a/n: THIS IS IMPORTANT.

OutOfMyLimit17 (KEN) and I are posting both of our chapters at the same time tonight for a reason.

Federico will be making a guest appearance in The Hidden Shadow, Chapter 8 (and most likely more because the chapter was long as hell). So once you're done here, HEAD OVER TO THS AND JOIN FEDERICO AND JESSIE!

We've worked on the chapter together for nearly a year and Ken is amazing and I love her, so enjoy this chapter and enjoy the other! Of course, if you can't find it, just go to my reading List. The book can be found there.

- follow me on twitter @xotaintedkisses -

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"I love you, son... make me proud." – Michael Luciano

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[2 weeks later]

Michael Luciano's funeral had been packed. The church that held the service had filled up quickly, forcing the organizers of the event to add a last minute venue for late-comers so they could still attend – even if they had to watch the service on a large screen.

When I got up on stage with Liam and looked out at the congregation, all I had seen was a wave of black. I saw people of every race, every age range – from infants to elders – but the one thing that remained the same was the color of their clothing; black. Tears filled the eyes and streaked down the cheeks of many, all of them here to celebrate the life of Liam's father.

It was a beautiful service; filled with kind words, home videos, and gorgeous music. The family sat on the first row, respectively. Liam had sat to my right, Dominic to my left, and a bodyguard sat on the other side of Dom, closest to the aisle. Rosalie sat next to her brother and Zara beside her.

Two seats had been reserved for the De Santis men, but they never showed.

Sometime during the service, Liam had slipped on a pair of darkly tinted sunglasses. I leaned into him, intertwining my arm in his as we sat side by side. A tear slid down his cheek at the sight of the home movie that played on stage. I heard a lot of chuckling, laughs, and 'awe's' as the video played.

I rested my head on his shoulder, muttering three words I didn't think he would hear. "I love you."

His hand found mine and he squeezed it gently. "I love you too."

That was nearly two hours ago and two hours later, I found myself standing in the one house I had started calling home. The house in which I first met the family, was nothing like it was all those weeks ago. The furniture had been taken by the moving company and the flat screen televisions were stripped from every single wall they hung on. Carpets were removed and coffee tables were taken away. The refrigerator in the kitchen was cleaned of its contents and every camera was wiped of its film.

Liam had sold both of his homes; the house Michael, Melanie, and Rosalie had lived in and this house, the house his family resided in. The reason behind the selling of the first home was because of the memories it brought back whenever we walked inside their walls. The reason behind the selling of his second home was because he felt as though the men who worked for him deserved better; better meant bigger.

It only took about two full days of house hunting before we found the house we liked. It was on the outskirts of Los Angeles, but it was close enough to the city for us. The house was nothing compared to the luxurious castle-like mansion we were accustomed too, but it was big. With five bedrooms – two of them being master suites - and five and a half bathrooms, it was perfect. The house rested on eight acres of land, pushed far enough away from the road that we could enjoy our privacy.

The only reason Rosie loved the house was because it had an indoor and outdoor pool. She then proceeded to scream when she realized that her bedroom was right next door to ours. The little girl danced happily away, unaware of the freaked out look that rested on her brothers face.

Liam looked to me, "Hopefully the house has thick walls?"

"Pervert."

I spun around as I stood in the middle of the foyer, the quietness of the home overtook any of my thoughts. A few of Liam's men milled around the house, exiting and reentering as they pleased. The majority of them had returned to their families, to their home-state, or to their home country for a well-deserved vacation as their new home was being furnished and set up.

I made my way towards the staircase, quickly ascending the marble. My destination was Liam's room – our room – but I made a few pitstops before I headed there. My first stop was Dominic's room. His bed had been stripped off its sheets and his dresser drawers were emptied. The mess that once littered the top of his desk was now clean, all his letters and papers either thrown out or tucked in one of the many traveling bags that belonged to him. The room was clean, ready for the people who would soon buy the home and move in.

I stepped out and peaked my head in another door. I wasn't expecting to see anything inside, but I looked into the bedroom Rico had once slept in. Everything was bare and if there wasn't the faint hint of his cologne still lingering in the air, I wouldn't have believed anyone had been in there in years.

Then I headed towards our bedroom with a heavy heart. Boxes upon boxes lined the walls, the only decoration that I could find in the entire room. A cold, early afternoon breeze whisked through-out the bedroom as I stepped inside. The mattress was uncovered and the pillow cases long removed. The top of Liam's dresser had been cleaned, his jewelry packed and shipped to the new house. The adjoining bathroom probably looked similar; no toothbrushes, no toothpaste, no toilet paper or bath towels – nothing.

I was just about to call for Liam when I spotted him standing behind the French doors, overlooking a beautiful view. I opened them quietly, hoping not to scare him. He didn't respond to the sound of the doors opening and closing; he hardly acknowledged me until my arm brushed against his.

Extending my forearms, I pressed them against the all-white railing and waited. In the distance, above all the trees and homes, you could see the tall buildings of the bustling city and if you listened hard you could hear the sound of people honking the horns on their cars.

"Rosie's a mess," Liam finally spoke, forcing me to look in his direction. I lifted my eyes a little higher to get a good glimpse of his face, thanks to the reasonable height difference that we shared. His eyes stayed trained on view as he worked his jaw, grinding his teeth together in concentration. "I think everything's just hit her all at once; the death of her mom, Michael..." He lets out a sigh and leans down, raking his fingers through his hair, "And Rico didn't say goodbye to her."

A second passed before I answered him, "She'll be okay, I know she will."

