Chapter 8

Kay. "You are going soft, Ace, and I don't like it one bit," a familiar voice scolds my father harshly. "I'm not soft, okay? I just wanted to be there for her. She needs me, Dad." My father tries to make him understand, but I know his words are probably falling on deaf ears. " Why are Grayson and his men still alive? he should be gone already. You didn't even tell me, I had to find out from Marcello," the voice becomes exaggeratedly louder. "Because I knew what you would have done, Father. It was the wrong time to start a war, and that's what you would have done. " " There is never a wrong or right time for war, Ace, as long as that person messes with my princess," Grandpa argues. "It's a wrong time for me when my daughter needs me. I will always choose her before war, Father." "Don't worry, I'm here to do your job for you; you should have just told me when it happened," he sighs, and finally lowers his voice. Wow! Grandfather has always been so hard on my father. He always expects too much from him, and I hate how he pushes him around. Nothing my dad does is good enough to him. I love my dad so much because he's the best thing in my life and I don't like it when grandpa talks to him. I make my presence known, followed closely by the two guys carrying my shopping bags, and his attention switches from my dad to me instantly. "And there she is, my favourite person," he exclaims with open arms before pulling me in a tight, suffocating hug. " How you grow so fast, I can't explain it. You were just a baby when I last visited." I glance at my father behind Grandpa's back, and he rolls his eyes at how dramatic this old man is. " Last time you saw me, I was nineteen, grandpa, not any near to being a baby," I say, holding him back as tightly. " Well, look at you," he pulls back and looks at me up and down,"you've become a very beautiful young lady. Where is Carlos?" he asks, looking at the two men behind me with raised eyebrows. Why is everyone so interested in Carl? " I have no idea," I say as I take a seat on the same couch my father is sitting on. I make sure grandpa catches the boredom in my tone. " You should see how girls drool over his half-naked pictures on the billboards in Rome. Did you know he models for Calvin Klein?" Theo snickers beside me, and I send him a glare, and he shuts up right away. "That boy got everyone talking except for my granddaughter, of course. He's on every gossip page in the magazines, and every girl seeks his attention." Another Carl's fun. Am I supposed to drool over him because every thirsty girl gawks at him? "How is Grandma?" I quickly change the topic from Carlos before he talks my ears out. "Oh! My girl is sexy as ever. It's been years, but she still has that hot ass. You should visit her soon," Dad groans when he mentions Grandma's ass, and I cringe. That's how grandpa is, blunt, and he loves his wife. Sometimes I feel bad for my dad. I keep telling him to find someone for himself, but he thinks it'll make me uncomfortable. Maybe I should just take matters into my own hands. " Oh, dear, do you still remember how we met?" he asks enthusiastically. I hate his boring corky stories. "Si, papa, you've told me that story countless times, how will I forget? "I say frantically nodding before he starts talking. It was like a bedtime story, and I got sick of it. He dismisses me with a wave of his hand and continues anyway. Please no. " That girl got me hooked from the first sight. You should have seen her. She never gave me a single glance, no matter how much I tried. Kay was hot as fuck." Dad groans and Theo chuckles again. He's only encouraging him. Oh! And I was named after my grandmother. " Dad, please, that's my mother you're talking about," my dad complains to the deaf ears of his father. " I was the hottest man in town, and I could get everything I wanted except for one person. You know what I did?" he looks at me expectantly, waiting for an answer. Of course, I know what he did, but he'll still explain it even if I say yes. So, I shake my head no. "I took her to my house and showed her how amazing I was. The girl couldn't resist these abs," he gestures at his stomach covered with a black buttoned-up shirt. "You should have seen me, you still have my pics, right?" he looks at me and I nod. " Yes, all of them plus grandma's, "I tell him in a bored tone. "See that, Ace," he points at me, looking at my father. "That's why she's my favourite," he says, handing me a box of cookies that have been on the glass table beside his couch. "Your grandma made this for you. She misses you." I look at my favourite delicacies and smile from inside. I miss her too. She's the closest thing I have to a mother, and I love her so much. Too bad they live in another country. Our family is from Italy. My great-grandpa came to America for