We've been home from the trip to Montenegro and Italy a little over two months now. Things between JP and I have never been better. 

We decided to wait to let the kids know that we had eloped during our last night in Italy. 

Yes, eloped!

I honestly thought JP was joking, when he sprung it up when we were leaving Paulie's home, but the next thing I know JP and I are standing in front of a small elderly priest with Nicky as our witness. 

Was it what I pictured my wedding to be like? 

Not at all. But it was still perfect. 

I vividly remember how the sun was setting across the beautiful valley from the point of view of the small church on a hill that we found and I'll never forget the way JP looked at me as we exchanged vows, promising ourselves, our hearts and our lives to each other. 

I've never been happier; now we just need to let everyone in on the happy news. We didn't want to tell the kids with the rush of having to get everything ready and going before school started. 

And then there was everyone else we haven't told yet, too. A part of me knows my mom, and Enzo will probably be hurt that I didn't tell them sooner, or that they weren't there, but I hope they'll still be supportive and happy for us.

But now that it's been a couple of months since the kids started school and seem to all be adjusting well to their classes and teachers, besides the obvious daily struggles with reminding them to do their homework or typical sibling squabbling, we think it's a good time as any to tell them.

The older boys are on the football team and we've gone to a couple their games already. Lucy has made a couple of nice friends and is part of the art club in school as well, the choir and the volleyball team. 

We've celebrated Lucy's birthday last month and had planned on taking a trip for her birthday like we've done in the past but the only thing she asked for was for us to fly her friend Annie from Miami out to New York. 

She spent nearly a week here with us and their parting was hard on Lucy, but I told Lucy I would consider letting her visit Annie during Christmas break, at least for a few days.

Marco's birthday was last weekend and I think we are all still recovering from it, mostly from the fact that we realized how exhausting a house full of teenagers can be, but overall I can honestly say I'm grateful the twins have been accepted with Marco's friends and are able to have some what of a normal childhood.

"What do you think about this one?" 

I look over at Joey and he's holding a mug that says. "My humpin' put the baby bump in". 

I raise my eyebrow as I move my eyes up from the mug. "Really, Joe?" I fold my arms as I walk towards him. "How is that better than than the 'I forgot to wrap it' T-shirt?" 

"Because it's awesome," He responds seriously.

I chuckle rolling my eyes. "You're supposed to be getting gifts for Anna not for you, remember?" I say as I walk back to our cart full of things for the baby shower in a couple of weeks. 

"I did, see?" Joey walks up next to the cart, and starts sifting through the items with his free hand. "She loves these chocolates." He holds up a bag of Ghirardelli salted caramel chocolates. "And she's super horny right now, so I got her these cheap romance novels." He holds up two, erotic looking books.

"Oh" Realizing I haven't noticed he actually did get her gifts.

"What's going on with you?" He sets the mug on a shelf in front of us. "You seem distracted." He watches me carefully. "You know if this is too much you don't have to do it, Anna wouldn't care; and you know Evangeline would jump at the chance to run the show." 

"No, no it's not that," I look away.

"Is it about the meeting you had with that Fed the other day? Because you said it went well," He walks closer to me and crosses his arms, referring to another meeting I had with Ray. 

"No, it was good. We exchanged information on the Albanians and I think it will be a good partnership to have someone from that side of things with us."

I run my hands through some of the baby clothes we are near before I look at him and blurt it out. "JP and I got married." 

"And?" He chuckles and I frown back at him. "What? You think we wouldn't have noticed or figured it out?" 

"Who's we?"

"Everyone," He answers and is now looking at baby onesies that says. "I got my looks from mom" and he smiles putting it in the cart.

"Are you serious? Everyone? Like everyone?"

He looks over at me. "Yep. The new tattoo on JP's finger, with your name is was a dead giveaway." 

"Well, that doesn't necessarily mean that we are married-married."

He rolls his eyes. "Sure, except there's also the fact that you guys have been super extra around each other, it's pretty damn obvious. I mean, JP hand feeds you whenever you're eating together, from his lap, for crying out loud and you literally refer to him as marito instead of his name, whenever you two talk on the phone." 

A smile spreads across my face thinking back to the last two months being married to JP. It's been wonderful, I sigh blissfully. But then I realize there may be some hurt feelings from our secret elopement.

"Are you mad?" I ask curiously. 

"Why would I be or anyone else for that matter? I mean, sure it would have been nice to see it happen finally or party it up with you guys, but we get it," He smiles at me. "Although, you might have some work to do with Enzo. And your mom....and Anna." 

