Chapter 16

'Aliyana didn't leave the rooftop for another hour after we left, and when she did, it was Filippo who escorted her home. No one saw her even talking to a Russo. And Kylie and Diamond went straight to the hospital with Vincent," Deno shares. 'Elisa is still in her penthouse. Stagio won't risk a war with DeMarco. We still don't know if Stagio has any knowledge about his wife's whoring ways. Aliyana is a smart girl," Anya speaks as she barges in the office. I give her clothing a once over, which consists of a white jumpsuit and sky-high black shoes, before glaring at her in disapproval. She brushes it off as her brown gaze glints when she stretches her mouth into a full blown smile. 'Don't give me that look, I had to leave the comfort of my home and drive all the way to Aliyana's place then all the way here. I needed to be comfortable." Anya flicks her hair back from her face and places her left hand on her waist. 'That doesn't look remotely comfortable, I can see everything." Deno grunts walking over to her, kissing her on the cheeks. 'Well, let's just pretend we already had this conversation, and I won, shall we?" Anya surmises as Leonardo also goes around the table to greet her. She comes to my chair and kisses my head as my brothers round the table. Deno heads for the cognac, and Leonardo goes for the wooden door that hides the fridge, pulling out the tonic for my sister's drink. She sits next to me, her golden skin shines in youth, as her hard glint eyes remain on mine. 'So, you found anything else out?" I question her. 'Aliyana was a wreck, as you can imagine I ran into Filippo and resisted digging his eyes out, I settled with a few words and I might've tried to un-man him." 'Won't be the first time." Deno chuckles as he places her gin and tonic down on the table in front of her. 'Aliyana didn't say much at first. Gabriel decided to pop in, and her father left as Mero and Michel were arriving." 'Did any of them know anything?" I query. 'Oh, they knew a lot, they just didn't tell me any of it. So, I got a bit creative." 'Why do I get the feeling we are not going to like this," Vincent mutters from the screen. 'Hey, Vincey. I didn't see you there, Sweet-cheeks. How're things on that side of the street?" 'Stop stalling," Leonardo says, calling her out. 'The word is greeting, dear brother. Now, where was I? Oh yes, Aliyana and the boys refused to answer me, so I got a bit creative and went to see someone else." 'Tell us, Anya," Deno says. 'Fine. I paid Elisa a little visit, she refused to talk, so I might have threatened her a bit, but like they all do, she eventually started spilling." 'And?" Leonardo asks her. 'She is in a bit of a jam, that has nothing to do with our brother's death or her father, real or fake. Let's just say she needed to be out of here weeks ago." 'That doesn't help us," Deno barks in frustration. 'Well, she did mention something helpful." 'What?" Leonardo asks, getting up, walking closer to us. 'Aliyana and Gabriel said they'd be busy tonight. Elisa said it is code that they were up to something." 'Yes, they are meeting me tonight," Deno says. 'That's it," Anya says as she picks up her glass and swings the drink back. 'I will be on my way then. I would suggest you look closer into that girlfriend of his, Diamond, and her daddy's biker crew. You'll be surprised what you might find." Anya walks out. I end the call with Vincent soon after agreeing to meet him before the funeral. 'You think she knows more?" Leonardo asks. 'She's a Catelli, of course, she fucking knows more. Call Patrone, tag her," Deno orders Leonardo. 'I think I'm going to do this one on my own. I'll call if I need you." Leonardo leaves us alone. I'm confident he will keep an eye on Anya. My sister is going to land herself in some rough waters if she isn't careful. 'Who do you wanna call for this one?" Deno asks, leaving the choice to me. Our suspects are close to home, who we call in is going to be necessary. 'No one." 'Then how do you want to find out about Diamond?" He looks at me, frowning. 'The Air," I say as the memory of that morning with Ren flashes in my head. 'Her name is Dakota Larken now. He should get more with that. Are you ready for tonight?" Deno questions. 'They are, so we'll have to be. I'll get our hacker on this stuff before we go. If there is something to be found linking Ren's death to his girlfriend, we need to know. Ren could be the first target. I learned a long time ago the lengths people are willing to go for a brainy little girl." 'Yes, the same brainy little girl. We can't deny it no longer. Anya is digging. Our sister will open a can of deadly worms if she continues to do so. A new name doesn't make someone different." 'No, it does not, but it gives her a fighting chance. As for Anya, she will do no such thing. Our sister will be dealt with swiftly. She needs a little yanking. We made a pact to protect that girl and her sister," I tell my brother. His jaw ticks as his hard glare simmers through me, 'We made a pact to protect our brother too." 