"We're home" my mum said, walking in through the front door with my dad.

"What's wrong? Why's Lia crying? And where's Matteo?" my father asked.

"H-he's gone..." I replied, with tears rolling down my cheeks.

"What do you mean, he's gone?" my mum asked, as she sat down next to me.

"The man from the warehouse came here and said that if Matteo didn't go with him, he was going to shoot me" I replied.

"What does he want with Matteo?" my dad asked.

"We have no clue; he wouldn't tell us" Elias answered for me.

"I just want him back, what if he hurts him?" I asked.

"He won't, I'll find him, I promise" my dad said, as he rushed out of the main lounge, probably to go to his office.

"Come on Lia, you should get some rest" my mother said, as I stood up.

"I'm going to bed too" Elias said, as he left.

"Come on Lia" my mum said.

~~~

Matteo POV:

I was thrown in some type of old looking room the night before and left here for the rest of the night, with nothing but the coldness of the room and myself. There was nothing, no bed to sleep on, no light, no food or water. Nothing, it was like a prison cell, except for the little window it had on one of the four walls. I sat on the floor and kept thinking what this man could want with me, what he wants, what he's willing to do for me to listen to him. I sat in the corner of the room, with my knees tight to my chest to try and warm myself from the coldness the room had. I even took my jacket off and put it on my knees to try and keep warm. But nothing seemed to work because I was still freezing. Morning came, and light started to shine through the window. I quickly got up and rushed over to it and placed my hands in front of the window in hopes to get warm. The sun felt so warm against my cold ass hands. Come on Matteo, you've been through worse than this! You lived your childhood on the streets, you froze to death every single night, this is nothing compared to that.

"How'd you sleep?" the same man said, as he entered the cold room, I was in.

"Great, fucking great, dumbass" I said, cocking my head to meet his eyes.

"I must say you are one hell of a strong man, we put the temperature down to minus five degrees" the man said, walking to where I was standing.

"Right, well this wasn't the worst I've been through" I said, crossing my hands over my chest.

"Of course, cause you lived in the streets your whole childhood, because your mother died in a car accident" the man said.

"How do you know all this?" I asked.

"I also know that your father was Marco Rossi" he said, with a smirk.

"And? He's an asshole, and I don't come close to even calling him my father, he left my mother and I when I was born, when I was born! He left my mother at the hospital; he didn't even bother looking at me, because he left her!" I shouted.

"Well, that's what you were thought to believe. Your father did everything in his power for our family" the man said.

"Our family?" I asked.

"My name is Giovanni, and I was your father's second in command" he said.

"So? Why should I care?" I asked.

"Because I was told to take over his mafia, but when I found out he had a son I did everything in my power to find you, I sent men looking for you, you might have changed your last name boy, but I still found you" he said.

"Why the hell were you looking for me though?" I asked.

"Because I want you to take over your father's mafia" he said.

"No" I simply said.

"No?" he asked.

"I hate my father, more than words can describe, I'm so glad that he's fucking dead, I fucking despise him, not just for leaving my mother and I all alone at the hospital but for making my partner's life a living hell, he killed her mother and tried to kill her as well. He tormented their lives because of some sick promise he made to Dante Romano, he was a sick bastard. He was mental and a psychopath and I want nothing to do with his mafia, plus I'm about to become second in command to my partner when she becomes the leader of her father's mafia" I replied.

"Who gives a fuck about that girl!? Leave her and you can run a whole mafia and you'd be the leader, not just some second in command" he said, with a smirk on his lips.

"What the hell did you just say about her!?" I asked, as I punched him across his face.

"Just fucking join us and forget about her!" he yelled.

"Never! I'll never betray her and join you!" I shouted.

"Why!? Why does she mean so much to you!? She's just a stupid girl! Leave her and forget about her!" he yelled.

Because I love her...

"Because loyalty is the most important thing in the mafia and you of all people should know that! Now I'm going to go home!" I yelled.

"You're making a big mistake!" he yelled.

"The only mistake I'd be making is in joining you" I said, as I walked out of the room.

~~~

Lia POV:

"Yes, but we have to find him soon, and if I don't try and look for him then he'll get hurt and-" I said, grabbing my car keys.

"No need Bellissima, but it's nice to see you care" a voice said, from the doorway.

I cocked my head to the doorway and saw Matteo safe, and he didn't even have one single scratch on him, he was safe and here. I dropped my car keys and ran up to him and hugged him tightly.

"Hey, I'm okay" he said, pulling away from me and putting his hands on my shoulders as reassurance.

"She was so worried, you should speak to Dante and tell him what happened" Elias said, as he walked out of the main lounge.

"About what the man said, about your feelings toward me, are they-?" he tried to ask.

"Let's go speak to my father, I'm sure he wants to talk to you, and I want to know what that man wanted with you!" I cut him off, as I grabbed his hand and ran to my father's office.

"Matteo, you're okay" my father said as we walked in his office. My mother and Elias were sitting in front of my father's desk as we walked in.

"Yeah, he came in a minute ago" Elias said.

"And you didn't tell us?" my mum asked.

"I wanted him to make a grand entrance" Elias said.

"What did that man want with you?" my dad asked.

"Sit down first" my mother said.

We took a seat across from my father and Matteo let out a deep breath.

"The man kept me in a cell all night, with a cold ass temperature and he came to talk to me the next morning" Matteo started.

"Talk to you about what?" I asked.

"He told me that he was my father's second in command, and he was looking for me when he found out that Marco had a son, he wants me to take over my father's mafia" Matteo explained.

"So basically he wants you to take over your father's mafia?" I asked.

"Mhm" Matteo nodded.

"What did you tell him?" my father asked.

