Chapter 13
Adriano Pov~
“Where are you right now?”
My voice came out deeper than usual, the anger I was trying to control seeping through every word.
I stood from the edge of the bed, staring at my wife, who sat there watching me with confusion and worry written all over her face.
“We found an old house in the woods about thirty miles from the city,” A.J. explained through the phone. “It's abandoned and secluded, so we should be hidden for now.”
I closed my eyes for a moment. My son had made the right call. He knew coming back to the house could have put everyone else in danger.
He thought strategically. He protected his family. I hated the situation, but I couldn't deny the pride I felt. My son was becoming a leader.
He didn't even realize it yet.
“Did you get a good look at those men?” I asked, walking toward the window overlooking the fields.
“Yeah. They were obviously Mafia men. You could smell it from a mile away. They weren't even trying that hard to hide.” A humorless smile tugged at my lips. Typical.
“I will find out who they are.” My grip tightened around the phone.
“But until then, you stay where you are. You and the boys keep your sisters safe. Do not leave that house unless absolutely necessary.”
“Got it, Dad.”
“I mean it, A.J.” My voice hardened. “You call me if anything happens. I don't care what it is. You call me.” A moment of silence passed. “Yeah, we will,” he finally answered.
“I'm serious. I'm not fucking around.”
“Understood.” The call ended. I stared down at my phone. For a brief second, I wanted to throw it against the wall. Unfortunately, I needed it.
A.J. was stubborn. Just like me. And that was exactly what worried me.
He had inherited every damn trait from me, the confidence, the need to protect, the refusal to ask for help. If something else happened, I knew he would try to handle it himself before calling me.
“Adriano?” Gianna's voice pulled me from my thoughts. I turned around.
She stood a few feet away, one arm wrapped around herself, her beautiful brown eyes filled with fear. I walked toward her immediately. “The kids were followed by the Italian Mafia.”
Her hand flew to her mouth. "They're staying in an abandoned house for now. They're safe.” Tears immediately filled her eyes. I reached for her and pulled her against me before she could step away.
“I know you're scared,” I whispered, rubbing her back. “But I need you to stay calm for the rest of the children.”
She shook her head against my chest. “How could you let this happen?”
Her voice cracked. “I thought you said everything was clear.” The pain in her words hit harder than any threat ever could. I lifted her chin, forcing her to look at me. “Someone double-crossed me.”
My jaw tightened. “And I will find out who.” I brushed away a tear from her cheek.
“But right now, I need you to be strong. The kids are going to be okay.” She stared at me silently.
“They have been trained for this. Everything we taught them...everything we prepared them for...they know how to handle themselves.”
She nodded slightly before wrapping her arms around me tighter. “Remind them who you are,” she whispered.
A small smile tugged at my lips.
I kissed her forehead. “I will.” She pulled away and gave me a small nod. I watched her for a moment before leaving the room. The second I stepped into the hallway, the husband disappeared.
The father disappeared. The Capo returned. I pulled out my phone and called Matteo and Giovanni. “Get to my office.”
My voice was cold.
“We have a problem.”
~***~
“What are we going to do?” Giovanni asked as he stood across from my desk. The three of us already knew what needed to happen.
The girls knew as well. They knew when something threatened our family, there was no waiting around. “We leave the Basilio Council alone,” I said, standing from my chair.
Matteo and Giovanni followed as I walked toward the door. “They already have their men watching our children.”
My jaw tightened. “We handle this ourselves.”
“How do we know where they are?” Matteo asked as we made our way downstairs. “You said they lost them.”
I looked over at him. “No.” I grabbed my jacket from the chair. “They blew out their tires. That means they couldn't have gotten far.”
I unlocked the back door. “Turin has surveillance everywhere. Cameras, traffic feeds, security systems. If someone came to pick them up, we'll find them.”
Giovanni was quiet for a moment before speaking. “Shouldn't we be making sure our kids are safe first?”
We slipped out of the house without being noticed by any of the other children. I stopped. Slowly, I turned around. My expression hardened.
“Do you honestly think I wouldn't make sure they were safe?” My voice was low, controlled.
“They're our children, Gio.” I stepped closer. “They can handle themselves. We trained them for this exact reason.” My fists clenched. “Right now, we need to find the bastard who thought he could put a target on their backs.”
