Dedicated to Lia_Turner and roseveron27 were being so supportive and totally awesome in general!!! Thank you so much guys! Your understanding and patience mean the world to me ❤️❤️❤️

Not edited, please ignore any discrepancies in the chapter, I'll correct them later on.

*****

"Sir, we've scouted the area for miles, there is no sign of Ms. Amara anywhere around here",one of the Romero guards who had accompanied them on their journey reported.

"No sign of Matteo either", another guard reported, "Traditore",he spat hatefully.

Pietro's eyes darkened. "Were you able to get in contact with anyone at the Sullivan headquarters?"

The first guard shook his head. "We're not able to get in touch with anyone at either the Sullivan or the Romero headquarters. It's almost like all the lines have been blocked intentionally"

"Keep trying", Pietro replied sharply.

The guard bowed before quickly leaving the small shack that the Romero and Sullivan guards had currently made their base, taking shelter from the snow storm that raged outside, as they put all their efforts in trying to locate the girl whose security they had been entrusted with.

"Send one of our men to the Callaghan safehouse, it's the nearest to us at the moment", he commanded his junior, while walking out in the open. "Tell him to report what has happened to the security chief there. We need more men to widen our search"

"Yes sir", came the prompt reply.

Pietro stepped out of the shack and in the raging snow, his jaw set, eyes alert as it spanned the area that was covered with white for miles.

He walked a little further away from the small shack and only when he was sure that none of his men were watching him, did he allow himself to crumble with worry. Worry for the girl whom he had failed to protect yet again!

He sank down on his knees, removing Amara's knitted hat from his coat pocket, clutching it tightly in his fist.

"Where are you princess?", he murmured, fear, agitation, rage and a hundred other emotions concealed in his one simple question. "Where are you?!"

It had been an hour since Amara's disappearance and yet to Pietro it felt like a lifetime had passed. He had never felt so helpless in his entire life as he felt now.

Amara had disappeared and he had been unable to do anything. She had been taken away right under his nose and he had failed to prevent it from happening.

Even now, an hour later he was no closer to finding any clue to where she was than he was at the beginning of his search.

The snow storm that raged around him was successful in paralyzing almost any efforts that they made. There was no way of contacting the Sullivan Estate. All signals were lost and when they did get weak signals, the lines seemed to have been blocked.

He realized that by now the Sullivan men would know that something had gone wrong with their party, for Amara was supposed to have reached back home from school hours ago.

They would look into it and realize that Amara never made it to school, instead, Pietro had broken all the rules by bringing her out of the city and away from the Sullivan protection. The security would be deployed from the headquarters and they would successfully track them here but it would still take a few hours.

Any Pietro knew, he knew in his heart they would be much too late.

With every minute that they lost, Amara was put in more and more danger.

He fisted his hair and tugged at them sharply, feeling utterly hopeless. He didn't know what he could do. He was not even able to track her properly! He was failing in the one thing he excelled at beyond anyone else.

"I'm sorry I couldn't protect you Amara. I'm sorry", he whispered,"But please hold on, I'll find you soon, please"

He remained motionless, eyes closed, opening them only when he heard the sounds of hurrying footsteps coming towards him.

"Sir, you must come inside now, we've just received some news", the guard told him quickly.

Pietro jumped to his feet, hurrying after the man inside the small shack.

"Report", he commanded, as soon as he stepped inside.

"I was able to get in touch with the security general of the Sullivan estate briefly",one of his other soldier began,"They are already on their way here"

"Why aren't we able to contact anyone?''

"It seems that a defensive lockdown has been initiated in the Sullivan estate due to some incident that has taken place in Chicago"

Pietro frowned. "What incident?"

"I lost the signal before any details could be exchanged",the man replied, looking frustrated with himself.

"You did a good job", Pietro appreciated distractedly.

On one hand he was relieved that more forces would be joining them soon and on the other, the news about some incident taking place in Chicago had him riled up. He knew something major must have happened for the Sullivan estate to go under a lockdown.

And worst of all, Pietro couldn't ignore the timing between the two incidents.

Someone was playing a dangerous game, a very dangerous game with them and he would kill whoever it was, there would be no escape for that person.

