THE BADDEST PRINCIPESSA

Chapter Eighteen - I live with murderers

Previously On The Baddest Principessa

THIRD-PERSON POV

The boy lay exhausted and out of breath, slowly defeated. "Want to talk, kid?" Ales grinned wickedly. "Can I speak freely?" he asked cautiously, "Whatever," Enzo grunted.

"Aria has been getting high every day. She would buy weed from me since she arrived at the school."Ales walks over, reaching for his gun tucked in the back of his trousers. He didn't believe the boy. He believed Aria's reckless behaviour was a one-time thing. He hated being lied to, and he thought the kid had lied. The boy quickly regretted his decision as he knew he said wrong. The safety clicked. Derek's eyes clenched as he moved nervously, his head to the side, waiting uneasily for the bullet's impact heading straight between his eyes.

Suddenly the door creaked open, allowing light to enter the cellar. They instantly grasped their guns and aimed at the silhouette standing at the door.

"Derek?! Ales your shirt?! Guns?!" she yells in panic and confusion. She fearfully witnessed a new side of the brother she never mentally prepared herself for. She knew about the mafia but thought her brothers differed from those she read about online. The boys lower their guns when they hear their sister's fragile heartbroken voice echoing throughout the room.

Present

ARIA POV

I ran out of the cellar and ran upstairs to the first floor while my siblings frantically called after me.

I heard footsteps fastly catching up behind me. The front door was locked with the snib on that was too high for me to reach. Swiftly shifting, I ran towards the glass patio door leading to the back garden. The oldest brothers and the twins surrounded me. My eyes were fixated on Ales's bloodstained shirt, presumably covered in Derek's blood.

 I live with murderers who are cruelly tortured for their sadistic pleasure. They expressed no remorse. They didn't even flinch. It was pure evil. They kill the innocent. Monsters, murderers, psychopaths.

"Get back! Stay away from me" I snatched a lamb harshly, pulling the plug out of the socket. I gripped tightly in my ready hand to defend myself.

"Hey, hey, calm down", Enzo speaks to me hushedly. 

I impulsively throw the lamp at him, and he quickly ducks his head. They look at me with shocked expressions on their face.

"Let us explain, please" Gabriel takes a step forward.

"GET BACK! STAY AWAY FROM ME!"I shout frantically. They all gently hoist their hands in surrender and obediently take a few steps away from me.

"Can we talk now? Andrea wearily asks me. I nod shyly. They all take a deep breath and gesture for me to sit down. I hesitantly shake my head no. Ales sighs and nods understandingly.

 "I am so sorry about what you saw, but..." he starts. I interrupt harshly. "No! Stop! I saw you try to viciously murder him after what looked like you had just tortured him."

"Let us explain." he pleaded desperately.

"How can you explain? His blood is on your shirt, Alessandro?!"I scream.

"Yes, your right, but he was not innocent?" Matteo claimed.

"If he's guilty of a crime, hand him to the authorities. Is it, not your job to just merely execute a teenager? Would you kill me next time I break a rule?"I shout furiously. 

"We would never hurt you, Bambina?" Enzo claims. I wish I could believe them."How do I know that? I didn't think I would see Ales holding a gun up to a guy's head and his blood on his shirt. So how can I ever trust you." 

"We are your family, Bambina!" Matteo pleads with tears dripping down his eyes. He ruined our relationship. We just spent the whole day repairing it. He ruined it. They all ruined it. They ruined everything.

"I will never be part of his family. I refuse to have a murderer family. You don't deserve to be calling me Bambina. We are no longer family."

"Okay, we understand, but be quiet for one second, and we will tell you the whole truth." Enzo looks at me with pleading eyes. "Okay", I nod.

"I am the boss of the Italian mafia. Our family has run this mafia for generations. I took over for our fathers. All of us joined the mafia when we turned 18. It's how we were raised. We don't like killing and torturing people, but we have to. Your friend Derek was a grave threat and must be dealt with accordingly. We had to do it for our family's safety."

"You mean the mafia safety?!" I snap viciously. "No, that's not it." Alessandro sighs.

"Oh yeah, explain then." I scoff. 

"If the mafia falls, then we lose all our protection, and we will remain in danger from other mafias and gangs across the world", Andrea explains, but I roll my eyes.

"You brought this on yourself," I comment snidely.

"We might have, but you didn't. We now have to protect you which unfortunately means if we have to kill people and torture them, we will, even if you hate us." Matteo yells, causing me to flinch.

"Fuck you," I yell frantically and quickly grab another lamp on my right instead this time. I break the glass patio door with the hard bottom of the lampstand. Before my brother could register my actions, I ran out the back. They instantly run after me. Just as I almost grab the mental fence to throw myself over. I hear a whistle in the distance. I am flung on the ground, being held down. I look to identify one of my brother's men kneeling on my back. Another man walks up to me with a needle steadily in his hand. My brother nods approvingly and proceeds to inject me with the needle. The next thing I know, I am out cold.

ALESSANDRO POV

I wished she wouldn't have found out this way. It didn't help that I was covered in blood and wielding a gun to a kid's head.

I don't know what to do. I hated that I had to get sedate her, but it was too dangerous for her to leave. Who knows who is after her? I still need to find out what Mr Lopez talked about at dinner. As far as I was aware, Aria had no current threats, as only our allies knew about her existence. I knew that wouldn't last long, but I hoped my allies would keep quiet. You really cannot trust anybody anymore.

"BOYS AND GABRIEL, MY OFFICE NOW" I yell, and they all gather quickly in my office. They have been anxiously pacing around the house since Aria has been unconscious.

"We have to do something about Aria." I begin.

"No shit Sherlock," Matteo remarks

"Not the time Matteo, "Andrea meanwhile sighs. Gabriele slaps him across the head.
"Sorry," he whines.

"Currently, she is afraid of us," Gabriele grumbles regretfully.

"How can we fix it?" Andrea mumbles incomprehensibly.

"Idea's now," I demand. Scanning the room for a response but only see a bunch of blank faces with shame indented across their faces.

"I don't know; she's going to be angry when she wakes up; therefore, we start there," Matteo predicts. His fist goes tearing into the wall marking a hole in the wall.

"I say we allow her space. She wanted us to back off. So we just listened to her. She needs control and feels protected around us."Andrea suggests. Everyone's eyes widen, and agreements spread across the room.

"She feels vulnerable and like we have complete control over her. "Andrea continues and nods in agreement continuing throughout the office.

"Gabriel, she's closet with you. I think you should be the one to deliver her food or anything she needs." Enzo declares.

"No, I disagree. She saw the other side of me tonight. She most definitely doesn't rely on me now. I ruined everything."Gabriel speaks up. He sighs profoundly as sweat drips anxiously thoroughly.

"I say we send Matteo in. She's used to dealing with Matteo being a jackass. He didn't intimidate her then, so maybe she isn't as shocked with Matteo."Andrea proposes. Matteo rolls his eyes.

"Hey," He yells, punching Andrea in the arm.

"No offence," he says.

"Fine, whatever," he huffed.

"Alright, it's settled. We give her space." I leave no room for discussion.

"But we can agree she isn't leaving the house without one of us," Enzo states. I agree, but the others question his decision.

"Yes, for a little while until we know she'll be safe," I reason with the rest.

"I hate saying it, but she is a flight risk."Enzo acknowledges with regret.

"Let's sleep it off, and we will deal with Derek later. I will drop him off some water and food before I go to bed."I announce.

"So, is he going to live then?" Gabriel asks, looking at me with concern.

"I don't know yet." I proclaim.