Her green eyes bore into his silver ones as he tugs at his bottom lip with his teeth, seeming to debate the vague answers that he usually dodges with, the answers that drive her straight up the wall with irritation.

"Do you remember what my tattoo says? Veni Vidi Vici? I came, I saw, I conquered. An Italian phrase belonging to an ancient family that did just that, dating all the way back to the Roman era. A family with old money, old ties, and old holdings. This family owns most of Italy and quite a bit of the states, especially Florida. The Delmont's." His story is boring her, she knows this, is it not what her mother had bragged about the first day at the mansion? "But, there is more to it. Not only are they an old business family, they are an old crime family. They are, the Italian Mafia."

Emilia feels like she needs to get her ears cleaned, business yes, crime maybe, but mafia? How could Mr. Delmont belong to the Italian Mafia? She chokes out the smallest laugh, shaking her head. She refuses to believe this, it's not true, she did not just get dragged into one of the biggest and most notorious mafia's in the world.

"You're joking, I can see him doing some shady dealings, maybe some major tax evasion or even dealing drugs, but mafia? No way, he can't be, he can't have dragged my family into this!" Her voice raises higher and higher in protest of the situation, she refuses to believe this. A member of a mafia family had dragged her innocent, good willed, well decent willed mother into something that they had never and would never be involved in. But what if her mother knew? What if she had gone into this willingly? Surely she would have told her daughter if that were the case, had she even willingly married the guy? Or were they forced into this at gun point.

Her heart races rapidly, drowning out Alexander's explanation, the gentle tinkle of the door chime or greetings for customers, hum of air conditioning, everything. She can feel her breath contract, refuse to go in her lungs, nothing was working, she looks at her fingers to see them shaking, that strange fuzziness that she hadn't felt in a long time. She knows what it is, she knows what is coming, and she knows she can't stop it. Her tongue felt strange, thick in her mouth as she tries to stand but can't feel herself moving, she can't feel her limbs at all. Choking on her own air as she can't breathe or speak, or anything. Nothing is happening on the outside, but on the inside is utter turmoil.

Alexander stares at her for nearly a minute, waiting for her to say something, do something as he had only told her to be quieter, shushing her gently to not attract the cafe's other customers. But she doesn't seem to hear him, the only thing he notices is that her fingers seem to shake slightly, almost vibrating and she seems to be gasping for breath like she's drowning.

His eyes widen as he leaps from his chair, kneeling in front of her and taking her chin in his hand firmly, trying to meet the focused eyes that stare into nowhere.

"Emilia, look at me, please? It's alright, just please look at me? I will explain everything, just don't freak out on me alright? Emilia?" It isn't his frantic voice or piercing stare that pulls her from the on setting panic attack, it is the firm hand on her chin, the physical contact of another human as his fingers interlace with hers tightly, stopping the shaking effectively.

Slowly her fingers curl around his and her eyes come to the present, her breath coming back to her lungs as she looks at him. And then the twinkle of tears on her eyes as she actually sees him, "It can't be true, can it?"

Staring her in the eyes, baring his soul for her to see the entire truth of his being, he nods his head slowly in confirmation of the horrific news.

She can't meet his eyes after that, her own lowering to the ground and studying a carpet pattern she had known most of her life. "Does my mother, does she .. . does she know?" Emilia squeezes out, holding tightly to his hand and resting her chin in his palm, trying to get comfort as much as confirmation of her fears.