"Sir, is there no other way to track Matteo?", a guard asked him.

Pietro pursed his lips.

Unbeknownst to anyone else except the elite members of the organization, every Romero guard had a tracking device installed in their phones, ones which were given to them during the start of their job. It was both, a security measure for them as well as a means of keeping an eye on the men and controlling their activities.

Matteo had spent nearly six years with them and in those years he had slowly but steadily climbed up the ranks. But even he wasn't privy to this little information!

Taking advantage of the fact, Pietro had tried to track him down but he was proven wrong though when his search had come up unsuccessful.

If only he had his phone with him, he would have been able to make a more thorough search, after all, the tracking information of all the Romero guards was linked to his phone.

"Are we to wait here until the backup arrives?"

Pietro shook his head. "We can't lose time by waiting here for the Sullivan forces to arrive, we shou—

He faltered mid sentence, his eyes widening. Of course! How could he have forgotten?

He didn't have his mobile with him because he had given it away to Amara.

He pushed past the guards surrounding him and stumbled towards the makeshift desk where one of his men was working on the laptop trying to connect with the Dons in Chicago.

"Move", he growled and bent over the laptop, working feverishly as he teared through the Romero security servers, trying to gain access to his own account and activating the tracking device on his phone.

He put all his efforts into it and just as he had hoped the tracker connected. The screen lighting up with a map and two red dots, one of which was moving rapidly.

He finally grinned, his eyes turning feral.

"You're dead Matteo",he swore, as he watched the rapidly moving red dot. Moving away from them!

"Hold on princess, I'm coming"

_______

"She's inside",he whispered, looking over the rundown mill.

It had taken them almost two hours to reach this place, following the tracking device on Pietro's phone.

"Is it wise to attack now? We may be outnumbered Pietro",one of the senior guards whispered in a low voice.

"I can't wait out here knowing that Amara is inside, alone",he snarled. "We'll get her out of there safely or die trying, if you are scared then you can wait behind for the Sullivan and Callaghan forces to arrive"

"I'd rather die protecting the Don Romero's little princess",the senior guard growled in reply.

Pietro nodded, satisfied, before turning to address the rest of the party.

"We don't know who Matteo's accomplice are and I don't care as long as we get Amara safely out of there. Kill anyone who stands in your way, man, woman or child", he commanded.

The guards nodded, determination shining in their eyes.

"Let's go then",he commanded.

The mixed team consisting of the Romero and Sullivan security guards stealthily approached the rundown mill from it's back entrance, blending in with the shadows and  entering inside without even a single squeak.

When Pietro entered the building, his heart rate accelerated, not because they were greeted by an army at gun points but because—

"There's no one here!", one of the guards spoke.

The tracker on his phone had brought them here and the system never failed. Amara had to be here!

"Spread around, she is here somewhere", he insisted sharply as he turned to the left and took the staircase two at a time.

He searched the first floor along with a few other guards, his dread increasing with each passing second. "Where are you?",he muttered, desperate.

"Search every nook and corner, I'll take the other side of the floor", he ordered before jogging away, followed by two guards.

They searched quite a few places before coming to a halt before a closed door,  from beyond which a beeping sound could be heard.

Not wasting another second, they broke down the door and entered in, eyes alert, hands on their weapons, but the room like all the other places in the mill was empty.

Pietro felt like roaring in frustration. The room was bare of anyone or anything. There was no sign of Amara anywhere.

The only proof that he had not led his team on a false trail was the phone that was placed on the desk on the opposite side. His phone. 

"She should have been here",he muttered, his eyes sweeping across the room quickly.

Amara wasn't here, but his phone was, which could only mean—

"It's a trap", he muttered, horrified at his misstep.

But it was too late.

He did not even see it coming.

He only felt a hard, heavy object hit the back of his head.

And he was engulfed by darkness.

*****
McIntyre headquarters, Chicago

"All routes for either entering or leaving Chicago have been blocked, all telephone lines have been cut, all networks have been jammed. The culprit whoever it is, is now stuck in Chicago with no way to escape", the McIntyre boss announced.

