The Virgin Mafia

TVM05

Gianni almost collapsed on the bed hearing what Francois just announced to him. Because Gianni can't move properly, he just holds his chest when he starts to breathe abnormally.

Francois cuts the call as he sees Gianni struggling from breathing. Pulling him closer to his chest, he started to pat Gianni's back until he felt Gianni's tears wetting his t-shirt. Gianni is crying silently and subconsciously hugging Francois's waist. Francois leans his jaw tilting it side by side softly to Gianni's head, gently caressing his hair thinking it will comfort Gianni. Gianni's shoulders are shaking and Francois hugged him tight when he started to sob.

Francois doesn't know how long they stayed like that until Francois feels Gianni's hands loosen on his waist and when he checks him, Gianni already falls asleep, tired from crying. He gently laid Gianni's body on the bed and wiped the tears from his cheeks, covered him with the duvet, and ran his fingers on Gianni's hair. He then opens the lampshades and adjusts the air conditioner. He stared at him for the last time

Francois quickly storms out of the bedroom and dialed his friends. After a few talks, he dialed an important person.

"Don't let someone know."

Francois cut the call and went back to his bedroom and gazed at Gianni sleeping peacefully. He then sits on the couch inside his room, planning for something until he falls asleep.

Gianni woke up early in the morning. His eyes are looking for the wall clock, it's three in the morning. He looks around and remembers he is in Francois's house and when he recalls what happened to his auntie, he wanted to cry again. He wanted to panic but before he did, the door wide opened, Francois, got into the room, approaching him.

"F-Francois, can I see Auntie Sue?"

"Mn."

Francois carries him to the bathroom and helps him freshen up himself and change into new clothes. He never gets tired, carrying him down to the couch in the living room.

"Where is my bag?" Gianni asked while looking around.

Francois gave him a leather Louis Vuitton backpack and when he checked inside, all his things were there except for the lunch box.

"Ready?" Francois asked, smiling a little from the corner of his lips.

Gianni just nods, wondering. He doesn't know until when Francois will get tired from carrying him here and there. It's not the right time to protest, he thought. Gianni needs to know why his Auntie Sue passed away suddenly. He thinks Francois finds it out and knows the reason already. He is just waiting for him to open up voluntarily but it seems Francois has no plan to tell him.

"Francois, may I know why my Auntie died?"

"Triad. She was attacked by a Chinese mobster," he said.

"W-what? Why?" Gianni's brows furrowed, asking in a high tone.

"I don't know yet." He answered as if he was frustrated.

Francois starts the engine and focuses on driving silently heading directly to the Police Station where the report was made. Gianni finds out that his Auntie Sue was a victim of random members of gangsters that are money-milking innocent people. The report says his Auntie Sue defended herself when she fought back protecting the counter and one of the gang men slashed a knife on her neck.

Gianni almost fainted hearing the brutal and cruel death of the person who took care of him. He never even gave his first salary, he has a lot of plans for his Auntie Sue.

Francois helped Gianni to settle everything for the whole week. Gianni is mourning and can't eat well because of the shock.

Days passed and Gianni's leg is still not recovering because of a lack of exercise. Since Auntie Sue died, Gianni didn't come out of the room. Sometimes, Francois finds him just sitting in the corner of the room crying on his knees.

Francois thought of something to divert Gianni's attention. He brings home a walking aid yet Gianni is not excited to walk at all. Gianni truly blames himself for not going home that night and worst, he secretly blames Francois and he is starting to doubt the man. He has the feeling that Francois is involved in the incident as to why his Auntie Sue died. But he can't voice it out now. Someday, he will find it out. Now that he has no work, he needs Francois.

Gianni thought Francois was being good to him, taking care of him, and doing everything because Francois is guilty about his Auntie Sue's death.

Time flies and a month later, Gianni starts to gain his energy. Francois spends time and effort taking care of him day and night and he is truly happy to know that Gianni is now willing to start anew. He can walk now on his own.

"Gianni, why are you in a hurry?" Francois asked, chasing Gianni.

"I must chase the nine o'clock bus departure,” he explained while checking his backpack.

"Why?"

"I need to apply for a new job."

"Gianni, no need to apply for a new job."

"Francois, I am not paralyzed. I am not your family for you to spend your money just to feed me without stretching my bones and shedding my sweat." Gianni said, looking straight into his eyes.

"Gianni, I can give you a job. Just stay, I am hiring you."

"B-But...but....w-what?" Gianni was surprised, having a hard time completing his words.

"Mn. Work for me."

