Chapter XXXI: Break-Up

"I don't see the point in attacking the main defence before the first line." Vincent shrugged as he peered over the plan placed on Arcangelo's office table. "That's all."
"Look." Arcangelo sighed as he pulled the plan towards himself. "The main defense is in less number because they are more specialized. So we can send more men after them to finish them, while the first and second line of defense--yes, they are greater in number--however, that does not mean that they are good at fighting. So we can pick them off later. It's a lot easier to get rid of the main problem first."
"Yeah, but...I don't see the point-"
"Let's use Bruce Lee's quote about the man who has practiced one kick one thousand times and a thousand kicks one time," Arcangelo spoke patiently gesturing to the plan laid out before them. "Say that the first and second-line of defense are the one thousand kicks practiced once. They are not good; they don't even have the stance right much less the force. So they will be easier to take out and not a lot of manpower will be needed. Whereas the main defense, the third line, are all that one kick practiced a thousand times. They are dangerous, ruthless, and skilled. It takes a lot more specialized manpower to take them down. So let's use most of our energy on the third line of defense before targeting the first and second."
Vincent's face lit up with realization, a small smirk making its way across his face at his own stupidity. He had just opened his mouth to say something when he caught sight of Rosalie having her hand raised on the sofa she was seated on. Instantly his smile fell as his attention was redirected to her. Arcangelo caught sight of where he was glancing before he turned in the same direction, a small chuckle escaping him at his girlfriend's antics.
"Yes, princess?" Arcangelo asked with a fond smile as he beckoned her forward. Instantly Rosalie bounded towards him, placing her palm into his as he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her against his chest as she looked at the plan laid out.
"If I may suggest something..." Rosalie trailed, looking at Arcangelo for permission as he nodded, placing a kiss on her cheek as she looked down at the table once more. "Rather than going after the three defenses one at a time, how about you sent two groups of men?" She inquired as Arcangelo listened to her plan with interest while Vincent rolled his eyes and took a step back, convinced it to be some childish and naive plan.
"One group--that is more specialized than the other--goes after the third line of defense. While the second group, comprising of various skill sets, goes after the first and second line. That way you get through the defense faster, you won't have additional threats up ahead and you get done with your "mission" a lot faster than anticipated."
"Huh." Arcangelo pondered as he glanced at the paper. "It's....actually not a bad idea."
"Really?" Rosalie grinned with enthusiasm as he nodded.
"It's actually very good." He stated with a proud smile as he gave her a peck. "We just need to refine a few edges and we can actually use this tactic."
A broad grin overcame Rosalie's face as Vincent huffed in irritation. Suddenly Arcangelo's phone rang as he picked it up from the table and glanced at the contact name.
"I need to take this." He told Rosalie, placing a kiss on her temple before releasing her and making his way to the balcony so that he was out of earshot.
Rosalie stood quietly beside an irritant Vincent as he lit a cigarette, blowing out a puff as he watched her with narrowed eyes.
"It's only a matter of time." He spoke monotonously as Rosalie looked up at him with curiosity
"Excuse me?"
"It's only a matter of time until one of you realized that you're a burden." Vincent shrugged. "If you have forgotten, you came here to be in witness protection. You are basically a client. I don't know what you two saw in each other, but whatever this thing is between you two, it won't last. Believe me."
"Well-" she stared in aghast before he cut her off.
"Oh, save it." Vincent scoffed. "You, just as well as everyone else knows that things between you and Arcangelo won't last. Either he will realize that you're a hindrance to his goals and he'll either leave you or something. But if you realize that you're a burden to him, then you'll leave him. Arcangelo isn't a sentimental person, so he won't bother with the emotions and go back to working as if though you never existed in his life."
"You're just a pass time." Vincent chuckled as he began gathering everything, noticing the realization across Rosalie's face, her expression contorted in pain, a hand gripping the front of her shirt. "The sooner you realize, the better."
With that said he walked out, taking everything to his office and tossing it haphazardly onto the table before letting out a heavy sigh, feeling tired of constantly going up and down for everything. When his stomach grumbled, he decided to go to the kitchen and make himself a sandwich.
The kitchen doors swung behind him as he took in the sight before him. His other three friends were all seated at the bar counter, eating one thing or the other as they chatted together, a few maids loitering around and going about business.
"Hey." Vincent greeted the three guys as they all greeted back in response.
"How are things between you and Alyna?" Lorenzo asked as he swallowed the bite of the pasta on his plate.
"Things are fine between us." He lied through his teeth as a sandwich was placed before him and he instantly dug in.
"And you and Ango?" Their other friend, Romeo, inquired.
Vincent had just finished his bite and opened his mouth to respond when he felt a hand turn him around. Looking back, he was greeted by a fist to his jaw which had him collapse out of his chair and the maids shrieking before backing away, the guys instantly choking up.
He hadn't even recovered from the blow and could feel the metallic taste of blood in his mouth before he was roughly grabbed by the front of his shirt and slammed into the wall, his head hitting it with a grotesque crack as a pained cry escaped him.
"What the fuck did you say to her?" A voice growled at him.
Vincent's gaze cleared as he looked up at the murderous expression of his best friend. His teeth visibly gritted and his eyes ablaze with anger as a vein was pulsating near his temple. Swallowing back the fear in his stomach, he looked up at him.
"I told her the truth."
"The truth?!" Arcangelo barked out a humorless laugh. "Calling her a burden is as far from the truth as it gets!"
