Chapter 2

Aliyana

There is hope in all of us. A small glimmer of it even in the evilest of villains to walk the earth.

And love, oh love, a human emotion that is reckless, wild, and free as it paints you into the promise of its false truth, that is our fail switch.

Then there is humanity, one emotion that is weak - the reason we fall so far, we become blinded. Well, at least that is what my papa says.

We sacrifice so much for it; in the end, we are a mirror of our suicide.

I, Aliyana Capello, am not immune to the dealings of the heart when it comes to one man.

I am as vulnerable as if I have already slit my own throat.

'He is so handsome," I say, staring at the guy walking in front of my sister and me.

Leonardo Catelli, third son of our Capo, Marcello Catelli.

Today is a special day for the Famiglia. Marco and Deno Catelli will be choosing their brides. The future heirs of the Famiglia.

'Gli sciocchi si innamorano Liya." Fools fall in love Liya.

'Sono una sciocca in amore," I am a fool in love, I inform my eldest sister as we walk to the back of the hall, to drop off the last batch of biscuits my stepmother made for this evening's dinner.

Neither of us complained when we were tasked with the 50-minute drive there and back. Any chance to get out of the house. One of the rare occasions we get to just be.

Guilia laughs, her black hair shaking as she tries with no reprieve to silence her loud display of emotion.

I don't understand why she bothers. She is loud, so what?

My stepmother has tried for years to tame Guilia, but her mother, my papa's first wife, was a free spirit.

She died not long after giving birth to Guilia.

Guilia is just like her mother, with light hazel eyes and a brilliant smile that lights up any darkness. My papa told me that he liked Guilia and Filippo's mothers' spirit. She never backed out of a challenge.

But like her mother, my sister would never get to choose whom she loves.

Guilia will never experience the joy of a kiss with her first crush.

Because for ones like my sister, love will be something that will grow, and die a sudden death. A tragedy.

'Do you find it strange that he sees you almost every day, yet, still looks right past you?" Her strong accent voices out the words I ask myself a thousand times a day.

Her eager eyes make me want to laugh as the hollow feeling of want sucks in my stomach.

I smile, knowing full well the implications my sister will face in the wake of her marriage. The closest thing she'd ever get to a romance would be through my attempts, even if it is unreciprocated. For now

'Yes, but when the time comes, I will eventually make him see me."

'When the time comes, you'd be grey, and I'll be dead."

'Hahaha, very funny."

'You are 19 Liya, Papa won't allow you to pass another birthday without an engagement. You are freaking lucky Papa has given you the option to choose. I say you snatch Leonardo up before someone beats you to it." Words can come so easy, but the truth is he is a Catelli, a Pure-blood. He will never choose me.

I need to be more logical in my choice.

'I am half Russian Guilia," My nonchalant words have her rolling her eyes, as she shuffles one of the coconut and cream biscuits.

She holds me on my shoulders and looks at my short form, giving me a little shake and those stern eyes,

'A beautiful half Italian woman who is educated. Any man would be happy to have you, Liya. No more negative talk."

'Guilia, Yana." We hear the sound of our names coming from a man behind us. Guilia drops her hold on me and begins arranging the four trays of biscuits on the wooden counter.

A huge grin brightens my face as the man walks closer to us, not paying my sister's ringing phone any heed. The stainless-steel equipment and light tan melamine wood finish cupboards and rustic countertops behind him highlight his appearance as he makes his way over.

Watching him in the last few years, shooting up, broadening in every way that says he is not a boy any longer still, has me questioning science.

'REN!!!" My sister practically screams as my brown-haired, grey-eyed, and profoundly tanned best-friend shows himself.

Lorenzo (Ren) Catelli is that guy - When he walks into a room, you know your day just got a fuck load better. He exudes confidence, screaming to the world that he is 'That" guy.

His light blue jeans are filled with holes that show his bare knees every time he bends his leg. A white shirt hangs loosely around his torso but sits well on his waist, revealing his toned, 4 pack stomach.

The promise of his shoulders and chest broadening in a few years isn't hidden by his tee that sits tight around the top parts of his body.

His bridged nose scrunches up when I arch my eyebrow at how long he is hugging Guilia. I want to snort, but I refrain. Ren's prominent Italian features are robust to his bloodline compared to his brother, Leonardo, who is the split image of his grandmother. But where Leonardo dresses the part, with suits and shiny shoes, Ren's dress-code is college good-boy. A complete opposite until his mouth turns up into a lopsided smile, then you see that he is undoubtedly a Catelli.

Then you know, without a doubt, Ren is a true Italian man, just without the dress code.

I whistle as I throw myself in his arms when he comes to hug me.

'Black and red Jordan's. You pulling out quite the stops today, is Diamond here?" I look behind him as he hugs me back, lifting me up a bit. An easy accomplishment, considering my short form.

My feet hit the ground, and I take a step back as he stands in his typical Ren fashion.

'No," he muses as his lips touch me gently on my head.

It isn't the first time I wish he was the brother I wanted to marry. We are so much better together. Marrying Ren will be as simple as looking at him.

Ren will be easy to love. His heart however, belongs to a friend of mine, Diamond. A biker Princess from Liston Hills and the only one he loves, now and forever.

When he met Diamond, I was there. I didn't need a microscope to examine their chemistry. I knew. His eyes never left her. He spoke to her for hours that night, both of them wanting the other. Ren being the ‘nice guy' he was, didn't say no to what she was offering because it was bad manners.