Liam fell silent. My eyes drifted from the distressed look on his face, to his bare shoulders and below. The rays of sunlight that hit the balcony at a perfect angle helped define the muscles in his arm, giving his skin a glowing, smooth look. Liam had rid himself of the top portion of his outfit for the funeral, but the dress slacks still hung low on his waist.

I watched Liam press his forehead to his forearms before angling his head to the left, giving me a once over. "I know she will be," He mumbled, "I just feel like I failed as a brother—"

"You kept her safe," I joined him at his side, slinging an arm over him. A smile crossed my face as Liam's eyes closed, enjoying the feel of my fingers running through his hair. I massaged the base of his neck before dipping a little lower and running my palm across the blade of his back. My hand grips the base of his neck once more in the attempt of a massage, forcing a low groan to slip past his lips. I smiled, "What happened to Melanie was unfortunate, but you can't do anything about that now. What happened to Michael was horrible, but he went down protecting the woman he always loved, you can't change that now. But what you can do is be there for Rosie now that she needs you."

I had to tilt my head at an odd angle and lean forward to even come remotely close to his lips, but I did so without making a complete fool of myself. The kiss was a mere peck, but I did take note at how soft his lips were.

"God, I love you," he whispered it, but it was enough to kickstart the rapid beating in my chest.

He leaned forward again, attempting to capture my lips in his, but I easily dodged it. Liam's eyes shot open and his lips fell apart. I swore I saw an ounce of hurt flash through his brown eyes as I slowly turned towards the French doors, a smile crawling across my lips.

"You can't say something like that and not prove it."

"Then let me prove it," He reached out for me before I had a chance to run back inside the room. I was pulled back to him with force and in the middle of my snarky response, his hands cupped either side of my face as he brought his lips to mine. The kiss was intense and moved quickly, hardly allowing any time for either of us to catch a breath.

I sighed in a content manner as I wrapped my arms around his stomach and pulled him closer. A hearty groan came up from Liam's throat as he broke the kiss incidentally. His smile was wide as his thumbs ran along either side of my face, caressing my skin. He found the time to tuck a few strands of hair behind my ear while his other hand ran along my jawline and traced the outline of the lips he had just been feverishly kissing.

After catching his breath, Liam let his hands fall to his side, "Turn around."

I shot him a quizzical look before obeying. I folded my hands together and let out a nervous breath. My lips parted as I prepared myself to ask Liam what this was all about, but when I felt his hands pulling any stray strands away from my face, I had an idea. He combed his fingers through my hair, letting the locks fall down my back.

He stepped close enough to me that I could feel his chest pressing into my back. Liam bowed his head, tilting it just enough that I could see his smile out the corner of my eye. His hands came from around my back, his fingers clutching a necklace that looked awfully familiar.

It took only seconds for him to secure the necklace around my neck, but the reason as to why he gave it to me took far longer to explain.

I looked down, brushing my fingers along the expensive looking piece of jewelry.

Fiducia.

I let out an astonished breath, "Liam—"

"It looks ten times better on you than it ever did on me," His arms snake around my waist as he pulls be back against him, a smile resting on his lips as he pressed a kiss to my cheek. I sigh and lean my head against him, my eyes closing as I cherished the embrace.

"Michael gave that to me when I turned eighteen," Liam nuzzled his head in the crook of my neck, kissing it gently while he did so. "I wore it as a reminder to always have faith. I don't need that necklace now and as long as you stay, I won't ever need it again."

I had to lean my head back in order to get a good, upside down view of him. "I don't plan on leaving anytime soon."

A gentle knock on the French doors captured our attention, ending the moment far faster than I would've liked. Liam's arms untangled themselves from around me as we angled our bodies in the direction of the noise.

Dominic Santiago stood in the door way, a sheepish smile tugging at his lips as he eyed our elated expressions. His eyes darted from me, to Liam, back to me, then back to Liam as he analyzed the situation quietly. He bowed his head and lifted up his left hand, slowly twisting his wedding ring around his ring finger. It was a habit he had been known for; one I realized only shined through when a beautiful woman walked by, or when he saw something that reminded him of his past relationship.

Two weeks and a few days had passed since he was shot and although he was nowhere near 110%, he was getting there. He still walked slowly and gingerly, occasionally wincing whenever he moved too fast. I had also noted that he refused to take his shirt off around people, making me wonder if he had scars he didn't want anyone else to see. And by now, we were all used to the occasional pain pills he would pop into his mouth.

My smile widened at the sight of him and I couldn't bring myself to be even remotely irritated at his imperfect timing. Today, of all days, was a special one – a day Liam had been dreading since Dominic made the announcement nearly a week before. Today was his last day.

"I didn't mean to interrupt you two love birds, but Liam, you have a visitor downstairs," His lips curled upwards as he stepped out the way. "They also wouldn't mind speaking with you, Faith."

We nod and together, walk through the bedroom. Dominic follows suit behind us as we lead the way. It took us only a matter of seconds to scramble down the steps and rest our eyes on our visitor.

Xavier Corinelli.

The street clothes he supported suited him nicely. His hair had been recently cut low and he looked full of life and happiness. He shook both Liam and I's hand, greeting us with our name as he did so. When his eyes landed on the man behind us, his eyes went wide. Liam and I parted, allowing the two men to shake hands.

"Dominic, it's great to see you in one piece."

"Well, Xavier, it's definitely good to be in one piece."

The two shared a gentle laugh as they parted, stepping away from each other.

