Ariana's POV:
Today we are going back to New York. Although I am happy that I will be back home and will be able to meet my friends, I am also sad that I am going to be away from my family here. This is a bittersweet moment but I know that it will always be like that whenever I decide to go back. I went to twinnie's room and pushed it open.
"Twinnie." I called out.
"Yes. I am coming in a few minutes." He said from inside the bathroom.
"Ok." I waited for him for a few minutes and then he came out.
"Let's go together downstairs." I said. He nodded.
We went and had breakfast.
"I will miss you very much princess. I still want you to stay for a few more days." Elio fratello said.
"Yes princess, he is right. Please stay for a few more days." Others also started saying this.
"I am sorry everyone. I also want to stay here but I can't. I will try to come again early when I have started university if I have free time." I said with an apologetic expression.
"It's okay baby girl. We understand. Study first." Zia said.
"Yes princess. But you have to come again and early at that." Luciano said.
"Of course fratello. I will." I said.
"We should get going. Otherwise we will be late." Leo fratello said.
"Ok. Have you placed all of our bags in the car?" Papa asked.
"Yes dad. We have already told the men to place it in the car." Ben fratello said.
"Ok then. Dad, mom, we shall be going now." Papa said.
"Ok son. Call us when you reach home." Nonna said.
"We will." Papa said.
"Let's go then." Raf fratello said.
I hugged everyone tightly and bid them goodbye.
"I will miss you guys very much." I said as I teared up.
"Don't worry princess. We will call each other and will also try to come there whenever we have time." Zio said.
"Yes. If they don't have time then I will come there alone to meet you." Zia also said.
"Of course I will also tag along with you." Nonna said.
"I will be waiting then." I said.
"I think we have no value in this family." Twinnie mumbled.
"Come here Matteo. We also love you guys. We love all of you equally just that we love princess a little bit much." Nonna said.
"It's okay nonna. I know that." Twinnie happily went to her and hugged her tightly.
After everyone hugged each other we went to the car.
"Bye bye everyone." We bid them goodbye.
Elio fratello and Zio were coming with us to the airport. After we reached the airport we then went in the plane after getting the clearance. We bid goodbye to Elio fratello and Zio and the plane was soon in the air.
"Sigh. We will all miss them so much." Alf fratello said.
"Yes we will and they will too." I said.
"Yeah." Twinnie said.
They were all talking to each other and I was slowly getting sleepy so I nodded off.
I was shaken awake by someone and heard someone asking me to wake up. I opened my eyes slowly and looked in front of me. I saw that twinnie was trying to wake me up.
"What happened?" I asked him groggily.
"We are here." He said and I looked around.
Then I remembered that we were still in the jet. I sat up properly on the seat and saw that there was a blanket covering me up.
"Have we reached home?" I asked him.
"Yes. Let's go." Twinnie said.
I nodded and got up. We descended from the jet.
"How much time has passed since we arrived?"
"Not much. We just arrived." Twinnie said.
"Ok."
We got in the car and went home. As there was a 6 hour difference, we arrived by noon. I got a call from Noah as soon as I got in the car.
On call:
"Ari, have you arrived yet?" He asked.
"Yep." I replied.
"Have you guys settled in yet?" They had already arrived yesterday and knew that we would be coming today.
"Yes we are just unpacking since you know that there is so much to do." He said.
"Where is Jessy?"
"She is at home and also unpacking. She was busy so she asked me to call you." He replied.
"Ok then. When you guys have finished unpacking you guys should come to my home." I said.
"Yes we will. Ok then. I am hanging up. I still have so many boxes to unpack. See you."
"Ok bye." We then hung up the call.
I was thrilled that my friends will be staying in the same city as me. We reached home as I finished talking to my friends.
"Let's first freshen up and then have lunch." Papa said.
We nodded and went to our rooms. I went to the bathroom and freshened up. I wore comfortable clothes as I was thinking of going to my parents' home. After that I went to the dining room and we had our lunch.
"I will be going to the company after lunch. Who else wants to go with me?" Tony fratello asked.
"Is there any important work Tony?" Papa asked.
"Yes there is. An important client is coming so I have to go." Tony fratello said.
"I am also going with him." Leo fratello said.
"I have to go to the hospital as I have a night shift today." Raf fratello said.
"I am sure." I nodded at him with a grin on my face.
Raf fratello narrowed his eyes on me.
"What do you mean by that Ai?" He asked.
"What." I asked with an innocent look on my face.
"What did you mean when you said that you are sure?" Twinnie asked me with a mischievous look in his eyes. He knew that something was going on in my mind.
"Oh that. I was just saying that I am sure that Raf fratello has a night shift..." I said slowly and saw that Raf fratello sighed in relief.
"...It's just that I am not sure where the night shift is? At the hospital or... at Luka's place." I continued just as he sighed.
After hearing what I said he choked so badly that he started coughing heavily.
"There there. Drink some water... You don't have to lie to us regarding your love life." Alf fratello said as he patted his back.
Raf fratello continued to cough. While the rest of us were laughing. Even papa was chuckling at how we were pulling his legs. After a few minutes he recovered from his coughing and he glared at us.
