For The Famiglia: Arranged Devotion (Complete)

The Rossi family

four years later

It was a typical morning of chaos in the Rossi house. Everyone was so loud it was rare anyone slept in passed seven-thirty. As always aunt Patrizia and my older sister Belanci were in the kitchen, We had a cook for many years after my mother passed but once Patrizia moved in she insisted on cooking a passion of hers she would always claim. I wasn’t sure if it was true whether it was actually because she believed it was a necessary requirement to be a wife or because her husband had treated her as the equivalent of a slave for years or it kept her mind busy but I didn’t want to intrude in my aunts business plus she didn’t like me to help anymore when she realised I was so terrible at cooking I could almost burn down the kitchen making cereal. At least she was happier now living amongst her family and that was all that mattered.

It was Saturday morning which meant my whole family was over my older brother Donati or Don as everyone called him, my sister Belanci, her husband Torre and their children Donetta and Eloisa. By the time I got downstairs, everyone was gathered around the large wooden dining table that sat in the centre of the room, it was still elegantly decorated just the way my mother had designed in a red rug underneath the table matching the floral curtains that lined the floor to ceiling windows, the large vase that sat in the corner everything in the house had been frozen in time but I didn’t mind I loved that it still had my mother’s touch since she died when I was barely six it was nice to have reminders.

Everyone was seated around the table and if you didn’t know any better it would be easy to mistake us as a normal family however we were not even close and I knew better than that every man at that table could kill you and not even bat an eyelash about it no doubt there were several guns and knives hidden on their persons too but it was my family and all I had ever known “Bambina! Bambina!” my father Arnaldo called. The middle-aged man sat at the head of the table his large hands beckoning me over. He was I was the baby of the family and in no way was I oblivious to how he doted and spoilt me but he was my father and I loved him.

“Morning papa” I approached and kissed the top of his head “morning everyone” I greeted the rest of my family but they mostly made a quick acknowledgment my older brother Donati was to busy stuffing his face the young man was almost twenty-one but still ate like a growing teenager though it didn't show with his slim muscular build, Belanci was busy with her children and Torre clearly wanted Arnaldo’s attention back to discuss no doubt further business matters.

“You best not be leaving this house dressed like that huh?” Patrizia scolded me as soon as her dark eyes landed on me. She never approved of how I dressed even my private Catholic School uniform wasn't appropriate for her. I love Patrizia but she was still stuck in the old ways sometimes.

“Trizi, leave her” Arnaldo insisted his hand patting my back before I sauntered around the table and slumped down beside my brother who was scoffing down another piece of danish.

“Arnaldo, you're going to let her traipse around like that?” Patrizia shook her head muttering under her breath. I rolled my eyes at persistence over an outfit that wasn't even revealing.

“Calm down, Trizi. She's only wearing it around the house” Arnaldo soothed the situation. His job also tended to play the role in their house as well as being the peacekeeper.

“Better not be” she grumbled her eyes watching me but I struggled to hide a grin.

“Oh, aunty Trizi you love me” I beamed at the woman who shook her head once again.

“What are we going to do with you huh?” Patrizia couldn't help but smile in return. I always thought we had similar smiles but it wasn't surprising getting it from my father's side although Belanci looked most like him with strong features, defined jaw and prominent nose while I aside from my thick lips like my father Doneti and I looked mostly like our mother oval faces, with large thickly lashed chestnut eyes, petite noses quite soft features.

“Make sure you hurry with breakfast we are flying to New York tomorrow so make sure you're packed” Arnaldo insisted. We were flying to New York for my cousin Fia’s wedding she was one of my closest cousins and only eighteen it wasn't uncommon to marry young in our world however but it was a big event one of our own from New Orleans was marrying into New York. Sure the mob was everywhere and terrifying no matter the location but everyone knew not to f**k with New York so no one wanted to piss them off their Capo was described as a terrifying man Enzio Damiani however his sons were spoken about more the well respected eldest son Marco who was in line to take over and then there was his youngest Santos who was only described as a psychotic pitbull whenever they referred to a dog being let off its leash it was a code for Santos leaving a path of mass destruction. I wasn't looking forward to meeting them but we were going because it was our family and the Capo Salvador of New Orleans was attending also out of respect of the territories after all any disrespectful act could be the step between life and death.

“My bags are packed, papa” Doneti replied he had become quite the dutiful soldier since his initiation when he was fifteen.

“Ah thank you son” Arnaldo reached out and affectionately patted Doneti’s cheek.

“I wouldn't dream of making us miss it, Papa New York and New Orleans in the same room what could go wrong” I gave a playful smile before sinking my teeth into a danish I had snatched from the table. There was always enough food to feed an army.

“Now, now, Bambina. I don't want any of that behaviour while we are in New York do you understand? We must keep the peace” Arnaldo’s spoke while his index finger remained pointed in my direction. I stared at the older man who sat proudly in his seat before I finally sighed in defeat.

“Best behaviour I promise.”

“Good girl” he gave a nod of approval.

“And none of those skirts you run around here in. Lanci and I already picked out and packed some nice outfits for you to wear” I gave a grateful nod but internally I wanted to groan. Patrizia was in her thirties while Belanci was twenty-six even if they weren't on the more conservative side of dressing they didn't relate much to a sixteen-year-old.

“Just make sure you are packed and ready by the time we need to leave alright” Arnaldo instructed as we all continued to eat our breakfast.