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"Lemme tell you a story."

River looked at Alessia weirdly.

Okay, drunk Alessia wanted to tell a story. This must be good. But Mateo and Alessia's parents and grandmother were downstairs and the two ladies were supposed to be there, welcoming them. Not to mention River had a good first impression to make.

River nodded nevertheless, still unsure and moved closer to her, sitting down on the elevated area surrounding the Jacuzzi.

Alessia let out a heavy tired breath and sat back, looking up at the ceiling as she patted the water with both her hands, not hard enough for it to splash.

"Once upon a time, I was nineteen years old." She started. "I didn't want anything to do with the mafia."

"I wanted to be a ballerina and I had worked very very hard since I was eight for it."

She stopped and looked over at her friend, staring into her brown eyes intently for a good two minutes before she chuckled. "You don't even look curious!"

River raised a brow and waited for the Italian woman to continue, which she did after yet another sigh.

"Around that time, I was in second year of dance school I think, there was a mission by some international corporations to bring down the smuggling and other mafia related activities. Most smugglers stopped operating and the bigger ones only sold to powerful organization. Nonna saw this as the best opportunity to take over Europe and America." Alessia sighed again and sat up, looking around. "I need a drink!"

River shook her head. "Nope, absolutely not."

"Why not?" She pouted disappointed, the same pout as Lucas, Kiara and Mateo's. Well well, isn't that surprising?!

"Because your parents and grandmother are downstairs!" River pointed out.

"OHHH!!!" Alessia exclaimed as she tried to stand up, stumbling and slipping. "Nonna hates tardy people!"

"Careful now!" River grabbed her arm trying to steady her.

Alessia looked straight into my eyes. "Long story short. They married me off to the son of a Gold smuggler, biggest ring in the world, and he turned out to be a sadist and wife beater and I had to end up in a coma before any of my so called 'brothers' had the guts to stand up to the older mafia men!"

She rushed out, wrapping a towel around herself as River stood there shocked.

Just think how much walls she must have around herself to be able to say something like that so easily!

"Come on!" River looked up to see Alessia already in her jeans, pulling on a jacket over her black tube top. She looked as if she had already sobered up. "Or do you plan to stand there like an idiot for the rest of the evening?"

River shook her head, fixing her dress properly before she walked out, Alessia grabbing her arm as she dragged her out of the room.

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.Mateo stood at the front door, his children on each of his arms.

Jacqueline, Sebastian, Alison and Mia had left the house and were travelling to Sicily while Susan and Lilith stayed behind. And Adam was fixing shit back in Wyoming. No matter what all of these people said, the real reason was obvious: they didn't want to deal with the Mafia except Adam who was running away from Abrianna Costello who hated Americans and especially him since he was closer to Mateo that all the Italian made men she had appointed to serve the Capo. She was a very difficult lady.

River's grandmother sat on her wheelchair in the living room while her mother stood beside Mateo along with the security and maids as they watched the three most powerful members of the Sicilian Mafia ascended the stairs leading up to the front door, Abrianna two steps ahead of Katrina and Alessio.

"Papa, I am scared..." Kiara whispered as she tightened her grip on his shirt. "Me too." Lucas added in an even lower voice as he leaned closer to him.

Mateo knew how social and easy-going his children were but seeing their reaction, he wasn't the least surprised because that was the kind of aura his grandmother gave off. She sure was a scary lady.

Mateo kissed each of their head before taking a step forward to welcome them.

"Nonna." Mateo greeted her who just totally ignored her grandson and scanned the room. "Where's my granddaughter and your wife?"

"Upstairs in Alessia's room." Mateo replied. "These are-" She walked away towards the living room before he could introduce the children. Jeez.

"My grandchildren!"

Mateo turned around to his mother. Her eyes were filled with tears of joy. "They are, Mama."

"Hi babies, I am Katrina. But I am Nonna to you!" She cooed excitedly to the kids.

"Hi, I am Kiara." Kiara said shyly.

"And I am Lucas, her big brother." Lucas waved.

Both of their initial fear and nervousness were forgotten as soon as Abrianna was out of sight.

"You look exactly like your Papa." Papa ruffled Lucas' hair and turned to his grand daughter. "Hi baby girl."

"Hello Nonno." She smiled. His eyes lit up as soon as those words left her lips.

He held his arms out for the children and they happily complied, moving to their grandfather's arms, leaving Mateo's arms bare and feeling weird. He was so used to having them in his arms that they felt empty when the kids weren't in there.

"I am Katrina, you must be River's parents." Katrina Adesso moved to the Johnsons. Susan had forwarded her hand but Katrina shook her head and leaned in for a hug. She did the same with Lilith.

"Have heard a lot about you." Papa forwarded his hand from under Lucas which Susan took with a smile. "Benjamin is an old friend of mine as well."

