Song~West Coast by Lana Del Rey



I can't fucking find it.

"Nik, I can't find it." I tell him into the phone.

He takes a deep breath, "Dio take a breath. Maybe one of your brothers moved it when you left?" He asks trying to help calm me down.

"My brothers wouldn't go in my room-"I cut myself off thinking of the one person. "My father. Hold on Nik." I tell him before pressing the mute button and placing my phone in my pocket.

I open my door and make my way downstairs to Seb's office.

I knock once before hearing a come in.

I do so without hesitance, "Sebastian."

"Diovanna." He says my name the same way I said his while raising his eyebrow. "What happened Tesoro?" He asks concerned probably seeing my uneasy face.

I take a deep breath, "Did any of you move our father's things after he died?" I spit the word father out with disgust.

Seb shakes his head, "No, all his things remain in his room except a couple family pictures we took from him and his clothes we donated. Any unimportant files or unmarked things were placed in his room but other than that we didn't move anything." He explains to me.

"Thanks." I mutter walking out before he could say anything else to me.

I walked up the stairs and down the other end of the hall, the one I was never allowed to go down.

I make my way to our father's room- finding it locked- so I take a Bobby pin and pick it.

Too easy.

I push the door open, looking around only to see boxes of files and shit all over the floor. His old bed covers still resting neatly on his bed- untouched.

His clothes are missing as his closet is only filled with more boxes of things I'm yet to know.

On the side closet's to the window, I see a box filled with pictures. I make my way over only praying the photo is there- that my father didn't rip it up and throw it away.

That picture, that picture is the only picture I have with my mother. Grandma had taken it before my mother passed. I was in my mother's arms held close to her chest while Gia was being held by our father who was sat next to our mother.

They were so happy.

Even when I was unexpected, my mother was happy I was there.

It was only minutes after the photo was taken that my mother had passed out and eventually started seizing.

My only thought now is did she regret that feeling of happiness? Knowing my unexpected birth killed her?

But seeing the light in her eyes when that photo was taken- I don't think she would ever regret it, not in a million years.

The only person who regretted it- dreaded it, was my father.

And when I was younger I couldn't blame him for that hatred, because I held the same hatred for myself in so many ways.

That was something a five year old had no business feeling or even being told it was their fault.

When I was sent away I didn't have time to grab the photo grandma had given me before I was dragged out of my home and sent away.

But being back here has made me realize that photo is no longer in my room. I've looked- for months- and it's not there.

So my last hope is my father's room.

"Diovanna? Are you okay?" Nikolaos's voice sounds through my AirPods, snapping me back into reality and causing me to pull my phone out my pocket.

Clicking the unmute button, I speak. "Yeah, I'm fine- just looking through a box of photos."

"Okay όμορφο κορίτσι, you'll let me know if you find it? Or if you need anything?" He questions but it comes out as more of a demand.

"Yeah- yeah, I'll call you back in a minute." I hang up the phone before he can give me a response as I pick up a photo album labeled as Marriage.

Flipping the book to the first page, it has a picture of a tall beautiful woman with dark brown hair, bright green eyes, and a hourglass body shape.

The man has light sandy blonde hair, blue eyes, he's fixed in a nice tuxedo and his hair is styled back.

The names at the bottom read,

Lola & Amadeo De'russo.

They were both straight faced, no smiles or any sign of love shown for the other.

I flipped the page seeing another couple, both pairs of eyes burning with hatred. Not for each other, but rather seemed like it's for the people on the other side of the camera.

Flipping the page once again, I found another couple- however their eyes were filled with love.

I continued flipping every page, each one a couple whose eyes either held nothing, hatred, love, or anger. Each couple labeled with two names and the last name De'russo.

This was a generation of marriages, I knew because my family was there. My grandparents and even my own parents.

But the happy smile I had on my face disappeared the second I turned the next page.

My name.

My name was written in this book.

