𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 • 𝐗𝐈𝐗|| ❝𝐈𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐲❞

> 𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐃

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

𝐃 𝐀 𝐍 𝐓 𝐄 • 𝐑 𝐔 𝐒 𝐒 𝐎

Bruno and I stood opposite my nan as she sat there, balling her eyes out, attempting to cover her eyes from us.

"What's happened?" Bruno looked at her with pity but it was already obvious what has happened. He's dead.

Our grandfather. The man who created this mafia, took it from his father and made it better. Ditched all of the original mafia rules and restrictions, created his own. The mafia is always going to be a family, but I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much if I was born decades ago, marrying some woman who I didn't love, only to betray her trust and have a handful of women every other night without her knowing, or with, I probably wouldn't have cared.

"How?" I ask and cock up my brow, expecting it to be a horrendous event, another enemy we have amongst us, but no. A simple set of words released from her lips, 'Heart attack.' The man died of a coronary heart attack or disease, the fatty deposits straining around his chest and suddenly causing him to pass in sleep. I'm thankful it was peaceful, even though this man deserved a brutal, painful death.

"We'll have the funeral here, in a couple of days." I state and turn myself to the wine cart behind me, only to fill up my whiskey glass with the strongest liquid avaliable here.

"Good, he would've wanted that... To be with his family." She looked up at me and smiled, the fake smile that represents false advertisement. The one that says 'I'm okay, but not okay.' I sigh and look as the singular tear ran from her eye and dropped onto her white blouse.

She stands up ready to leave the room, but I take this advantage and bring her in, she sniffles the tears up in attempt to get rid of them, but my tight arms just pull her closer, smelling her usual floral scent she used to wear when she looked after Bruno, Arianna and I. It used to stain our clothes. She hugs me tighter, thanking me for finally giving her a hug after my brutal usual behaviour, but this woman didn't deserve to lose her husband, this woman was strong and deserved the love she's always given everyone else.

The office door opens widely to reveal Draco, Justin and Cameron standing there staring without knocking, overhearing our conversation no doubt.

"She looks like you, you know?" She sniffles and I pull her away from my grip and look at her with confusion.

"Who?" I question and a smile suddenly appears on her face, pulling the corners of her mouth as the tears suddenly evaporate with happiness.

"That little girl." Is all she said, Bruno looked at me with a cocked up brow and a face with confusion.

"We'll show you to the room you'll be staying in." Is all I said, I didn't want to draw attention to her sadness, but showing her the room was the best plan to come up with.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

A few days passed and it was the day we were all dreading, the funeral. It was only small and consisted of my grand father's family and his old men. Especially Orlando, everyone else has either passed or joined a youthful mafia elsewhere in the world.

We stand in our black outfits watching as Luca settles six-feet under. The whole family was here, my aunt and uncle, Serena and Diego. My cousin Arianna and her boyfriend Enzo. My nanna standing next to Violetta who was barely keeping it together, in my opinion children at funerals shouldn't be allowed. Viewing that death is the main thing they'll experience when they get older, there is nothing worse than haunting their minds at a young age. Soon they'll believe everyone is going to die.

Then my eyes turn to my brother who is keeping his pieces together, but comforting his wife in the process. I sigh and run my fingers over my unshaven chin, going for a new look was entirely what I needed at the moment, trying something new to only keep people mortified of me, assuming I'm older and would stay away.

My eyes gaze up only to meet hers, Zaffiro. I glanced down and looked at her little child who probably didn't even know what day it was, but she holds onto her mothers hand as she hugs her rabbit into her chest, I try and look at every feature of her as I could, but she soon covered her face, hiding it away from me. I chuck and watch as she suddenly strucks a wave at me, showing the innocents behind her bright blue orbs.

I wave back in a subtle way, hoping no one would see the interaction between both me and the child.

A few minutes pass and everyone had said their words, my father and aunt collected my nan from the small stage as she broke down in tears, why we had a food buffet right next to us I don't know, but nan's wishes are her wishes, she said 'We need to celebrate life.'

The kids weren't even dancing and that is when you know things have gone down hill, the kids know that the man has passed and they don't even feel like celebrating the life he lived in glory.

I sigh and head towards the buffet table, but not the food, but for the alcohol. I walked closer and closer and only saw the fizzy cola cans and lemonade bottles.

"Nan, where is the alcohol? Grandad would've wanted that." I state and she rolls her eyes as she holds both Violetta and Alessia's hands, why? I have no clue. I suppose nanna's have attachment to young children. It's in their nature.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

The rain began to pour which only encouraged everyone to gain the sad feeling from the funeral, the sun earlier had helped, it gained smiles upon everyone's faces. But now everyone is just staring with a blank expression.

I walk up the stairs and hide away in my office, viewing documents after documents from the police that there is no evidence at the moment about the shooting, making our business closed for another couple of months. I groan but become too occupied with the news that I didn't realise someone clearing their throat in front of me.

"Boss..." He sighs and I roll my eyes noticing Justin's presence.

"What's up?" I question and he instantly runs his fingers through his hair, he opens up his blazer pocket and begins to pull out a sheet of white paper, but a noise suddenly shoots up from downstairs causing screams and cries to roam freely through the mansion. I growl and stand up and get my gun out and push myself past Justin.

"This will have to wait." I order and Justin nods, following my lead and taking his gun out and aiming it before shooting anyone or seeing who our targets even are.

We reach the middle of the stairs and no one was moving, the hallways were silent. I glance at Justin who looks confused, which is exactly how I feel.

We take our steps with care, we glance around further until our eyes dart to the living room where everyone seems to be held hostage. I sigh and watch as Bruno comes from the kitchen ready to pounce like Justin and I.

I storm in with Justin and Bruno and watch as the guns are suddenly aimed at my head. The men had masks covering the whole of their face. How coward of them.

"Just let the women and children leave." I sigh, I don't want anyone getting shot, but especially the women and children, the children have their whole lives ahead of them yet. I step forward and watch as more guns are aimed my way.

I stare at Bruno and Justin who both nod when I do, thinking of a plan on the spot isn't exactly a bad choice, something we're good at anyway.

But before we can even sprint towards them the masked man is facing Violetta with their peircing eyes, Sofia's eyes are welling up with liquid as she holds onto Alessia and my nan on the other side of the room. I glance down to see Luna holding Violetta's hand, smiling at her, mouthing 'Everything will be okay'.

The shot fires just before Bruno pounces on the gunman who shot out, everyone else ran, probably to say we captured one of their men. I run over to Violetta who is screaming and crying, the blood leaking all over her yellow dress. I pick her up and she looks at me with bloodshot eyes.

"Are you okay? Where are you hurt?" I question as Bruno is still tackling the other man behind us with Justin's help.

"Non è il mio sangue." [It is not my blood] She mutters as Alessia screams for her mother.

"Shit." I shout and place Violetta into her mothers arms, I look at Alessia who is distressed, trying to fight us to get to her mum.

"I'll fix her, okay? Stay with Sofia and Violetta." She nods at me and I glance at Luna who is half conscience on the floor, I pick her up bridal-style watching as the blood peaks through her white vest that was underneath her black top, the patch expands and grows until it's willing to stop, but it doesn't look like it wants to.

I rush up the stairs and open my bedroom door, flicking on the lights with my elbow and sprinting to the attached bathroom. I sit her down on the counter and watch as her eyes begin to roll.

"You stay with me, alright?" I demand strongly, hoping she'll obey.

Her eyelids close even more, leaving hardly any space to reveal her sapphire orbs.

"Zaffiro!"