I smiled softly as my eyes landed on the young man, on Peter Corinelli's offspring. I had been cautious of him when we first met, but he proceeded in being a nice guy on the wrong team. Sure, he had made a few mistakes here and there but we all had. He had helped Rosalie when she was in trouble, he had helped me, helped Zara, and when the time came for us to get our revenge on his father – he did nothing to stop us. He knew his dad had been in the wrong and the justice that Peter deserved had been handed to him.

Xavier was smart, smarter than anyone would ever give him credit for. To the Corinelli family that remained, he was simply a bystander that Luciano hadn't murdered. Nobody could ever look to him and call him a traitor to his own family, simply because he hardly aided us in his father's dead. Xavier had set himself up to succeed.

"It looks like you all are busy," Xavier's attention floats around the nearly empty foyer, "So I won't keep you long. I just wanted to drop by and see how everyone was doing."

Liam responds for all of us, "We're good and we appreciate your help."

Xavier smiles and turns away, clearly not wanting to stay long.

From behind us, Dominic clears his throat dramatically; bringing his hand up to his lips and everything. I turned around, along with Liam, only to notice the look of urgency that Dom had in his eyes. Liam and Dom held a non-verbal conversation for a short for seconds before the two lifted their eyes back to Xavier, who had begun to walk away.

"Xavier, wait," Liam lets go of my hand and steps forward urgently, "Um, what're your plans now?"

The younger man carelessly shrugs, "With Peter dead, the family has gone up in flames. People are fighting, leaving, threatening to go to the police about everything we've ever done – it's a catastrophic mess." He runs a hand through his hair and fully turns around, "Why?"

"There's going to be a position opening up around here, as soon as tomorrow," Liam and I glance at Dom, "And he's intent on having me fill the underboss position before he steps down." We turn back to Xavier, watching as he laughs gently, his shoulders shaking.

"I appreciate it, I really do, but I'm going to have to decline – for now," Liam nods in understanding at Xavier's response, "I want to focus on my personal family and the family my father left behind. I want to rebuild it, I want to change the course we were heading down and I want to do great things with our name." Xavier lets out a breath and steps forward, extending his hand to Liam, "As of today, the Corinelli name isn't one to be feared or laughed at, but respected," The two shake.

"Noted," Liam smiled as Xavier began retreating towards the door, "If you ever need anything, you know how to find me."

Liam received the peace sign before his front door was open, closed, and his visitor gone.

"Well," I broke the silence and brushed against Liam's side, wrapping my right arm around his torso and pulling myself closer to him, "It looks like you don't have to worry about the Corinelli's anymore."

The front door was thrown open and a few men I recognized waltzed it. Sweat stuck to their brows and a thin layer of sweat covered their faces. The foreign men pushed their long sleeves up to their elbows as they nodded respectfully to their boss and I. Liam greeted the men before they turned their attention on Dominic.

"Dom, we moved the last sofa out and packed it in the van. We were going to send it off to the new house, but we thought you might want to give it the okay. Mind checking it out?"

At the beginning of the moving process, Liam had rightfully let Dominic handle everything while he focused more on the funeral of his father, the burying of Melanie's body, and the far more important things. Dom had taken the reigns of the move; organizing, hiring, and planning everything perfectly. It would be the last assignment Dom would take from Liam and he did it as if it was the last thing he would ever do; he did everything decently and in order.

"Of course, gentlemen," Dom brushed by us as the men followed him. They exited through the door, leaving Liam and I alone in the spacious foyer.

Luciano didn't waste a second. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and began walking in the direction of a hallway. I leaned into him, quietly allowing him to take me wherever he pleased. It wasn't until we passed a few closed doors did I finally realize where we were headed – his private office.

He pushed the door open and nodded, signaling I walk in first. Pictures had been taken off the walls and the sofas and chairs were long removed. The large oak desk was missing, the only thing littering the floor now was a single, cardboard box. One, lone television was still mounted on the wall and when I went to ask him about it, he started speaking.

"I found this when I was cleaning out our bedroom," Liam squatted down and dug through the contents of the box. He stood a few seconds later with a well-protected DVD in his hand, the scribbling on the upper side was too far and too messy for me to read from here. "And I've watched it about twenty times in the last week and every time it finishes, I find myself speechless." He turns toward the TV and begins setting it up.

I fold my arms over my chest as I watch him, "What is the title of it?"

Liam cranes his head to the left, giving me a look out the corner of his eye. "If I die."

He stepped back around two silent minutes later, a remote in his hand. We fall in line together as he takes a deep breath, "Michael left it for me, for us," He turns and glances down at me, "and I don't really know what to make of it, so I want you to watch it."

I focused my attention solely on the man mounted up on the television.

Michael stepped back from the camera he used to record and I felt myself smile. He had just recently shaved and his clothes looked comfortable, but expensive. We watched in silence as he dropped into his seat, folded his hands across his lap, and let out a long, dreary sigh.

"You know," at the sound of Michael's voice, I could feel Liam stiffen. He had just thrown his arms across his chest in a defensive stance when I leaned over and tugged at his arm, forcing it to fall to his side. I wrap both hands around his bicep and pull him towards me in a comforting manner. On screen, Michael continued to talk, "I've seen a million of these types of videos done in movies, but I never thought I'd have to make one of my own."

He casts his eyes downward, watching himself as he fiddled with his thumbs. Even from here you could see a few strands of gray hair mixing with his naturally dark strands; I couldn't recall whether his age had ever been told to me, but he didn't seem old enough to already be turning gray. Yet, I wouldn't be shocked if the lifestyle he had led for so long was the cause of his premature graying.