"That doesn't bring us any closer at catching the culprit", Ignazio Selvaggio scowled, his eyes sweeping over the the Irish heads of the families, a glare firmly in place

James Avdonin shrugged, an undecipherable expression on his face."It does make an escape difficult though."

Don Sullivan pinched the bridge of his nose, turning to address his eldest son in a low voice.

"Patrick, what about New York? I want the security to be doubled. Make sure that our most trusted guards are with Amara and Claire like a shadow. I don't want them leaving the estate for any purpose"

"I gave out the orders for the same before the networks were jammed. Don't worry father, they are safe in New York", Patrick replied.

Don Sullivan nodded, but he couldn't shake the dread that was slowly spreading in his mind. After the meeting was over, he would personally make a call to their security team in New York and make sure that they understood the importance of heeding his instructions.

He was brought out of his thoughts when he heard his younger son speak.

"You're right Ignazio, it doesn't bring us any closer at catching the culprit behind the attack on Don Romero"

The entire room became quite when Logan Sullivan spoke. It was a well known fact that the youngest son of the Sullivan Don was a brilliant stratergist and many were curious to hear what his opinion on the attack was.   

"We should perhaps begin by asking ourselves the questions that who would benefit the most from the falling of the Romero empire?"

Georgio Giovanni scoffed. "If someone had only asked me this question fifteen years ago...",he muttered, eliciting a few chuckles from his associates as he glared suspiciously at the Sullivan men.

In return, the Sullivan Don spared him such a dark and scathing look that it made him gulp fearfully, deflating, as he lowered his eyes, not daring to look at the Irish Don again.

Logan's lips twitched at the show before his eyes swept over the round table, finally coming to rest on Lorenzo Valentini.

"Lorenzo'',he began, calm, "How's your nephew now?"

Lorenzo Valentini leaned back against his seat comfortably, cracking a smile, devoid of any mirth. "I suggest that you ask what you really want to, while you have the chance Logan", he replied coolly.

"Meaning?", Fabrizio Salviatti interjected, staring carefully between the two men who were glaring at each other, none ready to concede defeat.

"Son", Don Sullivan warned, his palm over Logan's shoulder, a shared look, a subtle warning.

"You're right", Logan accepted easily, "I should get straight to the point"

"Logan", Don Sullivan father warned again,"I do not support your hypothesis"

"Everyone is a suspect father",he murmured quitely, before turning to address Lorenzo.

"It was a little convenient wasn't it", he spoke, calm, "that your nephew just happened to step out of the car before the bomb went off"

Eyes widened collectively at the huge insinuation that his statement seemed to make.

Vehement objections were sounded across the room as the Valentini allies rose from their seats in vengeance.

Lorenzo stared at the Sullivan man silently, a dark and scornful look in his eyes, a look that was shared amongst the Valentini allies

"A divine intervention", the Riccardi boss spat boldly, making others nod vigorously at his statement.

Logan smiled, cold. "It does seem so. Your heir is truly blessed", he stated. "Whatever or whomever made him step out of that car possibly saved his life."

"Logan Sullivan, I assure you", Lorenzo said, getting to his feet, an action that was followed by all his allies. "The Valentini empire had no hand in the attack against Don Romero today. Rest assured, the culprit will not go unpunished, for today they have made an enemy out of my family. Direct or indirect, an attack on a Valentini will be answered back,", he paused, his eyes sweeping across the room filled with the patriarchs of some of the most influential and dangerous mafia families.

"With war", he completed, determined- vengeful.

"Gentlemen please",the McIntyre boss placated, "A war is not an answer. We have all gathered here to speak peace, none amongst us are suspects"

"Three of the Romero men did not make it. The Don whom I have sworn my allegiance to, is in a critical condition. Everyone who is present here is a suspect to me", Ignazio Selvaggio refuted in a cold voice. "And you Mr. McIntyre top my list of suspects"

"On what basis?",the McIntyre boss enquired stiffly.

"Your security couldn't have been so lax that a bomb was placed under your nose and you didn't get a whiff of it, I refuse to believe so", Ignazio stated.

"My men did not find anything suspicious in any of their security checks", the Irish man replied.

