*So I wanted to try something new with a different character. I decided to write my first Baron Corbin story. I hope that you all like it.*
Quiet falls over the home of Italian Ambassador Giovanni Pellegrini in the cool night in London, England, the house is dark and quiet as 22 year old Gianna Pellegrini looks out in the hallway from her bedroom checking for the presence of her guards. Gianna looks left and right into the darkness and sees no one. She tiptoes out of her bedroom into the darkness lighting her way with her I-phone's flashlight as she makes her way to the spiral staircase of her family's home. The floor creaks beneath her feet and she stops mid step, she breathes a sigh of relief before making her way down the stairs. She quietly runs to the front door of her home, cutting the alarm before she opens the door. She walks out into the chill of the darkness locking the door behind her, relief sets through her body knowing she escaped without being caught by her guards or by her father. She checks her I-Phone to see the text from her best friend Madison telling her she's parked around the corner from the Ambassador's house. Gianna smiles at her freedom from the life she's leaving behind tonight escaping the guards that follow her 24/7 and the father that protects her 24/7 she needs some breathing room. She opens the gate guarding the mansion behind her and steps into her freedom. She rounds the corner to the black sports car waiting for her. She opens the door quickly and climbs in. "You made it," says Madison.
"I know, it wasn't easy, I thought for sure one of the guards would hear me and send me back to my room but it was eerily quiet in our home tonight," she shrugs. "I just need to be back home before morning."
"You'll be back before morning," smiles Madison.
"Thanks," she says, "so where are we going?" Gianna asks as Madison pulls away from the curb.
"I thought we would go to The Pub," she says, "there's a pretty amazing party happening tonight."
"I'm always down for a good party," says Gianna with a smile.
"I know you are," says Madison, "maybe you might meet a hot guy tonight."
"Doubtful," says Gianna, "besides unless he's an Italian man that my father approves of it's never going to happen. My pa is literally betrothing me to an Italian man of his choosing some guy named Alessio Caruso."
"Betrothed?" asks Madison, "you're 22 years old. And this is 2019 you can't be serious who betroths their daughters these days?"
"The Italian Ambassador Giovanni Pellegrini," says Gianna less than thrilled with the thought of having to marry someone she doesn't love. She feels as if she should choose her own husband and live her life the way she wishes not by the way her father wants her to.
"I'm sorry, Gia," she says. "That sucks."
"Tell me about it," says Gianna, "but I don't want to talk about it. I just want to have fun tonight. I want to forget about my betrothed and living by my father's rules. I want to do me tonight and live my best life."
"I can make that happen," she says speeding down the road of London.
Gianna and Madison arrive at the pub down town, they get out of the car as Madison gives the valet the keys to her car to park while she and Gianna make their way into the Pub. It's a crazy party going on as they walk through the doors both dressed alike in a black strapless dress that hugs tightly to their bodies, falling mid-thigh. While they are dressed alike they couldn't look more opposite Madison's skin is fairer and she has shoulder length blonde hair with crystal blue eyes also a few inches shorter than Gianna who is 5'6 with the longest tan legs anyone has ever seen. Gianna shows off her Italian roots being born to a full blooded Italian father and full blooded Italian mother; Gianna's skin is naturally tanned and her eyes are a dark brown covered by thick long eyelashes, with a small bumpy nose, rosy red lips and wavy waist length hair, taking more after her beautiful mother Alessandra Pellegrini aka Italian supermodel Alessandra Ambrosia at one time before she was gifted with 4 beautiful children and married the Italian ambassador. Gianna is the youngest of 4 children with two older sisters: Francesca and Isabella and an older brother Giovanni. She has always hated being the baby of the family because not only did she have her father overprotecting her all her life she had 3 older siblings that were obnoxiously overprotective of her. Being away at the Italian boarding school her father sent her to was a vacation for her escaping from the overbearing life she lived at home. "This party looks lit," says Madison.
"Yeah it does," says Gianna as they make their way into the Pub. It is definitely crowded and full of men and women around Gianna's age. "Let's get a beer."
"I'm with you on that," says Madison as they make their way to the bar in the crowd.
"What can I get for you beautiful ladies?" asks the man behind the bar.
"We'll just each have a cup of beer," says Madison.
"All right," he says with a wink and a smile.
He hands Madison and Gianna their glasses filled to the rim with the best beer in London. They sit at the bar drinking their beer as they take in their surroundings. "Look at that guy over there," points Madison to a red headed man drinking beer at the other end of the bar. "Isn't he gorgeous?" she asks.
"I mean if you like gingers then yeah he's gorgeous," says Gianna. "But I am not into Gingers I'm into the tall dark and handsome type," she says looking around, "like that guy right there."
"He is pretty nice looking but you know how I feel about Prince Harry and I can't get married to Prince Harry I have to take the next best thing."
"Okay, Maddy," she says with a smile. "I think Harry is quite happy with Meghan."
"I'm sure he is but that doesn't make him any less attractive now does it?" she asks.
