Chapter 33
AJ Pov~
"She's gone." Uncle Giovanni's words echoed through the office. "She's gone," he repeated to my father. We had searched everywhere in the house, but to no one's surprise, she wasn't anywhere to be found.
My father grunted in response before turning around and punching the wall beside him. My eyes widened at the sudden outburst. I knew he was irritated. Beyond angry. He wanted blood, and there was nothing and no one that was going to stop him.
"She couldn't have gone far," my father said through clenched teeth.
"She was here not even an hour ago." He turned toward the others.
"I want every person searching. Bus stations and train stations should be checked first. I want men at the harbor and airports.
The first thing she does is run and hide, and she's damn good at it too. "
His eyes narrowed. "Keep your eyes open. Look everyone in the face. I wouldn't put it past her to change her appearance."
Uncle Matteo stepped in, knowing his brother needed a moment to calm down. "She was the best tracker we ever had," Matteo explained. "She knows how to hide, where to hide, and how to blend in. That's what makes her dangerous."
He looked toward Uncle Gio. "Get men out there now. We can't waste any time." Uncle Gio nodded and immediately left the office.
"We should be out there helping," Marcio said, taking a step forward. His father's eyes snapped toward him. "No." The single word stopped him.
"No one leaves this house. There are too many risks, and we can't afford to worry about you while we're focused on finding Clara."
"But-" My father cut Raf off before he could finish.
"That was an order." Something inside me shifted. I had spent my entire life training for moments like this. We weren't little kids anymore. We weren't helpless.
Taking a breath, I stepped forward and looked directly into my father's eyes. The same cold blue eyes I had inherited. "No." The room went silent.
My father's expression hardened.
"We have been training for this since we were toddlers," I said, keeping my voice steady. "You taught us everything you could. We're ready for this, Pops." His jaw tightened. His eyes felt like they were trying to see straight through me.
"Are you defying my order?" he asked. His voice was calm. His entire frame was rigid, unmoving. I swallowed but nodded once. Neither of us looked away.
Father and son. Capo and heir. Neither one willing to back down. Finally, he broke eye contact. "Fine." My heart jumped slightly.
"Go." His eyes moved between us. "Take Marcio, Damien, and Raf." Then his expression turned serious. "If anything happens..." He paused. "You call me immediately." Each word came out sharp. "You. Call. Me. Immediately."
I nodded. I had just won an argument against my father. The Capo. I hid the small smirk threatening to appear and turned toward the guys.
"What about me?" Leo asked, crossing his arms over his chest. My father looked at him. "You stay here and guard the family. We can't have everyone out there searching and no one protecting the people inside this house."
Leo let out a frustrated sigh but nodded. Marcio looked toward his father, waiting for permission. Uncle Matteo released a long breath before finally nodding. He reached out, grabbed the back of Marcio's head, and pulled him into his chest for a brief moment.
"Be safe." Marcio smiled slightly and nodded. We all turned toward the door. My father gave each of us one final nod. A reminder. Stay alert. Stay alive.
We made our way to the weapons vault and stocked up. Nothing excessive. Nothing that would draw attention. Just enough to protect ourselves. Because we were going to find Clara. There was no doubt in my mind.
Gianna Pov~
"Adriano, what are you not telling me?" I had asked my husband that question a dozen times in the last four minutes. His only response had been that I needed to take care of Mrs. Hart, make sure all the kids were in the living room, and ensure no one left the house.
But I knew my husband. And I knew when something wasn't right. He was hiding something from me. Something important.
Adriano reached for my hands, bringing them into his before leaning his forehead against mine. I looked into his crystal blue eyes, searching for the comfort I always found there.
"We are so close, amore," he whispered. His deep, warm voice filled me with a sense of hope. But the feeling of dread sitting heavily in my chest refused to disappear.
"What is it going to cost, Adriano?" I whispered, unsure if I really wanted to know the answer. His expression hardened slightly. "Clara is the one who had Kale try to kidnap Alessandra. She is working with Aldo, who is also missing."
My heart dropped. "We are searching everywhere to find them, my love. We will find them, and when we do, all of this will finally be over."
I stared at him. "How do you know for sure?" I asked quietly. "Even if you catch them... you can't just do anything to them. They are the rulers. The Basilio Council."
