Song~ I have no idea, give some suggestions when you finish the chapter please!



I wipe the beads of sweat off my forehead with a towel I had placed on the bench earlier.

There is one day left until the ball and I knew a lot of us were stressing. They're are so many different problems that could happen with so many mafias in one room.

Sebastian had already organized security and escape plans. And I knew Diovanna probably did the same. In a way they were so similar.

They both just wanted everyone else safe before themselves.

So there was most likely a plan for every outcome of this ball.

The underground king is supposed to help control and keep peace between the mafias but the current mafia king is a dumb ass.

A war could break out and he would gladly take a whisky, sit down, and watch. He'd do that while saying there was nothing he could do about it, when in reality he held the most power.

Too much power.

But, he doesn't even understand how to use it. So in a way I guess it's good for the mafias, because if that power falls into the wrong hands- we're screwed.

However that won't happen so I don't think I should stress about it. It's bad for my health.

Seb would deal with it though, he always does. There has never been a time he hasn't had my back or any of our siblings.

Making my way to the kitchen, I take out my premade green smoothie.

Just scrolling on my phone when I hear the door to the kitchen open and a pair of foot steps.

I don't really pay it any mind as I was engrossed by the video on my phone.

Next thing I know, I feel a tug at my shorts. I glance down only to see Arabella clutching my shorts.

"Yes princess?" I ask raising my eyebrows.

She smiles, "Can you grab me a cup? I can't reach."

I nod walking over to the cabinet and grabbing a cup.

Leaning down I hand it to her.

"Thanks," she utters walking to the fridge and grabbing the carton of chocolate milk. She pours it steadily into the cup only getting a little on the counter.

From what I understood from Diovanna, Bella's mother never taught her a lot of basic things humans do. Such as manners, pouring drinks, making any type of food.

She never had cereal! That's a crime.

So Diovanna has began teaching her. Especially all the girly shit like makeup and girl code or something.

When Arabella finishes putting away the chocolate milk, she cleans up her mess with a paper towel before taking her cup and sitting across from me on a bar stool.

A silence settles before she speaks, "Hi."

I chuckle at her awkwardness, "Hi princess."

"I like your drawings." She says making me confused.

Furrowing my eyebrows, I ask "Drawing?"

"Yeah! On your arm silly." She states like it was obvious. "Can I color them?!" She asks excitedly.

I glance down at the deathly like tattoos that cover almost every inch of my skin. "Sure."

~\~\~

I regret my decision, although she is neat. She hasn't drawn outside the lines so that's good I guess.

But, instead of looking like a scary mafia man, I look like a unicorn shit on my tattoos.

"Do you like them?!" She asks excitedly.

I nod, "So pretty,"

She giggles continuing her coloring.

A throat clears from the other side of the room and I look up to see Diovanna looking at us, amusement clear in her eyes. "You look like a unicorn shit on you."

I only roll my eyes in response, "She asked."I grumble.

Dio only laughs in response. "Well Bella needs to eat. I know you've already had your smoothie but if you're still hungry there is extras for you."

I give her a small, small, smile. She knows me.

"Now come on Bella, you can color him some more later." And with that they both left to go eat.

~\~\~

"Nice tats." Dom laughs when I enter the office.

Seb had wanted to discuss some last minute details for tomorrow so he called all of us to his office.

Diovanna should be on her way up. Giavanna wasn't going to be here because she didn't particularly want to take part in the mafia world.

We all were ok with it, as long as she was happy.

"Bella asked to color them." I shrug answering their unasked questions about my tattoos.

The door to the office opens without a knock. We all know that could be none other than Dio, she's the only one who doesn't knock and still is never told a thing.

"Diovanna," Seb nods at her with a small smile. One to which Dio actually returns, wow.

"Let's get this going. I have things to do." Dio mutters. "Elijah, has the DNA test come in?" She asks directing her question towards him.

He nods, "It should be done now, or within the hour." He answers her.

"Thanks." She says sincerely before looking back at Sebastian.

Seb clears his throat, "I wanted to go over the details for tomorrow once more. Just to be safe."

We all nod our heads, "Alright. I've organized security. I've made different plans for things that could go wrong- such as an attack or any mafia suddenly starts shooting. I've also made plans for a couple more unexpected occurrences. I've went over everything with our Aunts and Uncles about the escape routes and plans because they'll most likely be handling the children."

We all nod.

"Do you guys have anything you anticipate to add? Or suggest?" He asks.

Diovanna nods, "Yeah, I just wanted to let you know I also set up some security measures. I have a route I want the children to take incase anything goes wrong. It's a quicker route and probably safer." She explains when Sebastian gives her a confused look. He just nods in understanding.

"I've studied the building and there is a downward passage that leads outside. I'll have two cars waiting there just in case. Anyone below twenty goes through that exit, well except me."