"But they seem fine," I stop to think how they each haven't said anything or behaved differently that I can remember, anyway. 

"They're not mad, they can see how happy you guys are, but I'm sure they're just waiting for you to come clean and you haven't yet..."

"We didn't want to spring it up on everyone when we got back because we had so much to do with the kids starting school, and having to get things ready for that, then we had Lucy's birthday, then Marco's and the timing didn't seem right, you know?" I explain as we head towards the check out lanes. "We didn't want to steal anyone's thunder." 

"No one would think or feel you guys would, Stella," He helps load items on the conveyor belt with me. 

"Well, now I feel bad...or more guilty, I guess." 

He chuckles. "It's funny, you know. After everything and all the time that's gone by, you're still the same Stella. You over think things," He smiles at me. "But it's cool, too. It's nice that not everything is so different, no offense." 

I smile back at him. "I get it, Joey." 

We head out to the car and as we walk out Nicky, who was outside smoking as he waited, meets up with us . He looks at our full cart. "For how much is in there, it didn't take you very long at all," He tells me in Italian. "Most women take hours to shop for like two things." 

I laugh. "You know how I shop, I'm in and out!" 

"This is true," He responds as he helps load things into the SUV. The other guard and driver also gets out and helps us. 

"Crap, I forgot to get the mini polaroid camera's. I'll run in and grab them, give me like five minutes." 

"I'll come with you," Nicky and Joey say at the same time, except Nicky says it in Italian.

I give them both a look. "Guys, really, I'll be super quick." I don't give them a chance to respond as I sprint back to the store. Some of the store employees give me strange looks as I dash in and run to the aisle I remember seeing the cameras in. I grab as many as they have in stock, which should be enough with the amount of people who are coming and run back to the check out and set the cameras down.

The elderly cashier, with bright pink lip stick, looks at all the cameras and then smiles at me. "What are you going to do with all of these camera's, dear?"

"I'm hosting a baby shower for my best friend and I'm setting these up at each table and throughout the room we will be in, for people to take pictures during the event. Then I'm going to collect them and put them in a book or album for her." 

"What a lovely idea. Is this her first?"

"Yes, she's having a girl," I tell her. 

"That's wonderful; I hope she has an easy and safe delivery," She smiles at me. I thank her and hurry out of sliding doors to get outside. 

I look up as I step out and Joey and Nicky are still outside the SUV talking with one another and the driver and the guards are back inside. They look up and see me as I take a step off of the side walk but then I see as their eyes widen, Joey runs towards me, while Nicky reaches for his gun as I hear the sound of tires squealing from taking off quickly and a van comes to an abrupt stop in front of me. 

Rapid gun fire goes off almost instantly on the drivers side of the van. I'm completely vulnerable out in the open as they shoot at the car where Joey and Nicky were. The side door of the van facing me opens and several masked men pile out of the car. I drop my bags and reach for my guns and begin shooting at the men as I make my way back into the store. 

People are screaming and running for cover as bullets are zipping all around, glass shattering everywhere.

Once inside, I see the customer service desk to my left and run as I fire back at the gunmen who are running in and jump over the desk falling hard on my shoulder. I wince as I sit up and I check the clips on my guns to see where I'm at on bullets. 

There's shouting in foreign language; it's gotta be the Albanians, but then there's loud thumping followed by a loud groan. And then I hear Joey's voice, "Stella..." It sounds strained and pained. I get up slowly and peek over the edge of the counter. 

He's being held back with a knife on this throat and his head pulled back by his hair. I shake my head out of the flashback images flooding my mind. He's bleeding from his damaged eye, nose and lip. 

"Come out, and we don't hurt him." I recognize the tall large man as Luan, standing next to Joey. Joey struggles against their hold telling me not to do it. But then they grab the little old lady who checked me out from behind the cash register; she whimpers in pain as they bend her arm back in an awkward angle. 

"Hurry or kill old woman," Luan threatens. 

"The cops will be here before you can get away," I say from behind the desk.

"We take chances," He tells me in his broken English. "Your men are dead, no way out." I lower my head thinking of Nicky and fight back the tears that come to my eyes. 

The old ladies cries out in pain and I shut my eyes tight; and pull my phone out. I find the group text that includes the older kids, Anna, Enzo, Cristian, my mom and JP and send a message.

It's short. Simple. They'll know.

Me: Albanians. I love you.

"We start killing in three...two...one---"

"Alright!" I raise my hands up so they can see I'm not armed, with guns anyway. 

