— Rome / Italy —

Maria was wondering through the corridors of the mansion in search for her next prey.

"Dario? Oh, there you are." She said with wide smile when she found him at his office, but it all faded as she also realised he was working. Again.

"What is it, Maria? I'm quite busy."

"You need some rest, brother. Let's have some coffee." She placed a hand softly on his shoulder without bothering to look what he was doing. It's not her business to know.

"It's not a-"

"Please. I need to talk to you about something important." She said as her pleading eyes met his and his gaze softened up. He sighed and finally the corners of his lips curled up only the slightest.

"Okay. Let's go to the garden." He took her hand around his upper arm and they walked out.

Maria was clinging for her brother like for life. She loved this warm moments with him when he wasn't supposed to be the reckless Mafia leader.

***

— couple of minutes later —

"Did you take your medicine, Dario?"

His silence answered instead. She put her cup down on the table and shook her head.

"You know you have to-"

"What a nice day it is, yeah?" He dodged her scolding again. She gave him a look, but he didn't flinch an inch under the pressure.

"Stupido."

She narrowed her warm colour brown eyes at him, but he reached for her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"Don't worry about me, sorella." She closed her eyes so they wouldn't give her away.

She was worried about him. Which sister wouldn't be worried if her only brother left was sick?

"You know Antonio will come back in instant if something bad happens." This made him sigh and pull his hand back.

She was right. His son was doing his best helping him, but Dario shouldn't take more attention than he needed to.

Especially now when Antonio is having an important task to do in the states.

"I will take my medicine later, I promise." He said calmly and Maria nodded, relief washing over her face.

They sat in silence for the next couple of minutes, drinking their warm coffee in peace.

"I'm worried about them, Dario."

"You shouldn't. Nico and Toni are grown up men and they're ready for this."

With that the silence came back, but only for seconds before Maria spoke up again.

"That's exactly why we have to think about their marriages."

Dario's face didn't change even if he has heard this sentence for hundredth time already. He was looking at the trees as their leaves waved slightly from the breeze.

"They'll marry whenever they feel ready." He finally announces, blinking slowly as he took a sip from his cup.

"What if that time never comes?"

"It will. Just trust their choice whenever it happens."

As he said that he put the cup down, stood up, gave a peck on Maria's cheek and went back inside.

— San Diego / US —

~ Manuel

"Just don't make a scene." Caterina was trying to put rules into my head. Never works. I ran a hand through my hair and sighed deeply.

"I don't understand why they had to come all the way from Rome for such small issue." I complained with pained look on my face.

"Don't be like that. He needs to do that for his father." She was, of course, on his side.

Antonio was not ready to rule the whole Italian Mafia and they would all see soon.

"You're bringing the pity card, huh?"

"He's your uncle!" She hissed at me as she slammed her hands on the desk in front of me and made me lean back in my chair.

So what?

It's not my fault that he's not in his best condition to lead the gang.

As if reading my thoughts, she gave me a glare with her intense amber eyes that could bore into your soul.

"I'm just saying I could have handled it."

"Could you? Because our supplies seem to be lowering more and more." Her face stayed the same as she said that and hit me right in my pride. "It's numbers, brother." She added after noticing my offended face expression.

Okay..the stealing is going on longer than I expected. But I swear I'm on it.

"Now..behave and let our cousin handle it."

***

~ Antonio

"Touch that again and you will be left with no fingers."

"Ouch! That hurt even thinking about it." Nico grinned widely as he tried to touch the volume up button again and I slapped his hand away.

He knew I hate listening to too loud music in the car. He's annoying me on purpose.

"Goddamnit Nico-"

One moment I was speeding up and the next second I was hitting the brake. Nico jumped up, but his safety belt stopped him from bumping his head into the front window.

"What the hell, Antonio? That was not necessa-"

"Shut up."

A girl was standing only a few centimetres away from the front of the car, but she quickly disappeared out of sight. Did she pass out? Nico and I looked between each other before we both got out of our seats and walked to the front.

She was kneeling down and picking up some papers while murmuring something. Almost sounded like she was crying.

"Hey, are you okay?" Nico was first to approach her. He bent down and checked up on her briefly with sight.

"Yeah. But my assignment isn't." I think I heard her saying something of that sort. I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest.

What a drama queen.

Nico obviously had to help her, the fool he is.

"Nico?"

No response. He was too busy checking her out.

"Nico."

Nothing.

"Nico! We're in a hurry, remember?"

That's when his eyes snapped back to me. He smiled sheepishly and I rolled my eyes.

I knew this look. I'm not playing along.

"She could be hurt."

"She said she's fine." I shrugged and glanced towards her. She was looking at me weirdly.

What?

I'm not the type to do random meet ups with people I almost ran over with a car.

"You sure...?"

"Ellie." Her girly voice filled the air and I cringed at the look Nico was giving her.

Is he for real going to crush on some random girl now? He's not going to even remember her tomorrow.

Before I could be messed into that introduction, I walked over to the car door and leaned on the roof with my arm.

"I'm leaving you here." I announced, but he acknowledged me only for a second.

Okay then. If he wants to make it difficult.

I opened the door and got in, lighting up the engine. The girl flinched from the sudden roar and Nico looked taken aback, but then gave me the middle finger as I took off without him.

Not even two seconds passed and my phone started ringing. It was Manuel.

"Where are you?"

***

— after college —

~ Ellie

I almost got hit by a car today.

Great.

And the best thing was that I spilled coffee over my assignment when my clumsy self dropped everything.

A guy tried to help, but he was maybe too friendly for a stranger. But the driver that almost killed me didn't say anything to me. Not even an apology. Rude much?

***

"I would be angrier if they weren't so drop dead gorgeous." I continued ranting at Hazel and noticed how her eyes lit up at those words.

"Say what again?"

"And the blue-eyed guy was so rude! He didn't even apologise or asked if I was alright." I went on, ignoring her reaction.

But I understand where she's coming from. The driver had dark hair and piercing blue eyes while his friend on the other side had warm brown eyes.

They could easily be the most handsome men I've ever seen, but that's how it always happens. You see them once and then you won't come across them ever again. It's like they vanish.

"And he left his friend on the street like no big deal! The boy..Nico, said it was no problem, but still. Who does that!?" This made Hazel chuckle.

"That must have been hilarious." I rolled my eyes, but smiled faintly to myself.

I guess it was little funny how they acted. They're probably close if they do that.

"I don't know, Hazel..first that creep and then I almost get in a car accident."

"At least you're still alive." She joked, for which earned a little shove from me.

"I am. But my assignment isn't."

"Come on, Ellie. Your grades can take one undone assignment."

"It took me days to do it.." I complained with a sigh.

"Let's take your mind off this with ice cream." Hazel suggested with bubbly voice and that immediately made me feel better.

Ice cream always fixes up problems.

"Ellie!"