"Adrian!" I yelled. Pulling his sleeve.

Adrian glared at me and motioned for me to shut the fuck up.

"Ascolta!" His velvet smooth voice echoed through the corridors. Just loud enough for people to hear.

Immediately, the men got a glazed look over their faces. I recognized most of them from the party. That's why I got drunk so fast.

Adrian had spiked the drinks and probably hypnotized them easily. Shit! I should have guessed it! Nobody acted that strange. Even when they're drunk.

"Kill each other. Last one standing lives." He said in that compelling voice that sent shivers of fear down my own spine. Goosebumps rose on my arm. Hypnosis wasn't mind control. They wouldn't do it. Right?

Wrong.

The first bullet sent me jumping. A red stain bloomed on a man's shirt as he fell.

I let out a loud scream.

I felt hands on my shoulders, turning me around so that my back was to them. I pressed myself against Adrian, my face buried in his shirt, and shut my eyes tightly, trying to block out the loud gunshots ringing in the corridor.

Seconds later the gunshots stopped. I guess there was no one left to fire. I didn't dare open my eyes as Adrian led me out. I felt warm blood trickle down my knees and I knew it wasn't mine. I felt us turn and I finally opened my eyes.

Adrian was splattered in blood from head to toe. But it wasn't his. His eyes were empty. Emotionless. Just like Carelia had said, but he didn't scare me.

I imagined I looked the same.

Sure enough, Carelia's gown was stained dark red.

Wait.

"Adrian. The exit is the other way." I whispered, pointing to the gates.

Adrian ignored me, but his grip on my shoulder loosened.

"Adrian?"

He led me into another sterile white corridor, for some reason, I saw a flash of blood all over for a moment.

"Whoever is there! Stop!" A voice called out and another guard approached. I pulled Adrian and tried to run in the other direction.

A sharp pain burst through my shoulder. My arm felt like lead was flowing in my veins.

I was so sleepy. And tired.

How was I still walking?

I wasn't. Adrian was carrying me. The guard had a hole through his head and the second one had one in his chest. I bleakly looked up. Adrian was trying to hold his gun but having me in his arms made it kinda tough.

Fear shot up my spine. If I was too much of an inconvenience, would he leave me to die?

I think I saw Damien and Antonio walk in. Antonio had a sniper rifle slung across his back. They came running towards us.

"Isaac?" Adrian asked.

"Outside, needed to distract the guards. Let's go. Chevron is hurt." Antonio said.

How badly?

I felt Adrian run. Damien and Antonio ran outside first, followed by Adrian and me.

Castellino spotted us. Bright red welts covered the visible part of his skin. He looked like something from a horror movie. I didn't have the brainpower to comprehend the morality of the situation in that moment. But I wished he were dead. He looked at Adrian and then at me in his arms but didn't make a move.

I suddenly understood why. His guards were gone. Either they took off or were killed by Adrian or Antonio. Maybe Damien too.

He looked at us and burst out laughing in a hysterical laughter. Like a madman. He grinned at Adrian showing his bloody teeth.

"You have no idea what you've done. You have no plans!" He laughed.

He scared me.

I looked up to see Adrian's reaction. Adrian matched the madman's smile with one of his own. Showing his teeth and grinning a vicious, wicked smile. He looked so terrifying at the moment.

"And doesn't that scare you to death?" He asked smoothly.

The color drained from Castellino's face.

I shivered and thanked my stars that the man holding me in his arms was not my enemy.

"Stay with me, Idiota, focus on my voice." He whispered in my ear as he carried me out and to a waiting car. The house behind us was oozing out pitch black smoke. We must have accidentally started a fire. I wanted to move, so I wouldn't be so helpless but my energy had deserted me. Adrian was whispering something to me in his language and I didn't understand a word. But I knew he was begging me to stay.

I tried.

But the minute my head hit the leather seats, I was out cold.

✴✴✴

I opened my eyes to the sight of a familiar ceiling. Hardwood, dotted with gold fixtures. I was in my room at the DeLuca manor. Isaac was sitting on the ornate chair next to my bed.

