XXXVII

Bella found herself hanging from a roof, her wrists closely bound and the steel dug into her hands. And although the situation closely resembled a sensitive time not too long ago, she found herself to be without an ounce of fear. Perhaps it was the familiar stench of the man's cologne that calmed her,  for although she could barely see through the black sack over her head, she knew the man stood observing a few feet from her.

"You don't seem so scared, neonata, what gave us away this time?"(baby girl) the familiar baritone caressed her heart and she smirked although he could not see it

"The fact that your men threw weak punches as if they were afraid someone would have their hide if they hurt me too much. Besides,  how could I forget the soft hands of the Camorra men" she said and she heard him chuckle and approach her.

"What can I say, they're smart. As for the second part, you must have thick skin" he said removing the bag from her head.

And there he was, a serious expression to his aged face although she thought he was well favoured by time. It was still obvious that he was old,  from the grey strands of hair to the inescapable wrinkles on his handsome face. She could understand what Nona must have seen in him. His eyes were a hazel rich with golden knowledge of life, and although they were currently cold, she found them warm either way.

"You haven't changed a bit old man" she teased and when he didn't react that time,  she knew she had done it. He turned, classic cane in his hand and sat down on the steel chair a distance from her and he simply looked at her.

"Neither have you" he said. "Did you try to kill a Genovese, neonata?"

"No sir" she said and he gave a curt nod "Someone's gone through a lot of trouble to say you did. What about the airport?"

"I admit, that was me"

"So both the Genovese and Torres are after you" Bella nodded

"Care to tell me why?"

"I don't know myself. Must be my good looks, they seem to be quite the trouble magnet" he merely hummed, and she knew gears were turning in the old man's mind

"What about Alaska?" at the question, her heart skipped a beat

"I was lucky" she said in a breathy whisperer

"And you didn't think we deserved to know? " she could tell he was angry from the way he kept on popping his fingers, the sound resembling that of nails against a chalk board to her, she resisted the urge to cringe. Guilt weighed heavy on her heart as she cast a glance to the cement ground

"I thought it would be better for everyone" she croaked out not daring to look at the man anymore, especially at his next words

"Know how much pain you put Nonna through, all of us? And don't think I don't know, Tomas can't keep his mouth shut for anything. Didn't we prove enough of how much you mean to us?" she couldn't help but sniff as her eyes watered

"I'm sorry" she said, lifting her eyes to his,  for she knew his strict rule about eye contact. She hoped he would forgive her

"No tears in front of me, girl. And You're certainly going to be sorry by the end of this week" he informed before calling out as he stood up from the chair

"Geko" and not a second later,  the steel door opened to reveal a young man, about a year or so younger than her. And she wondered what he could have possibly done to earn basement duty for punishment.

"Yes Capo"(boss) he addressed with a bow of his head

"You remember our neonata here right?" he questioned, and the boy shot her a fleeting glance before nodding to the man before him. "Good, then you know what you must do. And don't let Angelo and Enrique fool you this time" he cautioned

"Yes Capo" the boy nodded and walked out again. The old man stopped by the door only to cast her a final glance, knowing she'd only be seeing him again in a week's time.

"It's good to see you alive, cara"(dear) he said,  his tone much softer

"You too, nonno"(grandpa) she said with a curt nod. The old man walked out closing the door behind him. Only then did she groan at the thought of what the week had in store for her. However,  she couldn't blame the old man for being angry with her, she had hurt them even though it wasn't by intent, she understood and therefore,  she would take her punishment like a trooper.

However, by the third day, that notion became easier said than done. Her arms hurt like hell and she desperately needed to use the bathroom for more reasons than one, when she felt a wet trail down her leg beneath the flimsy cotton dress she had on, and she cursed at her luck. Only to take it back when the door opened to reveal none other than three figures, one of which she hadn't expected to see at all.

Sergio kept by the door,  whilst the other two men in all their intimidating glory, walked to stand right before her. Similar features to the old man but just a bit younger, both of them had his hazel eyes and you would think them twins rather than believe they were actually five years apart. Bella smirked then

"You two have sure aged since last I saw you" Angelo was the one to scoff with a smirk of his own. At thirty he still maintained his boyish charm somehow. His brown hair was cropped at the sides, leaving a mess of curls in the middle, and his stubble enhanced his thick well mowed eyebrows,  she had no doubt he had broken many hearts in his prime.

