"Elias." Luca nodded his head impassively, keeping himself in check. "We have an issue."

The bulky man grinned, cracking his knuckles. While Niccolò usually kept to himself, forming minimal relations within the family, he had a particular fondness of Elias; Niccolò had picked him off the streets and trained him.

Elias had been at the Italian post, protecting the few others with Romano blood: a position that showed the trust Niccolò had in him. His tanned skin gave him away; everyone knew he wasn't to be messed with. If Niccolò was the brain, Elias was the muscle.

"So I've heard." Elias stood in Luca's office, unbothered by the night sky outside and the flickering digital clock: 4.27 am. He was always alert.

"Where's Niccolò?" Luca asked abruptly from his desk chair, trying to ignore the sharp pain in his ribs; the creases on his forehead deepening. "Cazzo."

Elias shrugged his broad shoulders, neutral. He was surprisingly short, but more than made up for his lack of height with a surplus of muscle and tattoos.

"What's the plan, boss?" Luca glared at him, bothered by the casual nickname. Elias was admiring the office as though they were having a quick catch up, not grasping the severity of the situation.

"Why the hell are you over here in the first place?" Luca asked, realising that despite their family connection, Niccolò rarely shared information with him.

Elias shrugged again. "I don't ask questions." Luca almost rolled his eyes; so that's why Niccolò liked Elias so much.

"She left at about two this morning, picked up in a black Mercedes; the car took out two men before they got away."

"She killed them?"

Luca shook his head, the frustration growing in his head. "Whoever tricked her into escaping - I know Cee, she wouldn't have wanted blood on her hands."

Elias eyed Luca warily, suspicious of the unknown girl; for some reason, she was more than just a bargaining chip to the younger Romano - and that was dangerous. He'd only met her once, when she'd been exchanged for Angela - and he could tell, even then, that she was the type to run away.

"I want Cee back before anyone finds out." Elias's pale blue eyes flashed icily; he could tell Luca meant before Niccolò found out. And he didn't deal well with keeping secrets from his real boss.

"Can do," Elias replied with a cheeky, mock-salute, hiding his careful analysis. "Just as soon as I get the say-so from Mr Don." Luca almost visibly blanched; a hand automatically shielding his bruised, cracked ribs.

"I'll tell him myself," Luca sighed, sinking into his chair. "Just hurry."

---

"Papa?"

The smell of dust filled the air, the smell of blood almost tangible. Cee gagged, tasting death - she felt a cool barrel touch her temple and a strong grip on her arm.

"What the fuck- "

"Don't struggle," Vin twisted her arm tightly behind her back.

"What are you doing?" Cee spat, trying to pull herself away. "Where is my father?"

Vin jerked her arm upwards, causing a stabbing pain to shoot up to her shoulder; Cee gasped in pain, falling quiet. Vin felt her tense still - he pushed her further into the room, past the forgotten piles of boxes to a chair, waiting in the darkness.

Cee recognised the dark blue wallpaper that her brother had picked out, the desk pushed against the wall: he hadn't been here for a long time.

Vin pushed down on her shoulder, forcing her to sit in the chair. Cee submitted meekly, letting him tie her hands behind her back and to the chair without protest; she had to find the rest of her family - she wouldn't be any help if she managed to get herself shot.

Vin lingered for a second, his gaze resting on the roughly tied rope around her wrists that was cutting into her skin; his eyes glinted in the dark room. Slowly, he lifted his arm back up, pressing the barrel of the gun to the back of Cee's head.

He watched her reaction, watched her tense, her shoulders shaking, her hitched breathing - was she crying? - his niece, all alone: a useful pawn until the end.

"If all goes to plan, you'll live," he told her simply, taking pity, holstering his weapon.

"Where's my family?" Cee managed, horror squeezing her throat. She didn't dare look him in the eye.

He didn't reply, striding out of the room and slamming the door behind him; the strip of light illuminating her face disappeared.

Cee felt the familiar claustrophobia creep in, crawling across the concrete towards her, winding its way up her legs, wrapping around her torso until it forced the air from her lungs. She struggled to breathe, her heart racing - she was trapped - no family, no Romanos to save her now.

Sparks appeared at the edges of her vision, blurring her shadowy view of the room; she strained at her restraints pathetically, feeling the skin rub raw; Cee fought away the growing hysteria, controlling the urge to scream.

It wouldn't help to lose her calm. She needed to be rational.

Cee tugged once more at the rope around her wrists before giving up. Don't waste your energy, she told herself.

It was more than an hour later when Cee heard footsteps along the corridor; her head shot up. She waited impatiently, twisting her wrists.

The door opened. Vin pushed a man through the door, his arms tied behind his back - Cee watched her father fall to his knees as his legs gave out.

"Papa," she cried, struggling again; he didn't look ill, he looked battered and bruised. He lifted his head, looking her in the eyes with a grim expression: he looked broken.

"Camilla," he murmured, his voice hoarse. Vin circled around the two of them, his gun tightly grasped in his hand.

"My nephew may be gone, but I found this one for you to bargain for." Cee glared at Vin, her chest heaving, but he didn't seem to notice, focusing on the head of the Fiero family.

"What are you talking about?" she said venomously, following his movements with her gaze.

"Your padre has a choice to make." Vin smiles bitterly, slapping a hand down on Leonardo Fiero's shoulder mockingly. "You or the business."

Cee felt her heart stop. She knew the decision he'd make. It was never meant to be her. She was never meant to be involved in this - he'd told her never to come back if she decided to leave four years ago and she chose a new life. She wasn't a real Fiero.

She turned her gaze slowly to her father, her ribs squeezing tightly around her lungs.

"Papa," she whispered, her voice cracking weakly. "Please." Leonardo looked up at his daughter, his face impassive. He didn't say anything; Vincenzo looked between the two of them, his expression dark.

