Family Code

Prologue

Arianna left her bags near the door and went for one last look of the apartment.

She had so many memories from here, both good and bad. She could almost hear laughter from down the hall. Little whispers that carried her secrets. If only this walls could talk, the stories they would tell...

No, she wouldn't cry. She refused to. It was, at the end of the day, her choice to leave. A new start away from all the chaos. Away from the choices she had made. Choices that still haunt her nights.

She wasn't a fool she knew that ones she was gone, she would have to cut all ties and bridges with her family.

It was worth it.

For a new start away from pain. Away from HIM.

With renewed determination, she made her way back to the door. Bags in hand passport and new IDs ready, it was now or never.

Suddenly the lights behind her came to life freezing her to the spot. A loud voice echoed the through the now closed off apartment.

"Tell me, little sister, did you really thought this would work. That you could sneak out in the middle of the night like a thief?"

"Nicolai..."

"Did you really thought that no-one would notice the small withdraws from your bank accounts. Sure small amounts each time but huge if you add them up."

"I can explain,"

"Or did you truly thought that just because you went to an outsider, we wouldn't find out about the fake passports and IDs."

With every word from her brother, Arianna's heart beat a little faster until by the end it was like running the marathon.

She had never felt more afraid in her life. Not that he would hurt her- he would never do that, but she could see her chances of leaving slipping away and out of her reach.

"How did you know?"

She was careful. Took every precaution she was taught. So where had she gone wrong?

As if seeing the turn that her thoughts were taking, Nic reminded her of a very simple fact.

"I taught you everything you know Rina. I know when something is wrong. That and the fact that Dante has been keeping tabs on you."

"You mean spying on me and have his people following me."

Arianna was spitting the words out. She hated this life. At twenty-two and she had no privacy. Anything she did was always reported back to her brothers. Someone was always following her, 'protecting' her. She was sick of it.

"I meant what I said."

"So what now? You'll try to stop me?"

"Give me your IDs and passports."

It wasn't a request. He was not asking; he was commanding her to do so.

She didn't want to. And yet she had no choice. Slowly she reached her purse and found the documents he was wanted, handing them to him.

"All of them, little sister."

She wanted to scream out of frustration. Of course, he knew how many she had. She gave him all of them.

"To answer your question, no I'm not here to stop you. If it were up to me, I would, but Dante gave a different order."

"Dante?"

Nicolai ignored her. He was not willing to go there. Truth be told he had been surprised himself when Dante chose to let her go.

He wasn't a fool; he had seen the heated look the two of them used to exchange. He had seen the possessiveness in his eyes when others were around her, and he knew he loved her.

That was the only reason he was following Dantes lead on this. If the man thought it was better for Rina to be away for now, then he knew something more.  

So instead of answering her question, he handed her new ID and passport.

"Those are your new documents, the only one that you will be using. This way I'll be able to keep tabs on you.

While you are away, you can do anything you want. I will stay out of your way but when I call, no matter the time, you will pick up and if I tell you to come home, you will come without any hesitation."

"And if I don't?"

She knew she was pushing her luck, but she had to know. She had to understand.

"If you so much as break one of the rules, then I will send people after you and drag you back. If I had it my way you wouldn't be leaving at all, so don't mess with me kid. Do we understand each other?"

"Yea."

"Good. There is a car waiting for you downstairs to take you anywhere you want."

She did not need to be told twice. She hurried to the door out of fear that if she hesitated Nick would suddenly change his mind.

Only once she passed the frame of her door did she stop for just a second and look back at her brother.

"I'll miss you, Nick. All of you, but for me, it is better I leave. I need this. I'm sorry."

There was nothing else to be said, and yet it felt as if so many things have been unsaid. 

"Just remember, no matter where you go, no matter what you choose to do you are a Giovanni and a member of the Tosseti family. That is not something you can run from. Once a Tosseti always a Tosseti. Never forget that."

The meaning of Nick's reminder heaved in Arianna disappeared in the dark hallway without turning.

That moment she made a promise to herself. It didn't matter how long she had. It didn't matter if they would leave her alone a week, a year or ten years. For as long as she had she would leave her life in the fullest.

From this day on she was Arianna Maroni, and she was free.