CAT AND MOUSE

Riccardo always thought that he would be asking Alise out on a date eventually not figuring out how to protect her life. A knot twisted in the pit of his stomach. Alise didn't deserve this she didn't deserve any of this; why couldn't his father find somewhere else to put his damn headquarters?

That son of bitch wasn't going to stop. Don and Antonio would find out every single thing about Alise they could to eventually take her out; and because they were aware of his feelings for her that was just more motivation to kill her.

"Uncle Rick!"

"I'm sorry Tommy what were you saying?"

"Uncle Rick are you okay?"

Nothing could get past Tommaso and no matter how cold hearted Tommaso's father and grandfather were; Riccardo still had to remember that his nephew was just an innocent kid.

"I'm okay Tommy"

"It's Friday," he pointed out "are we going to Miss Turner's shop?"

Riccardo couldn't help but smile a little "You like Miss Turner don't you?"

"You like her too Uncle Rick"

"Yeah" Riccardo sighed, "yes Tommy I do"

"Are you going to tell her?" Tommy asked, "are you two going to get married?"

"Whoa slow down there buddy"

"I thought that what people do when they like each other"

"For starters Miss Turner might not feel the same way"

"No" Tommaso said "I think she likes you too Uncle Rick I can ask her for you if you want"

"How about you just enjoy your treat and play with Duke"

"Okay" he said "I still say she likes you"

"Hi Miss Turner!"

"Well if it isn't my favorite customers" Alise smiled causing the same knot in Riccardo's stomach to twist and turn again.

"Afternoon Alise"

"Tommy we just started baking some of the pies for your school's Thanksgiving feast" Alise said "would you like a slice?"

"Ohh!" the young boy's eyes grew big "apple please!"

"Okay then" she said "and how about you Riccardo?"

"No thank you" Riccardo smiled "I'm just here for Tommy as usual"

"Alise?"

"I'm sorry Riccardo" she said, "I didn't mean to stare"

As far as Riccardo was concerned she could stare at him all she wanted but in this situation it seemed like she was remembering something.

"Strange" Alise went on to say "you look just like this man who came in a few days ago; the resemblance is uncanny"

A chill ran down Riccardo's spine and he knew that it was Antonio the shifty bastard.

Alise got Tommaso his slice of apple pie and glass of milk while the boy was in his own world with Duke; as the two of them socialized in a language they could only understand.

"Who was this man?" Riccardo asked as Alise returned behind the counter as he paid for the pie "did he mention his name?"

"Actually no" she said, "he did ask me if I was interested in selling the bakery though"

Yeah it was definitely Antonio.

This was no better than watching a cat play with a mouse before biting it's head off. It was a tactic that Riccardo knew too well from his brothers and his fathers; hell he'd be a hypocrite if he claimed not to have done so himself as a former hitman.

Pinning Alise to a wall thinking it was going to make her sell the bakery and since she obviously refused they would attack at any moment. Riccardo winced as he could mentally hear gunshots and see blood splatting on the wall.

"Riccardo?"

"Alise are you sure that this man looks exactly like me?"

"Yes" she looked a little alarmed "what is it?"

Damn.

Riccardo and Emilio didn't even have their plan together yet but it looks like time was slipping like sand in an hourglass. Time was not in their favor.

"What time do you close tonight?"

"Eight" Alise replied "I usually stay open two hours later on Fridays and Saturdays but you know that Riccardo"

"I'm going to give you and Duke a ride home"

It wasn't a question it was a statement

"Riccardo you don't have to---"

"I'm going to drop Tommy off and I'm coming back for you at eight o' clock sharp"

"But---"

"Eight o' clock Alise"

"I'll see you tomorrow Alise"

"You have a good night Cara" she replied "Kelly I need you for opening in the morning"

"Yes Ma'am"

A few minutes later Alise was putting the baking utensils away when she heard the doorbell chime and she knew that somebody walked in. Alise frowned a little and she figured that either Cara or Kelly forgot to put flick on the closed sign.

