Damon

I lost it when I heard Caprice said her name. I came out of the dungeon after punishing that dickhead who dared to pull the trigger on my family. I came home today with Sophia from hospital. God she broke listening about her miscarriage. That's why I didn't want to tell. But then I guess its the right thing to do. And the best thing, I succeeded in making her laugh.

Enzo as instructed kept that bastard tied up in my dungeon. Alive for me and I used it good. Five hours I took five fucking hours and I felt this satisfied after a long time. It made me 20 minutes to realize that he is already dead. But when I reached upstairs I lost it again and for the first time I lost it on Caprice. How dare she said to let it go? It took a lot of effort for me to not squeeze the life out of her. I stormed out because that's the best thing I could do for the people I actually care. To leave them that moment.

I drank a lot thinking it will help me forget but I was wrong. It brought everything back. I came home I don't know when. I don't know how my feet turned towards the piano. For the first time in years I played it. I was so drowned in my memories that I didn't realize when I felt soft hands moving with mine to play. I looked and my angel was there. I was actually a bit scared that now she will ask but she didn't. She was there with me.

Now I am laying here in her lap looking blankly at the night sky at the same place where Laeila used to feed our ducks for hours.

I felt so calm in her lap. It was peaceful even with all the vengeance going inside me.

She told me that her mother used to sing her this lullaby. I used to play this for Laeila and Ric when they were young. Laeila used to love it. It felt strange how she has forgiven her mother. She has gone through so much. Everything would have been different only if her mother would have stayed. Yet it made so much sense what she said. Her heart is at peace maybe because she has forgiven her. She is as beautiful inside as she is outside.

She said its not my fault for what happened to Laeila. I don't know how right or wrong it is. Maybe she can tell if she knows what happened. It felt that she needs to know or I need to tell her. I am tired of being alone and for the first time I am not alone. I don't know where had I got the courage. But I guess the moment her hand touched mine, that moment gave me the courage I never had to tell anyone what happened. No one knows except people who were there.

"Laeila was our sister." I said. "Sister?" She questioned. "Yup Ric's twin" I said remembering the two chubby bunnies running around. "I couldn't have thought that I mean I didn't know Laeila is an Italian name" she said. "Its not. Our mother was a Turkish woman. Elif Denizer". I told her. "Oh. I didn't see that coming." She said surprised. "You are not alone" I said with a light chuckle. "My Dad, Sergio Caprio was in Istanbul for a drug deal. Where he ironically saved my mother from some street mobster. Apparently it was kind of love at first sight. He was there for 3 days. He send his men back and stayed for 3 more and they got married on 6th day they met." I told her something I always find most weird about my life. "Oh my God, who marries in six days." She said with the same surprise what I expected. I laughed "Yeah its weird. More than weird. But as my mom used to say "It takes just a moment, when your heart knows, your heart knows" I always struggle to understand that but then I saw you and I understood that yes it takes just a moment" I said holding her hand and she blushed. God her blush.

"I always heard Caprios were not the traditionally Mafia family." She asked. "Yup we weren't." I told. "Then how come your father was there for a drug deal?" "Hmmm" I said looking at her. "I am not letting you go when you realize the monsters we are" I said to her with a smug. "What can I say, I would have run but just that now I don't know how to live without my monster" she said kissing me lightly. I smiled.

"My great grandfather was a businessman in Rome. He used to sell jewelry and my great grandmother too had no links with the Mafia. But my grandfather he kind of got involved in some shady business with his best friend Frank Russo. That partnership started growing and so did their deals. Then Russo moved to New York and my grandfather moved towards handling that jewelry store. Then he got married and my grandmother was a rich women. Yet independent. She wanted to be something of herself. She owned a small cafe in the same market. Where they met and decided to start their lives together. She inherited good family money. Meanwhile Frank established his cartel quite strong here. He called my grand dad that he needs his best friend. He needed more muscle and someone he can trust. So my grand dad moved here and joined his cartel. He used to work with him. Well with him or for him I don't know. But it kind of started a tradition that Caprios became a part of Mafia. He built this house. Just it doesn't used to have so many bodyguards. I mean it wasn't a Don's house. It was Don's men's. He was followed by my Dad. And I was supposed to succeed my Dad. I have seen my Dad working for Giovanni. Frank's son when he became Don after Frank. He went to Istanbul for his deal only. They married there and then settled here." "So your dad was Giovanni's Enzo?" She asked. "mmm...more like an Antonio" "oh" "yeah they weren't friends. He just hold an important position in his gang" "hmm..okay".

"I was born here. We all were. Ric and Laeila too. They were six years younger than me so I kind of always felt more protective towards them. Since dad was almost out so it was just me and mom to take care of them and both them were quiet a handful. They really used to worn her out. Then one day a miracle happened and Ric got lost in the grocery store." I laughed remembering that. "How was that a miracle? She asked with wide eyes. "Ugh you don't know what a headache he was. I used to be awake whole night to make him sleep. And so was Laeila, they were so annoyingly naughty. But Laeila used to get away with her green puppy eyes but Ric used to get a lot of beatings from me." "You used to beat him" she asked with making her eyes even bigger. I laughed loud. "Of course. I took so many punishments from Dad for his mistakes. My Dad was quite strict when it comes to us. Me and Ric. I mean he has grown up surrounded by all this so this was obvious. But for me, Ric and Laeila were like my kids. I don't know why but I was always very protective of them. My mom use to say that I am the reason they both are becoming naughty day by day and they will end up becoming brats. And I used to say "so what mamma I am there why wouldn't they get what they want." So whenever Ric used to do anything I used to take the blame so that he do not get the lashes of cane." I told her. "Cane?" She asked surprised. "Yeah like I told you my dad was quite strict. But then I used to punish Ric so yeah he had taken a lot of my punches." I told her. "You love him so much still you said it was a miracle he got lost in the store. Why?" She asked confused. "Because that's how we met Violet" I told her. "Violet?" She asked. "Alysia's mom" I told her. She has a surprised smile on her.

