Taming a Dark Heart - Ch. 4 - Keeping a Promise (Pt 2)

***To the people who commented on Ch 4 (pt1) you’ve really made me smile :) To Lilly, I do appreciate your criticism. I did notice that I had made a mistake with Gabriele’s surname twice in Ch 3. But it was published before I could fix it-sorry! I’m very sorry for my mistakes in Ch3, please forgive me!?

A quick recap for others who may be confused like Lilly: It’s Kara Rossi (about 22 years old) and Gabriele Lombardi(not the other name I used :S) (around 25 years old)
As for Danny(about 19-21 years old), you will see a him stronger in this chapter but he is playing more of a role later-trust me :)

I’m sorry if the story seems a bit ambiguous right now but it does fall somewhere between a dark mystery and romance and I don’t want to give away everything too quickly ;) For those that have been waiting for some romance and more action, read on...

Oh and I hope the quick time-warp in this chapter isn’t too confusing!

Hope you enjoy!***

(I want you guys to imagine what the characters look like but I see Danny something like that )

Part 2:

I took every back road I could find. I was way over the speed limit and needed to avoid the cops at any cost. I didn’t need to be delayed in any way now…

We stopped at the warehouse that I knew Trey’s gang operated from. The sun was setting and it was getting pretty cold. I pulled my gun out and signaled for James to go ahead. I wanted Danny to come with me. I knew he was good with a gun and had a feeling the kid would actually help.

I took a deep breath and snuck in with a gun in hand.

****************
…Kara’s point of view…

I was so disorientated when I woke up. The back of my head hurt and it took awhile for my eyes to focus. When they did I realized I was in a dark room. I couldn’t even see my hand in front of my face. Not that I could lift a hand because they were tied up along with my mouth. I tried screaming but it just came out as a muffled "hmmmmmpppphhhhh!!"

My muffle must have brought someone to attention because suddenly a light went on. I looked up and there were three big guys looking at me like they hadn’t eaten in days. They just looked at me and had a smirk on their faces. Two of them had teeth missing and their teeth were very yellow.

They started to approach me and I felt tears start to form in my eyes when I realised their intentions. I couldn’t believe it was gona happen like that. I had always imagined it with someone I loved and who loved me back. And here these brutes were going to take my purity.

I scrambled back as best I could being tied up but eventually bumped against a wall.

They snickered and I vaguely heard them talking about having their fun with this princess. And how this would be revenge for Trey, and how they would be happy to deflower the Godfathers granddaughter..... What were they talking about?

The one in the middle seemed more confident than the other two and stepped forward ripping off the tape on my mouth. It was so sore but I refused to scream, I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of that.

He then pulled my chin toward his face which was just inches from his. He smelt like tobacco and alcohol and some other fragrance I didn’t know. He had these dark eyes and nothing but abyss in them. He crushed his lips against mine and I yelped trying to keep my lips sealed

…Gabriele point of view…

I was creeping along the ventilation tunnel listening to any sounds. I was following the sound to try and locate her. Danny was behind me and eventually we reached an opening in the vents. It had taken us to a couple metres away from Kara. I felt my blood boil when I saw one of Trey’s brutes taking advantage of her. Kara didn’t know it but I had made a promise to make sure she was safe…

************

...5 months earlier...

Gabriele leant against the bed of the old man waiting for him to talk
"Gabriele, my boy, you have been like a grandson to me," a deep cough interrupted him and Gabriele knew that this would be the last time he would talk to Mr Rossi like that. Gabriele held his hand and felt his heart tighten as he watched his Godfather battle to talk his last words.
"Boy, please keep Kara safe. She doesn’t even know me but she will be in grave danger when I’m gone. People will be after my empire and finances and you…", another cough and he breathed deeply.
"Please, please continue. And I what... I, I promise to do anything you ask?" Gabriele felt desperate as he tried to understand the dying mans wish.
‘…you know she’s the last Rossi still alive. Take care of her, Please Gabriele…I know you can do it…", and then Gabriele felt his hand go limp.
Gabriele cried that night. He cried for his lost mentor. The man who had helped him through so much.

Gabriele’s father and Mr Rossi had been best friends and both two of the area’s biggest mob bosses. When Gabriele’s father had passed on Gabriele had been forced to take over his dad’s empire and Mr Rossi had supported him through it all.

Now he knew that he had to find this girl-Kara. This girl that didn’t even know what her surname carried for her. He would keep his promise in memory of Mr Rossi

****************
…back to present day and Gabriele’s point of view…

I would never forget Mr Rossi and the promise I had made to him. But I knew that there was something else stirring me on too... I knew that I needed to keep her safe at any cost.

I kicked the vent out and Danny and I jumped through, right into the middle of the scene. We both had guns in each hand and I knew that our four guns had a chance against these three guys.

"Get your hands off her now…I’m warning you", I growled at them
"Or what?" the brute sneered.
Then Kara screamed when he spun around and fired shots at both Danny and I. We quickly rolled in separate directions taking cover behind metal crates.
Damn it! I had to be careful to not hurt her. Otherwise I could have just shot the three of them.
Anyway, where the hell was James…?

