Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Murderer.

It's been fifteen years since I lost those dear to me because of Adriano's goddamn father, Dante. That fucking old trap died and now I had to make do with his son to get my revenge on his family. Everytime I close my eyes, every time I try to sleep, all I hear are gunshots, multiple steps and my mother's screams.

FLASHBACK

"Sorella- Sister." I cried, burying my neck into my sister's gown, clutching at it as hard as I could, with the thought of never letting go.

She yanked my hand off, shaking me violently." Aria! This is not the time to act like a freaking baby. Get in the fucking hideout right now." She sternly told me.

"Where's Babbo?- where's father?"

"GIA! Dov'e Mio figilo?- Gia! Where is my child?"I heard my mother's voice from behind.

"Mamma!" I ran to her, pulling her floral patterned dress with my small hands, she bent down to match my height and caressed my cheeks, pecking them. "Mio figilo- My child." 

She smiled." You have to stay in there till Gia comes to get you, okay?"

"Don't leave me." Hot tears trailed down my eyes, I could taste the saltiness in my mouth. From the troops of armed men surrounding us, I knew we were in grave danger.

"Aria, be strong for your papa and I, for Gia as well-"

We heard several gunshots.

"The boss needs our support now." One of the soldiers threw a rifle at Gia. At seventeen, Gia could skillfully use guns from pistols to rifles, to shot guns, name any kind of gun. Gia caught it and pulled the trigger. I only held a gun once and Gia had promised to teach me how to use one when I became a teenager.

"Aria, get in there right now." She sounded agitated. I knew she didn't want to shove me down that place because it was something she could do with great ease.

My mother removed the fake grass and opened the strong wooden door to the hideout big enough to contain ten people. The door had holes for ventilation and reflection. I had only been there once, when I was five. My father locked Gia and I in there for a day with three of his best soldiers when there were serious issues, there was so much heat.

My mom and sister kissed my forehead gently. I climbed down the stairs of the hideout.

"Don't come out till I tell you to do so." Gia instructed me and I nodded. My mom made five men guard my surroundings.

"Ma'am, Gia. We need to move now." One of our men instructed. My sister smiled faintly at me before locking the thick wooden door, all that was left was the reflection of light. 

I looked around the hideout and there was a dusty couch from the time Gia and I hid there. Seven bags of my favorite chips and some water contained in a large water bottle were placed there by my sister, but I couldn't bring myself to touch them. I sat on the dusty couch praying for their safety. I heard several gun shots and footsteps. The bullet firing was endless.

I heard my mother's voice but I couldn't make any sense out of what she said, she spoke too fast in Italian. I moved towards the stairs and heard a gun shot and my mother's scream and then it was silent for a while, beads of sweat rolled down my forehead and back.

I continued to hope and pray, I shut my eyes and went back to the times where my mother would train effortlessly with father and Gia. She was a very good shooter. She had never missed a target. I hoped that it was the enemy who got shot.

My faith began to wither when I heard my father's name from a voice I wasn't familiar with. I fell to my knees and began to cry. I couldn't take it anymore and my eyes were hurting from all the sobbing. I felt so drained. It had been hours since I was asked to stay in the hideout. I knew my family was involved in many bad things. Our father made us understand that from the start. I knew there'd be bloodshed, but it didn't matter as long as my family was unscathed.

After what felt like forever, it began to get dark. The reflection wasn't as bright as it was earlier. I climbed the stairs and tried to push the door open.

"Mamma!" I hit for the first time.

"Babbo- Father." The second time.

"Giaaaaa!!" I hit the door profusely.

"Mam- mamma?" My orbs met with the face of a scary-looking man.

"Ahhhh!" I lost my balance and landed on the floor with a loud thud and hurt my elbow and wrist.

"It's a little girl." The man yelled before coming down stairs. He looked super muscular and had a scar across his face.

I crawled back. " Stay away from me." I took out my dagger. It was a gift from Gia on my eighth birthday. She said it was for protection.

The man cackled loudly. "How hysterical. You're already hurt and you want to attack."

I managed to get up and pointed the dagger in his direction. Everytime I took a step back, he took a step forward until I hit a dead end.

"For a second there, I thought you were going to stab me." He grinned menacingly. "Don't waste my time, you look like that teenage bitch same brown hair and eyes. She gave me a really hard time. She even shot my brother. It's good she saved a little something for payback."

With full force, I darted towards him and stabbed him on his thigh until there was no time to get the dagger back. I had to escape.

"Don't let the little cunt get away." He yelled at the top of his voice.

As soon as I got up, I saw dozens of men in black and grey suits. A short-haired blonde woman looking my mom's age, cladded in a tight long sleeved shirt and black pants approached me. I wanted to run, but my legs wouldn't move. 

"What's your name?" She asked plainly.

"Where's my family?" I demanded.

"How cute." She laughed.

"Nothing's funny! Where's my family?!" I stomped my left leg.

"Do you want to know where they are?" She sneered and I nodded. " Good, then I need to know your name and age."

"I'm Aria, nine years old."

"You look a bit too small for a nine-year-old." She felt my face. "Federico really took care of his family."

"Children are so fucking easy." The man I stabbed said, some men helped him out of the hideout.

"An easy child stabbed you, Ivan." His smug look deepened into a frown.

"Who are they? And who are you?" 

"Your friend." She winked at me, parring my first question.

One of the men whispered something in her ear and she laughed hysterically and said NO before whispering back to him.

"I'm your aunt." She told me.

"That's a lie." I flared.

"You're smart for a child, I'll give you that, but you don't know how to use your instincts."

"That man said things like he harmed her." I pointed to Ivan.

"Who?" She asked calmly. "Who did he hurt?" 

"My sister, Gia."

She glared at the man before looking at me sweetly. "Your sister and parents are fine; they escaped to safety and asked us to come get you."

"I need proof, I want to go into the house first--"

"And witness a blood bath?" She sighed, annoyed. "That house will blow up in twenty minutes. You can either stay here and die or come with me to meet your family."

"No! You're the enemy. Where are my parents?" I began to sob again.

"I don't have time for this." She gritted her teeth. "This child is just like you, Federico, stubborn." She spoke as though my father was there.

"Armani."

"Yes, Boss." A huge bald man twice my father's size saluted.

"Take care of her." She signaled.

He hoisted me and put me over his shoulder.

"Put me down." I continued to hit him. As we exited my father's compound, I saw several dead men, most of them were my father's men. There were several bullets on the floor. I saw my father's best fighter, Aiden, on the floor. He was Italian-American.

"Aiden!" I struggled to escape from the huge man, wailing my way off, but he whooped my ass.

"Children are annoying." He adjusted my position on his soldiers.

There were about twenty-five shiny cars doused in black. Armani put me down and held my arm tight like I was some twig. He opened the door of the car that was in the middle. The smell of that car and the way it stood out made it obvious that it was new. The blonde woman stepped into the car.

"Now you'll get into the car silently or I'll blow your fucking brains out." His eyes dangerously narrowed at me.

"I'm not scared of you," I retorted.

"Armani, don't scare the girl! The woman snapped.

"I'm sorry, boss." He gestured to me to get in and I did. He got in and slammed the door. The driver in front started the gear and we began to move.

I looked down and sniffed. "Are my parents-"

"I thought I told you to shut up." 

"It's okay Armani, your parents are just fine, I assure you." The woman smiled.

"What's your name?"I inquired.

"Maria." She replied. "Maria Da Costa." She added with a tinge of pride.