But Duke could be heard going mad as his barking turned to growling then to snarling. Alise quickly made her way to the front when she saw the unthinkable happen. The dark clothed figure that Duke was snarling at took out a handgun and shot him in the shoulder blade.

"DUKE!"

The German Shepherd fell to the ground whimpering in pain as blood spilled from his shoulder. When it was clear that Duke obviously wasn't dead the dark figure raised his gun again this time aiming for the dog's head for a shot that would surely end him.

"NO!" Alise screamed "PLEASE DON'T SHOOT HIM AGAIN!"

The dark figure looked over at Alise and a chill ran down her spine as she recognized the person to be one of the men who had come into the bakery with their boss looking for her to sell the property.

The man pointed the gun at her and slapped two photos on the counter. Alise shivered and tears fell down her face when she saw that two photos showed her landlord Winston Martin shot in the head with blood pouring on the floor. He was dead.

"These are your two warnings" he said gruffly "I suggest you chose wisely and surrender this diabetic sugar fueled place"

Alise couldn't say anything all she could hear was Duke on the floor fighting for his life she didn't know how far the bullet got in.

"Time isn't in your favor Miss Turner" he continued "so you better do it fast if you know what's best for you"

The man turned to leave as if he didn't just threaten the poor woman. Duke tried to stand up and lounge at the intruder again but his gun wound paralyzed him to fall back down. The dog only had enough strength to growl at the man.

Alise quickly went by Duke's side afraid that he would get shot again due to his stubbornness. She kneeled down with a generous amount of paper towels trying to stop his bleeding.

The man turned to her one last time and said "You might just get hit in your blind spot"

Duke growled as Alise tried to soothe him but even the dog could sense she was scared.

Suddenly somebody else and thrown to the ground yanked the man out the door. It was Riccardo and Alise was shocked to see him take out a gun as well aiming it at her intruder.

"WHAT THE FUCK RICCARDO!"

"Exactly" he replied, "what the fuck are you doing here?"

Riccardo cocked his gun and pressed it to the man's chest and he trembled

"Start speaking Joey!" Riccardo demanded "you're a big man when you're threatening a woman be the same big man when you're face to face with another man"

"T-t-Tony sent me" Joey trembled

"Sent you to do what?"

"..."

"ANSWER ME!"

Riccardo pressed the gun to Joey's chest harder to pull the trigger. Alise couldn't believe that this was the same sweet, reserved, and quiet man who came in frequently with his nephew.

"You know to make sure that bitch sells this place"

"Funny the only bitch I see is the one in front of me right now" Riccardo said in a cold bitter voice "too bad you won't have anything to report back to Tony"

"What? Riccardo don't---"

Alise's eyes grew big when she saw Riccardo shot Joey right through his chest and he slouched over dead. Even though Joey had shot Duke and threatened her own life she didn't wish death on him but it looked like karma granted it's presence on him.

So that's why Antonio kept him so long after he dropped off Tommaso; he had planned it that way. As soon as he dropped his nephew off Riccardo wanted to head right back over to the bakery but his brother stalled him with some bullshit about their father's business.

Meanwhile the bastard had sent Joey over here with the motive to possibly kill Alise and if he hadn't gotten here in time...

Riccardo turned his attention to Alise who had her arms around Duke who was groaning from the bullet. It tore him up to see her this way.

"Alise"

"Duke" she whispered with tears falling down her face. Her shirt and apron already coated with some of the dog's blood.

"We can get him to the animal hospital" Riccardo assured "he's still breathing he has a good chance can he get up?"

"No"

"Do you have some towels so I can get him in the back of my car"

"Yes"

"Hey"

Alise looked up at Riccardo both of her eyes showed signs of fear and sadness for her life and Duke's life. Especially her blind eye; for an eye that didn't have vision it was very expressive as if it could see life a different way.

Riccardo didn't want to scare Alise any further she had just watched her kill a man but at the same time he needed her to trust him.

"It's going to be okay"

He would have explain this whole situation to her in due time but right now Duke needed the medical treatment of a veterinarian.