Family above all

Beatrice Costello

My brothers were there for me, the first to speak was always Hunter

"Need help with the cleanup?" - His look is careful, concerned.

The green eyes analyzing every exposed part of me made anger fill the chiseled face with a square jaw and full mouth.

The decision I made will affect all of us in one way or another, and this is your way of showing your support.

“Just the garbage bag by the door.

He turned and walked to the door taking the bag out of the house, we all silently watched the movement back and forth. Until he was standing next to the workbench again as if waiting for an order or a request.

"Okay, what's the plan?" - Jack turned sideways sitting on the sofa now with his body turned towards us asking what was going through everyone's mind.

The dark hair in contrast to our blond ones, the well-shaped face, with full lips and perfect teeth, the slightly crooked nose, and the usual sarcastic expression.

"We need a story," Hunter replied without taking his eyes off mine.

"We faked their deaths" – Giacomo said and for the first time, I looked at everyone there realizing that Bianca was missing.

 "Why she did do it? "– I whispered without really wanting confirmation of my thoughts.

"Stefano wasn't the only one to disrespect an Italian wife," Jack roared. “I had to talk to her so that she could share her death with us, and I found her tied up like an animal in that apartment.

The tension in each of the three's bodies revealed more than words, yet I felt the need to confirm.

"What did you do Jack?" - I asked scared afraid that the plan was for the sewer.

"What could a brother do, seeing his blood like that?" – He snorted – When Salvatore Riina arrived I spent a few hours having fun with him.

- You idiot, the soldiers could have seen you entering the building - The fear of losing my brother took over me.

Hunter laughed and waved me down as if it was obvious he wasn't going to let Jack have all the fun for himself.

— I helped the idiot to forge the scene, in the end, it will look like it was a coordinated attack so we need to act fast, in a few hours our phones started ringing informing us of Riina's death and Don will order to clean up the city looking for the traitor – He stopped with a sigh.

— We need to be home right now – Giacomo decrees — Don Sartori will probably notify me of Bianca's death personally, as a way of showing his appreciation.

Giacomo is one of Sartori's most trusted men, and he deserves the post. Always hardworking, loyal, being the executor of his Don, never disobeying a single order. The guilt for putting them in a position of betrayal hit my traitorous heart, they are the only family I have and among all possibilities, among all shit to know that we are a true family, which my brothers never hesitated to follow a dazzling plan to free me and now free Bianca, only made my love and admiration grow.

That loyalty is ours alone, and I doubt anyone else within the Mafia is as loyal as we are to each other.

"I'm causing you to lose the honor of your names." I sighed, knowing this must be like torture for honorable men.

“Don't think about it Beatrice, defending my blood is the only honor I need. Your husband and Bianca's husband should honor them, I won't forgive myself for taking them to the altar and handing them over to these disgraced ones. - Giacomo spoke with a tone of regret.

— Besides, the family rule is clear, wives should not be treated that way and Don Sartori certainly knew about the actions of Riina and Stefano, his son and his nephew, the two trained by himself. Jack snorted.

— The rules are for everyone, we're just going to put the house in order, Cosa Nostra is only going to undergo a little cleaning – Hunter smiled darkly, and there I understood.

They've been there for me through it all, through all our flaws and over every stupid sibling fight, which for some reason I was sure one of them would end up doing this, killing Stefano Sartori for me.

But she didn't need to be protected, not anymore.

— For all intents and purposes, Bianca died at dawn in an attack, along with her husband Salvatore Riina – Giacomo continued — The poison that Hunter obtained has a twenty-four-hour effect, it will feel like a cold body and that's the time we need to do it. the closed casket funeral.

— Enrico should show up here at any moment to announce Bianca's death, the hypothesis of a betrayal will be confirmed when his body is found and not Stefano since only we capos know the addresses of each member – Jack breathed — We need to kill the soldiers who are in security.

The door slammed and in the middle of the warm conversation, surprised us with the unexpected visitor, the soldier's short hair and always well-composed suit.

— No need, I've already done that - Frank's voice cut the silence, Hunter already had the gun pointed in his direction.

“Why would you do that? – Giacomo questioned the Sartori family soldier.

"Your sister knows why." He stared at me with green eyes.

I discovered his secret a few years ago, the first few days he seemed to expect me to tell Stefano until one of the few times we were alone in the car, I assured him that no one would know.

That's his way of retribution.

— Beatrice has my loyalty, if you want to kill me, do it now, but know that you would be a good ally.

I considered the possibilities, I need help, and protection and none of my brothers can do that, they won't be able to be available all the time, and I don't have the slightest idea of what life is like outside this house or the mafia.

They need to show that they are looking for the sisters' killers.

“Hunter has enough poison for Frank too” My brother looked in my direction in exasperation “Frank will come with me.

"Do you trust him?" Jack looked suspicious.

— Yes, and he has no reason to stay, if Don Sartori finds him alive with the disappearance of his son he dies, if he betrays me I'll make sure his secret is discovered, that would lead to his death too – My brother looked at each other for a few seconds, Hunter lowered the gun.

Frank watched, knowing my every word was a silent threat, just because I was pious once doesn't mean it would be a second, especially given the new life I intend to lead. I give you this chance as a vote of confidence for going to warn Giacomo of my captivity, something I've never dared to do in all these years.

I analyzed the whole scene set up by the house with the blood smeared on the hideous green carpet, I stretch out my hand making sure to leave the dirty fingerprints against the wallpaper remembering the nights next to the man I swore to love.

I sigh, turning my face away and finding my brother's fury just the incentive to finally make my voice heard. It's incredible how arrogance blinds men to the point of not realizing that a woman never loses her power, a woman doesn't lose the war, and when she wants to, she's capable of destroying everything.

That was Stefano's biggest mistake, not causing my death when he had the opportunity, having armed himself with arrogance and all the machismo, always putting me below himself, imagining my inability to reciprocate that perverse love, karma is a bitch treacherous and this turnaround was only possible thanks to his exacerbated egocentrism thinking he was indestructible. And my biggest mistake was thinking I was capable of love, I'm not, and I missed an opportunity to give birth to some feelings in here.