"I have a plan."

Everyone motioned me to go on.

"Well, the Germans have broken several rules of the mafia council, right? For example, stealing the drugs of another mafia while having an alliance with them, etc, etc. So, the plan is to collect the proof and evidence of the Germans breaking the rules, give the evidence to the mafia council, and boom, their mafia is finished."

"Okay, but how will we find the evidence?" Matteo asked.

"Let's divide ourselves into 2 groups. The first group will raid the German warehouses to find evidence. The second group will enter the German estate undercover and try to collect evidence from there."

"Undercover how exactly?"

I shrugged. "Maybe some could disguise as a maid and enter the estate."

Mom looked at me with a calculative gaze and then nodded slowly.

"I knew you would make the perfect mafia queen," dad said, kissing me on my forehead.

Matteo's eyes shone with a dangerous glint. "Perfect plan. This is the best way to avenge Serena."

Even hearing her name had a weird effect on me. My breathing became ragged and I shut my eyes.

"We will continue with this plan. Anyone has any objections?" Dante asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

No one spoke.

"Great, then it's settled. We will start preparing from tomorrow morning itself," Mom announced.

"Why not right now?" Matteo asked coldly.

"It's 1 am," Enzo replied with an obvious tone.

Matteo sighed and was the first one to walk out of the room. Soon, everyone dispersed.

The only ones remaining were Enzo and me.

"That was a fantastic plan, amore," he said with a soft smile.

I nodded slowly.

The thirst for revenge can make you do fantastic things.

"Are you fine?" Enzo whispered, frowning at my blank face.

I broke my façade.

"I want to be."

Enzo's face suddenly brightened. "Let's go."

I frowned. "Where?"

"Just come with me," he urged, wearing his denim jacket.

"But I'm in my pajamas, let me change-"

"No, it's fine, just follow me."

I crinkled my nose but nevertheless, followed him down to the reception. He walked up to the receptionist and asked her for car keys.

"We're going on a drive?"

He nodded with excitement and led me to the open black Ferrari parked outside the hotel. He got into the driver's seat while I sat beside him.

He roared the car to life and put on the seatbelt.

"Where are we going?" I whined.

Enzo shrugged. "Late night drives have no destination."

I turned on the radio and the lyrics of Runaway by Aurora reached my ears.

I tilted my head up, letting the cool wind hit my face. My hair flew along as the car sped up.

There were hardly any cars on the road and only the chirping on insects and the puff of the wind was heard.

I didn't know where Enzo intended to take us, neither did I ask. After a few minutes, he stopped the car near an unknown area.

Without saying a word, he got out of the car and walked over to my side. He opened my door, before I had the chance to do it, and leaned down near my ears.

"Close you eyes," Enzo whispered.

"Are you sure?"

He nodded.

I hesitated, but shut my eyes.

He gently grasped my hand in his warm ones and guided me in some direction. I heard the crunching of leaves as we walked. Suddenly, Enzo stopped walking and pulled me in front of him, my back pressed tightly against his chest.

He slowly enclosed his arms around my waist and nestled his face on the top of my head.

"Open your eyes."

I fluttered my eyes open and the entire scenery fell into place.

We were at the edge of a high cliff, beneath which the ocean laid.

I looked up.

The sky was so clear, every crater was visible. The illuminating silver moon loomed large, surrounded by an ethereal glow. Millions of stars twinkled mischievously behind it, looking like pearls worn by the midnight sky.

As I peered down, the dulcet, hypnotic crashing of the waves grew stronger. The ocean waves lapped lazily at the shore, a jumble of navy and royal blue that glistened in the night. White foam crested the top of the waves as they approached, spilling onto the sand like a net being cast.

"It's beautiful," I whispered, relaxing my shoulders.

"I agree," Enzo murmured back.

He wasn't looking at the ocean. His eyes gazed into mine.

No one said a word.

I sat down, my legs hanging down from the edge. I patted at the spot beside me and Enzo sat down.