"No obviously, why would I say yes? Why would I take my father's stupid mafia? I want nothing to do with my asshole of a father neither take his fucking mafia" Matteo replied.

"You could literally have a mafia to lead? Why didn't you take it?" Elias asked.

"Because I already told you, my father was an asshole, and a complete psychopathic monster and I would never want to take over his stupid mafia" Matteo said.

"Yes, we get it your father was an asshole, but it still doesn't explain why you didn't take over his mafia" Elias said, narrowing his eyes at Matteo.

"I don't want to continue my family's name; it already makes it a little obvious that I don't have my father's last name" Matteo said.

"Yeah, I've been wondering that from the very first time I met you. How do you not have your father's last name?" I asked.

"Because my mother wanted nothing to do with my father after he left us all alone in the hospital after my mother had just given birth so when she gave me a name, she gave me her last name" Matteo replied.

"Your father left you exactly after your mother gave birth!?" my mother asked.

"Mhm, and then you ask me why I hate my father, I think I have every reason to Elias" Matteo said.

"Sure I guess I don't blame you for not wanting to take over your father's mafia" Elias said.

"Could I speak to Lia alone please?" Matteo asked.

"Of course, Lia take him to your room, and we'll be in the main lounge, just come there after you speak" my dad said.

I knew exactly what he wanted to talk to me about. He knew I was in love with him and wanted to ask me about that. What was I supposed to tell him? He stood up and I stood up with him, we made our way out the office and stayed silent till we got to my room. I opened my bedroom door and he walked in first and I walked in behind him and closed the door. My heart dropped and my knees were trembling.

I've never felt this nervous in my entire life.

"Um, what did you want to talk about?" I asked. Not like I didn't know already.

"This" he said.

Suddenly his lips were pressed against mine and his hands travelled to my waist. I blinked a few times to see if this was real, I gave in and kissed him back, my hands went to his hair as he walked back and pinned me to the wall. His lips travelled down to my neck and left marks behind. He lifted me in his arms and took us to the bed and gently placed me down. He got on top of me, and his lips met mine again. I pushed myself up and removed his buttons one by one as he lifted my top. Suddenly the door swung open and in walks Elias. Matteo covered me with his body due to the fact that I was wearing only a bra and shorts now.

"What in the name of the lord are you two doing?" Elias asked, with his mouth agape.

"Get the fuck out!" Matteo yelled.

"Dante wants you in the main lounge now. I guess you were right, me being here wouldn't stop you two from having sex" Elias said, with a chuckle as he walked out and shut the door.

"Oh my god, if my father finds out, he'll kill us both!" I shouted, as I started panicking.

"Calm down, he won't" Matteo said, as he got off me and grabbed his shirt from the floor. I got off the bed and Matteo tossed me my shirt and I pulled it over my head quickly and we both ran to the main lounge. Elias was speaking to my father, and I started freaking out even more because I was scared, he was about to tell my father what he saw.

"Elias shut up!" I yelled, and everyone turned to look at me.

"Lia, what has gotten into you?" my mother asked.

"Elias, is lying whatever he's telling you about is a lie, don't believe him!" I shouted.

"He's just telling us that you were coming in a second cause you needed to finish from your talk" my mum said.

"Oh, yep that's what we were doing; talking!" I said, as I sat down next to Elias and Matteo sat at my left.

"Drink?" my father asked Matteo and I with shots in his hands.

"Sure" Matteo said, taking one.

"I thought you didn't let me drink" I said.

"Once won't hurt" my dad said with a smirk.

"Sure then" I said, taking the shot.

"Lia, you do realise it's almost your 21st birthday, right?" my father asked, as he poured himself another shot.

"Yeah, I turn 21 in a few weeks" I said.

"Yes, and you take over this mafia, now the question I've been meaning to ask you, who are you choosing as your second in command?" my father asked.

"I thought you picked Matteo already?" I asked.

"Well I changed my mind, and thought it would be much fairer if you picked for yourself" my dad said.

"So I can choose who becomes my second in command?" I asked with a huge grin on my face.

"Yes, just be sure of who you want, and tell me on your birthday" my dad said.

"Thank you, dad" I said.

* * * *

I was awoken to another day by the warmth of the sun on my face, I rubbed my eyes and yawned as I made my way to the bathroom. I quickly showered and changed into a cute summer dress and put my hair into a messy bun and left two curls on my face. I grabbed my phone and decided to call Matteo, so we could hang out because I haven't seen him in the past few days. I dialled his number, and my phone rang but cut the call, Matteo didn't respond for some reason. I turned my phone off and walked into the main lounge and I saw no one there, it was empty and silent.

"Ugh, where the fuck is everyone!?" I huffed, pulling my phone back out to phone my father.

"Dad you better pick up!" I mumbled.

"SURPRISE!" everyone yelled, getting out of their hiding spots.

"What the fuck?" I asked.

"Please don't tell me you forgot it's your 21st birthday?" my dad said, walking up to me with my mum by his side.

"Is it bad that I did?" I said.

"Oh my god, dumbass" Elias said, coming out from behind my parents.

"Shut up!" I said.

"Happy birthday, cous" he said, hugging me.

"Thank you" I said, with a smile.

I started looking around for someone, for him- for Matteo. But I couldn't see him anywhere, could he seriously not be coming for my 21st birthday? I was actually going to tell him I loved him today, but I guess I can't now, because he's not even here.

"Come on, you have so many presents to open" Camilla said, as she took me to a table with cake and presents stacked on one another.

"Dad?" I asked, looking at him, with a frown.

"What's wrong angel? Why do you look sad?" my father asked, with a worried look.

"Where's Matteo?" I asked, swallowing the lump in my throat.