Blake's POV:

It's been 17 hours and I have no news. Every second that passes is another second where Violet might get hurt, where she's in pain, where she's not with me.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" My cousin Alex asks me, even though he wants me to say yes.

"Sure as hell, Alessandro." I say and he nods his head, walking out of my office.

I'm talking about reassembling my team. The greatest team of all the Mafias. Le Ombre.

("The Shadows")

It all started one night, the only night I actually did a good thing in my life.

Flashback

It was late at night and I was in the hospital because my brother had to talk to the doctor. A little girl came up to me while I was rubbing my forehead from the stress.

"If your head hurts then rubbing it like that won't help you" she spoke and I turned to her, she had a little dress and a jacket, hair in a ponytail.

"My head doesn't hurt" I said making her confused "What hurts then?" she asks and I point at my heart. "Oh, then you'll have to take your medicines and you'll heal" she smiles at me making me smile too.

"It's not like that you know, I don't need medicines. It hurts because I miss someone" I say and she thinks before speaking "Can't they come and visit you?" My chest feels heavy as I think of my best friend. He can't come honey, he's dead, I want to tell her, but she's a kid.

"No they can't" I fake a smile and after a few seconds she speaks again "Then you go and visit them".

I remain quiet remembering the day my best friend died. We were on a mission, we thought we'd come back together. But that day, the second he started the car, it exploded. My eyes saw his car burn down, I swear my ears heard his screams. But I couldn't do anything, there was too much fire. What if I had a chance of saving him?

"They're too far sweetie" I said and she just nodded, understanding. Then came silence, but my brother's taking so long, I'll just keep talking to this little princess.

"I bet you're here because you didn't listen to mommy when she told you to put a jacket and now your stomach hurts" I say chuckling because that's why kids are usually here.

"No, I have acute myeloid leukaemia" My heart skips a beat and I look at her feeling guilty for assuming she had just a stomachache. She has fucking leukaemia. Poor baby. "I'm not supposed to know this because I was eavesdropping on the conversation between my mom and the doctor but I know... Don't tell my mom please."

"Oh and I might heal if I find donators, what are donators?" she smiles unconscious of what's happening to her.

"Donators are people, little one" I say my eyes getting full with water but no tears come out. "I'm sorry little one" I sigh "Why are you sorry? It's not your fault I'm sick" she says smiling again. She's so strong and she's a fucking kid.

"I will bring you donators. Now go and hug mommy, okay?" I say getting up as I see my brother at the end of the hallway but then I feel two small hands on my legs and as I look down I see her hugging me, more like my legs because of her shortness "Thank you Sir" she says before running somewhere.

That was emotional. Now get your shit together Blake.

I informed each one of my men, each one of the people that work for me, to go to the hospital and donate.

Later that night I went to the hospital, it was so full that people were even standing outside. Men, women, old people too. Everyone was here.

I found her in a room after asking a nurse and she smiled at me when I came in. "I brought you donators, wanna see them?" I ask her after smiling at who I assumed was her mother. "Yesss" she says excited, getting up from the bed.

She gasps and covers her mouth when she sees the first floor literally full of people "There's even more outside" I smile at her "Thank you so much Sir, you'll be the reason I'll heal" she says hugging my legs "Don't thank me, thank them, little one" I tell her and she just hugs me again.

After saying goodbye to her and her mother I exit the hospital, when my phone rings.

"It's been a while, Federico." The familiar voice speaks through my phone. The voice I thought I'd never hear again. My best friend.

"Quinn?" I looked around, the streets were empty. A weird feeling started making my chest heavier.

"Blake." His voice was soft. I missed his voice, hell I missed him.

"How? How are you alive?" I question through the phone and he sighs "Let's meet at Shadows, I promise I'll tell you everything."

When I saw him I thought he cheated death. Well, I still think he did. Maybe it's the way I wrapped my arms around him, closing my eyes. I had spent days thinking about him, he was the best thing that had ever happened in my whole life.

But he wasn't alone that night.

He had this group of friends, that were my friends too. We were all childhood friends, and each one of us was in a different Mafia.

"I'm sorry I failed you, Quinn. I'm so sorry." Were the words that my mouth said without even thinking.

"You didn't fail me, Blake. You never did. That day, nothing happened to me. I had to do it for another mission, but I couldn't tell you. It was my father's demand, I'm sorry I should've told you." Man, I missed this guy.

When I don't say anything but stare at him, he pats my back and gives me a smile, before walking to the table. The table where our friends were waiting.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't our Blake." A familiar voice speaks, the same voice that used to shout when we watched hockey in TV, Will.

William has always been a great friend to me, I mean we got along well from the beginning, because we were almost the same. We liked parties, alcohol, drugs, girls, dangerous stuff.

"Good to see you too, man." I approach him as he gets up and opens his arms, as we hug.

"It's been so long, damn." He says pulling away as I chuckle and nod in agreement.

"Don't they say, ladies first?" A feminine voice interrupts, making me move my gaze to where it came from. Ana.

"Holy shit, you've grown up pretty much." I chuckle as I make my way to her, hugging her.

Anastasia was like our little sister, she was almost one year younger than us. Yet, she's always been the "mother" of the group, and whenever one of us had troubles with women, she was the best at giving advice.

