Chapter 28
AJ Pov~
The next morning, I went out to the field behind the house to run a few laps.
The sweat dripped down my face and chest as my sneakers pounded against the pavement. Each step felt heavier than the last, but I didn't stop. The adrenaline was the only thing keeping me moving at this point.
My breathing grew heavier, my lungs burned, but somehow it felt good. The pain gave me something else to focus on.
Because the second I stopped moving, my mind went straight back to last night. Over and over again, the same thoughts replayed. I should have warned him. I should have told Dad the second I saw Aldo.
I should have listened to Marcio. I made the wrong decision, and even though things ended up okay, they could have gone so much worse.
I came to a stop in front of the backyard door leading into the house. I looked up at the sky as the sun finally began rising completely. Italy was beautiful in the morning. Peaceful in a way that almost felt impossible considering everything that had happened.
Sometimes I still couldn't believe Dad left this place to go to New York.
The door opened behind me, and I turned to see Michel and Dean walking outside. "Hey AJ, Dad is looking for you," Michel said, one sneaker already on while holding the other in his hand.
I raised an eyebrow at him.
"He said it was urgent, so I didn't want to waste any time," he explained with a shrug.
I chuckled and shook my head. "Okay." I walked over and lightly slapped his back.
"My dad is there too," Dean added. "He also said to find Marcio, but we haven't seen him yet."
"I'll find him. Thanks, guys." I walked inside and headed straight for the stairs, passing Mom on the way.
"Good morning, son," she said brightly.
"Morning, Ma." I stopped long enough to kiss her cheek before continuing upstairs. When I reached my room, I found Marcio already there.
"I know, I got the message. Geez," I muttered, grabbing a shirt from my closet. A few minutes later, we made our way to Dad's office.
When we walked in, we found Dad standing near the window with Uncle Matteo. They looked almost identical in their suits, both standing with their hands in their pockets.
It was honestly intimidating. We walked over and sat in the chairs across from Dad's mahogany desk.
"I need to make this quick," Dad said, his voice already serious. "So let's talk about last night." His eyes narrowed. "Aldo said you knew he was coming. Why didn't you two idiots tell me?" My dad's words were harsh, but I could see the worry underneath them.
Uncle Matteo crossed his arms, glaring at us but waiting for our explanation. I sighed and looked Dad directly in the eyes. He always taught us that looking someone in the eye when speaking showed respect.
"I ran into Aldo when I went to check on Clara's men," I explained. "He told me he would find us eventually and that I needed to tell you he was coming."
I paused. "I was going to tell you last night, but then..." I looked down for a second before meeting his eyes again. "You looked happy. Then we went to dinner, and everything was going so well. I didn't want to ruin that for you."
I swallowed. "I thought waiting one night wouldn't hurt."
Dad stayed quiet for a moment. Then his gaze shifted toward Marcio. "I told him to tell you," Marcio immediately defended, raising his hands. "But he wouldn't listen."
Dad sighed, rubbing his forehead. His expression softened slightly. "Next time something like this happens, you do not hesitate to tell me or one of your uncles. I don't care what is happening. I don't care if we are celebrating. I don't care if you think it will ruin the moment."
His eyes hardened again. "We cannot afford to be surprised by Aldo."
I nodded. "Yes, sir."
Marcio nodded beside me. "Yes, sir."
"Alright," Uncle Matteo said, standing up. "Now that that's handled, I believe Adriano called a family meeting. Kids included."
He looked between us. "Everyone is waiting downstairs." We nodded and followed them out of the office. As we walked down the hallway, Uncle Matteo glanced at Dad with a smirk. "Should I be scared?"
Dad looked at him, then turned back ahead. "You should always be scared, Matteo." A small smile pulled at his lips. And somehow, that made Uncle Matteo laugh.
Gianna Pov~
Thanks to Mili, all the kids were gathered in the living room and surprisingly calm. Although, I was pretty sure that had something to do with the amount of sugar she bribed them with. She promised them ice cream and enough chocolate to fill their stomachs without making them throw up.
Honestly, I wasn't even mad. Whatever kept them calm right now.
I paced around slightly, my nerves getting the best of me. Butterflies were practically taking over my stomach, and no matter how many deep breaths I took, I couldn't seem to calm myself down.
I didn't even know why I was so anxious.