When Michael lifted his head once again, you could see the tears welling up in his eyes and the emotion that swirled around in them. He looked away from the camera for a brief second before turning back.

"I need you to know that what happened between your mother and I wasn't your fault," Michael lets out a shaky sigh and rests his forearm on the provided armrest. "And I'm not going to go through the entire story, but I will tell you want you need to know." He sits up straight, clearly fidgeting. "Zara, your mom, she didn't want this life for you – she didn't want you to take over for me, she didn't want you anywhere near this life. She said you could be better than this."

I had heard the abridged version of the story from Zara, but I'm pretty sure Michael's video was the first time Liam had heard the true story. And even after watching it an excessive amount of times like he claimed, I still felt Liam tense.

"She threatened to take you from me, Liam." Michael's expression was serious until he started chuckling lightly, "And me being young, dumb, and stupid, I threatened her – only because I refused to let her take away my only son."

The older Luciano folds his hands together and locks his gaze on the camera, "You know the rest of the story, I'm sure. She left and for three years after that, I had to listen to my son cry himself to sleep because he missed his mother." Michael's jaw clenches as he turns away, emotional. "I would've never said this back then, but I'll say it now – I fucked up and I'm sorry."

There was a long pause between his next sentence, with Michael rapidly blinking and shifting his jaw as he waited for his emotions to settle down. He had yet to cry, but the tears were there and the only thing holding them back was his pride.

"I'm proud of you," He finally said, "I didn't say it nearly enough, but I was, I am, and I always will be." Michael runs a hand down his face, "I'm proud of how you've grown up and matured; I'm proud of the people you've surrounded yourself with." He smiles softly before we watch it fade right before our eyes.

"But that's what I wanted to talk to you two about," He takes a deep breath before sitting forward in his seat, "Dominic and William are two amazing men; they have their faults and their weaknesses, but their strengths outshine those. And out of every man that you let inside your house, your life, there's only one that you truthfully shouldn't have – Federico De Santis."

My blood was boiling and at the sight of the frozen screen, I turned on Liam. "What does he mean, you shouldn't have?!" I snapped, "Rico is loyal—"

Liam gives me a calm look out the corner of his eye before he presses play. Michael's voice fills the room, "—and before either of you freak the fuck out on me, let me explain."

I huff and whirl back towards the screen, muttering beneath my breath.

Mr. Luciano's eyes close and when he reopens them, he's focused and sure of himself. "I'm not here to warn you about Federico because from what I can tell, he's loyal, he's a friend, and he's good at what he does. I'm here to warn you about the demon that sits behind him."

I lift an eyebrow at that, suddenly curious. Michael was referring to Vincenzo De Santis; the name of the man who had invaded my every thought for the last week and a half. I had told Liam about what happened between us, insisting that Vincent had not laid a vicious hand on me. I had skipped out on a few major details but I did tell Liam that Vincenzo had proceeded to call him a boytoy. Liam had simply listened, nodded, and told me that he would speak to Vincent as soon as possible.

"—I don't know Federico as well as you two do, I'm sure of that, but I know the man that trained him far better then you two ever will." He releases a nervous breath and leans forward, "And what I'm going to say next cannot go on record, I need you two to promise me you won't utter a word about this. Am I clear?"

I nod while Liam just clenches his jaw.

"Vincenzo De Santis came for my kingdom once and he failed," Michael leans forward, his words rushing out in a hushed whisper, "He came damn close from ripping the whole floor out from under me and I'm not here to predict the future, I'm not saying he's going to try again, I'm just telling you this because you deserve to know." Mr. Luciano sighs.

"Vincenzo isn't Peter Corinelli; he's smarter, he's wiser. He wouldn't come for Faith, he wouldn't come for your money, he wouldn't come for Rosalie and hold her hostage," Michael shakes his head, "He won't send hundreds of soldiers to storm your house, no." He exhales, "He'll find his way in and he'll uproot everything from the inside and the walls will crumble before you even have a chance to call for help."

Both Liam and I listened intently, taking in all the newly learned information.

"I'm not here to judge your friend, Rico, I'm just here to caution you. Federico might be a good guy, but when push comes to shove, at the end of the day, the only person he's loyal to is his father." Michael sits back and pauses.

"I'm telling you this because I love you, because I don't want to see all our hard work fall. And whether you believe me or not, that's your decision. I just needed to tell you this because..." His eyes lock on to the screen, "I love you, Liam, I really do." Michael offers up a weary smile, "And if you're watching this, then it's probably because I either forgot to remove it from your bedroom or because I'm dead – and if it's the latter, then I guess I'll close with this..."

Michael closes his eyes and when he opens them, a tear skates down his face. "I love you, son." His jaw locks as he takes in an unsure breath, "Make me proud."

The screen portrays a black screen and I watch as Liam casually saunters toward the T.V. and takes the disc out, silent. I clear my throat and ask a question.

"What if he does come for you like he came for your father?"

Liam slides the disc in its case and looks up, "Like Michael said, Vincenzo isn't stupid. It would be smarter for us to combine our power rather than take the other one out."

I nod in agreement to what Liam had said.

"I wouldn't worry about what Michael said, but I would keep it in the back of my mind for future reference," Liam tosses an arm over my shoulder as we turn to walk out the room, our thoughts still churning.

I glance up at Liam, still curious, "But what if he does come?"

"Then we'll be ready."

My frown dissipated at the sight of Dominic waiting for us at the end of the hallway. He looked up, saw us, smiled, winced, then dug into his pocket and tossed a pill in his mouth, dry. My frown returned as I silently tried to remember the last time I saw Dom putting a pill in his mouth.