"Then I'm forced to believe that the McIntyre organization has no clue what level of security they should be providing their guests while they host a gathering of the most powerful Italian and Irish mafia families", he sneered in reply.

Arguments broke again, people speaking one over another.

They only came to a stop when Don Sullivan's hand hit the table, the noise like a gunshot, all sudden and so loud it echoed in all their ear drums.

The silence lasted for about a minute before
Fabrizio Salviatti cleared his throat.

"I do not agree with Mr. Logan's general idea of the Valentini involvement in the bombing", he began, choosing his words carefully, " But I think it would be beneficial to the cause if we were to know what exactly made the heir step out of the car. Perhaps he had received a warning and choose to investigate? We should question him about it"

"Careful Fabrizio", a gruff, cold voice called out, "Your contradict yourself with your words."

"Don Valentini", Fabrizio greeted the man who had just walked in with a short bow, "I was merely suggesting some place to start the investigation from."

"Vietello", Don Sullivan rose from his seat and walked towards his friend and ally, reaching him first.

"How is Romero?",he demanded, voice low

"Careful now Sean, one would almost think that you're concerned for him", a fleeting look of amusement touched the Valentini Don's eyes before his expression became blank once again. "Critical", he answered, "Rickard has chosen to stay by his side in case he is needed."

"And Valerio?", Don Sullivan questioned, this time true concern shinning in his eyes for the boy whom his granddaughter seemed to love.

Vietello's eyes narrowed contemplatively. "He's fine, he escaped the brunt of the attack"

Don Sullivan's eyes narrowed in response.
"You seem distracted", he stated.

The Valentini Don glanced at him, a thoughtful look in his eye as if he was contemplating something very hard, before he clasped the other man's shoulder, a hint of warmth in his eyes, "Thank you", he spoke.

Don Sullivan did not show the surprise that he truly felt on his face at his friend's sudden thankful proclamation.

And before he could even enquire anything about it, Vitiello called out,"Paulo, come in"

Everyone remained silent, curious to know what the Valentini Don was planning to do.

The guard walked in immediately, bowing low in greeting.

"My heir is otherwise engaged in certain other important matters right now", the Valentini Don stated coldly, "Paulo is Valerio's personal guard. You can question him in Valerio's stead."

"Don Valentini", Fabrizio Salviatti spoke, rising from his seat, "As a neutral party, I wouldn't mind being the one to question a member of your guard", he suggested respectfully.

"Very well", Vitiello nodded his approval.

Fabrizio rose from his seat but before he could begin questioning, the Valentini Don spoke again.

"Question him, but do keep in mind that the only reason I'm permitting this show to take place is because I don't want there to be any doubts left behind in anyone's mind"

He glanced between Logan and Fabrizio, something deadly cold in his eyes.

"Of course, sir", the Salviatti boss replied respectfully, stepping into the middle of the room, breaking the silence.

"Paulo",he began,"the other guards have reported that before the blast you were seen speaking to Master Valerio, you were seen handling him his phone"

"Yes sir"

"Did you receive word of a bombing by one of your sources?", Fabrizio questioned. "Master Valerio stepped out of the car to speak to someone on the phone, someone presumably important enough that he excused himself from Don Romero's company. An informant most likely"

Paulo's eyes flickered towards Don Sullivan once, an action that wasn't missed by Fabrizio and the Don himself.

"It wasn't an informant, sir",he replied.

"And?",Fabrizio snapped, impatient.

"It was a personal call", Paulo stated stiffly.

"Personal?, his brows furrowed curiously, ignoring the hushed whispers around the room.

Paulo nodded once, his eyes flickering towards Don Sullivan again, who in turn had his eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

"That's enough Paulo, you may leave",Don Valentini commanded.

"Wait", Logan stood up from his seat, his eyes narrowed,"a personal call was so important that the boy excused himself from Don Romero's company?",he spoke, slight disbelief coloring his tone.

"Who was it?", Don Sullivan questioned, not accusatory but merely curious, especially after the way Paulo's eyes kept flickering over him.

The guard remained silent, glancing at Don Valentini once, who nodded after a few moments.

"It was from New York Don, it was Ms. Amara who called from Pietro's phone", he answered reluctantly.

A hush fell across the room. Surprised expressions on everyone's faces.

