Episode 3

...Alexy on....

I walk quickly to find Miriam, the jerk left me all flustered.

Miriam - I was looking for you, I had to go see some things at the bar, there's going to be an important meeting in the private area and the girls here are pretty, but not very experienced.

Alexy - It's okay, I was dancing, can you believe some guy touched me?

Miriam - What do you mean? Who was the bastard?

Alexy - I have no idea, I was dancing and he pressed his body against mine, he ran his fingers over me in a way that left me numb.

Miriam - So you liked it?

She looks at me confused.

Alexy - I don't know for sure, but I called him an idiot and stormed off, but I have to confess, he's tempting.

Miriam - For you to compliment him, he must be something else, just be careful, most of the men here are not very trustworthy.

Alexy - If any of these untrustworthy men come near me, let me know, please, I'm running from trouble.

Miriam - Of course.

We both drank some more.

Miriam - Come on, tell me everything, it's been a while since we've seen each other, how's your life been?

Alexy - You know, in business I was doing very well until now, but that's it, I wasn't very happy, I was never one for many friends and I don't have any family left.

Alexy - I was living to work, Rau died and left some debts, I had to sell everything, luckily the sale of his house and car covered the expenses.

Alexy - I had to sell my grandmother's house too, a large and valuable property here in Italy.

Mirian - Do you need money? If you need it I can...

Alexy - I don't need it, thank you, I'm fine, the sales paid for everything I needed and there was also a good amount left over to keep me going for a while.

Miriam - You changed your whole life to come here, are you sure that's all you came for? I mean, you had an amazing job.

Alexy - I'm looking for a lot of things here in Italy, answers being one of them, but I left there mainly because I felt alone, I think I need to start over, after my nonna (grandmother), Rau and everything I went through, I need to start over.

It's not a lie, but it's far from the truth.

Miriam - You are so beautiful, I can't believe you don't have a boyfriend.

Alexy - I've had one and you know, that jerk is one of the reasons I'm far away from Los Angeles.

I confess.

Miriam - Wow, want to talk about it?

Alexy - Not today.

Miriam - Anyway, I'd like you to stay with us, at our house, at least until you decide what to do.

Alexy - Girl, I can't accept, you're a couple, I'll end up taking away all your privacy, I prefer to stay in a hotel and besides, I'm traveling this week, my grandmother's things are all in a rented storage unit in Saluzzo, I want to see the things I intend to keep and what I'm going to donate, I want to stop paying unnecessary rent.

Miriam - Okay, how long are you planning on staying there?

Alexy - A few days, just enough to get everything organized.

Miriam - Great.

Miriam - I don't intend to stay here much longer, I think in a few months we'll be back in Sicily, I'd love for you to come with us, you might like it and decide to stay, it would be amazing to have you there with me.

Alexy - Not a bad idea, I can spend a few days there and see how it goes.

Miriam hugs me all happy.

Miriam - Let's dance.

Alexy - Let's go.

We danced some more, letting our bodies move to the rhythm of the music.

A very handsome man approaches.

Man - Excuse me, good evening, are you ladies being helped? I'd like to buy you a drink.

Miriam looks at me with a tight smile, I understand that this one is not one of the complicated guys, I wink at her.

Miriam - I am seeing someone, but my friend is not.

Alexy - If you want to buy me a drink I'd love it.

Man - Great, my name is Josue and yours?

Alexy - Alexy.

Josue - Beautiful name, just like you.

Alexy - Thank you.

Miriam - Well, excuse me, I'm going to find my husband.

Miriam leaves and I go with Josue towards the bar.

Josue - What would you like to drink?

Alexy - Spritz.

Josue - Excellent choice.

He orders the drinks.

Josue - I haven't seen you around here.

Alexy - I just arrived in Turin.

Josue - Seriously? And where are you from?

Alexy - I grew up in Saluzzo, but I was living in Los Angeles, I got here today.

Josue - That's amazing, Saluzzo is a very beautiful place, I also like Los Angeles, are you here to stay?

Alexy - In Italy yes, in Turin I don't know yet, do you come here often?

Josue - I started coming here recently, it wasn't a comfortable area of Turin, now it's changed a lot.

Alexy - And are you from here?

Josue - Yes, I'm from here.

Alexy - Why wasn't this area comfortable?

Josue - The area had an owner, let's say a very complicated family, that made the place uninhabitable for good people.

Alexy - I see, and what changed?

Josue - A new family, actually from what I hear, they are the owners of the place, I don't know the person in charge here, but I own the agency that sold the property, we dealt directly with the capo.

My heart races, I know very well what he means by family and capo, he's talking about the mafias, in Italy this is common, especially in these regions, but what scares me is not knowing that the area is run by a family but that the mafia owns the establishment, this, this is impossible.

The club belongs to Renan, Miriam's husband.

Alexy - I think you're mistaken, the club belongs to a friend, actually the girl who was here with me is his wife.

He is surprised.

Josue - Excuse my frankness, but you may not know your friends very well, I don't know who the representatives of the place are, but I can tell you that they are part of the leadership of the new family that runs the city, I heard the owner saying on the day of the transaction that his advisor was going to be in charge.

Josue - They cleaned up the streets, as I said, the place was horrible, a drug den, walking around here was asking to be robbed or worse, as much as I don't like their business, I have to admit that for Turin, it was great, I also profited a lot from this sale.

Josue - And they always make it clear where they're from, what they do and what family they belong to, just ask around.

My heart skips a beat, it couldn't be possible, could it?

Miriam wouldn't get involved with these kind of people, Renan seems like a great guy, of course I noticed that the place is kind of strange, I have no doubt that there are several people like that in here, but now Miriam and Renan?

I refuse to believe they are a part of this.

I take a sip of my drink to try to curb the tension and I realize that I'm more tipsy than usual because of the alcohol.

Josue - You really are surprised, aren't you?

Alexy - Honestly? Yes.

Josue - In that case, can I give you some advice?

Alexy - Of course.

Josue - Stay away from these people as soon as possible, as much as the city is safer, they are not trustworthy people.

I can imagine that.

Josue - The troublemakers are quiet for a good reason, you don't control addicts and homeless people with kindness, this family usually has no mercy on those who cross their path and getting involved with them can be quite dangerous.

I take a deep breath trying to digest all these words.

I'm about to answer when I feel stares in my direction, I look to the side and the big jerk who touched me earlier is walking straight towards us.

Alexy - Merdä.

Josue - Is there a problem?

Alexy - I-I.. I..

Josue glances in the direction I'm looking, when he sees the man, he gets up quickly.

Josue - I have to go, remember what I said and good night.

He leaves without giving me a chance to answer, I'm stunned.

The man sits down where Josue was and stares at me.

Grayson - You're coming with me.

I stare at him for longer than it takes to process his words and burst out laughing.

Alexy - You're not only an idiot, you're crazy, I'm not going anywhere with you.

Grayson - I'm not an idiot, crazy maybe, and definitely very dangerous.

My breath catches in my throat.

Grayson - I don't force women to do anything they don't want to do, but you girl, offended me twice in a very short space of time and that's not going to fly.

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