"A man who holds enough will, can achieve the impossible." He acknowledged me his gaze still fixed on the paper he wrote on.

"Where the willingness is great, the difficulties cannot be great." I replied taking a seat, "It wasn't that hard."

"Well you did it," he placed the pen on the desk, "Makes me wonder what else you can do if threatened the right way."

"Very funny." I mocked. My father sat watching me for a good minute before he rose, turned to the shelf behind him and selected one of the novels.

"You love her don't you?" he said studying the cover of the book.

"Sorry?"

"Either that or you are falling for her." He looked at me as he sat down.

"It's called a crush father, it's not much."

Denial was a b-tch.

"It is not wise to become oblivious Dominic, no matter how much you want to be – it is dangerous to put yourself in a situation where you don't have a firm grasp on the truth or logic of a situation. Honesty is something easily lost and when lost is hard to find."

"Sì papa, I know." I felt like a teenage boy again, this was stupid.

"Admit it."

"I'm falling for her." I breathed.

"Good to know." He smirked.

"I think it's a heaps good idea." Abrielle said.

"Yeah see?" Claire bounced, "Please?"

After my encounter with Dominic's mom downstairs she'd taken me up to her room – which was extravagant by the way – and introduced me to Abrielle, Leo's younger sister. The topic of me joining them in the very much public, very much body-oriented career as a Victoria Secret Model had been brought up only a few minutes ago and they just wouldn't drop it.

"I just don't think I'd feel comfortable prancing around a stage half naked with millions of people watching that's all." I shrugged returning my attention to the photo album I'd been handed earlier, it had the cutest pictures of them as kids. I couldn't believe Dominic was this cute as a kid, it was unbelievable. There was this one picture I loved the most, it was Dominic with his baby sister in the hospital – holding her like she was precious cargo. He had the silliest smile on his face and these huge sparkly brown eyes looking up at the camera, Claire was obviously asleep and it sold the whole thing. He must've been around five at the time.

"Ugh." Claire grunted as she fell backwards onto the bed, "Fine, I guess that's okay."

"Hey," Abrielle spoke up, "At least now you won't have to worry about her becoming influenced by the stupid girls at the studio. She'll be like your anchor to reality."

"Are you serious?" she sat up partially I turned to look, "She's a – "

An assassin.

Words I was sure she was about to say hadn't I been in the room, I wasn't normal and that wasn't a secret but she at least could've acted as if it was a semi-normal thing and said it. It's normal to me. But I can see where she's coming from, I couldn't possibly be her 'anchor to reality' because my reality was distorted. It was spent in confinement, I had no idea what 'reality' truly was. I don't blame her, she's probably never set foot somewhere were there wasn't someone to protect her. Everywhere she went she had someone to do things for her, buy things for her and fight for her too. I doubt she'd understand what it's like to have to do those things for yourself, nor has she known someone who has had to do such things. Women in the mafia were not allowed to do certain things – have jobs, leave the house alone, live alone or attend normal schools. Totally understandable.

I didn't react as they turned to look at me with beet red faces, I just turned back to the album and kept looking at the pictures. They were cute.

"She-uh-she didn't mean it like that." Abrielle stuttered out. I sighed.

"Yeah I really didn't it just, came out." Claire held a stance as if I was about to harm her and I'd just about had enough.

"Its fine. I get it." I said looking at the last picture of the album where Dominic stood holding a football under his arm and a giant trophy. This must've been the last game of footy he ever played, he looked about 12 in this picture and it was definitely a 2002 Football Grand Finals banner in the background. Woah, Dominic was only 26. He looked a little younger - around 22 - but managed the success of a 60 year old having built his own company in the small time of well 7 years.

"Amara I really am sorry." Claire touched my shoulder. I'd really zoned out, I had no idea she was still there.

"I already told you, its fine." I laughed a little.