Even Logan faltered, looking partly confused and partly surprised.

It was clear that none of them were expecting this to be Paulo's answer.

The trance was broken when the Riccardi boss, ever loyal to the Valentini's japed,"I didn't know that your niece was the informant you spoke about Mr. Logan. Would you be questioning her for the validity of Paulo's statement as well?"

He immediately withered under the deadly and venomous glares aimed at him by not only the Sullivan men but also Don Valentini.

"A divine intervention indeed", James Avdonin spoke, offering a short bow to Don Sullivan

The McIntyre boss rose from his seat as well. "We've been at this discussion for hours now. It's time we take a short break  before we continue with our meeting. Gentlemen, you can proceed to the lounge, all the arrangements have already been made there", he announced.

Don Sullivan watched as most everyone walked out of the conference room, not taking his eyes off Vitiello and Paulo who were talking amongst themselves.

He was faintly aware of a Sullivan guard walking up to Patrick and the two leaving the conference room quickly.

"I told you I do not support your hypothesis", he spoke disapprovingly when he heard footsteps approaching him, not moving his eyes away from the Valentini's.

"The boy stepping out of the car just before the bomb went off? It couldn't have been a coincidence father",Logan replied in a low voice.

"We know now that it wasn't",he sighed, turning to look at his son. "Besides, Romero too followed the boy out of the car, they both stepped out just in time"

"I still have some doubts"

Don Sullivan was distracted from replying when a guard walked in and straight towards him."Sir, this parcel came for you over an hour ago", he reported, placing a brown box on the desk in front of him.

The older man's eyes narrowed."And why am I only receiving it now?",he hissed, displeased.

"They couldn't have entered the conference room while the meeting was going on Don Sullivan, it's against the protocol", the McIntyre boss reminded him respectfully.

The guard tensed. "It wasn't the only reason for the delay sir", he spoke."We were forced to put the parcel under every security scan possible to make sure it was safe before delivering it to you."

"Forced?",Lorenzo frowned, catching on with the word.

"The man who delivered it died on the spot sir",the guard replied, shocking everyone in the room. "He dropped dead before us. The cause of death according to our investigation was poison, one which was quick and effective enough that we weren't able to get even a word out of him before he died."

"A man died outside and we are only being informed about this now?", Don Valentini asked, furious, glaring at the McIntyre head of the family for his mens foolishness.

"Away with you!",the McIntyre boss commanded, eyes darkening at the hard headedness of his employees.

Everyone turned to look at Don Sullivan whom was turning the box in different ways, inspecting it.

Logan stepped forward, concerned,"Father I think I should..."

Don Sullivan waved his concern away.

Everyone had their eyes glued to the box as Don Sullivan ran his fingers over the lid before pulling it open to reveal—

"Flowers!",the McIntyre boss exclaimed, confused but a tinge of amusement clear in his tone.

Lorenzo did not share the man's easiness. And it seemed that neither did Don Sullivan or his father, both of whom had a contemplative expression on their faces.

He took in the flowers—they were very small and petite but beautiful, extremely so, white and pale violet in colour. He didn't know much about flowers or their names. What kind of flower was this —

"Forget-Me-Nots", a guard standing at the back of the room blurted out.

All the eyes turned towards the man who had spoken.

"Forgive me sirs",he bowed apologetically, looking sufficiently contrite.

"What did you say was it's name?",Logan asked instead, a frown on his face.

"They are called forget-me-not, sir",he replied back politely.

"What else do you know about them?", Lorenzo questioned, a feeling of foreboding slowly spreading in his heart.

The guard hesitated."They symbolize quite a few things sir, one of the lesser known but the oldest use of them is as a symbol...",he hedged, clearly reluctant," a symbol for those that have been lost at wars"

"Well",the McIntyre boss spoke after a few moments of silence,"We are perhaps looking too much into it. These little flowers might not really mean anything"

"A man died while delivering these little flowers Mr. McIntyre", Logan sneered, displeased.

Lorenzo sighed, choosing to ignore the argument and instead turned to look at his father and Don Sullivan just in time to see the Irish Don's face change, the impassivity return like he's a statue come to life.