Cee tried again, feeling a tear run down her face. "Please, Papa, I don't want to die."

Vin stared at her, running his finger along the safety catch of his gun and slowly drawing it back.

"What's it going to be, Leonardo? You either hand over your leadership or she dies."

"Please." Cee felt traitorous, pathetic tears roll down her cheeks; she wasn't ready. Not now. She had so much left to do with her life - she never chose this for herself. "Please."

Leonardo watched as she gasped for air, her breathing panicked and harsh: silent. They both knew what his decision was. They both knew it couldn't be any other way, but she couldn't help pleading: she wanted to live.

"Please don't let me die," Cee trembled, finally realising that she wanted to fight for her life. For all the times she nearly gave up, wanting to let someone get her, to end her involvement - now, she realised. "I want to live, I want a family- I can't- please- "

Vin struck her across the face, a dull pain erupting over her cheek. Cee gasped, tasting blood as she pulled her body upright once more in the wooden chair. She stayed silent.

"Come on, Leo," Vin goaded, grabbing a fistful of Cee's hair and yanking her head up, exposing her neck; she felt the sharp pain rip through her scalp. "Your daughter?"

She felt the now familiar touch of metal jab against her temple. "Or your position?"

Leonardo stared at his daughter, his eyes fixed on Cee's.

"I am sorry, Camilla."

Cee gasped, feeling the finality of his statement ring through the air; it felt like a punch in the chest, like her heart was being ripped out. Vin ignored her, dropping his handful of her hair; her head dropped towards her chest, tears sliding silently down her face.

"I will not hand over the Fiero Family," the man stated, kneeling on the floor but holding his head high, like a king wearing his crown.

Cee stared at her knees, waiting for the inevitable gunshot that would signal her life's end.

"So be it." Vin lifted his gun. He fired.

---

Luca closed his eyes, massaging his temples briefly to relieve the headache building in his skull, hammering against his mind.

The phone call to Niccolò has gone about as well as expected: Niccolò wanted to murder him. He'd been travelling to oversee a shipment, to ensure that no one was encroaching upon their territory - but the delivery could wait.

Police had shown up at their doorstep, reluctantly questioning Luca for any information about a couple of 'missing persons'; both the detective and Luca had known that they were dead - the meeting was a formality. It was a formality that wasted his time when Camilla was really missing - kidnapped, hurt -

Luca had paid them off, sending them on their way. The police wouldn't touch his family; half of the police force was on their payroll, collecting information for his cousin.

Luca sat back in his chair, his injuries flaring with pain; his ribs wouldn't have a chance to heal before Niccolò broke them again.

His door slammed open. Luca jumped, scowling at the intruder. Flo, out of breath and flushed, was babbling something incoherently.

"Slow down," Luca ordered, standing up and holding his palm towards the flustered girl. "What are you saying?"

"I- I know where Cee is!" Luca ignored the informal nickname that Flo used, her words finally clicking in his head.

"How the hell did you manage that?" Flo shook her head impatiently, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet - ready to sprint out the door.

"Body cam footage - it was a Fiero - I recognised him- " Flo gestured impatiently. "Come on!"

"Leonardo Fiero came to take his daughter back?" Luca's brow creased in confusion. "But- "

"It wasn't Leonardo!" Flo waved her arms in frustration. "Vincenzo Fiero - she's in danger!"

"Her uncle?"

"Yes- Luca, come on!" Flo latched onto his arm, attempting to drag him out of his office, but he stood his ground.

"Cee won't be in danger from her uncle," Luca stated, his mind running over the possibilities. Was Leonardo attempting to destroy the halted negotiations by taking Camilla back? "Now we know that she's not in immediate danger, we'll have to wait for the Don." The negotiations had stopped on reports of Leonardo's poor health; the two families hadn't been speaking for weeks. Taking Camilla back would mean the Fieros didn't want to go through with the truce anymore.

"Luca!" Flo exclaimed angrily, almost stamping her foot. "Waiting will take too long- she could be hurt!" Luca glared at her, tempted to shake some sense into her.

"Watch yourself, Florence," he snapped, taking a threatening step closer. "You're out of line." Flo glowered at him, refusing to back down, but stormed out of the room.

Luca sighed, running a hand over his face tiredly. It was a relief that Cee was, at least, in safe hands; although the negotiations may crumble. He waited, out of duty, in Niccolò's office - he paced the room every so often.

What this would mean for the peace treaty between the Fieros and Romanos was unknown. A war between families was the last thing that Luca needed right now, what with a spy in the compound and two attacks on recent deliveries.

When Luca heard a knock at the door, he half-expected Niccolò to march in and blow out his brains; instead, one of the house staff poked her head around the door.

"Someone at the door, sir," she said nervously, withdrawing immediately. Luca lifted himself off the sofa, descending the stairs rapidly, taking note of the man standing inside the foyer. He had dark, chocolate hair - surprisingly familiar - and a lean figure, with tanned Italian skin; he turned to face Luca at the sound of footsteps.

"Can I help you?" Luca asked suspiciously, keeping a safe distance, lowering his hand to his gun. The man nodded slowly, assessing Luca with a critical eye.

"Is he here?" Luca didn't need to ask who the stranger was referring to: the Don was on his way back. Luca glared at him, offended by his disgusted tone.

"Not at the moment." The man shrugged, his shoulders tense. "You talk to me instead."

"Fine," the man snapped, returning the dark look. "I need help." Luca stayed silently, waiting for the man to continue. "Camilla has been taken by Vincenzo. I have to get her back, safely."

Luca stared at the man hard, feeling like his face was growing more familiar by the second. "And who are you?"

"Leo Fiero. Her brother."