business, and when he retired, he went back home, handing over to grandpa, and grandpa did the same when dad took over. But my dad said he prefers sticking around so I wouldn't be left alone. We have a couple of businesses there, ranging from hotels, clubs, and real estate. Dad calls them investments after retirement, though the amount of money our family owns is enough to cater for our next hundred generations. That's why my grandfather prefers to live a lavish lifestyle. The only person who doesn't care is me. "And don't worry about the girls lusting over your man, I have been spreading word that the great Carlos Moreno found his bride," he says with so much excitement, as if it's a big achievement. Maybe the old age is getting to him. "Dad, that's why I don't tell you anything, " my dad complains, unamused by his revelation. "You like keeping secrets from everyone, son, and it upsets me." "You know what I mean, Dad, it's not safe." "Shit," Grandpa suddenly whispers as if he just remembered something, "they don't know who she is, though, you worry too much." "Did you bring my gift?" I ask before the fighting goes any further. "Of course, honey, how could I forget? Vincente," he calls one of his boys who is standing stiffly beside him " Bring the package," he instructs, and the Vincente guy disappears into one of the guestrooms and comes back with a long, slim box. It gets me curious Grandpa takes the box from him and opens it to a shining gold double-edged sword. Damn. "Now, my lady, I present to you 'The slayer' " he says dramatically, handing over the sharp blade to me. Wow! It's beautiful, and the words slayer are encrypted on its handle. The blade is made of pure gold, and the thing is damn sharp. No one will survive her deadly, cruel strike. "The blade belonged to my father back in the day," Grandpa starts his narration." He was the most ruthless don ever known, and people called him 'The slayer' because all his victims were ended by that blade," he gestures to the blade in my hands, and I look at it in admiration. Such a bad bitch. " It was one of his most prized possessions, and instead of guns or other weapons, he only specialised in that. He named it after his nickname, slayer, and when he died, I kept it safe until I remembered my best person," he wiggles his eyebrows at me, grinning widely. Yep, old age is catching up with him. "Now, my dear, since you're going to be the queen of both American and Italian families, I want you to have it," he says with so much pride. "I will train you on how to use it starting tomorrow," he sadly sighs, and I wonder why. " You have to promise me, honey, that the first person you are using that blade on is Grayson. I understand this is your fight, but you have to make it quick before I lose my patience, okay?" he asks in a gentle voice. I smirk, lightly tracing the sharp edge of the blade with my index finger. " You have my word, grandfather, I will make you proud," I say softly as I imagine the look on Grayson's face when I finally end his shit with this. "See ?" Grandpa chirps, grinning at my dad. "That's what I'm talking about, she's just like me, and I knew she was the right person to own that blade." My father shakes his head, but smiles at me anyway. " Thank you, grandpa, I love your gift. Now, if you excuse me, I have something to do. " I get up with my new bitch securely held in my hand. "Don't worry, honey, your old man is here whenever you need me. Let Carlos know I want to see him." "Come on," I tell Theo as I head to my room. It's time to put our little mission into action. He follows me, carrying the bags with him. " Did you see how he eyed that sword? " Theo whispers for only my ears. "No, I didn't." My attention was solely on the blade that I didn't notice people around me. A little distraction can cost you. "His eyes were all over it. Suspicious if you ask me." "Princess, you forgot this." We turn around to see Thomas holding the box of cookies that Grandpa brought me. I take them from him without saying anything, and we proceed to my room. "We need to plant the bugs sooner, Theo, and I don't want my dad to know about this yet," I whisper. I don't want to stress him again. I want him to be happy and not worry about me and my problems. "Yeah, I will go bring what's needed, meanwhile keep an eye on him, and be careful," he says, placing the bags on my bed. " Okay, don't take long and keep this between us, remember, don't even mention it to your boyfriend, "I warn, and he nods. Theo leaves the room, and I take the bags to my closet so I can unpack later. I get back to the room and eagerly open the box of cookies. I'm ready to munch on goodies until a note on the top stops me. 'You know why I love black roses? No. Because they're beautiful yet dark and deadly. Just like you, princess. Enjoy your cookies.'