"Faith, Liam," He offered up a weak smile and nodded towards the door, "Your ride is waiting."

Liam nodded and turned to me, his lips upturned, "You ready to leave?"

"I am, actually."

Liam went to grab my hand when Dominic stepped forward, resting a gentle palm on my back. His eyes lit up as he stared at his boss. "If you don't mind, as my last assignment, I would be honored to escort Faith to the car."

Luciano stepped back, giving me away.

Dominic extended his forearm to me, in which I placed a palm on it and headed in the direction of the door. Liam followed behind slowly, before saying, "You two go, I'll be a second."

I didn't become emotional until the doors were opened for us and we stood on the porch, overlooking the beautifully manicured lawn. I casted my gaze downwards, smiling at the sight of Liam's men lining the path to the stalled SUV. Five were on the left, five on the right; their arms positioned behind their backs and their attentions on us, their smiles wide, yet filled with a deep, sad kind of pain.

Dominic and I walked slowly down the steps, talking quietly to ourselves as we approached the SUV. "When do you leave for Florida?"

"As soon as your ride pulls away," Dom responds quickly. He must've seen the grim look on my face because he plucked my chin up with his finger, laughing gently, "Don't frown. I'm happy."

We reach the car and he pulls the back door open, using it as support to lean most of his weight on. I turn around to face him. His hair had grown significantly since we had met and he was long overdue for another haircut. The sides that had been shaved low so perfectly had grown out and the curls atop his head were beginning to fall forward, draping over his forehead.

He took my hand as I climbed inside the blacked-out vehicle and just like the first time we met, he lifted my hand to his lips and kissed it. His lips lingered there for a long moment and when he pulled away, a stray tear had fallen from his eyes and landed on the back of my hand. The other unfallen tears had dampened his dark eyelashes and his eyes had reddened.

Leaning forward, Dom kissed either side of my face before pulling back and offering up a warm smile. "Although I officially resigned two weeks ago, I had given up my position to you nearly a month ago," Dominic's voice was low as he kept his volume down, "Liam still thinks he needs me, but he doesn't. The day he fell in love with you, my position has been irrelevant. I was there to keep him in line and to counsel him," Dom's hand drops to my thigh and he gives it a friendly, reassuring squeeze, "And now he has you."

A tear found its way down my cheek as I rested my hand on top of his, "Don't be silly. You've been here for him since day one. I never took over your position, Dominic—"

"—I'm asking you too," He sniffles and looks away briefly, his head bowed. When he turns back to me, tears are falling. "You may not have the fancy office or the confusing, hard to pronounce job title, but I'm asking you to take my job. I'm asking you, I'm pleading with you, take care of him. Understand?"

I speak in a whisper, "I understand."

He was so close to me, he was right there and then he wasn't. His hand was removed from my thigh and his lips from my cheek bone. The door was slammed and the only thing left of Dominic's presence was his cologne.

I rested my head back and glanced out the tinted windows, watching as Liam came up from behind and turned towards his friend, their lips moving momentarily. Liam's men still stood where they had been when we walked down, respectfully watching the final goodbye. The two men's profiles came into view and I watched and listened closely.

I heard Liam first, "Do you remember the day you were sworn in?"

Dominic nods without much thought, "It feels like yesterday."

"—and here we are today," Liam forced out a laugh and the two fell silent. "You can always change your mind," He continued, "I'll find that resignation letter and burn it, all you have to do is say the word."

Liam was hopeful, hell, I was hopeful – but we both knew Dominic was serious when he began shaking his head no.

"I have to do this for me, Liam." Dominic looks up as he wipes at his cheek, despite no more tears having fell. "I'll run myself into my grave if I don't take time to focus on me—" He lifts his ring finger to his heart and glances back down, "—on us."

Luciano turns away quickly, trying to hide whatever emotion Dominic had lit in his heart. Liam steps back, eyeing Dominic and occasionally sharing glances with me behind the tinted glass. His lips fell open a few times but no words came out.

Dom laughed, "Just say it."

Liam repeated the process of hesitation a few times before finally taking a deep breath and uttering the words Dom had wanted to hear.

"Dominic Santiago, as of today, you are relieved of your duties."

Dominic didn't waste a second to dwell on the words that were stated, relieving him of his responsibilities. He turned from his friend and made the long, seemingly endless trek back into the house. In synchronized fashion, the ten men paired up and followed the curly man inside, the door shutting once the last pair entered.

Liam took the time to look back into the window of the car I sat in, our eyes somehow finding each other. And for the first time since he returned, Liam looked tired. His shoulders slumped a little more and his head hung low, his eyes drooped, and the smile I had become used to had vanished. He looked sad, defeated, and lastly, tired.

You could hear the frustration in his voice as he opened the door opposite of mine and slid in, groaning the entire time. He leaned his head back on the headrest and closed his eyes, muttering a, "fuck."

I sat there quietly, unsure of whether I should scoot closer or stay where I was. Liam let his head roll so that he faced me. "Why do I feel like I've lost so much in the last two weeks? From Michael to Rico, from Will to Dom..."

I didn't waste another second, I sidled up to him and rested my head on his shoulder, offering up a listening ear.

"It's because you have," I replied quietly, "From your father to three of your closest friends, but you gained a lot too."

Liam makes a face, "What did I gain?"

"Liam Elijah!" I move over rapidly and slap his chest, glaring playfully at him.