''McIntyre",he commanded suddenly, "Remove all the signal jammers around your manor right now"

"Don Sullivan, we can't possibly-", he began but immediately stopped, his eyes widening in fear at the look Don Sullivan leveled him with.

"Right now!",he hissed.

The McIntyre boss bowed once before ordering his guards to do as the Irish Don had commanded.

"Father what's wrong?',Logan questioned carefully.

"Where's my phone?",the Don demanded instead.

A senior Sullivan guard rushed forward, removing the Don's phone from his coat pocket and returning it to him.

"Sean, stay calm",Don Valentini cautioned the man, putting a hand on his shoulder only to have it shrugged off.

The Sullivan Don's jaw ticked as he dialled a number on the phone and waited for the person to answer.

"Claire'', he growled, shocking Logan and Lorenzo, "I want to speak to Amara."

Lorenzo's eyes further widened at the sudden demand.

"Where is my granddaughter Claire?", Don Sullivan hissed, his knuckles turning white as be unconsciously crushed the flowers in his fist.

Even at the distance Lorenzo was standing from the Don, he could hear the panicked voice of Claire Sullivan, the sounds of crying.

"Stop crying woman",the Irish Don snarled, hitting the table with his fist "And tell me where my granddaughter is"

Whatever was the response, the expression that crossed Don Sullivan's face was enough to chill most to their bones.

The Irish Don's face twisted far past anger, far past fury, something deific, full of wrath.

He roared, flinging both the box of flowers and the phone away from himself.

"Father what's wrong with Amara?", Logan demanded of the Don who had both his hands placed on the table, his head lowered and his entire frame vibrating with fury.

Lorenzo glanced at his own father, only to see the same darkness and anger reflected in them.

His mind immediately connected the dots but his heart refused to believe it.

He glanced at the wooden box that now lied near the entrance from when the Don had thrown it away from himself, his eyes narrowing when he saw a paper sticking out from it's partially cracked open base.

Lorenzo must have only taken two steps when someone else walked in, the person's eyes taking everyone in the room before glancing at the wooden box as he crouched down and picked up the paper before straightening up.

The person opened the folded paper and whatever was written on it made his eyes flare with fury—dark, deadly

"What does it say Valerio?",he asked his nephew.

Valerio remained silent, choosing to turn the paper around so that everyone could read the message, his eyes resting solely on Don Sullivan.

On the white paper, written in what seemed like blood were written six words.

Do I have your attention, Don?

"Where's Amara, Don Sullivan?",he heard Valerio question in a dark voice.

The Don did not acknowledge the question. It almost seemed like he had been turned to a statue and only a plunge of blade to his heart would bring life back in to him.

"Valerio", Don Valentini stepped forward, cautious. "We'll find her!"

Valerio's sharp gaze switched towards Don Vietello now, his eyes flashing with a murderous fury so terrifying that it made all
the guards and even the McIntyre boss flinch in fear.

"Find her?", he repeated.

"Yes, we'll find her",Don Valentini spoke firmly, We'll find her and keep her safe"

It was almost like the Don was being careful with not saying Amara's name, as if he just knew that a name would push his grandson well beyond his control.

Valerio's eyes turned wild as he shook his head once, twice, before turning around and rushing out of the door.

"Lorenzo go after him, don't let him leave Chicago",Don Valentini commanded at once.

He didn't need to though. Lorenzo was already on his feet and rushing after his nephew.

The last thing he heard before slamming the door shut behind him was Don Sullivan's roar of rage and defeat as he swore to destroy the world if his world was harmed.

———

Lorenzo got out of the car slamming the door behind him.

He spared a single glance to the lonely cliff point he had followed Valerio to before his eyes found his nephew's car parked at a short distance away from the edge. The boy in question was standing near the drivers seat, his hands holding onto the car top tightly, almost as if he needed something to ground him, his head bent as he breathed in deeply.

"Valerio",he called out, approaching the boy.

"Get her back"

"We will, son", Lorenzo replied cautiously, taking calculated steps towards the boy.
"You know we will"

"I want her back", he repeated, his anger flaring up like a lit match as he whirled and and punched his hand on the glass windows which cracked under the force.