"Okay," she stretched momentarily glancing over to Abrielle, "Well I'm having a girls night on Friday and a whole bunch of my friends will be there, it'll be right here in the house so you have zero excuses for not showing up."

"I assume my invitation got lost in the mail?"

We turned to see Clarissa coming through the door, Claire pulled a super fantastic fake smile and gestured her over. "Of course you would be there Clarry, you're my -"

"Ugh enough with that putrid nickname Claire, you're twenty-two not five." she snorted sitting gracefully on the bed as she rudely dissed Claire. "That at the moment is irrelevant."

She turned to face me pulling a smile faker than Nicki Minaj's ass, "I am so surprised - not at all - that you are my replacement! How does it feel being a rebound?"

"Dominic doesn't need a rebound Clarissa if he - one - dumped you," I held up a finger bringing up the second, "or two - dumped you for the girl."

She scoffed flinging her perfect long brown hair over her shoulder, her head angling as she did so to show off her perfect highlight and high cheekbones. It was almost as if every single movement was practised to perfection.

I watched with slight envy of her long dark hair, its slight waves and natural shine. Bulls-t it was that she wasn't a model, though I didn't want to say the fact aloud - that would mean I was complimenting her, which I didn't want to do.

"You can keep telling yourself that if it makes you feel better." she pulled sickly sweet smile.

"Okay," Claire exclaimed, "We have so much bonding to do before Sunday brunch and of course everyone's return on Monday. So how about we make the most of it?"

"Agreed." Abrielle smiled standing along with Claire and myself, Clarissa breathed out and stood also then Claire began leading the way. We walked through the hallways looking at the art on the walls and the intricate designs framing each wall.

"Some of the girls that are around our age in the familia will be arriving just tonight, basically because this is the latest they could keep out. My dad wanted everyone moved in by tomorrow since we have two days until Sunday."

"What's happening on Sunday?" I asked, Clarissa scoffed.

"Uh." Abrielle looked to Claire. What is this about?

"Might as well tell you, like you don't already know." she rolled her eyes, "Dominic is proposing on Sunday."

"To me." Clarissa added forcefully, I somehow doubted that. Claire gave her a weird look.

"Why are the girls only arriving now?" I changed the subject ignoring the tension.

"They wanted to spend as much time as possible living outside the house because you how it is with Mafia women, once they move in here the rules change. Not as much freedom and a lot of social rules to follow."

"Yeah." I replied as if I could relate.

"You're lucky," Abrielle smiled, "Nobody expects you to know or follow any of those formalities."

"They know I'm here?"

"Are you kidding?" Claire scoffed, "Once you were found word spread like wildfire. You were missing for like five years and even the best of the best couldn't find you."

Abrielle joined in, "Obviously the best of the best is Dominic because he managed to do so."

"People most likely want to see for themselves so I'm guessing there will be quite the audience in the next few months."

"Audience?" I breathed.

"Yeah, we hold a number of events. Most of them are formal events, some parties and gatherings as well. Depends on the occasion and people will be clawing for invitations so they can see you for themselves." Claire clarified.

"Rumour has it, Schwarzer Regen is much more beautiful than even the farthest fetched fairytales." Abrielle joked in a gloomy story teller voice. The three of us chuckled, except for Clarissa.

"Y-you're Schwarzer Regen?" Clarissa stared wide eyed.

"What? Don't feel like picking on me anymore?" I smirked.

She straightened up realising the confrontation, "Of course not. You can't do anything to me, I'm too valuable."

I rolled my eyes. I had realised that Claire and Abrielle didn't say much to her either, as if they dared speak up everything would go to hell. How valuable was she?

We spent the rest of the day getting a touring around the estate, thinking back to when I thought Dominic's house was big I realised it paled in comparison to this. His parents' home was much bigger. Very much. It had all the things his had and more, the facilities were endless and it was practically liked an enclosed community of its own. The gardens were much more beautiful up close, and the land stretched for miles. There were three different homes on the estate and each was similar to the other, the only difference was the main house held an extra floor and direct access to the driveway.