"I know." Alessio smiled.

"Alright, I think you guys should get some rest now."

"No no.. You will leave tomorrow. I need to spend as much time with my grandchildren as possible." Katrina said to which Alessio agreed. They may be cold and part of the coldest organization but they were grandparents and they were deprived of the time they got to spend with their grandchildren so they had to scrap out every second of the limited time they had.

"Luigi couldn't even make it." Alessio felt bad for his elder brother. He was stuck in Mexico. Though Luigi had his own grandson, he didn't see his brother's grandchildren as any less. So technically, Lucas and Kiara were his older grandchildren and he was simply yearning to meet them after all the stories he had heard of them.

"Alright then."

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Abrianna sat on the garden bench staring daggers at the fountain.

"You want it replaced, Nonna?" Mateo asked as he took a seat next to her. She kept a distance from everyone but still she was the closest of Mateo among her three grandchildren.

"Along with your wife and sister." She muttered and turned to him, her piercing caramel orbs scrutinizing his. "She is your wife, right?"

Of course she didn't believe that lie. Why would she? She knew for a fact that he wouldn't dare get married without her presence.

"You know the truth."

"Why the lie?"

"You know why."

"If she was your wife, I would have killed her to get you to marry who I wanted you to." She muttered again. She had not even met River yet but her racism was enough to make her hate her.

Mateo sighed and leaned back in his seat. "I love her Nonna."

She pursed her lips into a thin line and clenched her jaws.

"You can't possibly be in love with a weak American." She gritted out stubbornly. She didn't wanted to believe it; she wanted to believe that he was sacrificing his chance at a marriage with a woman of Italian lineage because he wanted his children to have both their parents together.

"One, River is anything but weak. You will know when you meet her. And two, she is half British for all it's worth." He said.

"You are blinded in your childish love." She retorted.

"Then so be it, but you are not laying a finger on my woman." He finally said, standing up. He turned to leave only to see Alessia and River making their way towards them. He did not think that then was a good time for either of them to meet Abrianna, but it was too late.

"Hello Nonna!!" Alessia said extra-cheerily thanks to her inebriated state.

"Are you drunk?" Nonna growled and then turned to River, standing up. "How dare you make my granddaughter drink the day I was visiting?"

"Nonna, this got nothing-"

"Oh please Nonna, we both know you are the one who made me drunk!" Alessia laughed sarcastically.

"Me?"

"Let's just say I called Neisseria and learnt a very interesting fact." Alessia said. Mateo looked between his grandmother and sister. Neisseria was Abrianna's eyes and ears. She was an amazing woman and probably the only person in the whole wide world that my Abrianna trusted.

"What do you mean?"

Suddenly there was a gunshot.

River's eyes darted to Mateo's. "Where are the babies?"

"With my mother. Don't worry, they are safe!"

She gave a quick nod and pulled out the handgun which she kept with her at all times these days. He followed suit and pulled out his own gun and they made their way to the front doors. The guards were aiming at someone, while one of them wheeled River's grandmother away.

"Be careful!!" Lilith's eyes were wide with shock and fear but she still whispered those words to the both of them as she was wheeled away.

River gave a quick nod while Mateo squeezed her hand and bent down to her level. "Don't worry. I will protect her." She nodded with a small smile.

"It's him." River whispered as he got closer to the front door.

Mateo's eyebrows furrowed in confusion and he walked forward to get a better look at him.

"Oh I am sorry brother-in-law. I was just trying to get your attention."

Antonio de Pedis stood there, with a smug smile on his face. And all of a sudden, what Alessia told Abrianna a while ago all fell into place.

"Please tell me your Nonna didn't call him over." River muttered beside him. He turned to see her glaring at him with anger and pure hatred. It seemed like Alessia had given her a vague idea of what had happened with her because of this prick.

"I wish I could but it seems like she did."

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The entire family were seated in the living room, River's mother and grandmother and the kids were upstairs in Lilith's room. Why she was forced to be part of this conversation was a mystery even to her but right then she was sitting between Katrina – who she had met a few moments ago – and Alessia while Mateo and Alessio sat on the couch adjacent to theirs on the left side and Abrianna and Antonio on the right.

"Mama, I understand what you are trying to do here and why you are trying to do it but I am sorry but I will not let it happen." Alessio said coldly.

"Alessio, why are you hell bent on ruining your own daughter's marriage?" Abrianna asked with equal coldness in her voice.

Compared to their voice, Mateo's reminded River of morning sun on the skin and lemon cookies. She had no idea where she got that analogy from.

"I would rather ruin my daughter's marriage than her whole life." Alessio said.

Yep, words of a wise man.