"What?"

He looked at me and sighed with relief. Before running outside. Presumably to call Adrian. Our designated nurse. Who slaughtered at least seven people in cold blood without even pulling the trigger.

Sure enough, Adrian walked into my room a few minutes later, still talking on his phone in fluent Italian. He cut the call and sat on the edge of my bed.

"Do you remember what happened?" He asked, bored.

"Yeah. You slaughtered six people." I replied, annoyed.

"They killed themselves." He waved it off.

"I'm not even going to debate on the morality of that." I sighed. "There would be no point. But I'm sure your brain pumps blood, because you don't have a heart."

He smiled slightly. "Is that what you really think?"

"Not really." I admitted.

"Stupid girl. But today you saw the true side of the Mafia. Not very pleasant is it?" He asked in a soft voice.

"No." I whispered, "How do you tolerate it?"

"The first few months after my Giovanni's death were tough, but now everyone knows better. Age doesn't matter as long as I'm smart enough, but I did face a lot more controversy. Castellino, for example, still thinks I can't lead. That's why I need the satellite too." He said.

"You should have killed Castellino then and there. He's going to come after you now." I said.

"Yes,I will kill him. Soon. The other Mafias want him dead. We may be a bunch of heartless assholes, but Castellino is a plague on mankind. There are some things that even we detest."

Like trafficking and prostitution. I vaguely remembered Damien's words. They were somewhat along those lines.

"What did he do?" I asked nervously.

"If I tell you then I'd have to kill you." Adrian said shortly. "Rest up, cara. You were shot. It was just a graze but you lost way too much blood than you should have before I could stitch it up."

"Cara. So I'm not Idiota anymore?"

Adrian smiled, "Stupid girl, you'll always be Idiota for me."

With that he walked outside the room. I took the painkillers that he'd kept on the table.

✴✴✴

I woke up in cold sweat. Gunshots rang in my ear even though I knew I was perfectly safe. I saw red on white everywhere, only waking up to find that the blood on my body was just my sweat. Slit throats smiled at me. I was terrified but lead filled my body. Castellino. He would come after me. He would give me a fate worse than I could imagine. The cloying scent of Cologne forced itself into my lungs. Making me relive everything. One painful breath after the other.

I felt tears fill my eyes. It was all so dark and scary. I was vulnerable. I had neither the strength nor the experience to play this dangerous game for power and riches.

I lay there, staring at the dark ceiling. Trying to calm myself down and steady my racing heartbeat. Then I heard it. Like a small ray of light in a dark cave.

Music.

Somebody was playing the piano in the Library across my room.

It started off as light. As if the player was testing his notes. Slowly the notes took form of a light airy melody, filling the air, ridding it of the choking scent, letting me breath again. Over time, another melody joined the rhythm. Overlapping with the previous notes. Creating light and music. The notes complemented and blended into each other, like a slow dance in the golden summer breeze.

I let the music flow over me, relaxing my muscles, chasing away my nightmares. As if the player had shared my nightmares, the music changed into a gentle lullaby that caressed my senses.

And that was the reason that despite everything, I went to sleep with a smile on my face. Feeling safer than ever.

Because I didn't feel lonely anymore.

My mother used to sing to me. Music comforted me. Tears welled up in my eyes as I remembered her on her deathbed. Don't worry Chevie, my love is very strong, even when I'm gone, I'll always be there with you, think of me as your invisible guardian angel. And with those words, my best friend and closest confident was gone.

I missed her. I missed her so much. At that moment I wanted nothing more than to talk to her, tell her what was happening and have her hold me close.

Mum, are you proud of me?

A few minutes later, I had a sudden urge to look, to see who my guardian angel was. I silently crept out of bed and walked to the library across the corridor. The house was quiet as a grave. There was nobody there. Were the medicines making me hallucinate? Makes sense.

I saw the ivory piano. It was shut.

But before I left I saw a blood stained jacket on the floor.

Adrian.

I