The Shadows

Chapter Twenty-Six

Stepping out of the limo, Annabella was greeted by the flashes from the cameras that surrounded them. She had forgotten how famous her family truly was. She was starting to struggle with getting through all of the paparazzi, when her brothers surrounded her and basically built a wall around her.

When they had finally reached the entrance of the venue, Annabella was stopped and ushered into a room with only her Dad and Adriano. They told her to sit down and Annabella began to wonder if she had done anything wrong. Nevermind, she didn't have the time to do anything yet, but she would later.

Let Annabella just say the Italian mafia was getting a visit from someone tonight. That would happen later in the evening so she really needed to listen to them right then.

"So, when we walk in it will go Dad, then me, then Alessio. Next the triplets will walk out together, followed by Armani then you. Yes, you will be going down the stairs by yourself since this ball is in your honor." Adriano explains. Annabella just nodded along, agreeing with what he was.

He acted like she was going to be nervous or something. When they both looked at her, she rolled her eyes and said okay. After they had given her a stern look that warned her not to roll her eyes, they let her go back out to her other brothers.

They goofed around for about 15 minutes before their dad came over and told them that it was time for them to make their enterance. They all line up as they announce their dad first. Annabella couldn't really hear what they had called him but she was sure it was something to do with his position in the mafia. They really weren't good at hiding the fact that they ran the biggest mafia in the world, but they couldn't always be smart.

Finally, it got down to her name. Annabella would have to admit that she was a little nervous, but not for the reasons you would think. She was afraid that someone would recognize mhere from her many fights, races, or assassinations. While the Italian Mafia had a lot of enemies, she had more. Annabella knew that it was shocking. How did little ol' her have more enemies than the largest mafia family in the world? Simple.

It was because she was a female. Men did not like to be shown up in any way, so when a female did it they saw it as a threat.

"And finally, here comes the princess! Annabella Rose De Luca!" the announcer yelled into the microphone. There was a lot of applause and cheers. It made the place deafening. Annabella walked out onto the little balcony that was at the top of the staircase and stared out into the crowd. Having her emotionless facade on, she saw some people flinch at the sight of her appearance.

Oh the joy of absolutely terrifying people. Annabella strutted down the extraganent staircase. When she had made it to the bottom, she saw Giovanni and Pietro from the race standing next to Isabella. Annabella smiled a little as she made her way over to them. They didn't know that she was the Shadow from the race. She hoped that when they did find out, they still would want to be her friend.

"Hey guys, do you remember me?" Annabella questioned, teasing them. They looked so shocked. She could see when they had realized who she truly was and found it funny.

"Wait... b-but.."

"No Way! That's sooo cool! Gio our new friend is hmph-" Isabella had quickly covered his mouth to keep him from spilling her friends secret. Giovanni looked like he had seen a ghost. Annabella started to laugh. Isabella and Pietro also started laughing also.

People started to stare at them, but they couldn't stop and Giovanni had actually started pouting. Annabella looked over to her family and saw that they were staring at her in shock and her friends in awe. She really didn't let her emotions out much. Mainly the only time was if she was angry.

While she was still chucking, Annabella made her way towards her brothers. When she finally reached them, she stood beside Armani and leaned into him breathing heavily from all of her laughter. They looked at her like she had two heads.

"Who are you and what have you done with my sister?"

Are the first words out of the triplets mouth and Annabella couldn't help but to roll her eyes. Of course they would say that.

"You guys are actual dorks and that was mine and Isabella's new friends Giovanni and Pietro. And yes I knew you were going to ask that question." Annabella told them. Her dad and some people she had just noticed standing beside him started to laugh. Anneblla looked at them confused. Why were those random people standing there with her family laughing at her comment? When she looked at them weirdly, they looked toward her dad like he was supposed to tell them what to say.

"Baby, these are your cousins and their mom and dad. Boys, introduce yourselves oldest to youngest." her dad tells her.

"Niccolo and I'm 25 little mouse," the oldest looking one started off.

"Lorenzo aka your favorite cousin. Twin to this one beside me and 21 years old." The one she now knew as Lorenzo told her.

"Shut up, you're not going to be her favorite cousin, I am. Anyways, I am Leonardo. Unfortunate twin to Enzo here and obviously 21." Leonardo said right after his twin.

"I'm Marco and I'm 18. Don't bother me." The meanest looking boy out of the group had told her rudely. He reminded her of her brothers when they got angry.

"Hi! I'm Dante., the youngest. I'm 16 years old." He looked a lot like Niccolo to Annabella, but a younger version.

"Hi baby lion, I am your uncle Mario and this is my wife Celeste." The older man said while smiling towards her.

Annabella looked over to Celeste and noticed that she was the one who had helped her clean up her wounds after any of the fights she would have. She thought that Celeste had noticed also, but Annabella subtly shook her head telling her not to mention that she was a street fighter. She seemed to understand and they stood there gossiping about things. Annabella got to know her cousins, before she had decided to start her plan. She told them that she was going to the bathroom and motioned for Isabella to tag along with her.

The plan was going to be fun.