Chapter 21 #2
Honestly, though, I wasn't in the mood to talk. I wasn't even really in the mood to eat. I pushed my food around my plate, moving it in circles while trying to block out the voices around me.
Everyone was talking, laughing...acting normal. But I couldn't. My mind was somewhere else.
Then a hand gently landed on my shoulder, pulling me out of my thoughts. "Can I talk to you, Ales?" I looked up. My dad stood behind me, his large frame blocking the light from above.
I nodded. Slowly, I stood up and followed him away from the dining room, leaving behind my untouched plate and the noise of my family.
We walked into the living area, and I sat beside him on the couch.
"How are you doing, tesoro?" he asked. He leaned back, wrapping an arm around me.
"Okay," I mumbled. He immediately gave me a look. Not angry, just knowing. "I'm serious, Alessandra." His voice became firmer. "How are you really doing?"
I sighed and looked down at my hands. The truth was harder to say out loud.
"I'm... still scared." The words came out quietly. "I know I shouldn't be because you got him, but I don't know."
My voice started to shake. "I still hear him in my head. It's like he's still here with me." I swallowed. "It wasn't just because he tried to take me."
I wiped away a stray tear. "Well, it was, but it's mostly because..." I took a shaky breath. "He was following me for weeks. Ever since New York."
My fingers tightened together. "He was watching me. He knew things about me." I rested my head against my dad. "And that scares me."
For a moment, neither of us spoke. Then I looked up at him.
And my heart broke. Because my dad looked affected.
Really affected. His eyes held emotion I had never seen before.
I had never seen my father cry. Not once.
Not even close. And seeing how much this hurt him somehow made everything feel heavier.
I expected anger, rage. I expected him to talk about what he was going to do to Kale.
But instead...I saw my father. "Ales," he whispered. His voice softened. "I'm so sorry this happened to you, love." His hand gently rubbed my arm. "But I want you to know something."
He looked directly into my eyes. "No one is going to get to you ever again." His voice was full of certainty. "I am going to make sure of it."
A small smile appeared on his face. "You are a strong woman, Ales." He shook his head slightly. "You take after your mother more than you realize. And honestly, it's terrifying sometimes."
A small laugh escaped me.
"Because that's how I know you will get through this." His expression softened. "In the meantime, you need to remember something."
He squeezed my hand. "You have an entire family here protecting you. You are never alone."
I smiled faintly. "One of the only times I'm thankful we have a massive family."
He chuckled. "I know I am hard on you, Ales." His voice became more serious. "But I never want you to think that means I love you less or trust you less."
I looked at him. "Actually, it's the opposite." He paused. "You are different from the others. You care about people. Your heart is pure."
His eyes softened. "And sometimes that makes me want to protect you even more." He sighed. "It also makes me trust you more."
A small smile tugged at my lips. "That sounds weird when you put those two things together."
He smiled. "But it's true."
I nodded. "Yeah... strangely, I understand." I looked down. "Even though it kills me sometimes, I understand."
"Good." He kissed the top of my head. "That's all I ever wanted." For a moment, we just sat there.
Then curiosity got the better of me. "Now who is that lady from breakfast?"
His expression immediately changed. "That's a long story..."
Gianna Pov~
I grabbed Cata and Callie, and we made our way into the backyard to join the other kids. The fresh air was a nice change after everything that had happened.
I found Yana, Mili, and Leena sitting on the porch, talking while keeping an eye on the children running around the yard.
I took a seat beside Mili. "So..." I said, raising my eyebrows. "What's this heated discussion about?" I already knew the answer. I knew exactly who the topic was.
"Clara," Yana answered.
Immediately, Leena and Mili rolled their eyes. I couldn't help the small smile that tugged at my lips. "I know I probably shouldn't like her," I admitted quietly. "But she seems sweet."
Leena immediately reached over and smacked my arm. "Don't get sucked in." Her voice was serious. "She has that effect on people."