River wondered why they were all speaking in English when they were all Italian. She hoped she wasn't asked what her opinion was because the only ones she had involved different ways of giving Antonio a very painful death.

"You know it doesn't work like that Alessio. Marriage is for life in the mafia. The only reason you tolerate this woman to this day." She pointed at Katrina, her voice high. It made River and Alessia flinch but Katrina barely blinked.

River guessed she was used to this kind of treatment from her mother in law. But she still went with Alessio to pick this woman up? Respect!

River looked over at Mateo, caramel orbs met her gaze. He shook his head slightly, indicating that it was not their place to talk here.

That was how it worked. Nobody else speaks in an argument between the boss and his mother.

Even Alessia and Antonio didn't speak, though this whole conversation was about them.

Man, what I would do to wipe than smug face from his ugly mug! The inner voice commented as River watched the prick's expression.

"Katrina is the love of my life." Alessio finally said after a long pause, completely evading Katrina's gaze as he did so. She had the warmest, brightest, most beautiful smile in the world when he said that. River figured that Alessio wasn't one to frequently express his feelings. No wonder Mateo is so awkward with his.

Yet both father and son look hella cute when they do.

"We have our fights, yes." He said, "She is probably the most infuriating woman on earth, yes, but I love her and we have never hurt one another and definitely not in the way he hurt our daughter."

"Papa-" Antonio started but was quickly cut off.

"Don't you dare call me that!" Alessio was instantly on his feet.

"Alessio, watch your tone." Abrianna said.

"Antonio de Pedis, the only thing stopping me from putting a bullet through your head is the fact that your father saved my wife's life once." Alessio completely ignored Abrianna who looked insulted and infuriated. Oh god, River really didn't want to be there!

"Leave right this instant!" He barked.

Antonio was on his feet within a nanosecond. Though he acted so smug and brave he was just as cowardly as his past actions.

"You do realize he will stay your son in law till death, don't you?" Abrianna asked, "Do you want your daughter to spend the rest of her life alone? Who will look after her if something happens to you and Mateo?"

What the hell woman?

"I think Sia is more than capable of taking care of herself." The words spilled out of River's lips before she could stop herself. All eyes were on her and she decided to finish what she had to say. "And don't worry Abrianna; she will have me if something happened to them." She gestured to the two men.

"I did not ask you, American." Abrianna took a step towards her while she stood up, followed by Alessia and Katrina. Now all of them were on their feet.

'Why do I have a feeling this is going to end in gunshots?'

Well, it would be all your fault this time coz you are starting it.

'Thanks, I really don't need your input right now.'

The logic side is asking you to back down right now but the other illogical emotional side is asking you to do exactly what you really want to do.

"Mama, she has got a point." Alessio backed River up.

"The only point that makes sense here is that marriage in mafia is till death and you cannot expect an outsider like her to understand it." She pointed at River, her fingers shaking with rage.

"Then so be it!" Mateo said and River thought at the same time. And before she could interpret what was going on, Mateo and she had pointed their guns at the smug-faced ugly mug's head.

"ABRIANNA!" The asshole squeaked under the couple's firearms like the rat he was.

Ugh, no offense rats.

The ladies and Alessio stepped back. River could only see Alessio's expression from where she stood and he looked quite smug.

"What do you think you are doing?" Abrianna bellowed, though she too had taken a step back.

"Taking care of that condition." Mateo shrugged. "The marriage stands as long as both of them live and if we terminate this roach, that will end this wretched relation."

"Makes sense." Alessia chuckled, finally breaking her silence.

Abrianna glared at her and then at River, an expression of anger and bitterness resting upon her senile features. "You have manipulated my grandson."

"No Nonna." Mateo said before River could respond to her nonsense. "I am doing this because I hated myself for letting you all get my sister married to this vermin. I hated myself ever since the day she came home beaten black and blue. And I hated myself while she lay there on that hospital bed all those months. I hated myself for taking a stand. And I am also doing this, because I am the father of precious little girl now, and I can't let anything happen to my sister or any other girl what I wouldn't bear for my little girl to go through."

River's eyes welled up with tears when she heard that. She was so proud of this dumb-ass!

"So you will go against me?" She asked, her voice dangerously low.

Is this woman for real? Does she not realize she is talking to her only family or something?

"I will go against the world, Nonna." He replied. "Now either he leaves my sister alone or he leaves this world." Mateo turned to the stupid dung beetle. No offense dung beetles. "What do you say Antonio?"

Antonio nodded frantically and River put her arm down, tucking her gun back in her waist band. Mateo still held his onto his head, watching him as he scurried away constantly looking back. He only dropped his hand when the front door closed behind and the guards stationed themselves in front of it again.

And Abrianna wasted no second in stepping forward and slapping River hard. The impact had her stumbling back, but Mateo was there to keep her on her feet.

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