Indecisive

•••Chapter 1•••

*Alexia's POV*
The soft spring rain fell against the winding pathways of the small rustic Italian neighborhood. The waves crashed against the pure white sand of the beach of Salerno. I watched in admiration as I took in the beautiful sights my home country held. The black Mercedes pulled up to the curb with my driver in it. I opened the door and took one last look at the scene I laid my eyes on just a few seconds ago before I shut the door.

"Yes Carlo I'm aware that the shipment hasn't come in but- Agh mio signore! - LET ME SPEAK CARLO!" My father was yelling at one of his workers over the phone as soon as I entered the iron gates of our Italian home. The water streamed down the fountain in the middle of our drive way as the Mercedes circled around it, eventually stopping by the front steps. The big white mansion stood tall and broad. This was my home.

"Mia bella!" My father opened his arm to embrace me.
"Papa!" I smiled as I hugged him.
My father was my biggest role model and ultimately the only family I had. My mother died a few months after i was born. The bond between my father and I is unexplainable. Only few really understand.
"Ana! Bring my daughter's bags to her room please!" My father demanded of the maid.
She nodded her head and lugged my bags up what felt like a million steps just to get to the front door.
"How are you Alexia" My father asked me.
"Im doing well papa, how are things here?" I wondered.
He shook his head and ran his fingers through his dark greying hair. His thick black eyebrows furrowed.
"No so well mio amore" He frowned, "Im afraid I may have to retire earlier than i expected"
"What do you mean papa? This has been our family business since even before bisnonno" I was extremely concerned on why he was going to give up so easily.
"And it will remain in our family. The south italian Mafia does not just simple disappear. My father retired and I became head of the Mafia, but now Mia Bella it is your turn. You are 22 years old and i think your are ready" he explained.
"But papa, I thought you said we were not doing very well?" I asked.
"We are not doing well because of the north Italian mafia We have had many conflicts with them since you have been away. We are almost at war with them. However, their leader has made an agreement with us." He smiled nervously as if the next thing he was going to say would spark an unwanted reaction from me.
"Papa?" I raised an eyebrow.
He began walking up the stairs motioning for me to follow him inside.
"Rinaldo Valentino has arranged an agreement. It is the only way to bring peace among our people" he explained.
I nodded my head and told him to go on.
"His son, Vincenzo Valentino, he's about your age, 25 I believe. He has had his eye one you for quite some time." He sighed and sat in his chair. He shuffled through some papers and pulled out a photo.
He held it out to me. I snapped it away and and sighed heavily before looking at it. There he was. The one and only, the infamous, and gorgeous, but most dangerous man in Italy. Vincenzo Valentino. His dark black hair fell messily upon his forehead. His dark eyes sparkled and some how seemed bright. His tanned porcelain skin glowed in the golden sunlight. The black hoodie he wore clung to his muscular figure. He had a strong nose and soft pink lips. A sleeve of tattoos down one arm gave him a bad boy look but it was the smirk his lips held that gave him a dangerous aura.
"Papa, i don't understand. Vincenzo, what does he want with me?" I raised an eyebrow with concern.
This could not be good.
"He wants your hand in marriage" My father seemed to have trouble getting the words out of his mouth.
My eyes widened and my mouth dropped.
"Marriage?!" I exclaimed.
He nodded and folded his hands upon his desk.
"Papa, I cant marry some one I barely know. What if I don't like anything about him. What if he doesn't treat me well. What if-" my father had cut me off before I could even finish.
"What if it works out Alexia? You two together could bring our two conflicting groups to peace and maybe you might even fall in love" He smiled.
"Papa, I barely know him!" I was furious.
"Alexia please. Be rational. Vincenzo would never jump into a marriage just like that. He wants to get to know you. How ever if this plan fails, our people and his people will forever be at war, if you succeed and all works out, we will have peace and become one Mafia for the first time in 90 years. Please just try, try for the unity and peace of our famiglia!" He reminded me what was to lose if I didn't at least try.
If Vincenzo Valentino wants me, fine. But we are going to do this my way.
"Fine, arrange for him to meet me tomorrow morning. I want the whole day with him. But we do his on my terms" I finalized.
"Alright, and Alexia, I need you to sign something..." he trailed off and slid an old book across the table.
Famiglia Mussolini it read. I opened the page and read more.
La mafia dell'Italia meridionale di Mussolini.
He wanted me to sign off on his retirement. He wanted me to sign as the new boss of the Southern Italian mafia. My heart was beating faster and faster and i picked up a pen. I swallowed the lump in my throat and signed my full name.
Alexia Analia Mussolini
I was head of the mafia. I was the new boss of my family's business. My great great grandpa, Benito Mussolini, formed the great italian mafia in 1908. THE Benito Mussolini, the fascist dictator of italy or whatever you want to call it. Yes, he was my great great grandfather. He founded the great italian mafia. It wasn't until 20 years after the founding of it that it was separated into the northern and southern mafia. Now it was my duty to unify it once more.