The sly smile that crosses his lips was comforting. He throws his arm over my shoulder and pulls me back to him, "I'm kidding," His lips meet my temple as he lifts his left hand, tapping against the ceiling of the car, "I lost a lot, but I gained a lot too, you're right."

I was completely content with that answer. My eyes closed as Liam shouted a command to the designated driver a few short seconds later, we were off.

I didn't have to open my eyes to see the house that I had become so fond of fading in the background. The fountain that had circulated water was off and it had been turned off for days. The shades on the windows that had been left were drawn closed and the cars that littered the massive garage and lot had been moved, driven away from the home in a gorgeous exotic car display. There were still a few boxes and belongings that the rest of the crew would eventually gather – but our job there was done, a new home was awaiting us.

"How do you think William is holding up?" I pressed a hand against Liam's abdomen, stabilizing myself as he shifted underneath me. He sighed.

"He's only been there a week and he's probably completely overwhelmed with all the smart, gorgeous women he's met." You could see the smile on Liam's face, simply because of his tone, "But William will be back; for him, this is home."

He fell silent after that and I knew why. His thoughts had drifted to the remainder of his friends, whose homes were nowhere near Los Angeles. William was a guarantee that he would visit whenever he had the chance, but Dominic and Rico were a completely different story.

"I haven't heard from them," I lean up as Liam speaks softly, his attention more on his phone than on me. His finger swipes along the screen as he opens the green messages app, scanning through a sea of unopened text messages. I got a glimpse of a few and they all revolved around the death of his father. Most of the people were sending the Luciano family their condolences and prayers. But the only people he wanted to hear from, had yet to message him.

I voiced the same thing I knew Liam was thinking, "I thought they would at least come to the funeral," and by they, we meant the De Santis's.

"I did too, but I'm not surprised," Liam sighs and locks his phone, "They've done this disappearing number quite a few times."

"Do they ever reappear?"

"Years later."

The ride felt like an eternity; the car swerved, braked, and accelerated for what felt like hours. Sleep had nearly arrived when the deep voice of the driver jolted me upright, "We'll be there in ten mi—Sir?" At the sight of Liam's head resting on the door and his eyes closed, the man stopped talking. I saw him shrug in the rearview mirror before turning his attention back to the road.

We arrived at the house in eight minutes and it took two just to drive up the mountain of a driveway. Our new home awaited us, as beautiful as it had been the first day we saw it. Liam shifted and woke up slowly at the feel of the car slowly come to a stop. He groaned, closed his eyes, and twisted himself in his seat, clearly upset at the fact that he had woken up.

"Wake up, you little baby," I lean over and kiss his cheek, shaking him awake, "Seriously, Liam, we're home."

His lips curled in a smile at that word; home.

It took about ten minutes in total to pull Liam up and out the car. He stumbled, laughed, and fully woke up as he wrapped an arm around my waist and headed towards the front door. Our gazes were lifted, our mouths open as words of appreciation and wonder slipped out at the sight of the house up close. It was truly beautiful, with a line cobblestone pathway and cute little flowers sprouting on either side.

Zara met us at the door, her hand on the doorknob as she leaned outside, a soft smile on her face. Michael's funeral had been emotional for her and his burial certainly must've been worse, but post-funeral, she looked good. Her dark hair was pulled up in a high ponytail and her eyes were bright as she stepped back and welcomed us inside our home.

"I've been waiting for you two, Rosie's—"

"—still sad?" Liam interrupted, a frown forming across his face. It started with his eyebrows connecting, leading all the way down to his lips turning downwards in concern.

"Well," Zara winced, "I wouldn't exactly consider it depress—"

A high-pitched shrill echoed from our home. It traveled down the grand staircase and bounced off the walls, dispersing its echo into every room connected to the small foyer. The door behind us was closed as Liam and I leaned over to get a glimpse of his little sister stumbling down the steps, one hand wrapped around the railing and another around an unknown object.

"He came! He came back! He came back and told me goodbye!" Rosalie darted into another room and made a full circle, somehow disappearing to our left – into the living room – before rounding the first floor of the house and coming out from out right – out of an office. She jumped up and down, did a few circles, visibly shaking the object in her hand.

She spins one last time before planting her foot, her back now facing us. Cautiously, she hands the shimmering object to Liam and returns to her stance. Rosie lifts her hair off the back of her neck and waits quietly.

Liam unfolds his fist and I lean over, my eyes scanning over the piece of jewelry that rested in his palm. My eyes lift to his at the sight of the very expensive looking necklace that sat there. But it wasn't the beautiful font that the words were written in that captured my full, undivided attention. It wasn't the perfect, custom made gold-themed chain that broke out from the first and last letter of the engraving, allowing for someone to wear it comfortably on their neck. And it wasn't the fact that it looked as though it was made specifically for Rosalie that surprised me.

It was the name that the gold letters spell out that shocked me.

Fantasma

Liam gave me a look as he stepped forward, quickly latching the chain together and allowing Rosie's hair to fall down to her neck. The little girl spun around, a joyous smile on her face as she beamed at the both of us. Her head would occasionally bow as her pink-painted fingernails brushed along her newly acquired necklace.

I felt Liam bump my side, smiling widely as he leaned down to my ear. "You know, everyone has their weaknesses and I think we found Rico's."

I nod, "Yeah, her,"

"—and anger," Liam adds softly.

Smiling widely, Rosie spins once more and looks to us, her eyes beaming with joy. "I'm never, ever, ever, ever taking it off! Now, wherever I go, Uncle Rico is with me!"