We all chuckle at that, it's her plan and she says anyone under twenty can't stay.

She's below twenty.

"Whatever you say Ranuncolo." I say giving her a smirk. [Buttercup]

She glares at me.

I glare back.

She sticks her middle finger up.

I stick mine up at her.

She sticks her tongue out.

I stick mine out.

"Enough you two." Seb's voice cuts through. We both glare once more before turning back to Seb. "Diovanna, we can discuss more precautions later today. Right now I have a meeting. Dom, you're coming with me. Elijah, go see if the DNA test is finished."

"Ares, don't punch anyone. Luca don't tattoo anyone who doesn't want to be tattooed. Matteo..." he drawls out. "Don't do anything stupid." And with that him and Dom exit the office and we follow suit.

What a great morning.



I follow Elijah to the lab part in the hospital wing.

He takes me into a white room, blood samples lay in containers and I'm assuming different vaccines and antibiotics lay in the other containers.

Elijah sits on a chair, pulling something up on the computer before the sound of the printer meets my ears.

Elijah walks over to the printer not once uttering a word.

He looks so focused.

Probably because he is.

"Is that the results?" I ask breaking the silence.

He pulls the paper out from the printer, folding it neatly and handing it to me. "Yes," he answers simply giving me a smile.

I open the folded paper, reading it from top to bottom. My eyes widen at the father's name and I glance up at Elijah.

Holy shit.

What the fuck.

No way.

I hand him the paper to read for himself.

"Get me Silas Marucci on the phone."

~\~\~

"Silas." Elijah greets him when he answers the call.

"Elijah De'russo. To what do I owe the pleasure? You know we don't speak unless it's for business."

Elijah glances at me, "I think you're going to want to hear this."

"I don't have all day Eli. Get to the point, I have a mafia to run."

"I'll pass you to my sister." He doesn't even wait for a response and just hands me the phone.

That's when I hear Silas groan asking all sorts of questions like why im talking to him. I'm a minor and all this bullshit.

"Shut up." I cut off his ramble.

Elijah gives me a warning look but I dismiss it.

"Excuse me? Do you even know who I am?" He spits out, venom lacing his tone.

I chuckle, "Silas, Elio, Marucci. Don of the Sicilian mafia- one branch of the Italian mafia- not married. No girlfriend. You killed your parents and your sister is married with five children and is a complete nobody to anyone who knows her fake identity. Everyone else in the underworld thinks you killed her along with your parents." I conclude.

"I know more than you think Silas, so shut up and listen."

I hear a grumble from the other end of the line, "Okay, but you never mention her again. No one knows about her and I want to keep it that way." He says quietly.

"You have my word."

I hear him sigh, "Silas do you remember Sasha?" I ask in any hopes of how to break this news to him.

He missed eight years of his daughter's life while she wasn't even living a good life.

Wait how do you tell someone something so personal over the phone??

I hear Silas scoff, "Sssha? The bitch who is now married to the Russian Don. Yeah I remember her."

I close my eyes thinking of how to say this, "Silas- she, she kept a secret." I start.

This is not something you should say on the phone.

Damnit.

"Tomorrow, at the ball Silas. You have to come see me. I'll be with my brothers and family. We will speak tomorrow. I don't think you'd want to get this news over the phone." I tell him glancing at Elijah who gives me a concerned look.

"What? You already have me on the phone, just say it." Silas urges.

I sigh, "Trust me on this Silas."

Silence, nothing but silence on the other end of the line.

"I'm trusting you Diovanna, don't take that lightly." And without another word, he hung up the phone.

I sigh turning off the phone and rubbing my temples.

I have a headache.

"Why didn't you tell him?" Elijah asks softly taking the phone from my hand and placing it on a table.

Glancing up at him, I say "How do you tell a man, his only daughter- his heir- the result of a two night stand- was taken away from him, abused, and trained to kill? Is that something you say on the phone?"

Elijah seems to understand where I'm coming from, "Okay, you're right."

I just needed to make sure he would come see me tomorrow. I know the Italian mafia branches aren't close- well minus my cousins mafia- but I need him to speak to me.

First thing tomorrow at the ball.

But right now, I need to talk to Arabella.

~/~/~

Walking up the stairs with light steps, I go over in my head how I'm going to bring up this conversation.

Oh hey Bella, your father is alive and your mother is a lying bitch. Also you're the heir to the Silician mafia.

I can't just say that.

Okay, maybe I should just ease into the conversation.

I was so lost in thought I barely realized I made it to my room. Now I'm just standing here.

I got this, so without hesitation and I place two knocks on the door before opening it.

"Hey Bella." I say giving her smile.

She looks up from her toys and smiles at me, "Hey Dio! Want to play?" She says gesturing to her Barbie's.