I haven't even decided if I ever want to get married yet. How could someone put my name in a book when I have yet to even announce I have a boyfriend?

I flip the page looking for Giavanna's name as well but I don't see it.

What the fu-

No,

They wouldn't, they wouldn't do that to me.

I place the album down and begin rummaging through the boxes filled with files. File, after file, I come across name after name until finally- after searching through seven boxes- I found a file with my name on it in the bottom of a box.

Diovanna De'russo.

I read the file name once more before flipping it open and reading the papers inside.

It contained five pages inside and the last page ended with my signature and my father's signature.

I wouldn't- I didn't sign that.

I read it all over once more only to see my father made me sign this at the age of four. He took my hand and had me sign-

I'm gonna throw up.

I get off my knees on the floor and run to the bathroom- throwing up everything in my stomach until I'm left heaving over the toilet.

Tears run down my face as I get up on shaky legs, flushing the toilet and rinsing my mouth before walking back into the room and grabbing the paper off the floor.

I make my way over to Seb's office.

~\~\~

I swing the door open without knocking finding Sebastian, Domenico, and Ares now inside his office.

Upon seeing me, they all stand up- Sebastian clenching his jaw at my lack of respect for not knocking.

I couldn't care less.

I take fast strides quickly reaching his desk and slamming the file down on his desk in front of him.

"Did you know?" I ask, my voice raspy but my tone unwavering.

Sebastian glances at me before grabbing the file and reading its name. He opens it and begins scanning the first page but when he does not answer I speak again.

"Did you fucking know!" I ask more irritated and unable to control my anger.

He looks at me in both concern and uneasiness while Ares and Dom walk over to look at the file.

"Diovanna," he pauses looking back at the file. "This can't be real, our father wasn't a good man but he wouldn't do this." He mutters glancing at Ares and Dom whose eyes are wide.

I scoff, "what? You don't think our father wasn't sick enough to marry me off to the enemy?"

All three men flinch at my tone which almost makes me feel guilty.

Almost.

"Diovanna, we didn't know. Father never said anything. We will figure it out." Sebastian promised.

I chuckled humorously, "we don't have much time, my eighteenth birthday is soon and I will be of age Sebastian." He looked away probably sensing I'm right.

I shouldn't feel guilty, right? It's not their fault no, but my father- he wasn't nice. They should understand the situation.

"Fuck this." I mutter raking a shaky hand through my hair.

I turn around and walk out the office ignoring the calls from my brother. I can't- I need space.

"I have to prepare my future wife."

"Get used to this sweetheart, you'll be mine in the future."

"I will be your husband, you will obey me."

Memory after memory plays in my head as I slide down the wall in the hall of bedrooms. "Make it stop." I whisper pleadingly.

"Make it stop, make it stop, make it stop." I say louder, my hands pulling at the hair on my head.

He knew. He knew the whole time I was there that the contract was signed. That my father made me sign.

I hear a door click before footsteps are heard coming closer. My vision is too blurry to see who it is but when they kneel down next to me I flinch at the presence.

I can't breathe. Please help me.

"Diovanna?" The soft voice says.

"What happened? Tell me what happened."A different voice rings out.

I choke out a sob in response, my breathing only becoming shorter and heavier.

"Deep breaths, inhale- exhale, deep breaths."The sound of Amara's voice tells me softly.

I do as told, taking deep breaths. I choke out another sob as the breathing exercises aren't working.

My hands tremble as my breath comes out erratic and short.

"Take it like the good girl you are."

I can't breathe.

"Come on sweetheart, I'm just preparing you."

It has to stop.

"Undress sweetie."

It needs to stop.

"You're so tight."

Make it stop.

"Take it darling."

Get his hand off of me.

Please.



Amara and Giavanna watched as Diovanna's breaths come out heavy and quick.

"What happened?" Gia asked turning her head towards Amara while still rubbing up and down her back.

Amara shook her head, "I'm not sure. We have to get her to calm down before she passes out."