The little girl scampers off happily, the sound of her feet against the hardwood floor slowly fading as she disappears deeper inside the house. The three of us fell in silence as our thoughts started taking over; all of us surely thinking of something different.

Zara clears her throat, forcing us to look over at her, "Before you two get settled in, Rico didn't just drop something off for Rosalie, but he left a taped message from Vincenzo – he said you two should watch it," She pauses before adding, "He said something about closure."

It took less than five minutes for us to waltz into the furnished living room and get everything set up. The walls were decorated beautifully with pictures and objects that made them look less bare. The room had a dark colored theme, with dark wood and light furniture – topped off with smooth hardwood. Whoever had decorated the home had done a fantastic job.

The 60 inch television screen that was mounted high on the wall suddenly flipped from its all black state to the start of the video. I took a step forward with Liam, focusing on the video that had just begun to play. Men dressed in dark clothes stood in the back of the video, their arms tucked neatly behind their backs, their heads bowed. Then there was Vincenzo and Federico, who stood in the front, just a few feet in front the camera.

Federico's head was bowed, resuming the same position the men behind him had. Vincenzo was the only one with his head up, his eyes focused on the lens of the camera. Both the older man and his son stood there in street clothes, surrounded by men who were dressed to the nine; suit jackets, ties, and dress shoes.

"Liam," He nods respectively to the camera, "first and foremost, I want to apologize for missing your father's funeral. I, along with my son," He nods over at Rico, who slowly lifts his head, eyeing the camera, "wish we could be there, but something else came up that we had to deal with first. So, on behalf of myself, Federico, and the men that stand behind me – we're sorry for your loss."

A period of silence followed as Vincenzo shuffled in his stance. A few men that stood behind him glanced up, along with Rico, who turned his head to the side and looked to his father.

"Mrs. Crawford, it's very hard for me to do this, but I do apologize for the way I behaved last time we spoke. I was out of line for the way I approached you, for the way I spoke to you and I can assure you, my mother would not have been proud," We watched his hand clasp for the piece of jewelry that hung around his neck. His thumb brushed along the chain before he cleared his throat and continued, "she taught me to treat women with the upmost respect. She raised me right. She raised me to respect them, to admire them, and she taught me how to love them."

"And while my mother taught me how to treat women, my father taught me how to treat bitches." His jaw clenches as he continues. I felt his eyes leave me as he studies the camera in general once again, "Which, easily transitions into my other topic; Camilla Rodriguez and her father."

Federico visibly tensed at the sound of her name.

"—because of the sensitivity of the situation, I sent someone else to do the job Federico could've easily done," Vincenzo rests a palm on Rico's shoulder. "Camilla and her father were found dead in their home a day ago; the police are calling it a murder-suicide." There was a twinkling in Mr. De Santis's eyes as he added, "Cause of death? Poison."

There was a long silence before Vince spoke again, "One last thing before we go; rumor has it, some idiot defaced Peter Corinelli's grave last night— "

The serious looks on many of the faces that had lifted their attention to the camera disappeared as laughter erupted from the mouths of many. Even Rico started smiling, laughter spilling out of his lips. The only one who kept a straight face was Vincenzo, despite the obvious curling upwards of his lips. Vince stopped speaking until the chuckling died down.

"—according to the article, his headstone smelled like piss and his name and birthdate were covered in semen."

Liam let out a laugh from beside me and I joined him, chuckling loudly at the story and at the reactions he was receiving. The sound of laughter grew and more smiles started appearing on the faces of his men. I couldn't pinpoint who spoke next, but whoever it was couldn't control their laughter.

"So you can just ejaculate on command?" the person asked.

Vincenzo angled his body away from the camera, looking behind him. "Of course not, I had to...concentrate."

"—only Vincenzo can get turned on in a graveyard."

More laughs.

"Seriously, guys?" Rico turned slightly, shaking his head, "We all know he was thinking about Liam's mother."

Men scurried around the screen like a bomb had gone off. Loud laughter floated through the speakers as many of the men rushed off screen; a few heading for the exits while others just tried to get as far away from their boss at they could. Federico was shoved off screen, but it was unclear who exactly shoved him; Vincenzo or someone else.

Vincent took his precious time turning back to face the camera, his eyes casted towards the floor as he angled his body towards us. In the matter of only a few seconds, I was able to glance over my shoulder, catching a glimpse of Zara's expression. Her cheeks were tinted the slightest shade of red, her eyes locked to the screen where her admirer stood.

Even Vincenzo's cheeks had a slight red hue to them. He tugged at the curls on top his head for a mere second before shoving his hands in his pants pocket, forcing them lower on his hips. His eyes dart from the screen to someone on the side – most likely Rico – and we watch as Vincenzo holds a glare. The older De Santis looks back to the television as he regains all lost composure.

"I think I'm going to end on that embarrassing note," a small smile spreads across Vincenzo's lips, allowing his dimples to make a brief appearance. He nods upwards, "If you ever need anything Liam, you know how to reach me. If you ever need help, Ms. Crawford, you know where to find me." He takes a step back and lifts a hand. "And Zara, if you're watching, call me."

If you blinked, you would've missed his playful wink.

And with a deep chuckle, Vincenzo De Santis snaps and the screen goes black.

I leaned into Liam's arm as we welcomed the silence that followed. Zara was the first one to move, the sound of her dialing a number faded along with her soft laughter. Liam's body shifted as he laughed quietly, that too, slowly but surely fading back into silence.

"They're an interesting family," I finally observed. I stepped back and turned to Liam, glancing up at the humorous expression that was written on his face. His lips were upturned and his eyebrows slightly lifted as he let out another laugh.