"No, I guess not he's just not my type but he is more handsome than Prince William I will say that."
"Facts," they laugh together as Gianna makes eye contact with the guy she was talking about. He gives her a soft smile and she smiles back at him. "Who are you smiling at?" asks Madison.
"Him," points Gianna to the man with a freshly shaven head, tall with dark eyes with a bit of a beard on his face wearing a black t-shirt clinging to his large firm chest showing off the sleeve tattoo on his arm with a pair of blue jeans. "Now that is the man I am talking about."
"Not my type," says Madison, "and I don't think he would be your dad's type either."
"Probably not," she smiles before he calls the bartender over to him. Gianna keeps watching him as he whispers something to the bartender they both look at her and she smiles. The bartender nods and walks away.
A couple minutes later the bartender gives Gianna a shot of tequila. "I didn't order this," she says.
"No," he says with a smile, "but that man down there insisted I give you a shot of tequila and to make sure all your drinks for the night are on his tab."
"Thank-you," says Gianna before she takes the shot of tequila, it burns her throat on the way down, she sucks on a lime to get rid of the taste it left in her mouth. "Maddy, I'll be back," she says with a smile before she grabs the rest of her beer.
"Where are you going?" she asks.
"To talk to him," she says with a smile before she makes her way down to the end of the bar to the man that bought her a shot of tequila and put all her drinks on his tab. "Hey," she says as she reaches him.
"Hey," he says with a smile.
"Thank-you for the drinks," she smiles.
"It's my pleasure," he says with a smile. "So what's a beautiful girl like you doing at a Pub on a night like this?"
"Living my best life," she smiles blinking her thickly lashed eyes.
"Ahh, that sounds fun," he says with a smile. "I'm Baron Corbin," he introduces himself, "but everyone just calls me Corbin because I hate being called Baron."
"Gianna," she says, "but I prefer Gia."
"Such a beautiful name," he says with a smile, "and this is my friend Tobias," he introduces his red headed friend that Madison was looking at.
"Please, call me Toby, I don't like to be called Tobias," he says.
"Nice to meet you, Toby," says Gianna. "So you see my friend over there?" she points to Madison. "She would really like for you to talk to her."
"On my way," he says giving Corbin and Gia a smile. "Corbin, don't do anything I wouldn't do."
"I got this Toby," says Corbin with a smile before Toby walks away to converse with Madison.
"So I wanted to get rid of him," smiles Corbin, "Have a seat," he says. Gia climbs up on the stool next to him as he sits next to her moving his stool closer to hers as she faces him. "So do you come here often?"
"Not often," says Gia, "and is that a pickup line?"
"I know cliché," he smiles and he is gorgeous.
"Pretty cliché," she says, "so what are you doing here on a night like this?"
"Just hanging out, I thought it was pretty boring until you showed up. Are you from London?" he asks.
"Yes, I live in London," she says not giving him more information than that. She doesn't like to announce that her father is an Ambassador. She likes to keep that private as long as she can until the media gets involved in her business.
"Are you Italian? You have an Italian accent," he says.
"I studied in Italy," she answers. "And yes I am Italian."
"I could tell," he smiles before taking a swig of his beer.
"And what about you, you're not from England you talk like an American," she smiles.
"You caught me," he smiles, "I am from America, a state called Kansas to be more specific."
"Kansas?" she asks, "I never heard of it."
"It's a state in America where I am from, not many people focus on Kansas. I'm sure you know about New York and California."
"I've heard of them yes," she says with a smile, "so what are you doing in England? Are you here to visit or do you reside here?"
"I have a flat here," he says. "I moved to England a couple months ago. I wanted to leave America for some new scenery and ended up here."
"I see," she says. "Do you like England so far?"
"There's a lot of new customs I am getting used to," he says, "for example in America we don't have a monarchy we have a democracy."
"A democracy?" she says. "What is a democracy?"
"It's when the people of a country can vote for their leader, we vote for our president while you have a monarchy."
"I understand now," she nods. "Other than our monarchy do you like England?"
"I enjoy it, it's definitely something new. I like it. Do you like England?"
"I would much rather live in Italy," she says. "I'm only here to study culinary. I want to be a chef in Italy."
"That sounds pretty amazing," he smiles.
"What about you, what do you do for a living?" she asks.
"Honestly?" he asks.
"Honestly," she says.
"I own this establishment. I own this pub and many other pubs here in London," he says.
"Interesting," she smiles.
"I like to think so," he says. "I wanted something different."
"I know that feeling," she says with a smile. "I think a lot of people want something different in their life."
"Yeah," he says, "so you don't have a boyfriend or anything?"
"No," she says, "I am completely single, you have a girlfriend?"
"I did but we had a breakup so I'm completely single too," he smiles. She smiles back at him. "You know you're beautiful."
"Thank-you," she smiles. "I think you're handsome."
"Thanks," he smiles. "So do you want to get out of here and hang out at my flat or do you want to stay here?"
"I think it's better to stay here," she says, "besides I don't want to leave Madison."
