Rising from ashes

Chapter 6

Sky

5 years ago

I tried to fight off Lorenzo as he pulled me out of the house. Even when we were outside I tried to go back in. When I realised I couldnʼt overpower him, I just collapsed on the floor and cried. The fire spread fast and I knew they were gone even before the final explosion.

I was so numb that I didnʼt even realise I was being moved until Lorenzo wrapped his arm around my waist from behind. He was trying to lift me up but I didnʼt want to go anywhere. I didnʼt want to leave them. "We need to leave!" Lorenzo yelled hurriedly as he searched our surroundings. I shook my head while putting all my weight towards the ground so that he couldnʼt move me. "We need to go now or weʼll be next princess" he sounded stressed and broken. I looked up and saw a similar amount of pain in his eyes.

The men in our world never showed emotions. They were always reserved, serious and vicious. In that moment, I realized Lorenzo couldn't hold his emotions in. My father was his best friend. He was trying to be strong for me even though all he wanted to do was breakdown as well.

"Please princess." he pleaded with me and I finally moved.

He took me to his car and drove off. The grip he had on the wheel looked excruciatingly painful. His knuckles paled and his breath thinned. I curled myself up into a ball in the backseat and cried myself to sleep.

Hours later, I woke up in a hotel room with all the curtains shut. There were two beds and a glass of water on the table near the bed I was in. The bathroom door opened and Lorenzo walked out. His hair was cut shorter and died blond. He wasn't wearing a suit as he usually did. Instead, he wore jeans and a hoodie.

I wrapped my armed around my legs and fell back down onto the bed. All the guilt I felt quickly began to surface. I had killed them and yet I was still alive.

I didnʼt deserve to be.

"Yes you do" Lorenzo argued walking towards me.

I looked up at him confused and before realising I had said that out loud.

Looking back down I whispered, "They are dead because of me"

"You couldnʼt have known Bianca was in the Nicoli clan. Non of us could have."

"Father knew. He told me I couldn't trust her but I didn't listen. How could I be so stupid?"

"The damage is done and there is nothing you can do about it. All you need to think about now is avenging them. Bianca thinks she can break you, prove her wrong. Bring the war to them. Beat them at their own game."

He was there, for and threw it all. He stayed with me even as his wife and kids thought he was dead. He stayed with me for a whole year as I gathered our allies and found a place we could lay low. He helped me plan everything.

5 years later we were one of the most dangerous Italian Mafia groups in America.

Present day

I blindly headed to the guns and turned the corner where the practice targets were. I put on the headphones and began to rapidly fire.

I missed every target.

My frustration grew rapidly. This was meant to help me de-stress but all it did was make it worse.

I let out a grunt and threw the gun back on the table before pulling at my hair. I closed my eyes and took multiple deep breaths. That's when I noticed the sound of sharpening knives had quieted. I opened my eyes and realized that I had Lorenzo's full attention.

He placed the knife he was holding down and proceeded towards me.

"Wanna tell me what's got you so worked up that made you miss all those shots when you haven't missed a shot it almost 4 years princess?" He asked leaning against the wall and watching me cautiously.

"It's fucking Dominic D'Angelo!" I yell in utter frustration. "That stupid idiot has me all confused and now I can't freaking concentrate. I mean how the hell am I so flustered just because we were so close. I kill people at close range all the time and I don't feel anything. Now I'm all worked up and can't think straight." I'm pacing the area and using hand gestures as I explain what just happened.

For the first time in all the years I had known Lorenzo, I wanted to kill him. He was smirking. I was frustrated and he was fucking enjoying it. I stopped mid step and stared at him. His smile grew wider and I glared.

"This isn't funny Lo"

"And I'm not laughing. I just find it amusing how much Dominic bothers you"

"I'm not supposed to be so bothered!"

"And why is that? You are probably the only person that sees it that way." I stare at him for a good five minutes before even attempting to speak.

"What do you mean by that?" I ask.

"You do realize that everyone has wanted you and Dominic to get together since the beginning of time right?" a full on grin was flat on his face as he examines my shocked expression.

"You two are made for each other. I know he likes you because of how he stares at you every time you look away." He grinned as he walked up to me and patted my shoulder.

"I know it's hard for you to let loose anymore or be vulnerable infront of someone but you trust Dom. He proved he could be trusted all those years ago. You two are already inseparable. You just have to let yourself enjoy the idea of being completely vulnerable infront of someone other than me." With that, he turned to leave. When his hand grabbed the door handle, he paused and looked back at me. "Just remember though, if he hurts you I will impale him with an axe." his face was genuinely scary but it made me smile.

The smile only lasted for a minute before being replaced with a frown. He had taken up the role of being my father. I loved him like one too. Every time a guy ever attempted to approach me, he would flash his gun in their direction and they would run. So why was he encouraging me to be with Dom? And why was I happy about it?