6 years Ago: Italy

Chapter 4: Always Be Part of Me

If one were to ask Neal what he thought of his time in Italy, he would deny ever being there. But if Alex asked about his time in Italy, he would laugh for minutes and then begin saying something like, "We were trapped in a mobsters film...like Magic City." The people that surrounded him had tons of money, and guns. Everyone had a concealed gun collection.

Alex showed off her engagement ring to the ladies with a beautiful 100 Watt smile. She had her hair up in a hairspray elegant bun. She had on her stunning pearl necklace that Neal had bought just for the night, and a long, simple black dress that fit all the right places.

Tonight she was not Alex Hunter, she was Stella Pope- fiance of the charming and seductive Damion Harris, also known as, Neal Caffrey.

The women surrounding her were from all over the world, she happened to be the only American. She looked over at Neal with as much love as she could manage. She looked like she was in love for the first time, proudly staring at the most attractive man in the room. It was a substantial part to play during this con. She waved at him by bending her four fingers flirtatiously. Neal smirked at her, holding his wine glass up at Alex.

She returned back to the conversation, "It was so romantic" Alex bragged as if she was in the middle of one of those bridge games women used to play back in the 50's.

"It is a beautiful ring. Where on Earth did he find such a lovely piece?" Elisa Silvestri asked with a sceptical smile. She was the wife of Lelio Silvestri, one of the head leaders in the group.

Alex tried to look dissatisfied with the question, "Damion will not tell me!" She whispered as if she was trying to keep it to herself, "Men and their secrets" She sighed.

The Truth: Alex and Neal stole it from a 20 year old girl that just got her grandmother's expensive jewelry. The girl had a record of being in and out of prison. But for some reason her grandmother had thought she would change? Neal doubted it. Neal had said, "It would be a shame if that ring was pawned for drugs." And in that second, she could not bare the thought of the ring sitting under the gleaming light and stained glass. She would fence it when the job was done for so much more.

"You are right about that. Men and their secrets. Inutile" Inutile meant something around the word pointless. Dianne was married to Leonide Larue, another important man in the business. They were from France.

Valentina Romilly, a very untrusting Russian woman, put in her opinion on the conversation. "I learned long ago not to question the secrets of men." She told Alex-or Stella-directly. Valentina was married to Lucan Orlov, but she had refused to take his last name due to her marriage being arranged. It was rumored that she hated him, and she acted like it. Alex thought of her as a weak, but spiteful target.

Alex smiled after listening to the more than frightening words of Valentina. Her face was a haunting face, full of white scars covered by modern make-up and very rosy lipstick. She was beautiful, but worn out.

All her young-life was used by her own husband. He had taken everything from her.

She looked over at Neal conversing with all the men, including a few others that wives did not feel comfortable joining the group. The women all knew the other men, including her own did not like their presence. In reality, Neal did not care much- but he had to pretend.

"Damion is ready to leave." She hugged Dianne, the easiest target in the group and the one that wore her most precious jewelry all the time. She kissed cheeks of the rest of the women.

She had learned to stand a few feet back from Neal, until he was done with his goodbyes. The other men did not handle it too nicely.

It had been two weeks, and they had already gotten this far. They were close friends with everyone, evading the Larue's first and then moving onto the others with dinners and expensive wines.

Neal was shaking hands with men- laughing as if they had known each other their whole life. When he joined her side, he brushed her cheek with his lips. "Hello Darling" He whispered. Alex tried her best to blush, to seem at the mercy of Damion Harris.

"What were you talking about over there?" Alex said loud enough that the men could hear her.

Neal responded with "Men things."

"Hmm..." Alex pretended she was disappointed with what Neal had to say for the show. Neal extended his arm for her to hold on to, Alex accepted his gesture, then they started walking out onto the cobble stone road.

"They were easy to infiltrate" Neal noted after moments of silence.

Alex nodded, "Good. And they trust you?"

"Would you trust me?" The answer could go either way, Alex had no idea why he would ask the question in the first place. Alex let go of his arm.

She acted like she was thinking about her answer, and then she nodded, smiling a bit as she looked down at her dress. "No" She told him, "I do not trust you. You are very untrustworthy Damion." She used his name for two reasons, just in case the man behind them was spying on them, and to prove a point that she did not know who he was.

"I will not break your trust, Stella" Neal said, looking at her with a smirk.

"Yes you will" Alex assured him, "One day. I know guys like you Mr. Harris, I'm not easily fooled."

Neal shocked Alex by pulling her arm, and swinging her in front of him. "Alex, you can trust me" He said, eyes wide open and looking right through her.

"Prove it" She whispered before his lips came crashing down on her own. They were just standing there on the romantic streets of Italy, kissing as if they were really the people they were playing. She broke the kiss, "If you think you can just seduce your way to trust, then you are sadly mistaken."

"Oh, I know I can not" Neal whispered before kissing her again, "But it is a hell of a shot"

Alex moved away from Neal, "I think it is time to go to our apartment."

Neal took her hand in his, and they started walking together. The silence was terrorizing to Alex, how could he just go back to normal like that? He kissed her, not the other way around. Of course they had slept together-but that was...different. "Are you okay?"

"I think I might need to go to a hotel tonight" Alex admitted, "I will not be part of your game. You got in a fight with Kate before you left. I will not be the turn to girl- I will not be the side chick."

"I was not-"

"Let me finish speaking!" Alex's hand waved up in the air, "If you have any Intentions of being with me or going through with this say it now. If you do not, we're done. I'm going where I want to go- and you are not going to follow."

Neal shifted his weight, and then started speaking just as fast as Alex was, "I'm not leaving. Like you said- Kate and I got in a fight. That does not mean I'm using you."

"Then what does it mean?"