"Valerio stop",he took hold of his nephew's shoulder turning him around to look him in the eye.

And what he saw in them left him speechless for a few moments.

Valerio's eyes were wild with a fury so strong that it almost made Lorenzo take a step back at the sheer intensity of his emotions. There was something nearly desperate in them, a burning match too close to the fingertips.

His lip curled and when he spoke, his voice was near fatal, low and deep and a threat, without question.

"I'm going to kill them",he declared.

"I'll kill millions if that's what it takes to get Amara back to me, I swear this on my blood", he swore.

And this time when Valerio looked at him, his face was barren of any emotion but his eyes burned a hot, smoldering dark, enraged and vindictive.

And for the first time Lorenzo realized that he had perhaps never really understood the magnitude of what his nephew felt for the girl.

He had never seen him so, so—vengeful, as he was now, thirsty for blood.

Valerio closed his eyes, imagining Amara's face before his eyes, her sweet voice in his ears.

"Hold on, my little Dove, I'm coming for you"

****

Unknown location

"He's waking up"

Pietro groaned when he heard the sound,  his head throbbing painfully.

He tried lifting his hand to press it against his head but it felt like all his energy had  been sucked out of him. He was immobilized and only half conscious of himself.

Before he could have spontaneously
gained any awareness of his situation, he was hit on his face by a hard splatter of ice cold water.

He spluttered, his eyes shooting open at once, gasping deeply for breath.

"I knew you'd find her", a familiar voice spoke, a shadow falling over him, "How can you not? You were and still are the best tracker of your generation"

Awareness rushed in at once. He lifted his eyes and stared in the eyes of the man whom he had sworn to kill with his bare hands.

"You fucking traitor",he roared, struggling against the ropes that he was bound in.
"Where is Amara?",he snarled,"What have you done to her?"

"She's safe", Matteo replied back curtly.

"Safe?", Pietro spat.

"Yes, as safe as she can be in the present situation. You aren't! I suggest that you rein in your temper old man lest you offend someone you shouldn't and regret it later on", Matteo spoke calmly.

Pietro's eyes burned with hatred as he glared at the younger man. "I should never have trusted you"

"You shouldn't have", Matteo agreed easily. "And you didn't initially, it was hard to impress you",he reminisced,"But I was patient. I worked night and day to gain your trust, it took me three years only to reach anywhere close enough to the Romero headquarters. You brought me there yourself", he grinned at Pietro.

"My biggest regret", Pietro growled.

Matteo shrugged."It wasn't easy but once I gained your trust there was no turning back for me. I slowly started to climb the ranks but my mission was not to infiltrate the Romero empire from the inside, no",he shook his head,"My mission was to gain access to Amara Sullivan Romero"

Pietro listened silently as the traitor spoke, his eyes burning with rage and loathing.

"Six years my friends", he said aloud and only then did Pietro realized that there were more people present at the back of the room, guards, who seemed to be hanging onto the traitor's every word.

"Six years of my life I spent on this mission and every minute of it was filled with a challenge for me. It wasn't easy", he shook his head,"Living amongst the enemy and pretending to be one of them when all I wanted to do was return home. But I knew that I couldn't, not after the risk I'd already taken. I had to prove my worth to our cause, my loyalty"

"Mighty words like loyalty seem like garbage coming from you", Pietro scoffed, "You don't know what true loyalty is, because if you did you wouldn't have betrayed the men whom you broke bread with, every single day for the past six years. You wouldn't have betrayed the Don who gave you a shelter and most of all you wouldn't have betrayed the girl whom you swore to protect. You're not loyal",he spat on the ground next to where Matteo stood.

"I am loyal",Matteo replied back fiercely, punching Pietro hard on his face.

"To yourself perhaps", Pietro replied sharply, not backing down.

It earned him another hit, this time on his stomach.

"It'd be me, actually"

A feminine voice called out of the doorway and Pietro's lips curled back in a dangerous snarl as he recognized the voice. His eyes darkened, his chest heaving as the sound of heels clicking against the floor neared.

"Remember me, Pietro?",the woman asked as she entered the small room.

How could he forget?