"That they are, that they are," His hands slide down either of my arms as his fingers find mine. He grips my hand and pulls me close to him, sighing contently.

"Liam, what are we?"

His eyebrows connected for a split second before he broke out in a contagious smile. "What do you mean?" His laugh is unsure and he sounds slightly nervous. "I flew you out to live with me, enrolled you in a school close to my home, and I told you I loved you," He laughs, "I think we've passed the friends stage."

I laugh with him.

He pulls me closer and sighs loudly, "I guess, we are whatever you want us to be, Faith."

"So," I press myself against him as I wrap my arms around his waist, "you'd be okay with me calling you 'boyfriend'?"

He wraps his arms around me and glances down, a teasing smirk on his face, "How about we make a deal; if you call me 'boyfriend,' then 'LuLu' has got to go."

I poke my bottom lip out, suppressing a laugh, "If LuLu goes, then so does Fi," Adjusting my position, I throw my arms around his neck and pull him close. His hands find resting places on my hips as he makes a disappointed sound.

"But I like Fi."

"And I like Lulu," I laugh at the nickname I had carelessly given him so long ago, "Hearing it makes me happy."

Liam lets out a breath, "Fine, we can keep it, but only because it makes you happy."

I mutter out a soft, "Good," as our lips brushed against one another's. My fingers run along his chin, following his jawline up towards his ear. I could feel his smile grow as my palm brushed against his cheek.

"I love you."

I smiled back at him, "I love you—"

Both Liam and I separated at the frightening scream that resounded around the house. His eyes were wide and he took a step forward to see what was the issue when Rosalie came bounding into the room. Liam didn't have time to react as his little sister threw herself at him. She scrambled up on her brother's shoulders – with his help of course – and leaned in between both of us, her Fantasma necklace dangling in our faces.

Her smile was so wide I swore it would split her face open.

"So," Rosie's eyes were bright at her elated expression and although deep down she was still mourning the loss of her mother and a man she temporarily called her father, I knew she'd eventually be okay. She giggled as she let go of her brother and landed to the ground on her sock covered feet. She put her hands on either of her hips and glanced at us, "When's the wedding?"

Liam and I looked at each other for a moment before he went to speak. His mouth fell open but Rosalie ordered him to stop speaking with a wave of her index finger.

She swiveled on her feet and attempted to moonwalk out the room.

Rosalie stopped at the archway and smiled, "I need to know, because I plan to be the flower girl."

I laughed softly as Liam gave me a look out the corner of his eye. He turned to face his sister, resting his hands on his own hips – mocking Rosalie's stance. Luciano leaned most of his weight on one leg and pressed two fingers to the bridge of his nose, pretending to think for a second. He then proceeded to point his hand at Rosalie and shake his head.

And with as much sass as he could muster, he said, "Girl, who said you were going to be the flower girl?"

Rosalie took a step back, glancing oddly at her brother as she rested a palm on her chest. It only took her a second to recover from her form of fake shock. And with a snap of her finger and the addition of the neck and shoulder shake, she responded, "Me."

Zara and I's laughs mirrored each other's as she came back into the picture.

Liam shook his head, already heading in the direction of the little girl, "Oh, I know you didn't just—"

Rosalie let out another scream and dashed away, her brother right at her heals. The two disappeared around the corner but the screaming never faded.

My eyes locked with Zara's for just a moment. She stood in the foyer, watching the hallway which her son and Rosalie had just scampered down. Her lips were curled upwards in a heartwarming smile. Unconsciously, she lifted her hand up and tugged at her finger, pulling the gorgeous Luciano engraved ring off.

I stepped beside her as she turned to me, gently holding the ring between her thumb and index finger. She lifted it to the light and began to hand it over to me, a soft smile on her lips.

"I told you what the colors of the ring stood for," She begins, "but I didn't tell you the history of it." Her eyes lift from the ring to mine, capturing my attention, "This ring has been passed down from generation to generation; given to the women that married a Luciano."

My eyes fell back to the beautiful diamond, shocked at how a ring so old could still look so new. "But—we aren't, I'm not ready for marr—I can't take your ring, Zara—"

"It isn't mine," She forced out, "Yes, I've worn it since Michael's mother gave it to me. She gave it to me and Michael officially put it on me at our wedding." She pushes the ring towards me, still hoping I take it. "Take it."

"But we aren't getting married," I pause, "Yet."

"Then take it as a signifier of my approval," She sighs and adds, "of Michael's approval."

My palm opens and she drops it in my hand.

Zara pulls me close in an unexpected hug, holding me close – tight. Softly, she adds, "And when the day does come – which I pray and hope it will – you give that ring to my son and let him put in on you," Zara lets out a breath, "That ring doesn't just signify marriage, but it signifies the passing of the crown." She pulls back and rests her hands on my shoulders, then my cheeks, and I can't help but notice the unfallen tears that are brimming at the corner of her eyes, "From my head to yours."

She pulls me into another hug and I wrap my arms around her as she cries. Tears form in my own eyes as we lower our heads and hold each other tight. Zara pulls her tear stained face away from me and weakly smiles.

"Welcome home, Queen."

- - - -

a/n: what is this pain in my chest that I feel.

to everyone that started Luciano and finished it, thank you. to everyone that left comments, that spoke with me, and encouraged me to continue this story when I didn't want to, thank you. to those who came to love, care for, and grow with these characters, thank you and I love you.

BOOK STARTED: FEBRUARY 4TH, 2015

BOOK ENDED: APRIL 12TH, 2017