Chapter 49

-Sebastian-

I sat in the coffee shop where Vanessa told me to meet her. The longer I waited, the angrier I got. I rechecked my phone. Nothing from Bucky and nothing from Jianna. At this point, they've been gone for 24 hours, and I haven't heard anything back. Frustration and fear were bubbling up inside me. I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down.

Just then, Vanessa breezed in, her long brown hair tousled around her shoulders.

She walked towards where I was sitting and flipped her hair as soon as she stopped in front of me.

"I would apologize for my tardiness, but...uh... I don't want to," she said cooly and sat across from me.

I narrowed my eyes and tried to keep my tone neutral. "Have you found them yet?"

"Ok. Straight to business, I guess," she rolled her eyes.

"I don't have time for bullshit Vanessa. Now, have you found them or not?" my composure started to evaporate.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend, I guess." she shrugged. "You're not going to like what I'm going to say, but yeah, I have someone tracking them now. It was difficult. Your boy is really good at what he does."

"What is it?" I asked, fearing for the worst.

"You're not the only one looking for them," she said casually.

She took out a folder out of her bag and handed it to me. I took it, and there were a couple of pictures of men and pictures of Jianna with what looked like an older Italian man. The following photos were of Jianna and a man leaving a restaurant. Jianna looked drastically different in these pictures. Not the simple, naive woman I met those many months ago.

"What the hell are these?" I asked, putting the folder on the table in front of me.

"How well do you know your girl, Cross?" she seemed almost amused.

"Enough," I answered.

"They called her *"Rosso"*" she started. "She's, or she was, the top assassin of the Deluca Mafia. Do you know who they are?"

"Everyone knows who they are. Everyone who matters anyway." I answered curtly.

"Well, it looks like they want their asset back. And they're not really known for their mercy, so I wouldn't want to be in their way while they look for her," she stated as she sipped her coffee. "It seems her memories were erased by the Delucas, and they were going to have her brainwashed to be a more efficient and ruthless killer, but according to my sources, they were never able to get her brainwashed. I'm guessing Bucky was the knight in shining armor who got her out."

I felt my heart drop. Jianna, an assassin? The woman I fell in love with was a part of the mafia? It was difficult to believe. I opened the folder again, looking at the pictures more closely. It was Jianna, but she looked like a different person altogether. Her hair was styled differently, and there was a cold, distant look in her eyes that I had never seen before.

I leaned back in my chair, trying to wrap my head around what Vanessa told me. I had suspected that there was more to Jianna than she had let on, but this was beyond anything I could have imagined. The Deluca Mafia was one of the most powerful criminal organizations in the world. I had heard rumors that they had their fingers in everything from drugs to human trafficking, but I had never had any direct dealings with them. And now, they were after Jianna.

I took a deep breath and looked at Vanessa. "What do you suggest we do?" I said, sounding despondent.

"Well, you have two choices. One, you can give up and let the Deluca Mafia take her back. Or two, we can try to get to her before they do." Vanessa said, her tone serious. "Either way, you'll have to face the most ruthless family this side of the pond. No amount of money can get you out of that one."

I sat there silently, thinking about what Vanessa had said. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. The woman I had fallen in love with was a former mafia assassin. It felt like my world was crashing down around me. But at the same time, I knew I had to act fast. I took a deep breath and looked Vanessa in the eye.

"Who is tracking them? And how do I find them?" I asked, my voice steady despite the turmoil in my mind.

"I have a contact who might be able to help us out," Vanessa said, tapping her fingers on the table. "But it's going to cost us."

I stayed quiet. My blood boiled. I knew Vanessa was going to be difficult, but I didn't realize how much she was going to play games with me.

"Right. Right." Vanessa chuckled.

"Alright. Give me a few hours to make some calls. In the meantime, you need to get your head together and figure out what you're willing to do to save her." she added before standing up, grabbing the folder she initially gave me, and leaving.

"Leave the folder," I demanded.

"I had to kill two people to get that folder," she said, her voice dripping with disdain.

"I said leave it," I repeated firmly, my eyes locking with hers.

Her jaws clenched, and her eyes narrowed. But with an exasperated sigh, she tossed the folder onto the table, inadvertently revealing a few of the pictures inside.

"Fine. But remember, this is information that neither you nor I should have known, so anyone who finds out that you have this will kill you where you stand." she threatened.

"The Delucas do not play games. And they don't keep prisoners."

"I think I can handle myself, but thanks for the warning," I replied sarcastically.

"Damn. Jianna must have beer-flavored nipples or something with having two men willing to die for her." she chuckled, rolled her eyes, and left.

I watched her leave the coffee shop before picking up the folder and taking another look at the pictures. It was hard to reconcile the woman in the images with the Jianna I love. But I knew that I couldn't let my emotions cloud my judgment.

This would have been so much easier if Bucky didn't take her away from me.

I knew I had to act fast. I couldn't just sit around and wait for Vanessa to make her calls. I needed to find Jianna before the Deluca Mafia did. I need to find her before Bucky takes her away from me. I took a deep breath and stood up, determined to take matters into my own hands.

As I walked out of the coffee shop, I heard the sound of footsteps behind me. I turned around to see a man in a black suit following me.

"Can I fucking help you?" I asked, ready for whatever this man would throw at me.

"Mr. Cross?" the man said in a deep voice and a heavy Italian accent.

"Shit!" I thought.

"What do you want?" I asked, eyeing him warily.

"We seem to be looking for the same person, Mr. Cross." he started. He took a cigarette from his suit jacket pocket, placed it on his lips, and took a drag. He blew the smoke at my face and continued. "I think we can help each other here."

I looked at him. "I don't know what you're talking about," I replied, then turned around and started walking.

"Think about it, Mr. Cross. It'll be a damn fucking shame if you find Jianna dead," he said.

I stopped in my tracks, and I heard him chuckle.

He came closer and placed a business card in my pocket. "If you change your mind," he whispered. Then turned around and left.