I raised my hands in surrender. "Okay, okay. I was just saying."
Yana looked over at Leena. "I guess you haven't talked to Gio yet?"
Leena shook her head and sighed. "No."
I reached over and pulled her into a side hug. "Hey." She looked at me. "I know how hard this is." My voice softened. "But I think it's hurting both of you more than you realize."
I squeezed her gently. "You need to talk to him, Leena." She looked down, knowing I was right.
"Yeah," Mili added. "And soon." She glanced toward the house. "Because he doesn't look so good."
Leena frowned slightly. "I know." She sighed. "But right now he's with Matteo, AJ, and Marcio planning who knows what." I looked out at the kids playing in the yard. Despite everything happening around us, they were laughing. They were happy.
"They seem happy," I said, smiling. For a moment, we all just watched them. Then Yana looked around.
"Where are our other kids?" I laughed.
"Probably causing mass destruction." I shook my head
Damien Pov~
"Is anyone else feeling like something is wrong?" I looked around the game room at everyone scattered around. The room was loud, filled with the sounds of the game playing on the television and everyone talking over each other.
"Like the world is about to explode?" Michel asked.
I rolled my eyes. "No." I reached over and smacked the back of his head. "Like something is about to go down."Michel grunted and rubbed the back of his head. "Okay, that hurt."
"Good." A few of them laughed.
"Yeah, I know what you mean," Leo said. His eyes never left the big screen as he played against Raf. "This Clara situation has me on edge." He frowned as Raf moved his character.
"I mean, why did our fathers even let her stay here?" He shook his head.
"She showed up out of nowhere, stayed the night, and then sat at breakfast with us this morning like it was completely normal."
Raf shrugged from his spot beside him. "Guys, you're overreacting." He smirked as he continued playing. "Stop jumping to conclusions. She seems like an old friend of your fathers."
He paused. "Maybe an old friend from the Mafia." Leo's eyes widened as he realized what Raf was doing. "Stop your shit!" He immediately started fighting back, trying to sabotage Raf's game.
Raf laughed. "Too slow."
I shook my head at them. "Yeah, but apparently they locked her up before." Everyone quieted slightly. "That means she was an enemy."
"Exactly," Kaia said. She sat nearby with Antonio, both of them watching something on their phones. "I don't trust her."
Kalani glanced over at her. "Kaia, you don't trust anyone." Kaia shrugged. "And?"
I chuckled. She wasn't wrong. Still, something about the whole situation felt off. "I don't know. This seems fishy."
"Then trust your instincts," Raf said. He didn't even look away from the game. "Just don't get beat up again. You're finally starting to heal from fight night at the ring."
I smirked. "Best night of my life."
Aldo Pov~
"She will get the job done." Lanzo leaned back in his chair, a confident smile on his face. "And when she does, their family won't even be standing anymore."
I remained quiet, staring out at the beautiful greenery surrounding the estate.
Peaceful.
Beautiful.
Almost ironic considering what was about to happen.
"She's going to cause more damage than we think," Bruno said. My second-in-command watched me carefully. "Are you sure letting her go was the right move?"
I turned away from the window. "We knew Adriano would retaliate after we overrode his authority." I walked slowly across the room. "But that is a small price to pay."
I stopped beside the table. "We have to look at the bigger picture."
Bruno remained silent. "We wait." My eyes narrowed. "She does what she was brought back to do, and we prepare for the aftermath."
A small smile crossed my face. "Clara was a loyal servant for many years. She knows her role." I looked between them. "And soon, we will be victorious."
Lanzo leaned forward. "Okay, boss." He tilted his head. "What's next?"
I looked back out the window. "Now?" I smiled. "We wait." The room became quiet. "And someone find Kale." My voice hardened. "I want him alive."
The order was enough. Chairs scraped against the floor. Footsteps moved across the room as they followed my command, leaving me alone. I pulled out my phone and looked at the time.
A quiet smile spread across my face. Everything was falling into place. We were almost there.