'Yes, but the difference is, Ren chose her a long time ago. He chose her knowing the consequences, you warned him, I warned him. Fuck, we even tried to force the issue." 'What about us? We were warned, yet here we are having this conversation. What choice do we get, brother?" I stare at Deno, seeing the mask of my brother falling with every tick of the clock as he stares at me, waiting for me to answer him, even knowing the answer I give him will not be the one he wants. 'We don't get those luxuries." He swallows, and I watch his jaw tick as he breaks our eye contact, facing the door, 'Then I guess we better get to that fucking meeting, shall we?" 'You can leave without me, I have a few things needing my attention. I'll meet you there." 'Sicuramente Capo." Certainly Boss "You know brother, Ren loved Diamond, and he believed she deserved our protection. With his death, there are only 4 of us left who knows who she really is. And 1 of them happens to be her sister, who hasn't shown herself for a few years. Do you remember the girl who stole your heart? Or have you forgotten?" His back stiffens, shoulders square, as he stands by the door for a beat of a second before marching out. I drop my shoulder, bend my head, and allow the weight of everything placed on my soul to weigh me down physically as well as emotionally. My hands lift to cradle my face as my elbows balance the weight of the position, digging into the table. My brother died almost 48 hours ago, in my city, while I danced with the very girl he begged me to stay away from. He always knew Aliyana's part in my plan, yet, even knowing it all, he chose her freedom over the safety of our own blood. Always his Yana. On the night he was gunned down, I was doing exactly what he didn't want. The truth which weakens me at this moment is knowing all of this, I would do it again. I would choose her lips on my own, her body in my hands. I am a sick man that never claimed to be anything sane because I wasn't in the business of lying to myself. Aliyana is a young 19-year-old girl, and maybe she knows how to pull a trigger, but she's innocent when it comes to matters of desire and sex. A sane man would stay away from the Mezzosangue. Yet, the 15-years difference between us doesn't faze me. Then again, I live in a world where men marry a woman regardless of her age. My own father married his wife, 20-years his junior. Aliyana's father wasn't far off that mark with Ilaria either. Sartini, I forgot about him today. I rise from my weak position and walk toward the window, the lights of my city basking under the night sky. It glimmers, as I watch a few lights going off on the building not too far from the one I currently stand-in. Power is an essential tool in our world, and unlike money that can be taken, power is something that has to be earned by blood, intelligence, and sheer will. To survive in the 5th State, your armor needs to be impenetrable. Sartini Capello has made his armor in Lava. Nobody, not even the Capo Dei Capi would stand against him without careful thought. His one weakness has always been the image of his wife, his precious daughter, Aliyana. My father believed Sartini's love for his wife was the sole reason for that kind of loyalty and love for his daughter. Aliyana is convinced that her father loves her for that very reason, even knowing what she knew about her parents. Call it denial, or maybe survival, but she knew deep down there was more to his love for her than the flesh she was born with. His love for his daughter stems from more than his wife's face. It's far more profound than the flesh. No, Sartini Capello loves his daughter because of the promise of power she will one day soak in. He loves her because he is afraid that if he doesn't, one day, she'll find his armor lacking and strike. What he doesn't know is the secrets he hopes to keep from his precious daughter is the very thing that will keep him alive. Could he have killed my brother? It would be a pity to spill my maybe future wife's fathers' blood before the nuptials. Did he suspect Aliyana and Lorenzo to be more than friends? No, if there was one of the boys anybody suspected, it would be Gabriel. I watch the cars drive, the people walk the streets laughing. None of them aware that their youngest Prince has fallen, and the bloodshed soon to follow would cause ripples in their innocent dull lives. There was a time in my life where I would have cried in the face of loss, but as I stand here, my gaze looming over my city, the emotions I feel are not sorrow, but determination. Whoever killed my brother would meet a fate worse than the quick death they gave him. Of that, I am certain. They will pay with not just their lives but all of those linked to them. I would not rest until he is avenged, and then I will live with the guilt of his shadow looming over me when the day came, and I had no choice but to marry Aliyana Capello. And I know that day will come, where she will know me as the demon, which is her husband. Unlike my siblings, I could sleep knowing my sins were never meant to be for the good of anybody, not even the person I am doing it all for.