The anger burned underneath my skin. But I kept it contained, because anger made you careless. And I couldn't afford to be careless. Giovanni studied me for a moment before nodding. “I know.”
I turned back around and unlocked the other SUV. This time, I drove. “Matteo.” He immediately looked up from the tablet in his hands. “Find every camera feed from the freeway heading south.”
“Already on it.” His fingers moved quickly across the screen. I tightened my grip on the steering wheel. Someone had made a mistake. They thought they were hunting my family. They forgot one thing. I was hunting them too.
Kalani Pov~
“Do you guys know what this means?” Kaia asked.
We were all scattered around the living room, lying on blankets and pillows we had found throughout the house. The hardwood floor was uncomfortable, but after everything that happened tonight, none of us really cared.
“What?” Leo asked, sitting up against the couch behind us.
“We are stranded in the woods, in a foreign country, in a stranger's house, and there are people trying to kill us.”
She paused dramatically. “We are finally Mafia people!” I scoffed and shook my head at my twin.
“We have been Mafia people since the day we came out of the womb, Kaia.” Marcio said it casually as he sat across from us, tossing a small ball he had found around the room.
“Yeah, I guess...” she mumbled, rolling her eyes at him. I smiled slightly before resting my hand on A.J.'s shoulder.
“You guys ever wonder what the estate was like before there were any kids?” Ales asked, her face thoughtful.
“I bet it was quiet, clean, and boring,” I answered.
“Dad said before Mom and Aunt Yana, the estate wasn't really a home,” Damien added. “It was just a place to sleep and eat.”
“Yeah, well, Dad kidnapped Mom and Aunt Yana, so imagine if he didn't,” A.J. said. “None of us would even be here.”
“Well, I would,” Leo replied matter-of-factly. “My father is Giovanni and my mother is Leena. They grew up together.”
“Not necessarily,” I corrected him. “Mom and Aunt Yana are the ones who pushed Aunt Leena to start seeing Giovanni as more than just a friend.”
Leo opened his mouth to argue but stopped.
“Well, I would've been born regardless,” Raf said. “My father is your grandfather, and my mother is your aunt.”
The room went quiet. “Yeah, well, you're nothing like that son of a bitch,” A.J. spat. I could hear the hatred in his voice.
It was strange. Hating someone you never even met.
“I know,” Raf said calmly. “I was raised by my uncle, my aunts, and my mother. I know I'm a better man than he ever was.” There was fire behind his words.
I smiled at him, and he smiled back. Raf was the sweetest and kindest out of all of us. For someone raised in the Mafia, someone trained to fight and survive, he still had the biggest heart.
He would do anything for anyone. And honestly, I think that was what made him dangerous. Because being surrounded by the Mafia could strip away that part of you.
But something told me Raf would never let it. Even when he became fully involved in this life, he would always act with his heart.
“Do you think Dad will catch them?” Kaia asked.
“Yes.” Damien answered immediately. “I know he will.”
I glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. 11:36 p.m. We had been here for three hours.
Three hours since we ran. Three hours since we should have called Dad. And we still hadn't heard anything.
Then suddenly...
“Shh.” Leo's voice was barely above a whisper. “You hear that?”
Everyone froze. “What?” Damien whispered back. Before Leo could answer, we heard it.
Footsteps outside.
A.J. immediately reached for his gun sitting on the couch behind him.
The room changed instantly. The joking disappeared. The relaxed teenagers disappeared. What stood in front of me now were the people we were trained to become.
A.J. handed weapons to Raf, Damien, Leo, and Marcio. Slowly, they stood. Watching them move together was almost unreal.
Every movement was calculated. Every step was silent. They weren't just kids anymore. They were trained. A.J. turned toward us and lifted one finger to his lips.
Stay quiet. We nodded.
The guys spread out, aiming toward every possible entrance.
The windows. The doors. The hallway. Anywhere someone could come through. I reached for my twin's hand.
Kaia grabbed mine tightly. On my other side, I grabbed Ales's hand. My heart pounded against my chest.
Because for the first time tonight...I wondered if we had made a mistake.
We should have called Dad.