alpha-hero

Hello, darling,_ Alessandro smiled at her. Oh, that smile. Bree wanted to close her eyes, press her hands against her eyes and keep them shut forever so she wouldn__ see that smile. She must have had the question on her face, the knowledge on her face because as she looked at him now, something flickered in his eyes. Guilt. Oh God. __ommy, look. I make good bouncies. See?_ Will said, dribbling the ball. __ gonna be a basset ball player when I gwoed up._ The little boy__ voice sounded far away as Bree narrowed in on Alessandro and the look in his eyes. __rian. I want you and Vanessa to take Will and Gianni out for a little while._ __h but we__e having a good time out here, aren__ we Gianni?_ Alessandro asked, tickling Gianni who squealed and curled inward. __ow,_ Bree said, her voice tight. Will stopped bouncing the ball and held it against his chest looking at both of them, picking up on the angry tension that suddenly covered them all. __h oh. I tink mommy__ mad._ ____ not leaving you alone in your condition, Bree. Alessandro, we just came from the hospital. Colin__ awake,_ Brian informed him, his voice tight with anger. __ou spoke to Colin?_ Alessandro asked, meeting Bree__ eyes. __ did. And Carrie._ He looks like a cornered animal. And what do Dardanos do when they__e cornered? They lie. They cheat. Oh God. __ine, then can you just take the boys upstairs?_ Bree said, speaking to Brian, but not moving her gaze from her husband. __ome on, guys. Let__ go play upstairs for a while,_ Vanessa said walking past Bree and taking Gianni from Alessandro__ lap.

The pain of it was crippling him. He couldn__ breathe. Be a man! Be a Dardano. Alessandro felt the protective wall shoot up around his heart in one quick instant. Dardanos weren__ weak and stupid like he had been. Dardanos didn__ let their emotions blind them. Love was for fools. Love made men stupid. But oh, she would never make him stupid again. Oh, how Alessandro would make his darling wife pay.

Come see my mommy, Becky!_ Will said and Bree stopped in her tracks. __h hell no!_ she exclaimed staring at __ecky_. Rebecca, the bane of Bree__ existence. The blonde woman smiled mockingly at Bree. __ow ya doing?_ __hat?_ Bree asked but the question was directed at her brother and not the skank in front of her. __o how was Paris?_ Rebecca asked moving right past Bree to practically press her body against Alessandro. __eriously, what?_ Bree demanded, glaring at Brian. "Hey, Alessandro. Great to see you again." __top talking. Stop talking now before I ram your botoxed head through this table!_ Bree hissed lunging at her. Brian grabbed her quickly and held her back. __orry. Bree__ a little bit touchy about that whole Vegas thing I guess. But hey, looks like it all worked for the best, huh?_ Rebecca winked at Alessandro

That girl didn__ have a moment__ peace from the day Adriano Dardano set foot in Galway and started chasing her._ Sister Brannigan said, as she led them around the convent garden. __ice of Francesca to stay still for him to catch her then wasn__ it?_ Alessandro remarked dryly. __mph,_ the nun responded. __y grandfather loved Francesca,_ Alessandro insisted. __ar be it from me to speak ill of the dead. But let__ call a spade a spade, hmm? Your grandfather was a charmer. Now perhaps he didn__ realize just how naïve our Francesca was and how besotted with him she was._ __mm, very generous of you,_ Alessandro grumbled. __ will say that on the times he brought some food he had made with Francesca up to the convent, it was clear he had a wonderful talent in the kitchen. Now mind ye, the Italian food was a bit rich for my taste but still, rather good._ ____ sure my grandfather__ resting easier in his grave now that the holy sister has complimented his cooking,_ Alessandro whispered in Bree__ ear making, her laugh out loud and Sister Brannigan turn to her in question.

