The Runaway Sister

twenty-eight | italian snow

WARREN BERTELLI

I have been in love with Evelyn Rhodes since I was six. 

The exact moment I was struck was a few hours after my birthday party had ended. Evelyn had been in attendance, yet she didn't want to eat cake or twirl in her new dress. 

She wanted to run. 

"Daddy, please!" Evelyn whines to her father, clinging onto his suit. He only chuckles and brushes her aside, mumbling fake reassurance. 

Evelyn turns around in a huff, and stomps back to the window. She places her hands on the edge and lifts her body up to look out at the snow falling around the manor. 

For my whole party, Evelyn has wanted to frolic around in the 'Italian' snow outside. She said that Italian snow is different than Vermont snow, but her argument was lackluster. 

I don't care about her bad arguments, though. Evelyn deserves to see Italian snow, even if it's the exact same thing as normal snow. 

The moment our parents turn away—our siblings are off in another room, but I stayed back in the ballroom with Evelyn—I grab her hand. 

Evelyn doesn't protest when I quickly drag her out of the room and down the marble and gold decorated hallway, towards the backdoor in kitchen. 

We don't even wear coats, but the moment I stop in front of the door, she squeals and pushes the door open immediately. 

I have to run hard and fast to keep up with Evelyn, who's flying down the snow-covered hill. Her dark blonde hair flies around in the wind, and her pink dress clashes against the white surroundings. 

I stare at her, in awe. She looks so free. Her hands fly up in the air, her smile wide. She doesn't stop until we reach the end of the hill, and she collapses onto the frozen ground. 

"I love you, Ren!" She squeals, rolling around in the snow, making her arms turn bright red. I fall over next to her in a heap. 

Evelyn suddenly sits up, and smiles at me. The sparkle in her eyes makes something click inside of my head.

"I love you, too, Lily." 

Of course, we got in major trouble for sneaking out. Our mafias had been threatened, and security was tight. But I hadn't cared. I wanted to make Evelyn happy. 

Right now, as I sit in the meeting, I wouldn't have snuck her out. I would've distracted her with something else, safe inside the house. 

"She's being held in Siberia. Aigner confirmed this," Alexander says. "The base is camouflaged, and most of it is underground. Heavily controlled." 

There are over a dozen moles in the Russian Mafia, but only one managed to infiltrate the Center. He's posing as a guard for the time being. 

"Evelyn won't last long in that place. The conditions are brutal. We can't wait longer than a week to rescue her," Monet voices from the end of the table. 

He only recently got his daughter back from the Center, and she was in worse-for-wear condition upon arrival. He claims she's better now. 

The most powerful mafias are here— the French, Italians, and Americans—in order to get the Rhodes' princess back. 

I lean against the chair, even though the meeting has ended with a baseline plan of how to save Evelyn Rhodes. In two days time, she should he rescued. Safe and sound. 

We were just starting to form a tight bond. Maybe even a tighter one since our childhood. She enjoyed my presence as did I with her. 

I love her. Every part of her, I love. She was destined to be with me. Her smile, the sparkle in her eyes when she's excited. Her firmness when certain topics come up—like the mafia. 

Evelyn despises the mafia. She values human life too much to be involved in the dirty background business of this life. 

Killing. Torture. Trades. Drugs.

It isn't for the faint of heart, and Evelyn's heart is too fragile. But I would never show her this side to life. I'd keep her content and satisfied. 

If she married me, she'd have absolutely everything she wanted. With Alessandro's inability to take the Italian's throne due to his newfound brittle heart, I am the heir now. My brother's replacement. 

I can't believe I let her get kidnapped. I can't believe I ran off to defend some other children when she was just as vulnerable. 

Evelyn has had no training to prepare for attacks—which I am increasingly pissed with her brothers about—and she is small in weight and height. 

How was she supposed to defend off a grown, muscular man? She couldn't. I was supposed to be her protector. I should've made sure Evelyn was safe. She is my top priority. 

When we get her back, she will always be protected. She'll take defense classes. Her security team will be improved. She will never be vulnerable, even for a moment. 

Someone taps my shoulder, snapping me out of my ranting inside of my head. I don't even blink, and turn to see my sister, Rose. 

I arch an eyebrow. "Yes, dearest sister?" 

 She narrows her eyes at me. "Are you going to sit there like a clone, or are you going to come with everyone to the training rooms?" 

I stand. "I accept your gracious invitation," I say with a smirk, even though my mind is only being occupied with Evelyn. 

Is she safe? Protected? I want to think she is, but she is being held captive. The thought of her being hurt in any way—physically or emotionally—fills me with rage. 

"We'll get your little fiancée out of Russia, little brother. Don't worry about her too much," Rose says from beside me, making me glance at her. 

"Of course we will, and Evelyn and I are not engaged." Yet.

Rose throws me a mischievous glance. "Not yet, maybe. But do you not see how much everyone wants this marriage to go throw? The heir and the princess?" 

I nod. "I wouldn't mind marrying Evelyn." 

She stops. "Do you love her?" 

I smile graces my lips. "She's the most beautiful being on Earth. If she asked, I'd bow down and present the whole world at her feet." 

My sister smiles. "You are lucky, Warren. You know that, right?" 

"How so?" 

Right now, I don't think I'm lucky at all. The love of my life is being held captive, and I can't do anything to help her until we break her out. 

"You actually love the person you're destined to marry." 

Rose has an assortment of men she can choose, but she has requirements she must follow, laid out by our family. The man must be an heir. 

The life of a mafia child is hard, sure. Painful? Absolutely. But we're also privileged and respected. We have opportunities— all for the low price of signing away your life. 

Evelyn is Heaven on Earth. She's an angel sent down by God to grace everyone with her loving soul and stunning smile. 

I would never compromise her. I would never take advantage of her. When she is mine, she'll be treated like the princess she is. I will spare no expense to make her happy. 

No matter what she asks of me, I'll do. My life is not important to me. I only, truly care about the girl that stole my heart the moment I met her. 

I would do everything for her. 

I would die for Evelyn Rhodes. 

———

Hello there, loves! 

Get ready to rescue our girl! 

Evelyn has the biggest and the best mafias trying to get her. Talk about a queen! 

Isn't our handsome Warren such a charmer? <3 

Vote and comment! 

Au revoir, 

Eva