He lazily wrapped one arm around my shoulder and pulled me closer. I laid my head on his shoulder, shutting my eyes.

I blurred the entire world around me and just listened to Enzo's heartbeat and the crashing of the waves. They were in sync.

"I just want to let you know that you aren't alone in this. The Italian mafia will help you execute the plan."

I sighed. "Thank you, I mean it."

The world seemed to be moving in slow motion around us. It felt like there was no one in the world but us.

This time, the silence was broken by me.

"Should we stay in Madrid, or should we go back to Sicily to carry out the plan?"

Enzo furrowed his brows and tilted his face to the right, thinking carefully.

"I think Sicily would be a better option. Staying here, in the Spanish mafia's radar, might pose a threat to them."

I nodded in agreement.

"Alright, I prepare the jet. We'll leave in few hours. Is that fine with you?"

I nodded again.

No one said a word after that, we just sat there in the silence.

We were going back to Sicily.

And we were going to avenge Serena's death.

I would make sure of that.

●・○・●・○・●

The jet landed in Sicily an hour back and we were currently back in Enzo's estate.

3 years back, this city would be giving me nightmares. But right now, the scenario was different.

It felt different being back here again.

Instead of dread and angst, all I felt was a sense of belonging.

"Xena!" Gianna squealed, rushing to hug me as soon as I stepped foot in the house.

"Gia!" I yelled back, matching her energy and hugging her equally tightly.

"Congrats on becoming the mafia queen," she said, punching my shoulder.

I smiled. "Thanks. And by the way, did you manage to spice things up with Fabio?"

Her eyes widened. "Uh, yes, kind of. We'll talk about that later."

I frowned but agreed.

"So, what's the plan?" She asked curiously.

"You'll know soon."

"Gather all the men and keep them ready. We'll be reaching in 5 minutes. It's urgent," Enzo ordered someone, hanging up the phone.

Dad had called the best fighters from the American mafia to help with the mission alongside the Italian mafia. They were already in the estate, if I wasn't wrong.

Enzo rolled back his shoulders and scratched his forehead with the gun in his hand, his muscles flexing through the shirt.

"All the best fighters from both our mafias are gathered in the basement. We need to brief them about the plan. It's best if Xena does the briefing," Enzo said.

I tried to protest but everyone already nodded in agreement, making their way down to the basement.

I sighed and followed them down.

The basement was modified into a training room.

A large boxing ring covered the center of the room. Racks filled with every type of weapon covered the walls.

The left section of the room was built to be a shooting range. The middle section was a fighting arena, and the right section was built for throwing daggers and for archery.

Perfect.

Around 100 best fighters from the Italian and American mafia were lined up.

Enzo and I stood in front of them while Matteo, Dante, Ysaline, Gianna, mom and dad stood behind us.

Enzo clapped his hands, gaining the attention of everyone.

"Everyone, listen up. As you know, the Germans have been our enemies for a long time now. They killed my dad, the former Italian don. Now, they killed someone very important to us and it helped us see things clearly. We stayed silent before in order to not start a war. But, will we stay silent now?"

Yells and roars of men yelling 'no' was heard.

Enzo gestured me to step forward. I took a step back and stood beside Enzo, raising my eyes to meet the men.

"I am Xena King, the American mafia queen. The Germans attacked my dad 22 years back. I have never forgotten that. Neither will you. I don't care whether you are a part of the Italian, or the American mafia. For now, you have to act like one combined mafia. Work together. As allies. Is that understood?"

There was a brief silence in the room, but then everyone nodded.

"Good. Now, moving on to the plan. We have to find evidence proving that the German mafia has broken the rules of the IMC.

You all will be divided into 2 groups: A and B. Group A will raid the German warehouses and collect evidence from there. Now, group B will enter the mafia estate undercover and find evidence from there. Any questions?"

Silence.

"Great. Your training starts from today itself and it will be ten times more vigorous than how you all used to train before. Enzo and I will train you. We have hardly 1 month to train before executing the plan so there is no room for lethargy, is that clear?"

