Chapter- [ 4 ]

[ Aitana ]

I am born and brought up in the air which stench of blood,bludgeon bodies and whiff of treachery where you cannot trust your own shadow.I had savored many lives over a miniscule matter but why do I feel a sickening feeling settling in the pit of my stomach when the thought of my saviour, whose name is still known to me,my Dad won't let go off him.He will end his life and erase all about his existence. He couldn't afford to let the rumors of an attack on me would spark a fire in our world.It would frame my Dad,a weak and incapable man who couldn't save his last child.

After loosing my brothers in gang wars,my Dad never let me leave his sight without the protection of our best assassins shielding me from four sides.

But I am alive and breathing under my father's roof and the man who saved my life,might loose his heartbeats anytime.

I felt helpless. No one defies my father.

A soft knock on my door snapped me out of my thoughts.Lucy,our maid was standing on the door.

"Miss Aitana,your father wants to see you urgently."She told me with bowed head.

I sighed pinching my nose with my two fingers.I had a rough idea that he wanted to discuss about the execution of our latest captive,my saviour.

"Where is he now?"I asked her.

"He is in his office, Madam."She replied.

"Thanks for letting me know Lucy,you may go now.I'll be there in five minutes."I dismissed her with a tight smile and dragged my body in the bathroom to erase any trace of anxiety from my face.His eagle's vision trace down the faintest emotion.

I let the cold water dribble down my face and I caught the sight of my sleep deprived eyes.The last night definitely left an imprint on my capacity to protect myself, Dad was right, I had to work hard to gain what now rightfully belongs to me.

Changing into a fresh pairs of clothes, I made my way to his office,located in the opposite side of the house where only few of his trusted men could go.

I knocked on the thick wooden door.I heard faint murmurs coming from the others side of the door.It perked up my ears in alarm. The matter was grave but my father didn't include me in the discussion.

"Come in Aitana."Came my Dad's gruff voice which confirmed my suspecioun.An angered Liam Grayson wasn't someone you want to meddle with.

Gently pushing the door,I slipped inside and securely locked it behind me.

I saw him sitting with a grave look sitting on his face,papers scattered on the desk while Robert and four other men stood surrounding him.Their expressions didn't reveal much.

"Dad ,you asked for me?Is something that I should know?"I asked gathering all my mushed courage.

He shot an alarming glare at me which was my cue to listen to him,interrupting him wasn't expected from anyone.

He put off his glasses and I could see bags under his eyes.His jaws clenched tightly.It scared me but I had no option but to hear him out first .

"We are on the brink of war,Aitana."He said in tone that I've never heard from him,not even when my brothers were killed.He stood strong and retaliated against his enemies .

"Is it bad?"I asked meekly.

"Yes,it is this time. We are surrounded by  our old enemies from all sides. A mere provocation can ignite the fire and in our situation, we can not afford to take the first strike.Our new enemy is the biggest mafia king in the world whose brother is currently rotting in our dungeon."He paused to lit his Cuban cigar and took a whiff of it but my mind immediately drifted off to my saviour.

He wasn't an ordinary man but a kin to awaiting enemy whom we invited ourselves.

Fuck!

"May I know who is he?I mean you already know his family, you've already found out his history,haven't you?"I narrowed my gaze on him,my intestines twisting in uneasiness.

"Alessandro De Niro,brother of Stefano De Niro ,the Italian Mafia king who practically rules over the continent's illegal trade.

The surname triggered something inside me,I had heard about them.

"The very same De Niros,who killed your brothers during a gang war between us when we were in Italy for a common allies' place.Antonio's son Stefano is more fatal enemy than him."Dad told me in a tired voice.

My brothers' unfortunate death in a gang war has always been a sore subject in our family, we avoid to talk about it.I was only eleven when their bodies were brought in America.My parents standing near their coffins with dried eyes.

The very same De Niros.

Alessandro De Niro shared the same blood,our enemies' blood.

"Then what is our plan ?"I asked ignoring the burning sensation in my heart.

"Well ,I talked with Stefano and explained him our situation but I think he has a hard time to believe us due to our family history.So, he is coming here to see his brother and perhaps,killing us on the spot."He said the last part to himself but I managed to hear it.