It's not like I was the one who kept this huge secret from my siblings for years. I was the one who pushed him to make this decision. I was the one who told him it was time. Even though it was the right thing to do, I couldn't help but worry that it would blow up in his face.
Adriano was a rock when it came to his emotions. He could control them, hide them, and decide when he wanted people to see them. He chose when to show vulnerability.
But I knew him. If his siblings reacted badly to this, he would break. No matter how much he tried to hide it. No matter how much he tried to turn those emotions off.
Because this wasn't about him. This was about Gabriel.
The door opened, and I looked up as Adriano walked into the living room with Matteo and his firstborns. Immediately, I noticed it. His body was tense. His shoulders were stiff, his jaw was slightly clenched, and his usual confident stride was missing.
He was nervous. Very nervous. Everyone looked at Adriano and saw the same thing they always saw. The intimidating Mafia boss. The scary, brooding giant of a man who commanded attention without saying a word.
They saw his hard eyes. They heard his sharp voice. They felt his bite. But they never saw the heart underneath. The man who loved fiercely. The man who would destroy the world just to protect the people he loved.
Adriano's heart was so much bigger than anyone gave him credit for. It reached every person in this room and beyond.
AJ and Marcio sat down beside Leo and Kaia on the couch while Matteo moved next to Yana. Adriano slowly walked toward me. Almost like he was trying to delay the inevitable. I met his eyes, and the nervousness I felt from him hit me ten times harder.
I gave him a reassuring smile and reached out my hand. When he got close enough, I grabbed it. Standing on my tiptoes, I kissed his cheek and gave him a small wink before taking my seat at the edge of the couch.
This time, Adriano didn't stand in front of everyone. He sat in the chair placed in the middle of the room, directly facing everyone.
At eye level. A silent message. He wasn't here to command. He wasn't here to warn. He wasn't here as Capo di Capi. He was just Adriano.
A brother, a father.
"What's this about, Adriano?" Leena asked, raising an eyebrow. "You're freaking me out."
"Please tell me Mom isn't pregnant again," Damien said dramatically. "There are already enough kids in this family." I immediately scoffed and smacked him upside the head.
"Ow!" he complained, rubbing the spot. "You know it's true." Thankfully, he was healing well from his thorough beating at the fight club last week, otherwise that probably would have hurt a lot more.
"No, nobody is pregnant," Adriano said, looking around the room. Then he paused. "At least I don't think so." His eyes immediately shifted toward all the women in the room.
I rolled my eyes. "No one is pregnant," Yana snapped. "Just get on with it." She waved her hand impatiently. She hated suspense, especially when something clearly serious was happening. I gave her a look, and she simply rolled her eyes back.
"We're waiting for someone to get here, and then I'll start," Adriano explained. Right as he finished speaking, the doorbell rang.
"I got it!" Callie screamed. Before anyone could stop her, she jumped off the couch and started running toward the door. Thankfully, Gio caught her before she made it far, flipping her little body onto the couch beside him.
She squealed and laughed. "I don't think so, lil mama," he said, laughing.
"I got it," Adriano said, already standing. He left the room and headed toward the foyer. While we waited, Callie settled comfortably on Gio's lap, playing with his tie clip.
A few moments later, Adriano returned. But he wasn't alone. Gabriel walked in beside him. The entire room went quiet. Confused looks passed between everyone, but they still greeted him warmly.
I smiled as Gabriel walked over and stood beside me. Now that I had a closer look at him, I could see the Basilio resemblance clearly. The bloodline was impossible to miss. He had the same blue eyes that seemed to run through the family, and similar features to his brothers, although he was leaner.
Where Adriano, Matteo, and Gio were built like warriors, Gabriel carried himself differently. He was still handsome, still dressed perfectly in an Italian suit, but there was a relaxed confidence about him. He looked around thirty-one, which made sense considering Adriano was seven years older.
And unlike last night, when I was too distracted by everything happening, I noticed something else. Gabriel looked happy, genuinely happy. But I couldn't stop thinking about everything Adriano had told me.
How did Gabriel feel about all of this? Did he resent being kept separate from the family? Did he ever feel abandoned? Did Enzo have a role in his life? Were there other secrets we didn't know about?
My mind had been racing all night. Before I could spiral further, Adriano cleared his throat, gaining everyone's attention.
The room slowly quieted.