"Don Romero was right. Leave a fucking rat alive and we'll regret it later on", Pietro growled,"Ain't it right, Alyssa O'Reilly?"

Alyssa laughed, the sound echoing in the silent room like tinkling bells before she bent down to be on eye level with the kneeling man.

Pietro looked into her eyes which were haunted and hollow, dark and deep with pain but also with a burning hatred that was emphasised by the heavy purple shadows underneath.

"You're right as always, Pietro. Except for a minor detail", she spoke, all traces of humor disappearing from her eyes instantly, as they hardened, turning lifeless—cold.

"I'm no rat, I'm a lioness",she whispered coldly. "And this lioness is on a hunt"

Pietro scoffed at her and was again hit by one of the guards. "Show respect to the Lady",the guard growled.

Alyssa only chuckled in response. "A little word of advice Pietro. Do not instigate my soldiers, they don't like when anyone says even a word against me."

She spared him another look before turning around to leave.

"Alyssa", Pietro rasped out, spitting the blood on the floor as he waited for the woman to acknowledge him. She glanced at him, one eyebrow raised in question.

"Before leaving it would be prudent for you to listen to one small advice from me",he told her.

"And what would that be?", Alyssa asked, amused.

"Run",he stated darkly. "Run away and hide yourself as far away as you can if you want to save your life"

Alyssa smiled coldly at him. "I'll take my chances at my survival, after all I've got nothing to lose", a haunted expression crossed her face before it became lifeless again.

Pietro chuckled darkly. "You'll survive today, maybe tomorrow too, all of you will", he spoke, his words ominous as his eyes swept through the occupants in the small room."But remember that by taking Amara away you've tied the noose around your neck and anything that you do to her, would be repaid ten times in kind."

Alyssa stared at him with an undecipherable expression on her face. A small spark of amusement lighting up
in her eyes again.

"I loved my brother but he was a fool", she replied,"I'm not"

Pietro scoffed causing Alyssa's eyes to narrow before she backhanded him, hard, across his face.

"The girl will be kept safe from any physical harm", she continued coolly before her eyes darkened, anger, triumph and several other emotions swirling in their dark depths as she continued, "After all, it is fear that cuts deeper than any sword"

Pietro did not let the apprehension that her words caused to show on his face. He couldn't afford to appear weak to them.

"You know, I wanted to be down there by her side when the show started but I guess I'll enjoy it from here only, you and I will together",she announced sweetly, her eyes gleaming with malicious intent.

His heart plummeted. What was she talking about?

He didn't have to wait for long because he received his answer the very next moment in the form of a ear shattering, blood curdling scream.

The voice behind the scream very familiar to him.

"Amara",he gasped.

She screamed again and the sound chilled him to his very bone.

"Amara!",he shouted, struggling wildly against the chains and ropes that he was tied in, uncaring of the fact that he was hurting himself, that his arms and feet were starting to bleed, only driven by the sheer need to reach the little girl.

"You won't be able to help her", Alyssa told him quietly.

She had been staring at him the entire time, gauging his reaction.

Pietro's eyes were wet as he looked at her with so much hate that one would think that Alyssa would drop dead by the sheer intensity of the emotion.

"You'll die for what you have done",he swore, vengeful.

"I was able to find you, the Dons will too. You won't escape justice this time Alyssa. For every second of pain that you are putting Amara into, you will pay. You will pay for her screams and you will pay for her tears", he snarled at her.

Alyssa stared at him silently, before she turned around and began walking out.

"You did not find me, I brought you here", she threw over her shoulder. "We have some unfinished business to settle"

And with that she walked out just as Amara's fearful, blood curdling scream pierced his very soul once again!

*****

Hello everyone! Long time huh?!

Thanks to everyone who wished me for my exams, your messages were really encouraging and supportive ❤️

So what did you guys think about the chapter?

A long standing theory was finally proven right with this chapter! Great job for all those readers who had guessed the Mastermind to be Alyssa ;)

I know there wasn't much of Valerio and absolutely nothing of Amara in it but the mafia politics was necessary.

What do you think is going to happen next? I'm eager to hear all your thoughts

And if you liked the chapter then don't forget to VOTE, COMMENT AND SHARE!!!