The Lost De'Luca

Chapter Seventy One

As I entered the house, I marched straight to Antonio's office and knocked. After a brief pause, I heard a curt "Come in." I stepped inside to find Ales and Dom already seated with Antonio.

"How was your day at school, bambina?" Ales asked, his tone gentle.

"It was okay," I replied. "I need to tell you something."

Antonio's curiosity was piqued, his head cocked to the side. "Sit," he said, gesturing to the plush sofa.

I settled in, and they all turned to face me.

"I spoke with Alessio today," I began.

Antonio's expression turned quizzical. "Who?"

I sighed, expecting this reaction. "Alessio, the guy who warned me I'm in danger."

Comprehension dawned on Dom's face. "Oh, that one. What did he say?"

"Alessio's brother is the Don of the Spanish mafia," I revealed. "Someone wants to hire an assassin from their mafia to take me out."

The room fell silent, tension palpable.

"Is Alessio a Satori?" Antonio asked, his eyes clouded with a mix of emotions.

"Yes," I confirmed. "He offered to help."

Ales leaned forward, intrigued. "How?"

"Alessio said he'd speak with his brother, and he's willing to assist," I explained.

"We don't need their help," Tony said, his jaw set, eyes narrowed.

I stared, incredulous. "How can you say that?" My voice trembled with frustration.

Tony's expression remained unyielding. "We can handle this on our own, bambina. We don't need to involve others, especially the Spanish mafia."

"But I thought they were your allies?" I asked, confusion etched on my face.

"They are," Tony acknowledged, his deep voice firm. "But we don't involve them in personal matters like this."

The office fell silent, the tension between us palpable. I fidgeted with my hands, anxiety building.

"But—" I began.

Tony's sharp tone cut me off. "Bambina, that's enough. We'll find a way to sort this out on our own."

I pressed my lips together, irritation simmering. "Fine," I said curtly, turning to walk away.

As I left, the soft hum of the air conditioner and muffled voices faded into the background. My mind whirled with questions. If the Spanish mafia could help, why didn't Tony want them to? This wasn't about pride; we needed all the help we could get

I settled into my favorite armchair in my room, lost in the pages of my book, when Matteo and Xavier burst into my room.

"You could at least knock," I said, my expression flat.

Their mischievous grins faltered for a moment before they chimed in unison, "Want to have some fun?"

Their sparkling eyes made me wary. "What kind of fun?" I asked, skepticism lacing my tone.

Xavier leaned in, his voice barely above a whisper. "We're going to prank Antonio."

My eyes widened in alarm. "Are you insane? He'll ground you for life!"

I slammed my book shut, my gaze stern. "I'm not participating in this. I never saw you two, we never had this conversation."

I turned back to my book, ignoring their persistent giggles. Matteo and Xavier exchanged a look, their faces still aglow with mischief.