Colin. Just the name made Alessandro__ gut burn. He knew the man wanted his wife, even if Brianna was too blind to see it. The moron had been cuckolded by the paragon of supposed virtue, his wife Carrie and now he had finally opened his eyes and seen what Alessandro had known all along. Brianna put every other woman in New York to shame. No woman could come near her beauty, her passion, her fire. Colin had tossed her aside for the angelic Carrie and now he was changing his mind. Oh no you don__, you miserable fucker. __er friend indeed,_ Bernardo drawled, his Italian accent thick with unmistakable implication. __at__ da truth. He no make her cry all da time._ That was directed at Alessandro, with small dark accusatory eyes. __e nice._ Alessandro couldn__ look at those eyes without feeling a sickening pang of guilt. She__ mine! He wanted to scream. Mine! Mine! Mine! __h yes. Very nice. He was very nice when he held her at the cemetery and very nice when he was dancing with her at Adresca._ That made Alessandro__ head lift in surprise. __h yes, my boy. She__ been there, cleaning up the rubble and word is that she__ working on re-opening it. Her friend Colin has been quite helpful in that endeavour._ __ don_ like how you say dat,_ Will said scowling. __eally young William, I only speak the truth,_ Bernardo taunted. Alessandro__ mind was racing. NO! Not Colin. He could not let that imbecile take Brianna away from him. He__ have to be eliminated somehow. Alessandro began to plot all the different ways he could ensure that Colin Neally stayed away from his wife, permanently. They all involved grisly, violent methods. He could not be allowed to win Brianna.

trailed off as her attention moved from Will taking his juice from the bartender to the glass behind the bartender. There were red dots on the glass. Alessandro brushed her shoulder again and Bree followed a row of red dots from the glass mirror to the wall. Some of the red dots danced over the guests and as an icy cloak of understanding fell over Bree, it seemed to grip Alessandro as well. Then she turned to face him and there were red dots on his chest, as well as her shoulder, which he had been brushing, thinking it was a speck of dust. __ET DOWN!_ he screamed to everyone grabbing Bree by the waist and throwing her down while and trying to be heard over the music. Chaos erupted as gunfire drowned out the sound of music and people fell screaming on top of each other as pieces of the wall and glass from the doors and the mirrors rained down on them. The gunfire raged on and on for what seemed like an eternity. Then there was silence.

You have that look on your face,_ Alessandro said, smiling as he tucked a damp lock of her blonde hair behind her ear. __hat look?_ Bree asked, resting a hand on his flushed chest, propping herself up on one elbow. She could feel the racingheart beneath. __he look of a woman who__ been rather well fucked, darling,_ he grinned smugly. She punched his chest lightly. __go much?_ __ see nothing wrong with taking pride in a job well done,_ he pointed out. __h of course,_ Bree said, laughing and dropped her head on his chest.

Not_ Bree struggled for the right words. __ll my life, I__e just wanted someone to put me first. I thought Alessandro was that man. But even after everything Bernardo has done, I mean, Arturo wouldn__ have ever shot Alessandro if Bernardo hadn__ raised him to be a monster, even knowing that, Alessandro refuses to cut his ties with his father. So_yeah, I guess I do blame Alessandro for getting shot. God, that sounds so horrible._ Bree covered her face with her hands again.

Yeah, well, he__ having a hard time dealing, you know?_ Bree asked uneasily. __hat__ understandable. How are you coping?_ he asked, reaching out and touching her arm. Gianni shifted in her arms and looked down at Colin__ hand. __t__ taking some getting used to. Let__ just say it__ a bit of a relief to take a break for a little while. I__ more worried about the kids though and this is affecting them so I__ hoping to get in to see Dr. Graham. She was a big help to Will a while back._ __h, yeah. I hear great things about her. You know she doesn__ just work with kids, right?_ Bree narrowed her eyes but smiled in amusement. __s that a hint?_ __ot a very subtle one, I know. Hey Gianni, how you doing, huh? Wow, you__e sure getting big,_ Colin remarked. __e sure is. He__ almost standing all by himself now, aren__ you, Gianni? You wanna show Colin?_ Bree asked. __ooo,_ Gianni insisted, burying his face in Bree__ neck. __h, speaking of Mr. Cranky Pants, huh? He didn__ get a lot of sleep last night._ Gianni lifted his head and then looked down, and it was then that Bree noticed Colin still had his hand on her arm. __at,_ Gianni said. Bree cleared her throat and took a step back, not wanting to make the movement seem like she was uncomfortable with Colin touching her.