"Not for long," he said confidently. The certainty in his voice made me pause. Whatever my husband had planned, it had to be something serious for him to be this sure.
Then again...confidence had never been something Adriano lacked. I pulled away slightly and looked into the living room. The kids were all gathered together, just like he had asked.
But then I noticed something. A few were missing. My head immediately turned back toward him. The feeling of dread returned tenfold. Adriano noticed the panic on my face but waited for me to ask.
"Where are the boys?" My voice came out quieter than I intended. "They insisted on helping with the search."
My eyes widened. "Wh- How-What? Why would you let them go?" I kept my voice low, not wanting the children to hear, but my anger was impossible to hide. "You are the Capo, Adriano. You could have told them no!"
"They insisted," he replied calmly. "And I did tell them no. Repeatedly." He sighed. "But your son is stubborn and hardheaded."
I scoffed. "Yeah, I wonder where he gets that from." I glared at him. Adriano closed his eyes for a moment, clearly pushing down his own frustration before taking my hand again.
"Amore mio..." His voice softened. "I have taught those boys everything I know." He squeezed my hand gently. "If they have even half of the Basilio curse I have, they will be fine."
His voice lowered. "You have to believe that." I nodded, blinking back the tears threatening to fall. I had to be strong. If Adriano truly believed our sons would be okay, then I had to trust him.
We would be victorious. He pulled me closer, wrapping his large arms around my waist and pressing me against him. Then he kissed me. His lips against mine still felt familiar and comforting, even after all these years.
A small smile tugged at my lips as his teeth grazed my bottom lip, and before I realized it, my arms had wrapped around his neck.
For a moment, the fear disappeared. But only for a moment. I pulled away, remembering we had more important things to handle. I tried to catch my breath as I looked up at my husband.
My very distracting husband. "I have to make a few calls," he whispered against my lips. "Will you be strong for me?"
I nodded. "Yes." A small smile appeared on his face.
He pressed one more kiss to my lips before letting me go and walking toward the living room to speak with the kids.
Miliana, Yana, and Leena stood in the corner talking amongst themselves, but they immediately stopped when they noticed me approaching.
"Is it bad?" Leena asked, worry covering her face. Her blue eyes had lost some of their brightness as panic settled in.
"It's not ideal," I whispered. "Clara is working with Aldo, and she is the reason Kale attempted to kidnap Ales. The boys are out there helping with the search alongside thousands of other men."
Their faces paled even more. "Hey," I said firmly. "None of those scared faces. We have to be strong for the kids." I kept my voice low, but serious.
They all took a deep breath and nodded. A few moments later, we heard Adriano's voice as he began reassuring the children that everything was going to be okay. I turned around, and the girls and I walked toward them.
Adriano had a frightened-looking Callie in his arms. "Where is Ajax, Daddy?" she asked in a small, scared voice.
She had been calling A.J. Ajax since she first learned how to speak, and somehow the nickname had never disappeared. She was only five years old.
Adriano pulled her closer against his chest. "AJ is out there looking for the bad woman who tried to hurt Ales," he explained gently. "He is safe, and he will be back soon."
She nodded, still scared, as she clung tightly to her father. I didn't want to say AJ was Callie's favorite...but he was. I didn't know why exactly. Maybe because he reminded her so much of her father, or maybe because he was the oldest sibling and always looked out for her.
Whatever the reason, everyone knew AJ held a special place in her heart.
That didn't mean she loved her other siblings or cousins any less. It was just different. The door opened, and Matteo walked into the room.
His eyes immediately found Yana and their children, scanning over them quickly before he walked toward Adriano and whispered something into his ear. I watched as Adriano's expression changed slightly.
A low grunt left him before he handed a still-frightened Callie to Leo and followed Matteo out of the room. I looked toward Yana. For a brief second, her face was completely blank. Then, almost instantly, she replaced it with a smile.
A fake one. The kind of smile a mother learns to wear when her children need her to be okay. "Callie, do you want to play a game with Cata and Lia?" Leo asked. He was the one in charge right now.
Well... the man in charge. Us women weren't exactly part of their "brotherhood," so when it came to situations like this, they naturally took over. But we were still their mothers. And they still had to listen to us. At least most of the time.