The Mafia's Princess

Chapter 9 - Traitor

Austin POV:
Ceci, Autumn, and I were in the safe room. We heard more gunshots for a while, until they stopped. Still being careful I didn't open the door until I got a text from Kade.

It's us, the men retreated, are you guys okay? How's my sister???

I was still hesitant so I checked the security cameras real quick, I saw the only people in the house were Ceci's brothers and father. I turned to Ceci, who was still holding my crying sister.  "It's okay, we're safe now." I took Autumn out of her arms and held her close. She clung to my neck and I whispered sweat nothings, trying to calm her down. I walked to the door and opened it up to reveal Ceci's brothers and father.

"DAD!" Ceci yelled as she ran to her father and hugged him. "W-w-what happened?" We all looked at each other not knowing what to say.

"Let's go home," Mr. Mariano said. He looked at my crying sister empathetically. "Austin, you should come too, seeing all this isn't good for her." He told me, referring to Autumn.

As we were walking towards the door, my father and a group of his men walked in, guns drawn. 'Oh no' I thought to myself, this wasn't going to end well. When he saw Autumn and I walking along side the Marianos he cocked his gun. This immediately made Cecily's family pull their guns out; Liam pushed his sister behind him.

"LET THEM GO!" My father yelled.

"DAD WAIT!" I replied. I looked back at Ceci and handed her Autumn, who didn't want to leave my grasp. I slowly stepped in front of the Marianos and walked towards my father. "They saves us."

My father clenched his jaw. "Are they threatening  you to say that!"

"No dad, they're not. They saved us." My father didn't look convinced.

"Are you really that blinded by love Austin? They are your enemies!" He yelled still not lowering his weapon.

"No dad they're not!" I retorted. "They are Ivan's enemies—"

"And Ivan is our ally!" My dad cut me off

"Not anymore." My dad tilted his head.

"Excuse me?"

I looked back at Autumn, she was fast asleep on Ceci's shoulder, crying must have tired her out. "Ivan is not our ally. Not anymore."

"You don't get to make that call, remember your not the leader yet."

"I do when it comes to protecting my family." I knew this would finally make him listen. The only reason we were allies in the first place was because Ivan promised our family protection.

"What are you talking about?" I looked back at Autumn, and bye now everyone's guns were down, but could still be accessible at a moment's notice.

"Ivans blackmailing me." I paused. "By threatening to kill Autumn." My fathers face softened for a split second then was filled with rage. "He said if I continued to protect Cecily, then he would kill Autumn. But I can't let her die dad! I love her." I looked back at Ceci, who had tears in her eyes.

"So you chose to let your sister die instead?"

"NO!" I yelled. That sentence made my blood boil, but I knew my dad didn't mean it. "That's why I made a alliance with the Mariano's. They're helping me protect Ceci and Aut."

"Is this true?" My father asked Lorenzo Mariano. He nodded. "W-w-why didn't you tell me"

I took a breath. "Ivan said he'd kill Autumn if I told you." I paused my eyes widened in realization. "Ivan wouldn't kill her without proof, but I think I just gave it to him." I remember now.

My first mistake. I called Lorenzo on my personal phone, not my burner they gave me. Ivan now has a record that I have been in contact with the Italian Mafia, and that makes me a traitor.

"What are you talking about."

Before I could answer my dads question Mr. Mariano spoke up. "With all due respect we need to change locations, we don't know if the men that attacked your children and my daughter will be back. My father nodded and we all went to the cars and started driving to Cecily's house. I could see Ceci zoning out, she still doesn't know about the Mafia, and right now I think she's racking her brain trying to figure out what that whole conversation was about.

(A/N: Sorry if this chapter sucked. I'm having hella writers block right now and I can't think good ways to write. As always please excuse my spelling and grammar errors, I am dyslexic, I try to proofread but some errors slip through the cracks. XOXO, Lily)