What I want you to understand is that when I heard your words, it was as if every single second we had spent together up to that point was a lie. Every word, every touch, every kiss. You were looking at me, but you wanted him. I was this_thing to be endured to keep your family safe. You would allow me to touch you, to make love to you all the while wishing for Colin. I thought all that passion we had between us was a complete figment of my imagination and it was a bitter pill to swallow. I hated you. Worse than I__ ever hated anyone in my life. I was determined to make you pay. I__ keep you shackled to me forever as punishment. Keep you away from your true love._ Bree stared at him, unable to fathom such cruelty. Who was this man she loved that was capable of such a thing? __nd then?_ He took a deep shaky breath and leaned against the edge of the desk, crossing his arms over his chest. __hen I spent all my energy trying to prove to myself by looking at you that you were lying to me, to justify what I was doing by picking up little gestures or flickers in your eyes that would prove to me that you felt nothing for me._ Bree rolled her eyes and gave a tearful snort. __nd did you, after how hard I fought for you, did you get what you wanted? Did you prove to yourself what a lying bitch I am?_ __o. Of course not. So I started to doubt what I heard._ __fter living with Bernardo for all your life it had just occurred to you that he just may have tampered with the fucking thing?_ Bree bit out, furiously.

Rebecca glared at her. __ongratulations. You just cost me a million dollar account._ Brianna crossed her arms over her chest. __h don't worry. I'm sure with your talents you could earn another mil in no time. I'll tell them to clear a street corner for you._ Rebecca lunged for her and Alessandro stepped between the two women. __rianna, come on,_ he said guiding his wife away from the table. __hat? I'm not a child. I can handle her._ __'m sure you can._ He informed the waiter they would be taking their bottle of sparkling cider home. __ut you're letting your emotions get away with you. Your brother is a grown man and can handle himself._ Brianna blew a raspberry at him. __h yes, quite mature. Let's go home._ He guided her towards the entrance.

I__ insatiable? I am?_ Alessandro asked cocking an eyebrow as he ran his warm hands along the satin material covering her body. __lessandro. You__e alive. I can touch you, look into your eyes and hear your arrogant English voice. We__e gonna spend the rest of our lives together, that__ plenty romantic for me._ Bree pressed her mouth against him. He tasted of coffee and peppermint. He nibbled slightly on her lower lip before pulling away. __arling, that sounds lovely, but my wedding night fantasy was more along the lines of fucking you into the mattress._ Bree smacked his shoulder. __atience, Dardano. Tonight we take things slow, the mattress fucking will come in time. Now, get on your back and let me put my hands on you and assure myself that you__e real._ Alessandro sighed but did as she ordered. __ow if you feel anything-_ __ certainly hope so or we have a very big problem,_ Alessandro joked. She smacked his chest. __f you feel any pain you let me know and we__l stop._ __ays the woman who__ smacked me twice in the past five minutes,_ Alessandro said, but his eyes were shining with amusement.

Alessandro_we should go down-_ __h I agree._ He smiled, mischievous brown eyes lifting to hers. __ownstairs,_ she corrected. __ like my meaning better,_ and with that he went down on his knees. __o!_ Bree hissed even as her body was screaming YES! __top arguing with me, darling.

Darling!_ Alessandro exclaimed with a cold sneer as a police guard led him into a holding cell. __hat are you doing here? Did you come to tell me that the crazy fog has lifted and you__e ready to resume your place by my side?_ __ot in this lifetime. That nut house is not my home, and you really are crazy if you think I__ going anywhere with you._ Alessandro__ eyes flickered dangerously. __areful, sweetheart. You are still my wife. Let__ not forget that, eh?_ Bree shook her head. __ou are unbelievable. Do you feel any remorse at all for what you did?_ Alessandro clenched his jaw. __ believe I expressed my remorse quite thoroughly if you recall. I begged you to forgive me and I beg for nothing, Brianna. I laid myself bare and pleaded for you to understand but all you had for me were hateful words._ __h, was I supposed to believe that little performance?_ Bree snapped, forcing herself to block out the image of his hands cupping her face, his tears mingling with her own. __t__ hard to know because I believed you when you looked me in the eye and told me you had nothing to do with what happened to Colin.