I stand slowly behind the counter and face them. My heart is racing with the unknown of whether these are my last moments alive or if a new nightmare will begin where I will regret not taking this chance to have them kill me. But thinking of the my family keeps me from doing anything irrational.

"Come closer," Luan orders, keeping his gun pointed at the old lady's head as I walk around the counter and a couple of his men start patting me down, taking out the knives I also carry on me. My phone rings in my back pocket and one of the men pulls it out. I glance down at it as he tosses it to the floor and see JP's name flashing before he stomps his heel on it.  

We hear sirens off in the distance and for a brief moment I feel somewhat relieved, police are on their way. Maybe we will be okay. 

But it's short lived when Luan's gun goes off and the little old lady crumples to the floor. "She saw our faces," He shrugs, "no witnesses!" He shouts. "If anyone talks to the police we will come after you and your families!" The men start shooting their automatic weapons all around us. I watch as they stick a needle in Joey's neck and he goes limp but then I'm hit on the side of my head and everything goes black. 

I sit up gasping when I'm splashed with a bucket of cold water. A painful throbbing erupts on my temple immediately. My instinct to wipe at my eyes is brought to a halt, when I notice my hands are handcuffed. 

"Miremengjes" 

I look away when a bright overhead light comes on and only adds to my splitting headache. My eyes adjust to the light slowly and I see I'm in a warehouse-like structure. We must be further in the city with the traffic noise I can vaguely make out nearby. Or maybe we are underground somewhere. 

"It means, 'good morning' in my country," Luan tells me. 

"What's good about it?" My voice sounds raspy. 

Luan chuckles as he takes a drink of a cup sitting on the table next to him. "Any morning that begins with retribution is good." 

"Well, I hope you enjoy your last miremengjes, asshole." 

Luan sputters and chokes on his coffee. "I hear of your...what is the right word?" He pauses to think. 

"Bravery? Intelligence? Beauty?" I offer.

He laughs loudly now, but then looks back at me, shaking his head. "No, no, no." He leans forward. "insolence."

I flip my hair back and smile. "Thank you," I say sincerely which causes him to laugh again. 

"You know what I heard?" I move my legs forward to straighten them, they're sore from being in a bent position for however long I've been out. "I heard you're stupidly working for and trusting Cassian James Carminati aka Jimmy." 

"You don't know us. If you did, you would know we trust no one. I don't work for--"

"Jimmy--he works for you, right?" I cut him off. "Yeah...I hate to tell you this, but...you're going to realize too late he's going to fuck you over. He has a habit of doing that. But I know you don't care to hear about that so, what is it you want?"

"We want what everyone wants, power."

"I don't want that." 

"Yet, you are part of the biggest, and most powerful empire to date, for the Italian families," He responds amused. "Johnny Santiago is powerful, yet we know he's not the true leader of the families. His predecessor, Timo Bracco, while also powerful, was not as respected as Johnny. Perhaps because he kept something hidden from most of his associates. Wrong or not, many felt betrayed they didn't know about his true heir until he died."

"So you figured out I'm Timo's daughter, congratulations," I say dryly. "Then you also know that Giovanni Dante was my Uncle. Jimmy was Giovanni's right hand man before he turned on Gio and robbed him of millions. Usually he likes to weasel his way through a families weakness which unfortunately for obvious reasons is usually through women." I use the time I'm spinning this web of lies to look around and see there is a small window in the room, beside the main door to the area we are in. 

Luan leans back as he listens to me, but I see he's putting things together in his mind. "I hear he has a budding relationship with Samira. I'm guessing that's how you met him, yes?" Luan doesn't respond. My mind wanders to where they're keeping Joey, but then the door slides open and I see him. 

They drag him in and then shove him forward and he falls down next to me. "Joey, are you okay?" 

"I'm fine," He hisses as he sits up slowly. "Good thing we've had practice, right?" He tries to joke.

"You are both going to be given the opportunity to give us the information we need to take over the largest shipment of product, and weapons Santiago is going to receive." 

Joey and I both look at each other. "Yeah, you fucked up. If that's what you're after you came after the wrong people, Luan," I tell him. "But like I said, your mistake will die with you today." 

Luan grabs me roughly, pulling me up, but Joey moves quickly and kicks in his knee causing Luan to fall down. The other men in the room grab Joey and begin punching and kicking him. I wince as I slide my hands under me and then pull my legs through so my hands are now in front of me instead of on my back and I kick one of the guys hitting Joey and jump on another's back using my cuffs to choke him. 

He slams me against the wall but I wrap my legs tighter around his waist and arch my back as I squeeze harder and then I feel his weight give out. I push and kick him away but then I'm grabbed roughly by Luan again. 

