Surviving

Chapter Thirty

Alessandro's POV

I sighed as i drove to my parents mantion. I drove to the gate and the bodyguard was there, "Welcome Mr. Milano." I nod as he opened the gate and went through, parking the car in the driveway.

I sat there for a while. My mind ran thoughts of Rossana. Why was she hurt? Who hurt her? How long was she in the hospital? So many questions. I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. This girl is making me crazy, I can't stay away from her. I just want her in my arms and never let her go.

I got out and went to the door. My mother opened the door when i knocked. She had a huge smile when she saw me, making me smile back at her. You could say i was a mommy's boy and that will never change. I hugged her feeling her tiny body in my arms. It reminds me of Rossana, how tiny she is makes me feel even more protective of her.

"My darling. How have you been?" I let go and smile, "I've been ok mom. I came here to talk to dad. Where is he?" She smiled, "He's in his office." She sighs, "You know how your father is. He never takes a break. I have to threaten him sometimes so he will rest, but that man has always been stubborn."

I laughed, "I agree." "Darling, your threats are hardly harmful." My father says as he wraps his arms around her. I smile at their affection towards each other hasn't changed. They still act like lovesick teenagers sometimes.

"Dad." He looks at me, "We need to talk." He nods and kisses mom on the cheek. I follow him and give my mother a kiss on the cheek as well. It still amazes me how they can feel love and trust towards one another. Always being there for each other knowing that they can get through whatever comes their way.

He closes the door to his office as after we enter and walks to his desk. "I assume by the way your voice is serious that this is a serious matter." I nod and watch him as he takes a seat behind his desk on his chair. His forehead crease as his eyebrows furrow worriedly, "Is it the company or the gang? You rarely come to me for anything. No matter how hard things got you always tried things on your own."

I watch him cautiously, "Its about the Crowns." His body stiffens and furrows his brows at me as he sits a lot straighter looking me in the eyes. "How do you know about them?" "Rossana. My personal assistant's father is the leader." I looked at him as he looked down, "He told me about yoh two when you were younger....He also told me about what happened between you two and how he lost his little brother."

His faces turns into despair as he kept his head down and his eyes close tightly. I could barely hear him as he whispered, his voice was pained, "I never thought he stayed here....especially after what happened." Covering his face with his hand he spoke quietly, "He was a good friend...he didn't deserve what happened to him. The pain i caused him becuase of my family. I thought with him around i could be free for a while without worrying about me becoming the leader of my fathers gang....I...I loved them. They were family to me...but i hurt them. I caused him such pain."

I never seen my father this vulnerable. He always kept his head high and his face never showed much emotions. That is something we have in common, to keep what we feel away or else we will be shown as weak. That was not acceptable in this cold world that we lived in. One wrong move and to the grave we will end up in.

He sighs, "I was careless...to let my guard down thinking that i could protect them. That i could keep them safe somehow. That day i noticed that i was weak. I couldn't protect him. That day....I was powerless."

He looks back at me, "I don't know if you have come to fall in love with her. The way you talk about this Rossana sounds almost as if your starting to care about her.... Son, our life is no normal one. We live in bloodshed surrounded by enemies that will do whatever they can to hurt us and the people we care about... If you decide to want her then you must be ready to go through a hard path. I am happy that you are starting to feel something , that you are able to take a step from the fear of love. Don't let the past keep you from moving forward. She was never worth it."

He takes a breath, "Now. What is this about another gang tresspasing." I clench my fists, "It's the Silver gang. They think that they can tresspass without me noticing. They have sabotaged our deal with the Scorpians and now the Scorpians don't want to pay the ten grand that they owe us."

He pinches the bridge of his nose as he sighed tiredly. He looks back at me,  "Well, then it looks like we have to pay them a visit. Get the boys ready. Tomorrow we strike them."

I get up nodding my head. They're going to give us back what's ours one way or another. I will not let them ridicule us, but before i left i look at my father, "Father." He looks up at me, "John says that he doesn't blame you for his brothers death." His eyes widened with unshed tears and nods. I walk out. This war is just beginning.

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Rossana's POV

I watched the moon with thoughts that wouldn't let me sleep. I had found another tainted rose in my bathroom. The blood on the rose was fresh as it dripped on my bathroom sink.

How many more roses with the blood of many innocent people will i see? How much bloodshed must their be because of me? I held the rose letting the thorns prick through my skin, the stinging was nothing compared to the pain in my heart.

I have to find him and kill him before he hurts my family. I have to do it alone, i will not lead my family to danger if i can prevent it. There have been people i have met along the way and i know that i can trust them. Loyalty and trust is hard to keep or find when there are enemies that want you dead. This world of gangs and violence will never be a peaceful one. Many gangs are cruel to their crews, they dont see them as comrades or family, instead they use their crew as slaves and treat them like dirt. In some way it makes them strong, makes the leader keep his title and his followers afraid of him or her.

My door opens and i quickly drop the rose on the floor and discretely push it under my bed. Sam enters, "Rose. You should be lying down and resting." I smile as he comes closer, taking my hand, he leads me back to bed and helps me get on. He gets in with me as I give him space, his hand slides my hair down making me sleepy at the gesture. My eyes drop midway yet my thoughts and worries are keeping me away.

Sam stopped his hand as he whispers, "What are you thinkint about?" I close my eyes and shake my head. He lets out a breath, "Rose." I look at him, his eyes held hurt and worry, his voice pained, " Do you not trust us? Have we done something to upset you?" My eyes widened, "Of course not Sam! I trust you! All of you." Looking back down I speak quietly, "I want to keep my family safe, away from harm and this cruel world uet all i seem to do is bring destruction and pain.....I'm afraid that I will fall too deep into darkness and bring all of you down with me. I don't want that. I will not allow it. The pain of having all of you hurt or swallowed by such darkness is something i will not be able to live through. The value of my life will mean nothing if one of you get hurt or leave..."

Sam raises my chin to look at him. "How much longer are you going to keep punishing yourself this way? Your pain bring us pain. You and Sarah are our most precious people, a gift that has brought us happiness. Without you two I would have been dead by now. All of us would have succumbed to darkness."

The rest of my brothers and sister came in and laid on my bed. We laid in silence until i spoke, "I love you guys." They spoke all at once making me let out a little laugh, "We love you too Rose." I closed my eyes, letting the comfort of the night and the warmth of my brothers and sister put me to sleep. A blissful sleep.