"You're one to talk. You look like shit" he said and she let out a chuckle

"I feel like shit" she resisted a groan at the spasmic pain in her abdomen and grit her teeth to keep it in. Her cramps were always the worst minute a single drop of blood gushed from her vagina. And she knew it would last a while.

"You know,  I should be pissed off right now. Like really really angry" Enrique began. Now he at thirty five, his square jawline made him as mature as his age, his shoulder length brown hair was in a neat bun, his brows were furrowed at Bella and she nodded at his words

"Yeah" she said beneath her breath, he had his buffed arms folded as he shook his head,  his facial expression turning soft

"But I'm not" he said and she looked at them with a smile then,  perhaps more a grimace than a smile and the men didn't miss it.

"Okay,  what's wrong? " Angelo gave in and questioned. She bit her lip then

"I don't mean to get out of punishment early,  but think your pa might let me off just this time,  cause cramps are killing me" she grimaced at her last words and had she not been occupied with the incessant spasms in her abdomen,  she would have found their reactions quite comically funny.

Where as Enrique remained indifferent, save for a knowing smile on his lips, Sergio seemed to resemble a tomato as his ears reddened from that particular information, Angelo was by far the funniest as his face scrunched up as if nothing but mortified and disturbed at the same time, he shuddered,his gaze landing on the ground beneath her feet.

"So that's where the blood comes from" he said in an almost whisper and he shot for the door as if he was about to hurl if he didn't leave fast enough. Both Bella and Enrique chuckled then

"Serg get the keys from Geko" he instructed and Bella gave him a sheepish smile glad she would hang no longer.

"Since when did Angelo become the kind to squirm at the sight of blood?" she asked. Sergio placed a chair beneath her feet before he made work to unlock her shackles.

"He's not." Enrique shook his head nearing her figure

"Right" she said only to nearly plummet to the floor when her feet failed to firmly stand up. She groaned then as her numbed out limbs throbbed in relief.

"Good catch. Good to know old age hasn't dampered your fast reflexes" she said as Enrique carried her as a groom would a bride,  she wound her jello arms around his neck as he walked them out of the basement. She shot Serigio a questioning look then

"And how did you end up here? I never thought I'd see the day" she questioned the young man and he shrugged

"You know how it goes." he simply said knowing that she knew of their community's situation.

"And here I thought criminals were getting smarter" she tutted. She understood why Sergio did what he did,  for there were barely any options for anything else when you live in an environment heavily infested with crime, from gangs to Mafias. 

Considering his family lived right in the middle, it made them a link between two Mafia families that did business way too differently to be allies. That made them susceptible to bearing the brunt of war should both families ever go to war, and they were targets now and then, being that the other side would have to go through their territory in order to reach the other. They served almost like a border and that was no good.

"I'm glad you chose these guys then, they're the best" she said

"When they like you" Sergio added and she let out a light laugh

"Yes. When they like you" for the Camorra family wasnt feared for nothing. They could be ruthless when they chose to be and when that happened, they were lethal. They had no mercy for those that went against them, cared little for casualties and they never stop until their objective is achieved.

They may care for communities and look out for the young ones, and have nothing but the best interest for their country, however that came with a price, as some blood can't be bought,  it was rather spilled in the name of cleaning up the streets, the very ones they'd come to ruin their own way. She always found it ironic, how one can be so good hearted yet the means of doing good are purely heartless.

Then again,  despite being a renowned Mafia crime family, their good deeds earned them the respect of most of Italy's population. Hence they reigned for as long as they have and they were yet to be caught and dismantled by authorities. They epitomised the saying 'dead men tell no tales', for if you were to blow the whistle, then you best be ready to embrace death for you would be six feet under before you could reach the court house to testify.

"Is that my neonata!? " a voice gasped as they rounded the last corner from the hallway leading to the basement. The old woman's eyes glistened under the light of the chandelier as they walked into the bast foyer. It was clear that she had just come from the kitchen,  the dirty grey apron on her person.

"I think I can stand now" she said patting Enrique, who gently placed her on her feet only to watch her expectantly simply to make sure.

"Hi nonna" she greeted, and just before she could take a step more,  more blood rushed down her leg and she cringed.

"Uhh, think one of the wives might lend me a tampon or two before I make more mess on your floor?" she asked sheepishly and the old woman all but gasped again

"Oh dear. I'll be right back" she said hurrying off to who knew where.

"Enrique, Sergio, a word" came the old man's voice as he walked towards where his home office was located. And both men could only sigh.

"Why is it when you're around we're always in trouble?" it was Enrique that questioned, as they walked in the old man's direction.