If he couldn__ appreciate the passion and beauty in you than that__ his shame, not yours._--Ciaran Ross, Killer Curves

Well, no, Sister Brannigan was the one putting her name on the checks to the cemetery. Someone else was making the deposits into her personal account._ __ut now that she__ gone?_ __ suppose the Neapolitan benefactor will have to find someone else if he wants to remain anonymous._ Bree snorted, __or a second I thought maybe it might be Bernardo._ __ell, why not? I mean, a little bank fraud isn__ likely to keep my father up at night,_ Alessandro said. __ut he__ in New York,_ Bree reminded him. __eography, darling?_ Alessandro asked amused. __ou say that with such pride it scares me,_ Bree said rolling her eyes. __ love you too,_ Alessandro smiled. __ut no. If he was, why let us go off on this whole journey?_ __t__ Bernardo. If there__ something I__e learned about your father it__ that the rules of logic don__ apply to him. Or any other kind of rules,_ Bree added, __aybe this is all some kind of big elaborate plan and we__e gonna go home and find out he__ been keeping Francesca and Adriano frozen in his basement in one of those sci-fi freezers that they say you can buy and use to come back to life in a hundred years._ Alessandro shook his head at her, not impressed with her sense of humour.

What do you think you__e doing?_ She snapped, watching Alessandro pull back the covers and pull his legs in under the blankets. ____ going to sleep, darling. I don__ think any amorous advances would be welcome tonight seeing as you__e in a bit of a snit, so __ight, darling._ __et out of this bed, right now or so help me, I will do something to you that will severely compromise your ability to father any more children._ __h, so you admit that there will be more children for us?_ He gave her a small smile. Bree came up on her elbows and narrowed her eyes. __lessandro, go back to your coffee table._ __o._ __hat do you mean, no? I__ furious with you. I don__ want to sleep with you, now get out,_ __et me put it another way, Sunshine,_ he reached over and tapped her nose playfully. __ot bloody hardly. I am paying for this room and that includes this bed._ __ine. Then I__l go somewhere else,_ Bree said, kicking the blanket off of her. Alessandro reached out a long leg and hooked it around one of hers, trapping her. __f you don__ want me to tie you to this bed, you__l stay where you are. And you know how much I__ enjoy that.

A loud clang of what sounded like a tray hitting the marble kitchen floor made Bree jump and Gianni go wide eyed with apparent terror. He covered his ears and shook his head. __ang! Bang! Bang!_ He fell over and covered his head. Bree rushed over to him as he began shrieking fearfully. __aaammaaaaaa!_ __s okay, Gianni. Just a ting falled down,_ Will said patting Gianni__ back but Bree noticed her little boy__ hand was shaking. __t__ okay, sweetie. Mommy__ here. That__ okay,_ she crouched down and gathered Gianni into her arms. __ang! Mama. It bang!_ he wailed into her shoulder, trembling in her arms. __t was just a loud noise. Cook just dropped something, probably a whole big plate of yucky beets. Isn__ that funny?_ she said, forcing a laugh. Jesus Christ, how much more violence would her children be forced to endure? Again, Bree felt selfish for bringing her innocent babies into the Dardano world. Gianni looked up at her, picking up on her tone he gave a small watery smile. __cky ee __ucky yucky beets,_ Bree repeated bouncing him lightly as her heart returned to its normal rhythm in her chest. Gianni giggled and shuddered against her as the last remnants of his fear dissipated. Bree looked over at Will. __ou okay, sweetie?_ Will blinked and looked over at her, wide eyed and his lower lip quivered, but he set his chin like she knew he__ watched Alessandro do and nodded. __ bwave. I nod scared._ Bree smiled at him and kissed his cheek as she ran her fingers through his hair. __ow. That is pretty brave. I know I wasscared when I first heard the noise._ __eally?_ Will asked hesitantly. __efinitely,_ Bree nodded. Gianni echoed the gesture. __ell, dat__ diffen. You__ a girl._ __h, is that so?_ Bree asked setting Gianni on the blanket next to her. __o you think __ause mommy__ a girl she__ a fraidy cat. Huh? Huh?_ she asked poking him. Will curled in on himself and giggled as he tried to avoid her fingers.