"Yeah, you too!" She smiles widely, making my heart melt. Ana has never had it easy in her life, I'm glad she met us. She was a happy little girl, and now she's obviously a heart-breaker. She's learned from us, that's for sure.

"Seems like a family reunion to me." The last person spoke, Ezra.

"There's the motorcycle-guy." I laugh as I walk to him and he hugs me, patting my back.

"You know, I really thought you wouldn't call me that." He says smiling, as I chuckle "Nah I'm calling you that till the day I die." Everyone chuckles.

Ezra has always been the sweet guy who likes to read and study, he used to spend hours in the library while we played outside. If you think you've already met a guy who's always right and never fails to outsmart you, then you haven't met Ezra. He's the most correct guy I've ever met in my life.

"As much as I missed you guys, this isn't just a family reunion." Quinn speaks as we all sit down around the table.

"Dang, I thought yall just wanted to ask me autographs." Will jokes making us all chuckle, before Ana fake-punches him and he holds his hands up "Sorry!"

"Unfortunately, Will. We're all here because we're going to run our Mafias soon. We'll make enemies, probably more powerful than us. So what I'm saying is, we should work together, as a team." Quinn finishes and looks at each one of us.

He's right. We're still young and of course there are people who want to end us, and we haven't even inherited our Mafias yet.

We all agreed, and after a long night in the club, we went home to finally rest.

Nearly 2 months later, we had inherited our Mafias and formed the greatest team, Le Ombre.

I gave the name, because it described us, we moved like shadows.

Each one of us had a specific role: Quinn and I were the leaders, William was the assassin, Anastasia was the woman who corrupts the targets and Ezra was the one who organizes the plan with every little detail.

Le Ombre lasted years, but we had to separate when we all had to face personal issues, personal missions with our personal Mafia.

We never really ended, though.

End of flashback

"All done. Meeting's tomorrow, I know we don't have all the time, but there can't be a meeting earlier than tomorrow. They need the time to pack their stuff and leave their country." Again, Alex interrupts my thoughts.

"Did they all agree to come?" I shouldn't be asking this, but I couldn't help it.

"Did you have any doubts?" Alex smirks leaving my office, my chest feeling relieved at the answer. He was right, I shouldn't have had doubts.

And it's only now, alone in my office, that I realize, the house feels so empty without her.

I miss her being around, walking from a room to another. I miss her telling jokes to the bodyguards, trying to make them laugh. I miss her giving me an attitude like no one else ever did.

I miss her.

I sigh getting up from my chair, walking towards the door and leaving my office.

I should sleep.

You'll say "So sleep, idiot!" Yeah I know. But I can't.

I'm not able to sleep because she's not here, she's not safe, she's not sleeping in my house, she's not okay.

How would a normal person be able to sleep in these situations?

Then I realize I'm entering Violet's room. I'm instantly met with her fragrance, her perfect fragrance. The room still smells like her.

A box across the room catches my attention, as I walk to it and grab it, sitting on the bed. The bed we slept in the night they took her.

I begin to look inside, I grab some papers that seem like letters, and read.

_____________

After staying the whole night up, in hopes to hear news which never came, I hear my phone buzzing.

"They're here." - Alex.

Finally. After a long time, here we are again.

I walk downstairs and reach the meeting's room, finding 4 people seated around the table and also my brother and my cousin.

Quinn. Will. Ana. Ezra.

I look at Quinn, he hasn't changed much, only a few more tattoos. William, he's still a player probably, and I can still hear his sarcasm even though he's not speaking. Anastasia, she's beautiful as always, our little sister. Ezra, he's a little more muscular.

I mean they haven't changed that much since the last time I saw them.

They all smile at me, and for a moment, for just a moment, I felt fine. Just a moment.

"Hey my man." William breaks the silence making me almost laugh as I walk up to him and he gets up, hugging me.

We all exchange a few words before sitting again.

"I'm sorry I had to bother you, but thank you for coming here." I say and they nod.

"Do you remember Sebastian Andreis?" I question and they stare at me, nodding.

"He kidnapped a very special guest of mine. And I need your help to get her back." I say and Ezra nods in realization. Will places his hands on the table "I'm in." Told you he's always been a great friend to me.

"I've got to admit, this is the first time I'm on the same side as Will." Ezra says making us laugh "Oh I'm honored, Mr Alister." William replies as we laugh more.

I speak as we grow quiet and serious "I didn't even explain the plan and you're already in?" They both nod, wow.

"Well. We must attack and get her, if we eliminate Sebastian then every Mafia will be by our side. No one supports that man's opinions, so killing him isn't a problem." I hear a few hums in response.

"Hold up. What's her name?" Quinn speaks grabbing my attention.

"Violet. Violet Rose Rodriguez." I reply trying not to think about what she's going through right now.

As I stare at Quinn, waiting for his reaction, he rubs his chin. Then he takes his phone and makes a call, speaking in Russian.

What?

We're all looking at him, when he's done he sighs and glances at me "Looks like I was already looking for her." Huh?

"And I've already found her, man."

Hello.

I've always wanted to write about a powerful team lmao. Anyways, their aesthetic is on the next chapter!!

Thank you for reading!

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