VAERDA: La Grande Famiglia

⛓Sigarette⛓

Sigarette: Cigarette

Athena VAERDA
As Adriana announces that she is leaving I make a phone call to Aaryan. He met Adriana 3 months ago when I hosted a party in one of her hotels.

I call him and he doesn't pick up. So, I call one of his men who does pick up.
"Aaryan, I'll say this just once. Don't mess with my sister or you're in my bad books."
"Oh come on Athena, we besties, right?" He slurs slightly, prolly drunk again.
"Don't do anything to her."
"If she does it herself why would I have to do anything." He says in a sing-song voice, threatening me.

A car pulls up out front, Uncle Jace steps out first, on a phone call. His wives Hera and Mara step out, giggling about something. The rest of us go out to greet them.

Mara looks around for Adriana. I give her a hug and inform her where her daughter went. Hera picks up her granddaughter, Khina spinning her around. Uncle Jace finally gets off his phone call.
"ho sentito che hai avuto dei problemi con il portoghese."
"sì, zio, sono una seccatura."
"dov'è mia figlia?"
"è andata a trattare con aryan a Mumbai."
"hai rimandato indietro, giusto."
"no, starà bene."

I heard you had some trouble with the Portuguese.
Yes, they are a nuisance.
Where is my daughter?
She has gone to deal with Aaryan in Mumbai.
You sent backup, right?
No, she will be fine.

Uncle Jace looks at me like I grew three heads, the normally stoic man now shaken up in worry for his daughter. Understandable though, Aaryan isn't someone with who you can take things too lightly.

I shrug and walk off to the kitchen to see what Nonna is making for Dinner. I see Adrian quietly come in and greet Uncle Jace and rush up. I scoff, he thinks he's so sleek.

He comes back down quite fast and joins his Father and my Dad in a conversation. I watch everyone from my spot on the kitchen counter. Suddenly someone taps on my shoulder making me jump, I look around to see Nonna.

"What are you thinking so hard about, sweetheart?" She asks gently.
"Nothing, just looking at them." I say with a half-smile.
"Hmm. Well come on then, help me set out the cutlery." She says, pushing me to get of her precious kitchen counter.

She hands me a bunch of cutlery and pushes me towards the large dining hall.
A maid immediately comes towards me offering to do it instead but Nonna waves her off. I give Nonna puppy eyes but it's hard when I naturally tend to look intimidating.

I set out the cutlery with a pout and Nonna goes out to announce that dinners ready. She and her chefs have prepared quite the feast for all of us and it comes in 4 courses.

As we finish the front door swings open and Adara, extra as always stands there with her arms open looking at us expectantly. Her husband Galen pushes past her arms with their daughter, Irina.

Nonna gets them to eat while the rest of us set up for a few rounds of poker. I start dealing the cards until I get a call from Adriana. I walk up to the terrace with a knowing smile.

"How many men have you got in India, sorella?"
"perché quello che è successo?"

Why, what happened?

"Some idiot named Aaryan is causing some chaos."
"You said Aaryan?"
"Yeah, Aaryan."
"Oh. Sorella, I can't help you this time."
"Why, something wrong?"
"Nah, you'll find out soon dear sister, keep your guard up, yeah?"
"Yeah, why though?"
"You'll understand when you go there."
"Just tel-" I cut the call.

I walk outside and get into my car as I couldn't sleep. I drive to the warehouse nearby the estate. There are men still working at 10, moving a few new guns carefully into boxes to be shipped to New York.

I get another call from an unknown number from India.
"Ms. Vaerda, Aaryan sir would like you to talk to your sister." I huff and tell him to give her the phone.
"Sorella, you are surrounded by my men so don't worry. The man in front of you," I already imagine Aaryan's impatient ass drunk of his head. "Yes, him the one who is drunk and pro'lly pissing you off." She keeps silent, not bothering to answer me."He is Aaryan." I say
"Aaryan?" She confirms
"Yes, now he is of no harm he just wants to know you. However, do whatever he says." I warn her just in case he other plans than what I think he is going to do.
"Know me? Wait, hold on, you knew this and still let me come here? Sorella I'm gonna murder you."
"Adriana listen, he is- he is different. Let him sober up and meet him in the evening, yeah?"
"Like he is going to leave this place to sober up."
"He will listen to you. Well then, I'm out. Have fun!"
"Wait Athen-" I cut her off when I see some newbie carrying two bricks of stock in a way that half of the bottom was falling off. I didn't pay millions for that for him to drop it on the fucking floor.

I throw a dagger that flies right in front of him causing him to drop both bricks in shock. I scoff and walk towards him and he immediately bows a sloppily as if his head was too heavy.

I open my mouth to yell at him but a supervisor interrupts me and begins to sweet-talk me, probably wants a promotion. Well, with him training these idiots like this he isn't going anywhere.

I lit up a cigarette, standing at the back of the warehouse. I stare out into the black night as the cold winds hit my face gently. I space out, mind blank as I take a long drag and let out harsh grey smoke into the darkness.

A call interrupts my peace, I put it on speaker not bothering to lift up my hand.
"Athena," Aaryan's voice immediately snaps me out of my daze causing me to drop the cigarette I was holding as I am immediately worried about my sister.
"What did yo-"
"I didn't do shit, god, have some faith me." He says faking being hurt.
"So what are you gonna do now."
"She'll go on a date with me tomorrow."
"She said yes?!" I ask surprised that my sister agreed.
"I don't know, I haven't asked." He gives me spoilt rich kid vibes, but I know he is the total opposite.
"You think she'll want to go with you?"
"Ah well, she doesn't have a choice now, does she." He lets out an alarmingly evil chuckle. "Don't worry though, I wouldn't hurt the woman I love." He says in a teasing manner.
"How do you know you love her? You've literally seen her twice."
"Twice that you know of, I've seen a quite a few times Athena." He cuts off the call before I could say anything.

I sigh and pull out another cigarette and walk back to my car. I drive back to the estate with the car roof down allowing the wind to slap through my hair harshly.
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