"Diovanna?" Gia called out trying to gain her attention. "Dio?" She called out once more

Diovanna finally looked up from her place on the floor. "Good, can you do something for me?" She continued talking.

Dio nodded and Giavanna smiled, "Great, can you name five things you can see?" Amara asked Diovanna keeping her voice soft.

"Y-you, Gia, w-wall, floor, plant." Diovanna voiced out following her sister and her cousins instructions.

"Good job, you're doing great Dio." Giavanna praised. "What about four things you can touch?"

Diovanna inhaled once before starting to speak again, "the floor, your hand, A-Amara's arm, and t-the wall."

Amara smiled over at Diovanna, "That's great, what about three things you can hear?"

"My heart beat, your voice, my breathing." Diovanna answered.

"That's good," Gia smiled softly at her, "how about two things you can smell?"

Diovanna closed her eyes for a second, "Amara's warm vanilla perfume and your lavender scent."

"Good job, one more thing." Amara praised once more. "What is one thing you can taste?"

"My mint toothpaste." Diovanna answered, her breathing even and her sobs have stopped. "Thank you." Dio thanked them sincerely.

They both smiled at her, "of course," Amara said. "Now how about you tell us what happened?"

Diovanna rested her head against the wall and closed her eyes. Now or never she thought.

~\~\~

All three men now stand still reading over the signed contracts.

"This can't be fucking real." Ares breathed out a shaky breath glancing at his eldest brother. "No way our father made her sign this at what? Five? Six?"

Sebastian shook his head as well, "I knew that man was sick- but this... this is far from just being sick." He confessed

"Yeah, I'm not letting this happen. She is never getting married." Domenico spoke.

"Agreed." Both men muttered.

"So how do we break the contract." Ares asked his two older brothers.

The contract has no flaws. It simply states that the contract is only broken by a death of the significant other or if one of them was already married. The only way to break the contract would be by killing the heir to the Russian mafia or have their sister marry a man.

Not happening.

"We'd have to kill Aleksei Mikhail." Sebastian uttered.



"That fucking bastard." I spoke after listening to what Diovanna just told Gia and I.

I heard Giavanna speaking with Dio about the situation and what they could do to stop it but I payed them no mind and called my father.

He picked up on the first ring.

"What happened?" He is in a meeting so he knows what I'm calling for is important.

I ignored his question getting straight to the point, "Call uncle Santiago. Tell him to bring aunt Maya and all of their little spawns over to Seb's house. They are over twenty."

"Of course," My father responded immediately. "I'll be there with them in ten minutes, your mother, Apollo, and Dimitri are coming too." He added then hung up.

Everyone needed to know about this, she was betrothed to the enemy.

I got my phone out and called uncle Alessandro, he picked up on the third ring. "Amara." He greeted firmly. "What's wrong?"

"Can you come over to Seb's? We have to discuss something. Make sure to bring your wife, Alessia, and Aria." I explained little what I could over the phone.

"Of course, is something wrong Amara? Is anyone in danger?" He asked, his tone turning soft.

I inhaled a breath, "just come over." I said then hung up.

She is in danger. He is a horrible man.

I dialed aunt Olivia's number next. Uncle Raffaele would probably worry if I called him and just demanded his presence.

"Hello? Amara?" Her sweet voice rang through my ears.

"Hey, can you come over? You and Uncle Raffaele?"

"Of course, I'll bring the girls so they can hang with Arabella." She added. "Is everything alright Amara?" She countered.

"Yes, we will explain when you get here."

"Okay, we will be there soon." And with that she hung up the phone.

I turned back to Diovanna who was now standing and having a conversation with Giavanna.

I took a deep breath, "all of your uncles are on the way. We will figure something out. And aunt Liv is bringing Luna and Ruth over to hang with Arabella."

Dio nodded at me.