We ate lunch in the garden overlooking the pool which was in use by a number of men, Claire and Abrielle did not hold back on the commentary. Clarissa and I however felt we were not permitted to say or think such things so we ate our food in silence. I was surprised, I would've thought Clarissa was a bit more of a... how do you say.. cheating wh-re. But I guess she's not like that. Now it was starting to become dark, our childhood story-time was coming to a close.

"...he flung right off and landed in the hay!" Abrielle finished with a huge intake of breath and we all laughed along. The storytelling had opened Clarissa up a lot more and she was laughing along with us. Though I don't know who wouldn't laugh at the idea of a five-year-old Leo failing to ride a quad bike.

"Dinner's ready." Leo stood with his hands shoved into the pockets of his slacks and a small frown on his face. None of has had realised he'd been standing there, though I believe thats the point when it comes to mafia men - you're not supposed to see them coming.

"Aw Leo you were the cutest child." Claire sang pouting her lips.

"Abrielle I told you not to tell people weird stories about me."

"Actually the story started off being about me," she stood brushing past him, "Claire asked me to tell what happened to you at the time. So I did."

"Don't worry," I stood chuckling and walking also, "it was awfully entertaining."

"Glad to be of service." he joked.

We all headed for the main house, I hadn't seen Dominic all day and I wasn't about to deny the fact that I couldn't wait to see him again. Though the last time I had he'd been acting like a grade-A douche. I admired the house as it stood in the dark with most of the lights on, it was the kind of magic novels were made of. The starry night sky behind it, the silhouettes of people in the windows and the buzz of commotion you could hear from metres away.

I noticed the sleek black cars pulling up one after the other dropping off families who then entered the building, a few of which looked to accompany the girls Claire had mentioned earlier. We got back inside and Claire told me directions to my room saying I should go change clothing and freshen up before dinner because it will be the first impression I have over the familia. I need it to be good. It was taking me a while to find the right room, I swear I remembered the instructions to the last detail but I was somewhere I felt like I shouldn't be. There was no way my room was on the highest level of the building, even Clarissa's room was just on the level under that.

Nevertheless I continued down the hall until I reached the door second from the back, the space between this door and the ones surrounding it was a considerable amount giving me a good idea of how big the room might be. In this case it was massive. I twisted the door knob, opened the door slowly and stepped into the room. I used the light I could see coming from another door inside the room to switch on the main light. Confirmation was welcomed as I recognised my suitcases on the floor in the middle of the room.

The room was fit for a king and looked like one had been living in it...

The room that had the light switched on I realised was an ensuite bathroom, I figured this since the only other door in the room was open and displayed a generous wardrobe. I saw that the wardrobe was empty so I went to inspect it. I pushed the door open to find the wardrobe was basically a room for clothes, it was the size of my living room in New York and one half of it was filled with men's clothing. Realisation dawned on me.

We need to talk.

I felt my hand shake as I put it down, it had been pointing dumb-foundedly at my surroundings. I turned to exit the walk-in-robe and stood in the middle of the main room with both hands on my hips. At least now I knew who was in the bathroom, I didn't know who I thought it was before. I sighed plopping down on the edge of the large bed.

The light switched off then Dominic exited emerging with only a white fluffy towel hanging off his toned waist which was accompanied by a toned torso. I couldn't stop myself from taking it all in. The droplets of water on his chest and forehead, the shine of his wet hair, ripple of his muscles as he closed the door behind him. He smelt like coconut and vanilla and hadn't quite acknowledge my existence.

"I would say something cheesy for example, Like what you see?" he smirked as he said it, "But I'm going to spare you just this once." he smiled.

"Well thanks." I stuttered looking elsewhere.

"Your turn." he stated giving a curt nod towards the bathroom before disappearing into the walk-in-robe.

I nodded to myself since he so obviously could not see me and stood to find the suitcase with the necessary items in it.