"My mom was loosing her shit when she couldn't find Ric. I too started to get a bit worried after we spend 10 mins shouting for him. Then we saw this lady holding his hand. "Signorina are you looking for this child?" She asked in the softest voice I ever heard. "Ric" my mom ran towards him and hugged him hard. Turns out he was sitting behind the cereal aisle playing video games on his console with headphones on. We got to know Violet was pregnant and homeless. She used to work in that store and in turn they allowed her to sleep at night there. She left her parents for this guy Alysia's father Javier (pronounced as ha-vier), who left her when she got pregnant. Teenage love often fails in front of responsibility. When you see its not just fun. He panicked and kind of gave up on her. She was afraid and ashamed to go back to her town hence decided to deal with it. My mom brought her home saying she could help with the kids. She agreed and was kind of a nanny to Ric and Laeila and with time she became our housekeeper. Well more of a supervisor. She was too young and pregnant to actually do the work. She became good friends with my mom. My mom even made her patch things up with her parents. Rose and Carl." "The one who take care of the barn and cabin. " Sophia asked. "Yup. That barn was a gift from my dad to mom on their anniversary. My mom loved horses and since Rose and Carl are more closer to nature kind of people my mom asked them to take care of it"

"Alysia was born here. My mom named her. She became like another sister to us. All three of them used to play together. Laeila and Ric were so excited to see a baby. Ric used to act all big brother around her saying she is his to look after and Laeila she use to play with Alysia all day long. She used to make little dresses for her dolls. They were really close, all three of them. Sadly Violet's health started to degrade. She got cancer and when Alysia was six, she died. My mom raised Alysia too. I meanwhile started being out more as my training got started." "Training?" she asked. "Yup training to become a Mafia hitman".

"I was eight when I started my training. It was hard-core. I learned everything shooting, fighting. That's where I met Enzo. He and I are friends since then. It came out that I was more of a fighter. I got good reflexes. But shooting wasn't my strong suit. I was just not able to adjust with the idea of killing someone. I mean who was I to take someone's life. I used to get a lot of punishments when I used to miss the target. But biggest punishment was not being allowed to meet mom and kids. It was only weekends I get to meet them and that what dad takes away when I screw up shooting." "That was insane. You were just eight. How can anyone expect an eight year old to be a hitman" she said annoyed. "You are surprised at that, I made my first kill when I was eleven" I told her and her eyes filled with unknown tears. I wiped it off "Why?" She asked.

"There was this man Dante. I remember his name. His face never seems to leave me. Giovanni got to know he was the rat in his cartel. My dad caught him red handed while giving up information to rival gang. My dad was the one supposed to kill him after Giovanni was done with him. So he decided its time for action for me. He called me there and asked me to pull the trigger. "That man is a cheat. He was disloyal and this is an offense which never get unpunished and there is no easy punishment. So c'mon my boy punish him." Disloyalty to your Mafia family is the biggest crime. This was taught as the first lesson to all of us. I was so angry that how can he be so stupid? How can he betray the family? Now see where it brought him. "C'mon pick up the gun and pull the trigger. I am not asking you to target from miles away. There is no chance of a miss." I picked up the gun but couldn't do it. I mean I don't even know him. He hasn't done nothing against me. I have never seen him how can I kill him. My hands were shivering. My dad called Enzo in and he put the gun on his head. "You shoot that man Damon or I shoot your friend here" I was so shocked to see this side of him. What happened to my dad who used to laugh at dinners, flirt with mom, bring toys for all the kids, who used to teach me football. "Dad how can you even say this?" That question earned me a punch "Stop being a pussy and pull the trigger, how will you protect the Don if you can't kill." I still couldn't do it. "Lets play a game. I will count till three. A trigger will be pulled. Either it will be of your gun that will kill this rat or mine that will blow the brains of your little friend." I saw Enzo his eyes were closed of fear. "One" I looked at Dad I was surprised to see him that determined to kill Enzo. I mean he is a kid. How can he use him as a pawn. "Two" but he was sure, so sure. And I was scared. So scared "Thr-" I pulled before he could say three. I missed. Even from so near I missed. But I pulled the trigger again and again and again until I felt Dad stopping me and showing me that he is dead already. I fell to my knees vomiting on the site of his dead body and so much blood. Blood that I drew.

"Dante" I looked at my dad not understanding what he said. "His name. He is your first kill. Atleast you should know the name. You will remember him forever. Good job my son. Today you became a man. Don't go back" I couldn't believe after three years he praised me and that too because I took someone's life."

"I became the killer that day." She hugged me "I am sorry Damon that you have to go through this. No child deserves this" she said sobbing. "Yeah that's what I said" I said and continued my story.