Everyone yelled yes.

"You all can disperse now. We meet here exactly at 5 p.m. sharp, alright?"

They nodded and within few seconds, everyone went away.

●・○・●・○・●

"He definitely likes you!" Ysaline squealed, clapping her hands together.

Gianna blushed and hid her face with the pillow.

"I'm sure he does, otherwise why would he ask you to hang out with him?" I asked, grabbing the pillow away from her.

Gianna groaned. "I've known Fabio for a very long time now. He was always mysterious, an enigma. He was never open about his feelings or emotions. Isn't it skeptical when he suddenly asks me to have lunch with him?"

"No the fuck it's not. Maybe he has finally come to terms about how he feels about you. Maybe he can't resist the attraction between both of you anymore. Don't think about anything else, just go on a date with him," Ysaline said.

"It's not a date! It's just lunch!"

"Yeah, sure," I muttered sarcastically.

Gianna sighed. "No matter what happens between Fabio and me, I need you guys to promise me something."

"What?"

"Promise me that neither of you will tell one word about Fabio to Dante or Enzo. Enzo would shoot Fabio first, and ask questions later."

Ysaline and I nodded.

Enzo was definitely one of those overprotective brothers.

"Anyways, let's move on. Can I also take part in the plan you made?" Gianna asked with a pout.

I shook my head instantly. "Fuck no. The only people who will take part in the plan are the fighters. It's too risky for you."

"Then why aren't Enzo and you taking part as well?"

I rolled my eyes. "Gianna, don't you think the German mafia men will recognize us the moment we enter the estate?"

She smiled sheepishly. Just then, her facial expressions changed. Her eyebrows pulled together and gazed at Ysaline and me with downcast eyes.

"I heard about Serena. I'm very sorry," she whispered, her voice quavering. Sorrow was written all over her face.

The realization hit me like a force. Knowing that Serena was dead, I hated myself for smiling, laughing, and enjoying any moment.

Grief kept gnawing at my chest as I tried to blink away tears with a heavy heart.

I could just nod.

I glanced at Ysaline, who mirrored my expressions more subtly. There was a lingering sadness in both of our eyes.

"If you excuse me, I need to rest for sometime before starting the training," I spoke airily, getting up from the sofa.

I walked into the same old bedroom I had stayed in when I first came to Italy.

I grabbed the headphones from the top of the dresser and put them on, connecting it to my phone. I typed in the song name and pressed play. My eyes instinctively shut on their own.

I sat down on the bed and pulled my knees towards my chest, hugging them closer.

So no one told you life was gonna be this way...

The opening of the song reached my ears and I made no effort to stop the sob leaving my mouth. A wave of sadness washed over me and my heart twisted in pain. I felt my eyes misting over me and I shut them tighter.

I could see Serena right in front of me, smiling, laughing, looking carefree. Her eyes shone with mirth and her black, wavy hair swayed as she pranced around.

A plaintive cry rose in my throat as I watched how breezy and cheerful she looked.

Suddenly, Serena froze. All her movements stilled. Ever so slowly, she turned around to face me. She had an unreadable expression on her face. The look in her eyes was desolate.

On the spur of the moment, everything changed.

She wasn't Serena.

Aoife stood in front of me, her gave, blue eyes staring right into mine. Her face contorted and she shook her head. She opened her mouth, trying to say something. The second before I could hear what she said-

"Xena!"

My eyes flew open and my body jolted up. My heart raced in my chest and my chest heaved up and down.

Enzo was kneeling beside my bed, cupping my face in his palms.

"I tried knocking, but-but you didn't answer, so I came in, and saw you in this state. Are you- Are you fine?"

I took several deep breaths, calming the rampant thudding of my heart, and nodded.

Enzo didn't believe me but brushed it off anyways.

"We need to start the training now," Enzo whispered, gently caressing my cheek with his thumb.

My lips parted and I nodded.

We walked down to the basement and saw all the men present, working out.

