𝐃𝐄𝐕𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍│18+

Chapter 07

"Welcome to café pearls, what would you like today?" I say struggling with the coffee machine.

Finally getting it right I turn around. I slip my hand under the register as a reflex. The cool metal of a gun sits securely in my hand.

My mind goes blank when he smirks at me. I let my eyes fall over his attire, business casual I'd day. Dress pants and a dress shirt. Handsome as usual.

What the hell?

"Hi," I say nonchalantly, he's stalking me so I don't have to be polite.

"Ciao, a chocolate cookie, and a black coffee. Please" he says flatly, I clear my throat.

Please.

"just a minute," I say starting the machine and taking the cookie out of the batch.

Obviously, this job is just a cover-up. Amir's grandma is the manager of this café but I'm the owner. She's oblivious to what goes on in her presence. It's better that way, she has protection. People don't even know who we are.

Win, win I'd say.

"is that all?" I ask.

"yes, Per ora," he says staring into my soul, I look at him warily.

Does he know?

No, I'd be dead by now if he did. He walks away with his things, sitting down in the corner of the café.

Great.

"Welcome to café pearls, what would you like today?" I turn to the next customer.

Thankfully my shift goes by smoothly, Adam came and dropped Alexandria off because he and Rafael had a date scheduled.

Casting a glance at the table that is still occupied five hours later, I watch the thirty-second woman leave with a scowl on her face.

The man didn't get a break.

Alexandria walks and stumbles out of the backroom rubbing her eyes tiredly.

"Could I have a cinnamon bun and a hot chocolate as well?" Alessandro's deep voice smoothly rings out in the air.

She looks at me and her lip starts trembling, someone is still tired and hungry.

"Mama!" I groan picking her up. I manage to get a plate and place the cinnamon bun on it. Filling the cup I place it down on the tray as well. Whipping cream and a few sprinkles of cinnamon. I grab the container with her juice and pancakes as well.

Dria is drooling on my shoulder as I walk over to his table and place the tray down. "anything else?" I breathe out knowing all hell will break loose if she doesn't get her food.

"yes"

Dear God.

"take a seat" he mumbles in a command and I blink.

"What?"

"care to join me? The cinnamon roll and the hot chocolate are yours. You don't strike me as the coffee type of woman" he says nodding against the chair.

I cast him a glance before sitting us down. I open the container with her pancakes.

Then she starts crying again.

"Mommy is tired alright, be quiet" I rock her. She turns her head getting the jelly on my lap, I just want to bang my head against the table and call it a day.

I look up seeing Alessandro's gaze trained on us instead of the computer. Alexandria starts screaming louder and I wince.

Oh hell no.

"Here take her" I lift her over the table and he looks at me like I've grown three heads.

"you want me to?" he trails off.

"yes, please," I say and he looks at me like I'm crazy but grabs her either way.

"hey piccolina" he whispers and she trashes against him.

"no!"

"worth a try" I mumble reaching out for her.

"you're hungry aren't you?" he reaches for the fork and she goes quiet staring at him with her big brown eyes.

She nods opening her mouth.

"yes, I know a hungry girl when I see one," he says as softly as a husky voice like his can. I stare at them in disbelief.

He lets her have the spoon and she starts eating by herself while she sits in his lap. Alexandria is a calm child but when she's hungry, even I'm scared and I own a gang.

"see Cara, no need for all that crying" he looks at her blankly, still his eyes aren't as cold.

"sorry" she smiles.

I never really saw him as anything apart from the cruel monster who made my parents suffer. Well, the driver who ran over my parents, then shot them worked for him.

Luckily she drinks her juice and eats up everything, the angry Alexandria is only a memory.

"what's your name?" he asks her.

"Alexandria" she beams.

"yeah," I say softly.

"she has a pretty smile, just like her mamma," he says.

"I do" she nods.

"she does, you're Italian?" I ask and his gaze snaps to me.

Something shifted in his eyes and the softness is gone. Replaced with something intimidating and he looks to be on alert.

Just as I think he's going to answer me. He rolls his eyes ignoring me and turns his gaze back to Alexandra.

Well then.

"you have a very thick accent, that's all," I say with the same tone and he visibly relaxes.

"Born and raised," he says.

"talk to me in Italian" I smirk.

"Non guardarmi così, non sapresti come gestire l'avere qualcuno come me nella tua vita. Bella " he says.

(Don't look at me like that, you wouldn't know how to handle having someone like me in your life. Beautiful)

"I know Bella means beautiful," I say.

"yes, Bella means beautiful," he says and I laugh when Alex grips his finger before looking up at him giggling.

"I am bella" she points it to herself.

"Sì, lo sei"

"the rest of it then?" I ask.

"That's nothing for you to worry about," he says.

We continue talking until Alex falls asleep, well I talk, and rolls his eyes. Listening either way and I even caught his lips tilting upwards one time.

When I check my watch, it was three hours since I should've closed.