"Well, you'll realize sooner or later that she is nothing more than a burden. After all, she's just a girl and girls never stick with you. You're a ruthless Mafia boss. Who would want to be with a monster like you? You and I both know how things end up."
A chuckle escaped Arcangelo as he released Vincent, taking a step back from the man before him as he shook his head.
"How could I have been so stupid?" He laughed at himself.
"It's okay Arcangelo, people forget sometimes."
"I was so blind!"
"Happens-"
"The problem isn't with me." He laughed as Vincent looked at him in confusion. "It's with you."
"What-"
"I didn't see it because I didn't want to see it." Arcangelo cackled. "You're not Vincenzo Moretti. You're not my brother or my best friend. You're a stranger."
"Now hold on a minute-!"
"-Just because your marriage is crumbling before your eyes you want to ensure that no one around you is happy and content with their lives by sabotaging their relationships."
"That's not-"
"It's not what I think?" Arcangelo taunted. "Really Vincent? Are you sure about that? When was the last time you were genuinely happy for me? You pass off everything Rosalie says as some childish whim, and I've seen the way you look at her, with loathing and disgust. You hate her. Do you hate the fact that I am happy for once in my life and you want to go and take that away from me, too? What did I ever do to you for you to go and call Rosalie a burden to me? Why would you do that?"
"To hurt me, that's why."
Vincent stared at him in disbelief, clearly not understanding how to respond. "I don't even know who the hell you are anymore."
"Arcangelo. Listen to me, buddy. Are we really going to end our friendship over a girl?"
"You did." He stated bluntly, the harshness of his words having him wince. "So why can't I?"
"Let me tell you the truth, loud and clear." Arcangelo gritted out as he shook with suppressed anger. "I. Love. Her."
"I love her. You hear me? I love her and there is nothing you can ever say or do to change the way I feel for her."
"And I have given you chances after chances and every time you do something against me." He spoke through gritted teeth. "And I am done with you. You are not my best friend. You are not my brother. You are not even my friend."
"I want you out of my life and I want you out of my fucking house!" Arcangelo burst as Vincent stared at him in sheer disbelief. "You've been trying to ruin everything for me and I hate it! Get out of my life!"
Before anyone could say anything Arcangelo stalked out of the kitchen and into his bedroom. Closing the door behind him with a bang, he caused Rosalie to jump in fright, staring at him in concern and cautiously approaching him.
"Arcangelo?" She called out softly, his gaze suddenly snapping up as he saw the frightened expression on her face.
Instantly, he relaxed before he felt sick to his stomach. He tried walking towards her but his knees buckled and he fell to the floor, instantly Rosalie was before him, worry marring her features as she saw the moistness of his eyes.
"Hey, what's the matter?" She asked gently, stroking his hair.
"I-I..." He choked, unable to form the words with the lump growing in his throat. "I just told him I hated him." He spoke in a daze.
"I just told my best friend I hated him, Rosalie. I-I...he's my best friend...and I said I hated him." He spluttered incoherently as the tears welled in his eyes. Instantly, Rosalie hugged him close, rocking back and forth as he held onto her tightly. "I-I told him to get out of my life...I don't want him to...he's the closest thing I have to a brother...Rosalie...I-I-I-I..."
"Shh..." Rosalie shushed him, stroking his hair, and placing soft kisses on his face. "It's okay...everything will work out..."
"But what if it doesn't?" He asked her solemnly.
"If things don't work out, we'll try again." She assured with such certainty that Arcangelo had to believe her. "I'm not going anywhere, I'll always be right here for you, I promise. And we'll keep trying until things work out."
Arcangelo's heart swelled in his chest as he hugged her tightly to him, burying his face in the crook of her neck as she hugged back just as tightly, stroking his back as a comforting gesture.
"There was another thing I said downstairs..." He trailed quietly.
"Oh, who got hurt this time?" She asked lightheartedly as he chuckled, pulling away as he looked at her smiling face, his heart-easing into his chest as he felt like he was in heaven with her right beside him.
Taking hold of her hands, he placed a kiss on her knuckles as she looked at him with soft adoration in her eyes, both of them seated on the floor and simply holding each other.
"I love you."
"What?" Rosalie asked her eyes wide with surprise as she assumed she heard him wrong.
"I love you." He repeated, his heart soaring in his chest as she stared at him with the most beautiful smile he had seen. "God! I am so deeply madly in love with you!"
A laugh burst through Rosalie as a tear leaked from her eyes. Hysterical, she threw herself at him, hugging him tightly before kissing him with all she had. Their faces flushed and their heart elated. At that moment they were one and nothing was coming between them.
Not the bandits, not Arcangelo's past or his profession, not Rosalie's friends, or Vincent, nothing was going to come between them.
"I don't care what people say about us," Arcangelo spoke breathlessly between their desperate kisses, neither one of them being able to get enough. "I love you and will always be by your side."
"I love you, too." Rosalie murmured as she hurriedly unbuttoned his shirt, wanting his bare skin against hers. "And I'm not going anywhere."
Arcangelo pulled away from her, seeing how her eyes were ablaze with the love she felt and he could have sworn his heart would jump out his chest with all the emotions coursing through him at the moment.
He made sweet love to her that night. Neither one of them being able to get enough as they repeated the words likes a mantra, feeling like everything was a dream and both of them terrified of waking up and finding this to be nothing but a fiction of their imagination.
"I love you."
"I love you."
"I love you."