Saving my sister-in-law.

A few minutes later, when I come out of my uncle's study and begin to descend the stairs, my ears perk up at a woman's faint groan of pain from a distance so I stop halfway. My hand trembles sightly at the knowledge that a pitiful female was getting beaten up by her husband but there is nothing I can do to help. 

This was the sad fate of any woman connected to the Mafia. This was the reason I struggled to be inducted as a Made Man. 

It wasn't ideal for a woman to be a Capo anywhere but there were two rare cases in my Costa Nostra, mine and the Boss's grandmother. Her bravery gave me the strength and courage to fight for a better life and I succeeded. I was now untouchable and feared by any man in this region. 

I snap out of my deep thoughts when I hear another sound so I descend down the stairs and see my friend on the floor. My eyes widen at the pool of blood beside her as she curls herself in a defensive position on the white-tiled floor. I immediately run to her side to check on her on my knees. "Oh my GOD...Giuliana!"

When I look up, I see my cousin looking down at me holding the other end of the belt. The sight of the lanky figure with a similar stroke of mustache like my uncle infuriates me to the point all I see right now is blood. "Davide, what the hell are you doing?!"

He seems a bit surprised to see me here but he scowls at me like I am an unwanted pest. "Get out of my way, Marcella."

My heart clenches when I retract the fingers that I use to cradle my friend's head is sticky and wet with blood. My eyes grow teary when I see her holding her protruding belly tightly. "And if I don't?"

I see him narrow his eyes at my challenge but I do not care. There is no one here anyway. We stare at each other and I do not falter at all when I spot him from my peripheral vision curling his belt and I wait for him to make the first move. 

When he sees that I do not back down at all, he strikes first and raises the belt again to hit me again but this time, I dodge to the side and raise my leg to strike at the place that I have been want to destroy all this while; his family jewels. 

He yelped like a cat thrown in hot water when I hit his private part with all my strength I could possibly muster. I struck out my fist after my kick and hit his face, causing him to fall down on the floor like a pimp. I towered over him, watching him retreat with his hands until his back hit the floor. Davide had always been a coward who liked to prey over the weak so he only hit defenceless and helpless women. Such a person couldn't even one of the soldiers under me yet they bowed to him because of his father's name. 

I was very satisfied with the bruise that was already forming over his left eye but I grabbed his collar instead and said to him. "You mortedella, you think you are a man just because you hit my friend every single day and she does nothing? If I see another bruise or cut on her skin again during this pregnancy, I am going to castrate you and then feed your worthless penis to the dogs. Do you understand me?"

I made sure he responded to my words by nodding before I stood up to watch my uncle staring at me with a grim expression. He merely stared at the scene, giving his son a look of disdain and then he turned to face me. "Come with me."

I let go of my useless cousin and followed him to the study to await the punishment I knew he was going to give me for beating up his son. He was the don of our Andreotti family and his word was law, even my father would not disobey him. A few minutes later, my father arrived in the study and I could tell by his face that was filled with annoyance and disappointment that he had been briefed of my insolence. 

He was not as liberal as my uncle and he didn't like the fact that I had become a Capo and had a higher rank than him in Diff'rent Strokes. I could hear them talking to one another while I stood in the corner silently with no regrets on my face. Because in my book, the idiot got lucky based on what I had in mind for him. 

"Marcella." My father calls out to me and I look up to face him as he says to me. "Your uncle and I have decided on your punishment for disrespecting your older cousin. You had no right to interfere in his private matters but then again...you never listen!"

I say nothing because I can already see that he just wants to please my uncle and show to him that he still has a firm control over his daughter. As much as I would like to defy him, I see no reason to drag this matter and just want it to end. I'm in too much of a good mood now. "So what now?"

My father sputters at my words and glared at me but I don't give a shit. Just as he is about to talk again, my phone rings in my pocket so I pick up the call. Although I wanted nothing but rest right now, I can't deny I am grateful for this call. I raise my head to look at my father and uncle with a cocky grin resting at the side of my lips. "I have to go now. The Underboss has another mission for me."