"Why don't you go see what Arabella is doing. I will be back in a minute." I suggested to her and she looked at me skeptical but eventually left with Gia to go check on Arabella.

That poor girl, so young and yet she has been through so much.

I shook off my thoughts and made my way over to Sebastian's office. I opened the door walking in without bothering to knock.

"Amara." Sebastian greeted through clenched teeth- probably at my lack of respect for not knocking.

"Boys." I greeted back. "Give me the papers." I demanded not worrying about their hurt egos when I called them boys.

Domenico stepped in to talking with me before Sebastian lost his cool, after all I'm not his sister and only about a year or two younger than him. He won't take my disrespect as much as he will tolerate the younger ones.

"What papers Amara?" Dom asked calmly.

I rolled my eyes, "the contract Domenico. We all know your father was a bastard who was cruel enough to make her sign it without knowledge of what it really was. Hand it over so I can figure out what to do."

Domenico handed me the contract and I took it reading it over. "Our uncles will be here any moment. I called them, said we needed to talk. I just didn't exactly tell them why."

As if on cue the sound of the front door opening caught our attention. I didn't bother glancing at the door when I knew it was my cousins- so I kept reading.

"Amara, what is this?" The stern voice of my father's voice rang out.

I didn't bother looking up from the contract as I read one line over, and over again. "Sebastian will explain." Is all I muttered.

I heard a sigh from Sebastian's end of the room, "Diovanna, she is betrothed to a man." There were a lot of shouts and concerns at that sentence but I payed them no mind and spoke.

"And can you tell them to who?" I eyed Sebastian who glared at me.

"Aleksei Mikhail." He muttered.

Thats when chaos really started.

"What the fuck?"

"Who did that?"

"Not happening."

"I'll kill him."

"Oh my baby."

The comments and arguing went on and on but I cut it off with the motion of my hand- silencing them.

"Alessia and Aria, come look at this." I said offering them to look at the contract. They both came over and Alessia took the contract from my hands.

Aria looked at me then back at the contract, "it can only be broken through the death of a partner. Both partners must be of age. This contract is inactive if they are already married to someone else."

"Well what if she married someone, and then they divorced after her eighteenth birthday?" Aunt Aurora suggested and she has a good plan.

A lot of the woman in here nodded in agreement. "Yes, they could just divorce after." Aunt Maya agreed. The men in the room shook their heads in disapproval.

But what else could we do? It will take too long to kill Aleksei, and Diovanna's birthday is close.

No way she has to go through with this. All because her father was a dumb fuck.

"So it's settled, it's the best option-" the office door being slammed open caused aunt Olivia to stop her sentence.

"I will not be marrying any man, I will not be marrying Aleksei, I will end this contract." Diovanna's cold voice cut through the room.

She no longer looks... upset. No, she is far from it- she is lethal, a promise for vengeance and death in her eyes.

"Then what do you plan on doing?" Uncle Alessandro asked glancing at her brothers.

She smiled, not a happy smile but a wicked grin was more of the correct statement. "I will kill Aleksei Mikhail."

"I will rip his head from his body and make his father watch. I will burn the Russian mafia to the ground. I will kill anyone who stands in my way, am I clear?"

Everyone in the room glanced at each other.

"Dio," uncle Raffaele spoke bravely. "I don't think you're in the right mind to make decisions right now. How about we discuss this together." He offered, sadness in his eyes.

Diovanna chuckled, "No." she deadpanned. "The ball, I will kill him there. Since it is mandatory for all family to be there, I have created an escape route for the children. They will leave with Aunt Olivia, and the rest of my aunts. Anyone over twenty- including me- can stay however you are not needed. This is simply me killing Aleksei. We get in and get out." She explained.

"If you have any problems with that..." she stated smiling sweetly at us. "Keep them to yourself." And with that she left the room.

Okay then.



A/N: okay so hope you like this chapter.

How are all of you?

I'm pretty busy with workouts and things but I am trying to update.

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Bye hoes<3