"Francois, who are you?"

"Gianni, trust me. I am serious and I am not what you are thinking."

"And what kind of job is that?" forgetting his doubt, we ask about the job.

"Secretary/Executive/Personal Assistant."

"Ha?!"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Mn."

"How much is my salary then?"

"Ten times more than your previous one."

"Really?" But Gianni's shoulders fall when he doesn't remember how much his salary was, that he never had.

"Here is your previous work contract."

"Ha? Why do you have a copy of this?"

"I'm Mr. Rich Guy, right?"

"Ahahaha..yeah.." Gianni blushed and remembered that he called Francois like that a month ago. Gianni pulls the record and checks his salary.

"Ha? Is this my salary in Ducati Corp-o-..."

Gianni covered his mouth when he realized and read the company name.

"F-Francois..."

"Yes. My Dad is the owner." Francois understands what Gianni is about.

"Then why are you hiring me instead of helping me get my job back?"

"Rules. Company policy."

Gianni was convinced.

"Ok..but why are you not working in your own company?"

"I have my own."

"And that's why you are hiring me?"

"Exactly."

Gianni releases a deep breath. He has nowhere to go, he is jobless.

"Live here and work with me."

"What is my job exactly?"

"Later, I will discuss it with you."

"Ok."

"Don't leave at all. Let's eat?"

Gianni just eats their breakfast silently. When they finished, they stayed on the couch and watched the news on TV. The news is mostly about gangsters roaming around taking the lives of innocent people. It is not new in Italy.

Gianni suddenly left and went up to the bedroom. Francois noticed him and followed. He saw Gianni leaning on the headboard crying silently on his knees.

"Gianni..." Francois hopped to the bed and sat beside him, he then pulled him on his chest and rubbed his back.

Gianni stopped crying, he composed himself and sat properly.

"Francois, the night you said you let someone pick my luggage, are you sure you are not involved in my Auntie Sue's death?"

"Gianni? What do you mean? That is why you are acting like this? You thought of me that way?" Francois was offended, pulling himself away from Gianni.

"I'm sorry. The night you asked Auntie Sue for permission when I got injured and brought me home here, all along, I thought you planned it well. The truth is, I suspect, you let someone kill my Auntie." Gianni revealed what he truly feels. He wants to move freely and thinks he is like a slave in this mansion. Though Francois has been taking care of him for the past month.

Francois was shocked and stared at Gianni intently. He can't believe what he hears from Gianni.

"Is that what you think about me?" Francois still wanted to confirm.

"Y-yes! I'm sorry, that is what I thought when you decided to take care of me."

Francois's hands turned into a ball and gritted his teeth.

You are not different from the rest of Gianni. You just look innocent but you judge me as you know me already.

Francois quickly gets off from the bed and storms out of the room. He goes to the guest room, the one he has been using for a month now since Gianni occupied his bedroom which Gianni is also not aware of.

Gianni was puzzled and confused, he just tells Francois what he truly feels. If he is wrong, he is willing to ask forgiveness.

Gianni went to the other room and saw it open and entered. He is decided, he will return the favor and work for Francois and pay back his kindness and the whole month he stayed here.

"F-Francois...." Gianni smiles sweetly and while hands clasp looking straight to Francois's eyes.

"Don't you know how to knock?!"

Gianni almost separated his soul from his body hearing his authoritative command with an angry tone echoed in the room. Gianni's hand trembles, his body is shaking, stepping slowly backward, his eyes still with Francois. Francois is glaring at him like he is sucking his soul in his angry, serious face.

"Leave!"

With that, Gianni pulled the door to close it quickly and run.

Gianni is confused and starts to walk downstairs and finds himself stepping out of the main door without bringing anything.

Gianni thought, maybe Francois is really mad and doesn't want to see him at all. He keeps walking until he reaches the busy highway. He wants to ride a bus going back to the city but he doesn't see any bus stop yet.

He has his small wallet in his pocket with enough money for three days because he was planning to apply earlier.

After twenty minutes, Francois decided to follow Gianni whom he thought was only on the other side of his room. He thinks he was rude earlier and wants to coax him like a kid, and giggles in his thoughts.

"Gianni.....?"

Francois's heart beats, pounding hard when he doesn't see Gianni. He checks the bathroom but Gianni is not there, either. He quickly grabbed his car key and phone checks Gianni's backpack and luggage, it was there.

Where is he?

Francois confirmed that Gianni left the house and quickly drove fast to find him.

That i***t, I just told him to leave my room. Not to leave my house.