This is one big reunion, there are people at every corner of the Rossini property.
Elijah touched the small of my back as he guided me inside his parent's house.
The house smelled divine with the many flavors from the food that the chefs were preparing.
We walked up to his family who were gathered around in the living room idly talking.
"Ma," Elijah greets Isabella and kisses her cheek. "Is the dark lord here yet?"
"He hasn't arrived yet sweetheart. Alyssa, hi, how are you?" She questioned smiling.
"I'm fine and you?"
"Likewise."
I conversed with the rest of the family except his father who still seemed to have a vendetta against me.
Elijah got me a drink from the table and started observing his surroundings as we stood with his family.
I noticed that his father and brothers were also doing the same thing and I drew that it must be because their grandfather is coming.
The man is wanted in America and could be killed right now, if they weren't careful.
Elijah doesn't know but I felt the gun in his waist, it makes me a bit standoffish now since I know that he is always strapped.
I think about what could happen to him all the time and it scares me so much because I care about him so deeply.
I appreciate the fact that Elijah keeps his business secretive and separate from his personal life and so the less I know the better.
I watch the brothers carefully and in this time I realized something intriguing about them.
Santino is the voice of reasoning, Dante is the one who's nonchalant, Franco is the friendly one who is always making jokes and trying to make people feel comfortable and Elijah is the temperamental one, the brooding and observant one, the bossy, the merciless and emotionless one.
"You fuckers couldn't even get me a limo so I could make a grand entrance," a voice from behind grumbled and we all spun around.
"Old man, when did you get here?" Vincent asked.
The man who I presumed to be Vitale who was dressed in a cream suit with a blue under shirt, he left the top buttons open while his feet wore cream Italian loafers.
"I got here, looked at you guys from across the room as I drank my whiskey before I came over to you. You fuckers are a disgrace to the mob, you were looking out for me and I was in plain sight all along."
He lit a cigar and started smoking it as he leaned on his cane.
"Boys," he said before he walked towards the brothers to shake their hands firmly.
"And who is this lovely lady Elijah?"
"This is-" but I cut him off.
"Hi I'm Alyssa-Marie Rowe," I continued then he gently took my hand kissing it tenderly.
Okay old man.
"I like how you introduced yourself to me on your own, and who is she to you Elijah?"
"We're just dating."
Vitale turned to me blatantly scrutinizing me, "She seems like a nice girl, but what I really wanna know is when I'm getting great grandchildren. I wont be alive forever."
"Hell fucking no. You know I hate kids."
"Well you have to have kids as the line of the mafia sons will be cut off."
"All the better," Elijah mumbled and Vincent gave him a sharp look.
"Remember what feeds you boy and let's you live this fancy life."
"This life will also in due time kill me."
"Even if you were living an honest life, you'd die from hard work anyways," Vitale laughed.
I noticed the storm brewing and so before it began I asked them to excuse us and pulled Elijah away.
"I don't really know how this thing works but I'm pretty sure if you disrespect your grandfather he'll blow your lights out."
He exhaled heavily before he's digging in his slacks pocket, pulling out the pack of cigarettes.
"If you dare smoke that shit around me I will leave right now."
"Babe please, I need to release the tension in my body."
"If you don't stop smoking them nasty ass cigarettes the only thing that's going to be in your body is cancer."
He sighs running his hand through his hair before he puts the pack back in his pocket.
"I'm sorry."
"You're always sorry."
He sighed heavily leading us into an uncomfortable silence.
He then took the pack out of his pocket as I stood watching him with my hands folded across my chest.
He pulled out all the cigarette sticks and crumpled them before throwing them and the packet in the bin.
"Good," I said smiling then patting his shoulder.
"In the time that I've known you, you've acted more like a therapist than the one I pay two hundred dollars an hour."
"Well what can I say psychology is my minor," I boasted, shrugging.
"Hello again Alyssa, I'm stealing my brother away from you for just a minute," Santino said.
"What the fuck for?" Elijah asked.
"We need to get the old man outta here now, I got news that the cops are coming, you would've already known if you would read my messages."
"Shit. Alyssa, go to my room."
I rolled my eyes before turning my back and walking off. That was until he tugged me back by my wrist.
"Please don't do that shit it really fucks me off especially when I'm just trying to protect you. I don't want you mixed up in all of this."
"I'm sorry, I'll just go."
Then I walked inside the house to watch what's about to happen through his bedroom window.
I'm sitting by the window in his room just waiting until all of a sudden I see a big bus load of swat get there ass out screaming some shit and causing chaos.
I step outside to find Elijah just as the team of officers are going inside the house.
"What are they doing?" I asked Elijah as the swat team are on every square inch of his parent's property.
"They're looking for Vitale, he's a fugitive. Wait a minute, didn't I tell you to stay in my room? Some outsider must've saw when he arrived and called them, but he's already gone," he whispered.
He grinned evilly, "I can't wait to find out who snitched."
I saw the switch in his demeanor, his eyes turned a darker shade as he made plans in his head.
No matter how many times he tells me that he does this because he has no choice, I don't believe him.
I feel that over time he has grown to enjoy this.
As soon as the search is unsuccessful for the swat team, they leave the property with disappointment tainting their faces. It was obvious that this could've been somebody's big break.
"How did they even know about the party?" I questioned.
"Someone close to us snitched to Sutherland."
"Who is he?" I asked.
"The head of the organized crime unit here in New York."
"Oh so where's your grandpa?"
"He hasn't left the country if that's what you think, he's on his way to a secret hideout house."
"You guys are unbelievable."
He chuckles at my statement but I knew his mind was definitely elsewhere.
I could tell he was more focused on getting to whomever snitched and making them pay. He was on edge, buzzing with a lot of energy.
This time the next brother who came to get him was Dante.
He whispered to his brother about how he should take me home.
While in the car I asked, "You're gonna go kill that person now aren't you?"
He looked at me, his face ridden with reluctance before responding, "I am."
I sighed drastically and when the car pulled up in the parking space of my apartment, I got out immediately and waved bye to him, forcing a smile unto my lips to let him think I was okay.
Him being the observer that he was knows I'm not, but unfortunately he has to go.
And that's when I knew right then and there that the business would always come before me and it would ultimately be our downfall.
____________________________________________