"Sure,"

I walk over before sitting on the floor where she is in my room. Sorry, our room.

"Alright which one do you want to be? You can't be this one because I wanna be this one though." She say picking up the blonde Barbie who is dressed as a businesswoman.

I chuckle, "I'll be her." I say taking a brunette Barbie dressed as a model. Taking a deep breath, I build up the courage to talk to her about her father.

Let's get this over with.

"Bella? Can I tell you something before we start playing?" why am I so nervous? I'm always confident, what's wrong with me?

She nods to my question.

"Arabella, your father," she furrows her brows at my start of a statement. "He's alive."

Arabella's eyes go wide as she looks stunned. Her mouth slightly gapes open at the new found knowledge.

Several minutes pass before her eyebrows slowly begin to scrunch together as she thinks, "Mommy lied, why would she lie? Where is he?"

My heart breaks as she questions why her mother would lie to her about her father and what happened.

"I'm so sorry Bella," tears well in her eyes. "Your mother wasn't the best person." I try to explain as gently as I can because somehow- I understand.

"I don't understand, she said she loved me. Why would she lie to me if she loved me?" She lets out a sob and my heart breaks just a little more. I drop the Barbie I was holding and pull her into a hug.

"It's gonna be okay," I coax her. "I promise, and have I ever lied to you?"

She shakes her head as she sobs a little more before her crying turns into little sniffles.

"It'll be okay, he's a good man." I try to explain what I've heard.

And that isn't a lie, from what I know- he raised his sister. He wanted her to have everything and if that meant he had to help her escape this world to be happy with her husband and children, he did it.

No one in the underworld knows she is alive, and Silas will do anything to keep it that way.

"Dio," Bella calls out getting me out of my thoughts. I hum in response. "Will I ever see my father." She says the word father like she is testing the word out.

Her question makes me smile, "Yes, yes you will. But only if you want to." I tell her honestly. "He'll be at the ball tomorrow." I add.

Arabella pulls back looking at me, "Your kidding?" She says almost skeptical. I shake my head. "Oh my gosh."

I laugh at her reaction.

"I actually get to meet my father? What do I wear? Is he anything like my mom? Will he like me?"

She spits questions out like rapid fire and all I can do is laugh at her curiosity about her father.

"Okay missy," I say and she stops her questions but still smiles, "it's getting late, go shower and I'll be back to tuck you in, okay? We can talk more about this tomorrow. We can also play Barbie's tomorrow." I whisper the last part to her making her smile.

She nods, "Thanks Dio."

"For what?"

"For everything."

"You never have to thank me, you're my little sister."

And with that she left to go shower while I left to go work.

~\~\~

I place down the journal before rubbing my hands down my face. Glancing at the clock it says 3:37 AM.

I've been working all night.

Looking at all the technology I built, I sigh placing them neatly in a container. Closing and locking the box, I place it in a drawer along with the journal and lock the drawer.

"Long night?" Seb's voice rings through my ears.

Checking to make sure my drawer is locked, I turn to Seb. "Something like that."

Sebastian chuckles moving over towards the desk he gave me. I technically have an office although it's only used so Arabella doesn't see any of my work things.

She may have grown up in an environment like that but I refuse to let her continue to live like that.

When she is older, she can decide for herself.

"Diovanna, can I speak with you? It's important." Sebastian asks while stuffing his hand into his pockets.

I just nod my head and motion with my hand for him to take a seat somewhere.

He does before beginning to speak. "I need you to promise me something." He looks at me intently, "Promise me, if something goes wrong tomorrow-you'll keep yourself safe. Get out of there as soon as possible." He says seriously.

I shake my head, "We had a plan. That was not part of it." I state knowing I was to stay and help.

No way would I leave them to fight the Russians without me.

Well assuming that's who attacks.

"I know," Seb mutters. "But I need you safe- so does everyone else in our family."

"I can keep myself safe." I say scowling at his previous sentence. "I am more than capable."

Sebastian sighs, "I know you are." He states. "But you have to promise me, if something goes seriously wrong you will keep yourself safe and get out as soon as possible."

"Don't worry about where Aleksei is, or his father. Get out." He stands up, "Are we clear Diovanna?"

I nod, "Crystal."

Seb walks over and pulls me into a hug, and for a moment I'm stiff. Before my body finally relaxes into my older brother's arms.

"I can't loose you. We lost eleven years with you- I refuse to loose anymore." My older brother's voice comes out softly- vulnerable.

"You won't." I assure him.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

~~~



A/N: hey guys, it's been a while and I'm sorry.

Song suggestions?~~~

I've been going through some personal stuff but I'll be okay. My next chapter will be the ball.

That chapter may take a little longer to update because I plan to put it all in one chapter. I won't split it like I did previous chapters.

So the next update will be much longer.

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, I'll see you next time hoes!<3