"Ari, how can you pull my legs?" He asked as if I had betrayed him.
"Well I am your sister and it is my right to pull my brother's legs and it is not pulling legs when I am right." I said.
"But Ana, how did you know that he is going to meet Luka?" Ben fratello asked.
"Well when I was coming here I heard him talking to Luka and saying that he will be at his house by evening. I didn't take it seriously as it was normal for him to go to his house as they are dating but when he told the excuse I knew that he was lying. So..." I trailed off.
"Raf, why are you lying to us? You should have just told us the truth. Just like how I am going on a date with Luna and was going to tell everyone." Alf fratello said.
"Yes, he is right." Ben fratello said.
"I think he is shy. He still isn't used to letting everyone know that he has a boyfriend." Leo fratello said.
"You don't have to be like before, you can tell us if you are going with Luka and spending time with him. It's normal." Tony fratello said.
"Ok." Raf fratello said as he nodded.
"I am also going to the company to look at the books." Ben fratello said.
"I am going to stay at home with twinnie." Twinnie said.
"I am also going to stay at home with the twins." Papa said.
"But I was thinking of going to visit dad and mom." I said.
"Then we will go with you." Papa and twinnie said simultaneously.
"Ok then." I nodded.
After lunch we all went to our own destinations. I went with them home. I have already informed my parents that we are coming. They were also at home and were free. We walked there as it wasn't very far from our home.
"Twinnie, did you tell them that we are coming?" He asked.
"Yes." I nodded.
"That's good then." Twinnie said.
We soon reached home and saw that my parents were already outside waiting for us.
"Mom, dad." I said and immediately went to them. I hugged them tightly while there was a bright smile on my face.
"I missed you baby girl." Mom said.
"I missed you both too." I said.
"Hello Evan, Hollan. How are you?" Papa greeted them.
"Hello. We are good. Please come in." Mom said.
"Hello uncle, aunty." Twinnie said.
We went inside the house and sat together. I was suddenly feeling a little nervous. It was a bad feeling like something was going to happen. I don't know what but something will. My gut feeling is always right. I tried to be normal and happy. As I don't want them to notice it.
"How was your trip to Italy?" Dad asked.
"It was awesome. I travelled everywhere and enjoyed my time very much. I just missed you guys." I said keeping my head on mom's shoulder.
"Aww. We missed you too, baby girl." Mom said.
"Did you see all the pictures that I sent you?" I asked.
"Of course we did." Dad said.
"You looked happy in every picture. I am so happy that you enjoyed your time there."
Mom was saying this when I noticed that papa's gaze shifted toward the window, subtle but sharp. Matteo followed. That was enough. My stomach tightened. It was then when I realized that something was wrong. My feelings were right and something terrible is going to happen.
"Yes mom. You would have to come with us the next time we go on a trip."
I said while noticing our surroundings. I remember that the bodyguards were following us and also noticed that papa was carrying his gun. Still I could see the slight worry on papa's face. My heartbeat turned erratic, each thump louder than the last. The air suddenly felt too heavy to breathe.
I then saw him taking out his phone and typing something. Then my phone buzzed and I immediately turned on my screen and saw that he had sent a message in our family group chat. We always kept its notifications on as Tony fratello has instructed us to. So I am sure that everyone would get notified immediately.
'SOS. Parker family.' He sent these words.
For a second, everything went silent.
Not outside...not inside...but inside me.
My fingers trembled but I clenched them into fists.
Think Ariana. Panic later. No one would benefit from my nervousness.
A faint sound reached my ears.
Gravel. Footsteps. More than one. We were surrounded.
I am sure that the other party didn't know that we were here because we had come from the road that was hidden from the view of others. It was the road that was between our families and was hidden from sight.
Papa and twinnie looked at me and I also nodded slightly at them. I can see that they were not a bit sacred. They were looking confident and like everything would be okay. I also calmed down after seeing them like this.
I didn't have any weapon except the butterfly knife that I always kept on me. I would sometimes use it as the hair accessory or keep it in my bag. Today I was using it as a clip to tie my hair in a bun.

"Mom, dad, why don't we go up to your room. I have to show you some things that I have bought for you from Italy." I said, forcing a smile.
"What is it? You can give us here." Mom said.
"Actually I brought clothes for you so you would have to wear it to check if it is the right fit or not. So let's go and try them." I said.
"Now?" Mom frowned.
I stepped closer, lowering my voice just enough.
"Please."
Something in my tone made her stop questioning.
Good.
I was trying to take them to their room because there was a safe room that papa and fratello got built after they knew about the mafia. It was for times like these. I didn't know if the men outside had planted cameras here or not so I can only pretend like this.
"Ok. Then wait for us here Gabriel and Matteo." Dad said.
"Don't worry. We are fine here." Papa said.
I nodded towards papa and twinnie and they knew that I was taking them to the safe room. They also nodded and gave me a confident smile.
No fear on their faces. Only readiness. That steadied me.
As I led my parents upstairs, my hand brushed against my hair, my fingers curling around the hidden butterfly knife.
If anyone tried anything... I wouldn't hesitate.
****
Here's another chapter guys. I hope you will like it.
Happy reading.
Love, Stella.