My gaze went to a brown haired guy who was doing weighted pull ups. His muscles flexed every time he moved his arm. His hazel curls fell on his head.

I jumped feeling a hot breath on my neck.

"Look at him a little longer, il mio ribelle, I dare you," he whispered, the solemnity in Enzo's voice hitting me to the core.

(My rebel)

I cleared my throat and stepped forward, creating distance between us.

"I wasn't looking at him, I- Wait, wait, wait. How do you even care?"

He bit the inside of his cheek. "I-I don't."

I frowned in confusion. "Then why are you acting like this? What is- Oh! Someone's jelly," I teased, wriggling my eyebrows.

He gazed at me as if I was crazy with amusement shining in his eyes.

"Let's train."

"We will, we will, but this conversation is not over, mister," I warned.

He just chuckled. "Noted."

"Okay, everybody, gather around!" I said, clapping my hands loudly.

Soon, all the men lined up.

"We're going to start training now, and trust me, it will not be easy, mind you. This is the most important war of your life, of your lives. Act like it. Understood?"

Everyone nodded at my question.

"Good. Now, let's begin."

The training session was exhausting, to say the least.

Truly, fucking exhausting.

At the end of it, I was sweating excessively and my heart raced more than ever.

With flushed cheeks and aching body, I leaned against the wall for support.

"Are you fine?" Enzo asked, walking towards me.

He was shirtless. His abs, glistening in sweat, was on full display. He had worn black shorts that were hanging from his waist, exposing his prominent V-line.

My gaze travelled down his arm where his veiny, muscular arms flexed.

Enzo snapped his fingers and I blinked.

"I asked whether you were fine."

"I-I am totally fine," I replied unconvincingly, standing up abruptly. A jolt of ache passed through my body and I groaned.

Enzo, without wasting a second, lifted me up in his arms and my eyes widened.

"Enzo," I whispered harshly, "put me down. What the fuck are you doing?"

He ignored me and walked out of the basement. All the men started at us while he carried me.

Everyone was present in the living room. The moment Enzo stepped in, all eyes were on us.

Dad's eyes widened and he glared at Enzo while mom grinned knowingly.

Ysaline smirked and Dante whistled, clapping his hands. Gianna, beside them, wiped fake tears from her eyes. Matteo, though, had shut his eyes and laid down on the sofa.

A pang of sadness hit me.

May god give him strength to help him go through this.

Enzo put me down on the sofa.

"So, what's the progress?" Mom asked.

"Well, we started the training. Within a month, I suppose we will be ready to execute the plan. Now, we all know that a war can't be won by physical strength only. It will be won by strategy and intelligence.

We need to divide the men into 2 groups, like I said before. The first group will break into the warehouses and collect evidence. Meanwhile, the other group will enter the German estate using a disguise. We need to train them for that. They need to know how to behave like proper spies in order to deceive the Germans. We will begin the training for that as well, tomorrow itself. I will give them a list of rules the German mafia broke and they will need to find evidence supporting it."

Everyone nodded.

It was evening already and the sky was ablaze with the fire of the setting sun. I was in the balcony, leaning against the railings. The view was only restricted within the estate. No one could see anything beyond that.

I sighed.

I always aspired to own a penthouse, one day. The entire aerial view of the city would be visible from the window.

One day...

I walked out of the room and my face collided with Enzo's chest.

I winced and rubbed my nose.

"I was just about to talk to you," he said, placing both his hands inside his pocket.

"Really? Why?"

"Well, I just thought you might be getting bored here, so I decided to give you a tour of the mansion. Last time, we didn't have enough time to do so," he winked.

I rolled my eyes but nodded. "Lead the way."

"The first stop: library," he announced, walking up the stairs.

I squealed. "You have a library here?! You don't look the bookworm type."

He chuckled. "And you look the innocent type, but here you are."

I slapped his arm playfully. Enzo opened the door to the library and the world stood still.

Fabio and Gianna.

Pressed against a shelf.

Kissing.

Passionately.