Stella (Book One of Dark Souls Series)

Gnocchi

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temperare- a person's state of mind in terms of being angry or calm.
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"Adonis, what the hell was that?" I whisper-yelled.

I had to keep my voice low because Eva was in our hotel room reading. She had already seen and heard too much today, and I didn't need to include her in this.

Maria told me it would be best if she spent a few days with me. She understood we missed each other, and neither of us felt it would be right to leave her with Daniel. Although he had raised her for the last four years, neither of us trusted him since everything he's told them has been a lie. She said she would pack a bag and go to her parents for a few days. I was hoping Daniel hadn't put his hands on her in an attempt to make her stay.

The ride to the hotel was quiet and awkward. I was sure Eva felt the tension between Adonis and I. I let her into the room and told her that I would be there shortly.

Now, the two of us were whisper-shouting to each other in the hallway because I didn't want the other residents to hear us. If Eva wasn't here, I would have gone ballistic on him.

"Non ti volevo nel drama," he said defensively.

(Translation: I didn't want you in the drama.)

I scoffed. "Now you care about the amount of drama I'm in?" I nearly shouted.

He huffed. "I am not the Don," he said after several seconds of silence.

I rolled my eyes. "I cannot believe you're lying right now," I mumbled.

"My sister, Luna, is the Don," he said.

There are more of him?!

I looked at his face. It was serious. "Well, why does Daniel believe you are the boss?"

"You do not tell the true identity of the Don as it is dangerous enough to be a known mafia. Everyone believes males are always the crime lords, so we leave it that way. Why do you think the cops are never able to bust us? If they were to tap into my accounts right now, I would be innocent. I can not say the same about Luna, but as a family, it is my job to protect her. Do not pretend like you don't know the mafia rules," he said.

It was true. Italy was the place to go if you wanted to get kidnapped by a crime ring.

"At least tell me your family is the good guys," I pleaded. Daniel said they had the biggest crime ring in the country.

"We have a balanced scale," he said with an uneasy tone. "We do good to balance out the bad."

I couldn't get Eva involved with the Verettis or The Hissing Vipers. Maybe it was best if Daniel and I worked this out ourselves. It wouldn't be hard now.

It was easier than Mr. Veretti and Stefano made it seem. All I had to do was get someone to believe me. It was luck that Eva remembered me and automatically wanted to stay with me.

"Do you do bad things, Adonis?" I asked him. His actions were all I was worried about. I did not want to send him away because of my daughter. I also did not want her in any more drama.

"Why do you think I became independent?" he asked me.

I peered at him suspiciously.

When he knew I did not believe him, he explained. "My father still wants me to be the Don because he doesn't think women are cut for the job. He couldn't allow Stefano to inherit the title because he'd gotten himself into enough trouble. A life of crime was not something I wanted to live. By being the perfect son, I became the black sheep. My parents had another child, but it will be years before he can take the title. My father just doesn't want to leave the real family business in the hands of a woman."