"I understand," he says, "but it looks like she and Toby have hit it off." She looks at the direction of her best friend and nods. "I think we hit it off too."
"I agree," she says with a smile, "so why don't you like to be called Baron?"
"I just don't like it," he says. "I don't think I am much of a Baron. I like Corbin more."
"Gotcha," she smiles.
Gia and Corbin spend more time getting to know each other, talking and drinking a little more. Corbin makes Gia laugh constantly and they are enjoying each other's company. Corbin leans in and kisses Gia's lips softly. She takes her hand to his cheek and kisses him back. His tongue making its way into her mouth, kissing her soft and deep, his tongue flicking hers as he pulls her closer to him, his hand on her small thigh and his other hand in her hair. "Gianna Pellegrini!" says one of her guards; Thomas. "It's time to go, Miss Pellegrini." Gia breaks the kiss in shock. "Let's go," he says.
"I don't want to go," she protests.
"Let's go! Your father is looking for you," he says.
"Papa?" she asks.
"Yes, and he's not happy with your escape, it's time to go," he says taking her by the arm.
"Excuse me," says Corbin, "take your hands off of her, who are you?"
"I'm her security hired by Ambassador Pellegrini to make sure his daughter is not in rundown establishments like this and to make sure she's not making out with guys like you," he says.
"Ambassador Pellegrini?" he asks confused, "Gia?"
"I'm sorry, Corbin, I have to go," she says. She grabs a napkin from the bar and pulls out her eyeliner pencil. She writes down her name on the napkin along with her cellphone number. "Call me," she says handing it to him.
"Okay," he says with a smile before she leaves with Thomas.
"I wouldn't do that," says Thomas to him, "do not contact Ms. Pellegrini," he says. "That's an order from the Ambassador." Corbin nods and then puts the napkin into his back pocket before taking a shot.
Embarrassed Gianna gets into the black SUV of her father's security. Thomas looks around the premises before he gets into the driver seat. He starts the car and pulls into the traffic as Gianna looks out the window. "I've got her, Sir," says Thomas into his headset. "She was at the pub downtown with a guy. I know, Sir. She seems to be unharmed, Sir. Yes, we are on our way home," he says and Gianna rolls her eyes. "I will see you soon," he says. Gianna thinks about opening the door and risking jumping out of the SUV but she thinks against it. She just waits for Thomas to pull into the gate of her home and into the garage.
Gianna lets out a groan as they pull into the garage of her home because she knows she's going to face her father as soon as she walks in the door. She gets out of the SUV and walks to her fate and like she predicted she is greeted by her irate father dressed in his night t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants. "Gianna Alexis Pellegrini," he yells, "just what did you think you were doing tonight going to some pub with some man?"
"Papa, I didn't go to the Pub with some man I went with Madison I met the man there," she says honestly.
"That's even worse, you just meeting a man in the Pub so you can go home and sleep with him. What does that look like to the Italian Ambassador? He can't control his own daughter? His daughter is a puttana and dressed like a puttana too," he says.
"Papa!" she says.
"You are dressed like a Puttana," he says in his thick Italian accent. "What were you thinking? Escaping without security? What if something happened to you? You can't just sneak out and escape your security. I have hired them to keep you safe and whether they are terrible at their jobs or not does not give you the right to leave this house to go drinking at a pub."
"I'm sorry, Papa," she apologizes. "I just wanted to go out. I am 22 years old you don't need to control me anymore."
"You're living in my house!"
"Until I can go back to Italy and open my own restaurant," she says. "I can't wait to get out of this country and out of this house. I wanted to get a flat with Madison but you wouldn't let me."
"Why live in a flat when you have all this, figlia? You have the world at your feet. You live a life of luxury," he says.
"Because then I don't have the restrictions you give me," she says.
"You have restrictions to keep you safe and I hear you're with a man, you are betrothed to be with Alessio. I have half the mind to marry you off tomorrow," he says.
"No, Papa!" she protests with tears in her eyes. "I don't want to marry Alessio!"
"My decision," he says, "you're going to be a respectful Italian wife to a wonderful Italian man. You need to lose this wild streak in your blood and settle down, marry, have a family."
"No, Papa," she shakes her head. "I'm not getting married at 22 I'm too young. I want to live my life and do what I need to do," she says.
"My mind is made up, Gianna, you will be married to Alessio as soon as possible," he says, "go to bed, Gianna and get out of those clothes. You will be going wedding dress shopping with your mother tomorrow," he demands.
"No, Papa," she cries before making her way upstairs to her bedroom.
As soon as she enters her bedroom her I-Phone alerts her of a new text message. She smiles at the unknown number on her phone. She opens it with a smile on her face.
Hi, Gia this is Corbin. Sorry that you had to leave like that. I want to see you again. Call me we will set up a date.
Gianna smiles as she types out a reply: Hey, Corbin. A date sounds great. I will call you tomorrow goodnight.
*What do you think? Is it a keeper or no? Please review and thank-you for reading.