shrugged and sat down next to the Enforcer.

"Filippo Bazzoli contacted me today," explained Flavio. "He wants his cousin and her daughter back."

The older Falcone laughed. "Like that’s going to happen. He made a move first. That means war. I’m not backing out," he stated confidently. "We are strong and, unlike him, I have many loyal people because I weeded out the bad seeds. He can kiss my ass. We already gave him his shipments back."

Flavio nodded. "I figured that would be your answer. But we still have to take some precaution measures. Most of all, the initiation has to be done as soon as possible," he advised, looking at Isaac and Drew. They were supposed to finish their training first, but it seemedlike everything would have to change.

"Then call up all my captains and tell them that the initiation is in two days," Noah said. "And now, it’s the end of business talk. Seriously, it could’ve waited till tomorrow, brother."

He walked towards the kitchen and opened the fridge, taking out two bottles of champagne. His face lit up, and Inéz’s turned stone cold. On the inside she was anxious. Memories flashed in her mind.

"Someone is turning twenty-one today."

Noah poured the alcohol to the glasses and gave them to everyone. He then grabbed Inéz and pulled her up, kissing her cheek. "Buon compleanno, cara."

She smiled at him, clinking her glass with the others’ but didn’t take a sip. Drew and Isaac’s eyes were on her, worried. She only signaled to them that she was alright and to enjoy their drinks. Even though she hated her birthdays, it wasn’t the time and place to ruin it for the others as well. If they wanted to celebrate something that for her was just a stack of unforgettable images that had permanently settled in her heart and head, then so be it. Inéz had to get over it sooner rather than later.

Yet, her actions didn’t escape Noah’s attention. With a frown, he glanced at her but didn’t comment. Inéz already knew that the questions would come later.

CHAPTER 25

Usually, the anxiety of waiting for her father to come back home from work was the hardest thing Inéz had to survive. The anticipation that after nine hours he would come back to his little princess, as he loved to call her. It was all she looked forward to each day. Throughout the day her mind had been occupied trying to come up with activities the two of them could do later. Play with the toys she had, make up another ridiculous game only they understood, or just lay down on the couch and watch a cartoon. She loved them all.

With her natural grace, she tiptoed to the kitchen where her mother was sitting with their neighbor, talking in half-whispers. Probably about someone they weren’t supposed to. Gossiping was their favorite pastime. Peeking out from behind the wall that separated the hall and the kitchen, she wondered whether she was allowed to come in. The woman with long dark hair and olive skin stopped mid-sentence, spotting the ten-year-old girl and her eyes changed to loving and delicate. She smiled warmly, inviting her to come closer. Inéz squealed and ran into her arms. As close as she was with her father, her mother was also her best friend. And since she used to travel a lot for work, they didn’t see each other as much as they would want to.

It was still something to get used to - seeing her mother at home. She had been deployed in France for three months and had only returned yesterday evening. "Hungry, niña?" The woman asked, playing with her daughter’s high ponytail. Inéz nodded her head. It was time for dinner, but they always waited for her father, so there was still an hour to spare.

"You still have to wait a little bit longer. But you can take one cookie from the jar on the table. Just one," she said and soon the girl was out of the kitchen, running towards the dining area where she knew the sweets always were.

As she was sitting on a chair, relishing the chocolate treat, her twin brother stepped inside the room, his deep brown eyes zooming in on Inéz. His lips curved as he decided to join his sister and reached for the cookie.

"Mum didn’t let you eat one too. You must ask her first," Inéz whined but the boy didn’t listen. He clearly believed that they were equal and if she was allowed to have a cookie, so was he. No one said anything, knowing that their mother wasn’t the most patient person and hated when the two of them started grumbling to her about such unimportant things, fighting over them. Neither was keen on being grounded so they kept quiet.

Exactly at half-past six, the Díez family sat down to eat dinner. They talked about everything from the twins’ day in school, the man’s work and the first full day back. Just a normal get-together. However, something was bothering Sergio Díez. He was rather quiet, answering only if necessary. It wasn’t hard to realize. Especially as the parents locked themselves up in their bedroom and fighting and screaming lasted throughout most of the evening and night. The kids could hear every word, but they still pretended like it was nothing serious. After all, they were only ten years old and neither knew nor could do anything.

§ § §

A knock sounded and Inéz raised her head from under the covers. She couldn’t take another night filled with a screaming match. It had been happening for two years now, non-stop. Her mother couldn’t be in the same room as her husband and somehow act neutrally. She cried whenever she was alone and thought no one heard, and Inéz did too. Just because she felt so terribly sad all the time. Her house, once a peaceful place, full of love and laughter, was now the last place she wanted to be. Her father started

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