Earlier that day...
It's been a day since we brought the girl home, yet she still hasn't woken up.
Her identity is still a mystery to us even though we've checked hospital records, old news reports, really anything our people could get their hands on.
I've even sent men back to the nearby towns of the Russian estate to ask around.
Nothing. Nothing at all.
My sons have been amazing with the whole situation. For ruthless mafia men, I'd say they've gone soft for the little one. I can tell everyone loves her already.
I know my wife and I aren't the only ones who've wanted a girl in the family. But after Roman, she just couldn't conceive anymore.
I think when my sons found the girl, she sparked a protective instinct in them, and the morals we raised them with kicked in strong.
—
My family owns hotels, restaurants, hospitals, casinos, and clubs all over the country and are among the biggest investors in many of the top companies worldwide. We also own a company that develops technology and arms for the government and military. It helps us in keeping government agencies off our backs and occasionally turning a blind eye. That might be unfair but business is business, can't really change that.
My sons and I are at one of our office buildings in Manhattan. Even my youngest helps out, it's good practice and exposure to the more legal side of our lives.
For being teenagers (besides Alessandro) they are strangely invested in working. When I say that I'm talking about the illegal side of things. It is definitely more fun so I can't blame them. It is a shame when they'd rather hunt some random debtor down than attend family dinners. I have a feeling this girl may change that.
Usually, I'm always so focused on work, but all day I've been thinking about my daughter.
I truthfully couldn't care less that I technically haven't even met her yet. But I care for her like my own already and I know Bianca and my boys feel the same.
We stick together and help our own. She's been alone all this time, did we really have a choice anyway? She needed us and they knew it.
Bianca has been keeping us updated all day; our girl still hasn't shown any signs of waking up.
I'm not being productive at all so I decide to head home.
I enter the penthouse and see my wife making dinner. The baby monitor is near the stove so she can see how the girl is doing.
I begin to walk towards my bedroom when I begin to hear heavy breathing and shuffling.
She's awake.
I rush into the room, and there she is, awake.
I stare into her big doe eyes. They sparkle a beautiful blue. Even the bluest skies and the clearest oceans couldn't compare to what I found in them.
I'm kind of jealous, all we got were brown eyes.
I begin to approach the bed and her eyes never leave mine. She looks absolutely terrified.
I want to hug her and comfort her, but I know that this is all a very overwhelming experience.
Her previous home clearly wasn't a good one and now she's in a brand new place. I also know my appearance isn't exactly the most soothing thing to see in this situation. I'm not a small, soft looking man by any means, that's for sure.
I continue to approach the bed and I decide to reach out to move the hair that fell onto her face. Bianca likes those soothing, gentle gestures.
The girl flinched and I pull away quickly.
Ok, maybe we shouldn't do that yet.
It hurts to see something like this. Such a small, innocent child has been through so much. She's had to experience things no child should ever have to endure.
My wife runs into the room and gathers her in her arms without hesitation.
I can't hear what she's saying, but it looks like princess is reacting nicely.
I like that, 'princess'.
Then I hear my princess's first words.
"Hey, I'm not a baby. I'm tree years old. Tree. Tree." I can't help but laugh at her attempt to say "three".
Her voice is beautiful, not whiny or squeaky at all.
When I hear Bianca say "he's your daddy" my heart just melts. Then when my girl says that I'm scary, I think two things:
Damn right I fucking saying and I don't want to be scary for my princess.
Then I finally get to hold her and now that I really have her in my arms for the first time, it all becomes so real.
I felt an instant connection to her when she was asleep, but now that she's awake, I can feel it tenfold. I'm ready to give her the world right now and I'd kill anyone who'd dare hurt her, and I'd take a beautifully long time doing it.
Then she asks me if I was a teddy bear.
Can this girl get any cuter?
I introduce myself to her as her father and feel her get all tense in my arms and that hurt. He clearly hurt her and will pay tremendously.
I manage to calm her down before she starts to cry. I don't think I could take that. A bullet, sure, why not? But not my daughter's tears. Never my daughter's tears.
Then Bianca asks the big question, her name. And then she says it, Alina. What a beautiful name.
Our Allie.
Our princess.
I go to call the boys while Bianca is going to make some food for Allie. She looks very malnourished for her age and I wouldn't be surprised if she wasn't fed correctly. Now that she's up and we have her name, finding her excuse for a family should be easy.
"Alessandro, she's awake. Get everyone home n-" before I could finish I hear him yelling to the others.
Here we go.
I wait for them near the elevator because I know they're going to rush in and most likely overwhelm Allie.
When the elevator opens, they rush out but I step in their path before they can get too far.
Before I can get a word out,
"Where is she?!" Luca yells.
"Quiet! She's only been up for an hour. Be gentle with her and don't overwhelm her. No yelling," I glare at Luca who pretends not to hear me. "Wait, where's Roman?" I turn and see him sneaking toward the main room.
"Turn around dad!" He says.
Huh?
I turn and see my boys gone. I look back to where Roman was and see them all running toward the kitchen.
Assholes.
I go to the kitchen and see them staring at Allie. She looks terrified and honestly, I don't blame her.
Like me, my sons don't exactly look the most friendly. In every room they walk into, you can practically feel the power and strength that surrounds them.
I see her flinch when Alessandro stepped forward. Shit. I was going to tell them no sudden movements.
I decide to make my presence known and pick her up.
"Princess, I want you to meet your brothers." She processes the information for a second, then her face goes pale and turns into a look of pure horror.
Her heart rate picks up and I can tell she's going to pass out again. Bianca can tell too.
No no no no, not again.
"ALINA!" She yells as Allie goes limp in my arms. Bianca takes her from my arms and cradles her, tears of worry in her eyes.
I look over at my sons and see hurt and concern on their faces—their sister is afraid of them. I know they'd never hurt her. They saved her life and brought her home.
"I swear to god, I'll find whoever hurt my sister and make them wish they were never born," Alessandro says, the rest of the brothers nod in agreement.
"When she wakes up again, we have to talk to her about her old home. No one has found anything on her. It's like she doesn't even exist." Roman explains.
"First, why don't we, I don't know, make sure our sister won't pass out the next time she sees us?" Luca says.
"Your mother is with her right now. There's food on the counter. I'll be right back." I walk back towards my bedroom. From outside I hear her yelling and crying.
It's so hard hearing your child in pain.
I open the door and slowly walk towards my princess. She turns and her puffy eyes look into mine. She puts her arms out, telling me she wants to be picked up. You love your daddy.
I was so worried when she fainted. She was out for so long already, I couldn't stand to see her like that again. But she's ok now. She's safe and in my arms.
No one will ever hurt her again.