This time he pushes me over the table, facedown. "You're going to get a lesson on what we do to women who are confused as to who the stronger sex is, the ones who think they are equal to us." His foul breath fans across my faces as he leans down on top of me. 

I use my arms to push against the table but he slams my head down hard to keep me from moving.

"Get the fuck away from her!" Joey shouts I don't have to see him to know they are hitting him by the sound of fist colliding with flesh. 

I struggle to get a good grip or leverage to push away now that my hands are in front, pinned under me. I hear a knife being unsheathed and then the back of my pants are cut and Luan rips them further and tears through the band of my underwear. "Don't worry, Santiago is watching this live right now, too." 

I try to kick back at him, but he's larger than I am and uses his weight to keep me pressed against the table. I hear the sound of his pants being unzipped now. I scream and grunt out of frustration more than fear. I've been through and lived through worse. 

"Luan." 

The cold voice that interrupts doesn't give me a sense of comfort like it should; instead it's hatred that over comes me. 

"Jimmy, how did you know I was here?" Luan questions but doesn't ease up on his grip. Jimmy doesn't answer him. 

Instead, I hear Jimmy's shoes clack against the cement floor as he gets closer. "Well, this looks familiar." He bends down and smiles back at me. Luan keeps my face pressed against the dirty metal table. 

"Hello, gorgeous. Long time no see." 

"Fuck you." 

"Nah, not today. In fact I found someone that gives me the same feelings you did all those years ago." He sighs. "I finally know what love feels like." I burst out laughing; his mouth sets in a thin line before stands up. 

"JP's going to fucking annihilate you, Jimmy," Joey informs him.

"JP? I know you got your shit fucked up last time we saw each other, but I killed that cocky son of a bitch," Jimmy responds. Luan finally pulls me up off the table. 

"He means Johnny, you stupid fuck," I spit at him. "Johnny is going to slaughter all of you." I look around the room. 

"I haven't done anything against Johnny. The Albanians on the other hand..." Jimmy begins. 

"What the fuck does that mean?" Luan lets me go and moves towards Jimmy. "What you playing at Jimmy?

"Why would I make the Johnny Santiago an enemy?" Jimmy smiles at us, evilly. "The way I see it Johnny will take out the Albanians, who were coming dangerously close to an overthrow but with all the recent product seizers and killings, I'd say Johnny has a slight edge over them, but you had to go and fuck everything up Luan." 

"What the hell are you talking about? I got Johnny's girl," Luan argues. "He's going to be begging us to do whatever we need to get her back." 

"Jimmy, what you don't seem to grasp is Johnny Santiago is John Paul. He changed his name while he rebuilt and restructured. JP along with Cristian, Enzo and my grandfather Vito Bracco will hunt you down. I found you once and I made sure you paid for what you did."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Jimmy looks around holding his arms out. "It sure fucking looks like I got away with it," He smiles. 

"At the cost of losing Gio. He thought you betrayed him. That you stole from him when money was siphoned out of his accounts into yours. He put a hit out on you for the betrayal." He watches me carefully as a slow smile spreads on my face. 

"You?" He takes a step closer. "You did that?" 

"Paybacks a bitch. And trust me, you won't get away with it again. The Malones are also working with JP. You're a deadman walking, Jimmy." 

Jimmy turns away and I can see he's breathing heavily. I should have realized the danger that was simmering underneath everything. Jimmy pounds his fists on the table and and grunts out in anger. 

"Forget the bitch, Jimmy. Use her to get what we need from Johnny."

"We?" Jimmy turns around slowly. "You fucked up, Luan." Jimmy pulls his gun quickly and shoots him and the other three men in the room with us instantly. Their bodies hit the ground heavily. 

"I gotta give it to you Stella, well played." He points his gun at me. 

"Don't do it Jimmy," Joey interjects and Jimmy moves the gun towards him and I immediately think of Annalisa and their baby. 

"Jimmy, you're mad at me. Take it out on me," I tell him carefully and quietly. 

"Oh I am. If Johnny is in fact JP, then you've given me no choice in the matter," He aims his gun at me and I'm pushed out of the way before I hear his gun go off twice.

"No!" I scream as Joey falls back. I get up on my knees to move towards him.

"If I'm as good as dead, then it doesn't matter what happens to you right, Stella?" 

"Jimmy, don't---"

The gun goes off two more times and I slam back against the wall from the impact. Everyone's faces that I love flash in my head before everything fades away with the sound of Jimmy's shoes echoing in the distance as he walks away. 

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