"Non sense Dad! We aren't built of straws.We have men,weapons and a place we call our home,our city where they need to save their asses."I balled my fist on the desk,anger seeping through my veins.

"It's not possible Aitana.All the other gangs have announced truce with him.We are all alone ,abandoned by our own allies because Stefano threatened to break a war against everyone but I have a proposition for him.I hope he'll spare us for his brother and a peaceful future between our families ."Dad said.

"A preposition with your sons' murders?Seriously Dad?Are you even listening to yourself?"I lost the last thread of patience I had with him.

'Aitana behave yourself. We are in this business before even you and your siblings were born so do not try to teach us what we should do.Do you really think your father is a kind of man who would spare his biggest enemies?The air isn't blowing on our sides so we must offer peace first ."Robert reprimanded me.

I gulped down my anger.I hate to admit but he was right.

"When are they coming?"I asked focusing my attention on my dad.

"In the evening. I have invited them for a dinner at our house."He told me crushing the butt of cigar on ash tray,"I want you to dress properly and behave your best.We can not give him a reason to start a bloodshed.And you won't see Alessandro before his family comes."Dad said in a warning tone.

"Excuse me.I need some fresh air."I said raising from my seat,it was too much for me to handle.

He gave a nod in response and I wasted no time in rushing out of the sickening air of my house.

Alessandro's face kept dancing in my mind.Unknowingly,he cracked the wall I built around my heart only to be crushed by the cruel fate.

Evening rolled on quickly.

Our guests arrived in the city and currently we're waiting for them in our living room.Dad had tripled the security but it didn't decrease my fears.In all honesty,I didn't want to be a part of this whole show.I had put a lot of efforts on dressing upto my father's expectations. Luckily,he sent my mother to stay with her sister. She wouldn't take it strongly.

Robert walked inside with a grimaced look on his face.

"They are here Boss."He annouced.

I gripped the fabric of my dress to sustain my anger.Our enemies were at our door.

"Take them inside."Dad said in an emotionless voice.He didn't show but I could feel his pain he endured when he lost his sons.

"Is it necessary?"I asked in a low whisper.I wanted to escape this hollow show of fake pleasantries when we all knew that a single excuse could paint the dinner table in the color of our blood.

Minute later,I heard loud footsteps entering in our house killing the deadly silence by their arrival.

It took me all my will power to restrain myself from running away from there but it was too late,I saw a tall man walking inside with five or may be six other men behind him.His face wore a stone expression, his grey eyes screaming power and fear.

From what I had observed about him,he was the same person as described in our world.He took over the Mafia Don's position three years ago and since then he eliminated almost all his possible enemies.

"Mr. De Niro,it's our pleasure have you as our guest tonight."Dad stood up from his seat so did I.

"I can not say the same about seeing you, Liam Grayson, the man who tortured my brother in the exchange of saving his only daughter."Stefano replied in an icy tone,his gaze faltered over me for a split of second and then back on my father.

"It was a grave mistake from our side and I want to rectify the trouble we caused you.Please take your seats first Gentlemen."Dad tried to keep his tone polite which he rarely do.

Stefano didn't say a word and gestured his men to sit.I was sulking in boredom. I always hated such meetings which leads to unexpected results.

"Where is my brother?I want to see him first before we talk ,Liam."He said in his thick Italian accent.

Dad signaled Robert to bring Alessandro, whose battered condition would surely welcome our deaths.I hadn't seen him in last twenty four hours.

Within a few minutes ,Robert reappeared with a slightly better looking Alessandro leaning on his shoulder.

"Stefano..."I heard his soft voice calling out his brother's name.

Stefano and the others sprang up from their seats and rushed to hold Alessandro .

"Aless chi ha fatto questo a te?"Stafano said something in Italian but I knew it wasn't favorable for us.

(Who did this to you?)

Alessandro's eyes landed on me for a brief second then he faced his brother again.

"Ti fermerò da spargere il sangue?"Alessandro, in his honey like thick voice replied to him.

(Will this stop you from shedding blood)

Stefano helped his brother to sit on a chair beside him and then with terror dripping from his face he said something my Dad feared the most.

"This is a war."