The Queen and Her Killer

Chapter Seven

Aria

I don't care how many people tell me that this is my family, this is where I belong. I can't see it that way, I don't think I ever will be able to 
Antonio and Uncle James called me to come and visit them at Antonio house. I had classes through out today but it would seem that if family call, we come running?
As I approached the house I couldn't help but think back to the only other time I've been here. After Antonio and Uncle James came to take me from my house we ended up here for the night before shooting off the following morning 

Part of me wants to be open to all of this but I don't even know what this is. I don't like not knowing what is going on, I don't like the fact that my mum is still out there somewhere

What if something is happening to her? What if someone is hurting her? And I'm sat here at school? Do they not see how much of a terrible daughter that makes me 

"Tesoro, thankyou for coming" James smiled as I walked into the office. This room was off limits last time I came here
"James" Antonio said before I could say anything. I glanced between the pair of them before James nodded leaving the room

"If you are going to yell at me for doing something or for not doing something. Please just don't" I said watching Antonio's gaze tighten on me. I had clearly done the latter, but what I did I do not know

"You think you are in trouble? Look, I'm not the most sympathetic man out there Aria and I've been told I didn't handle you joining us to well" He explained motioning for me to take a seat
"Your mother and I never saw eye to eye when it came to you. I loved your mother, she was and still is my weakness but I guess at the same time so are you?" He said making it sound more like a question

"Do you know where she is?" I asked in an almost a whisper 

I didn't know where this softer side of him came from but if it continues then I don't know.. Maybe? Maybe this will work out

"No. But one thing I can promise you is that I have all of our men on it, I've reached out to some of our connections who are looking into it to" He explained
"Why was I called here today?" I asked, Antonio nodded shifting in his seat before sighing placing his hand together 

"You grew up in a different world principessa, you grew up under the false pretence that you were someone other then Aria Bianchi. Maybe if you had grown up here you would have a different out look in this situation, you wouldn't be so against the Academy, maybe you would be happy here" He explained
"I don't know what this place is Antonio. You took me from my house with not even explaining to me as to where my mum could have gone" I rebutted

"you couldn't have expected me to welcome this with open arms" I offered and he nodded
"Do you want to know? If you know Aria, there is no going back to the innocent you currently are. Your world will be tainted with the dark truth of who your family is, who you walk against at the Academy" He answered

His gaze was hesitant but strong, hopeful but dark. It was a lot of things it should not have been, for the first time since I had met this man, I couldn't read him 
He was no longer the open book I had previously thought he was 

"I want to know" I whispered and he nodded 

"Your mother was taken by someone who has a problem with our family principessa, I don't know who it is but I plan to find out. The Bianchi men are killers, in fact all the men you see at the Academy are killers that is why they are there. They are bread to kill, to take over for their families at a moments notice" He explained
"What?" I asked
"They are there to protect you all. The men in that building are there to protect the Princess' to help make them queens" He explained

"So it's some sick a bloody twisted dating pool?" I asked making him cough a little at my choice of wording

"We run a lot of business' Aria, some legal. Others not as much." Antonio started
"You don't need to know the black and whites but you need to understand that with a name like Bianchi it comes with benefits but also comes with some consequences" He explained
"You can't just be picking up and walking around by yourself, you can't leave school grounds without myself or your Uncle. Or one of the Killers" He warned me
"Now you've accepted this, you will be expected at all social functions, you will be expected to be on your best behaviour. I will not have you disrespecting the family name" He warned me again, his tone darkening with every word 

"Social functions?" I asked and he nodded
"There is a family dinner once a month. I expect you there dressed in your best" He explained
"And you or James will come and collect me?" I asked but he shook his head

"The next dinner isn't for another week, I expect by that point you would have made a connection with a few of the men in that place to get one of them to escort you" He explained
"I hear the Volkov boy and his men are already fond of you" Antonio said making me furrow my brows at him

"When you bring Mumma back, will I be able to go back to how things were before hand?" I asked dreading the answer

I have a feeling the real reason for this meeting was to let me know that things would not be returning to how it was..

"I think that is something we need to discuss as a family when she is back" He answered
"When she is back" I said with a smile but Antonio didn't return the smile which caused me to bow my head

"Are you really my father?" I asked raising it again to see the discomfort in his face
"Yes Aria" He growled lowly 
"Why did you walk away? Why wasn't Mum and I good enough?" I questioned
"That isn't the case at all" He said 
"You and your mother were too good for this life. Your mother didn't want you tainted by the men in this life, she wanted to give you the chance to get to fall in love with life. She wanted you to have the options to do whatever you wanted to do" He explained

"But I can't now?" I questioned and he shook her head
"For now, you need to keep yourself safe principessa. We need to figure out what is going on and go from there" He explained 

This wasn't going to be a black and white and I thought. I just wanted to be back in my old room, in my old life 
I didn't want this
I didn't want any of this 

But I no longer had that choice..