…Kara’s point of view…

Oh No, I’m way too young to die. Why were these men after me? What did I have that they wanted? I felt so helpless in the constraints.

Gabriele kicked his gun out and stood up with his hands in the air. He wasn’t going to leave me was he?

"Ok, how about we make a deal. Let her go and then Danny and I won’t kill you guys?"
The man laughed at Gabriele’s suggestion, "what makes you think we should be scared of you? Its two to three and we have the girl. I suggest you just step down and accept dat…"
As he said his last words I heard two shots go off when I saw the two other men drop to floor covered in their own blood.
I started screaming when I saw them and all in one swift move the last guy lifted me up and put the gun to my head facing Danny.
He had obviously moved behind everyone during Gabriele’s negotiation and taken aim.
Now the brute had me pinned with his gun and Gabriele and Danny on opposite ends aiming their guns our way.
"Listen, let go of her now and you may just live…", Gabriele threatened and I saw a vein showing on his head from his emotion.
"I suggest you listen to him man unless you want all ya brains on the floor like your friends", Danny had more in him than I had imagined.

And then all in one swift move the brute pushed me aside and took out a second gun shooting at both men.

I covered my head and heard so many shots go off I couldn’t count. I couldn’t stop screaming out of fear even though I’m not normally that kind of girl.

And then it was all quiet. I even heard the bullet casings fall to the floor. I was too scared to turn around.

Then a moment later I felt someone run to me and pull me around. I felt so relieved when I saw those green eyes. I jumped into his arms and just held on tight for that short while. I didn’t even know him well but I just felt so scared that I needed to feel safe again. He pulled away from me and untied my legs and hands.

I looked behind Gabriele and let go immediately when I saw that Danny had been shot. I think Danny saw my concern because he looked at me with his hand on his leg, "Don’t worry I’m fine" and he tried to smile but I saw he was in pain.

We went over to help him up
"Good job kid, ya not so bad after all", Gabriele tapped his shoulder not too hard to hurt him.
I think Gabriele had just made Danny’s day because he smiled so much after that.

Then suddenly James came running in.
"Where the hell have you been James?" I could see Gabriele was really angry. But before James could even answer Gabriele spoke again.
"Make sure you get all this cleaned up…now…", he practically growled and James nodded as we walked past him.

*******************************
A couple of hours later after we had had supper I was sitting in the lounge in the villa watching TV. Sleeping Beauty was on. I have this thing for Disney movies and I love to imagine I am one of those princesses. Right now I wished I was her.

I was trying to take me mind off what had happened earlier. I needed Gabriele to tell me what was going on. Why was I involved in a situation where people were being killed and me with a gun to my head?

Just as I was about to get up he walked in.
"How are you, how's your head?"- He really did seem concerned seemed unusual because he had been closed off from the day we had met.
"How do you think I am…?"- I didn’t mean to be rude but I didn’t like the position I was in.
He didn’t answer my question and instead sat down next to me.
"By the way, I’m sure you wanted to know that Danny is gona be ok. His leg will be fine but he’ll be on crutches for awhile"
"ok good"- I was stunned at how my reply came out as a whisper.
"I suppose you need to know what happened today right?"
I looked at him and didn’t even answer. I just hugged the blanket on my lap and waited for him to talk….

********************
…Gabriele’s point of view…

After I had explained about the promise I had made to her late Grandfather, she looked stunned. I totally understood. She had just found out that she was in danger and that she was the Granddaughter of a mob boss. The bandage tied around her head was evidence of that.

She just looked at me with those big brown eyes and eventually spoke," What’s gona happen to me, am I gonna die?"
She looked so scared as she sat there with her knees to her chin and hugging that blanket. I couldn’t give her false hope and say that she would always be fine?
I just looked into her eyes and slowly leaned into her. She didn’t lean back or forward and I could feel her breath on my face. She smelled like lavender. I really liked it. It didn’t feel like I was in control of myself. I mean, I’m Gabriele Lombardi, one of the toughest mob bosses around. Why did this girl have this control over me? No other girl had done that to me?

I gently touched my lips to hers and felt the trembling of her lips stop. I don’t know what this girl had done to me but I just wanted to make her feel better. Kissing her felt so good. We weren’t even touching each other otherwise but it still felt so good.

I didn’t want to stop kissing her so I pulled her a bit closer to me to deepen the kiss. Her lips were so soft. I gently pushed my tongue between her lips and I heard her softly sigh as she kissed me back. She dropped the blanket and put her arms around my neck.

I heard music on the TV playing just as I realized that I was falling for her and it scared me.

As she responded to me I forgot for that short time just how much danger the two of us combined could mean.

**************
I know you
I walked with you once upon a dream.
I know you
The gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam
Yes, I know it's true
that visions are seldom all they seem
But if I know you, I know what you'll do
You'll love me at once
the way you did once upon a dream
***************
****Tessa, Heddi, Ash, Britany, Meg, Caitlynne and Tay Tay - you guys are so sweet. You motivated me to complete this one :)
And to Fatima Good-luck for those exams!****