Capo Dei Capi (Secrets of the Famiglia Part 1)

Chapter 31 (Aliyana)

A chill in the air nips at my naked flesh as Sienna grabs my hand and pulls me into what I would say is

chaos.

The whiff of alcohol, weed, and cigarettes hit me as I take my first inhale of the indoors. The place is

filled with people.

Less than a meter away from Sienna and I is a set of stairs leading up to the top floor where Elisa,

Kylie, and Ren seem to be heading.

I hear the catcalls as Kylie’s name is screamed by various people. Unfamiliar hands touch my own,

which is still locked on to Siennas'. She is pulled to the side by a beautiful girl with thick red and blue-

braids capsuling a fine-boned face.

“Sin, what on earth are you doing all the way over here?” The girl yells loud enough to be heard over

the music.

“Mason wanted to come and watch the game. Kylie and I joined for the after-party.” The girl laughs as

Sienna turns to me, those brown eyes still not looking right as she tilts her head in a notion for me to

come closer.

“This is my friend Liya, she’s coming to UW next year,” Sienna introduces me as the music goes quiet

for a few beats before the next song plays. This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

“This is Makena, she’s a 3 times state champion in the National Cheerleading League.”

“Hey.” I move my hand to shake hers, but she has other plans as she hugs me. She’s super tall, like

Sienna and Kylie, so my short form has my face by her very well-endowed chest.

“Come on, let's go upstairs, I can’t even hear myself breathe. I’m glad we met Liya. I’ve seen you

around at Azure a few times. Nice place.” My cheeks heat up as she gives me a confused yet knowing

look. I'm not precisely Italian looking, taking in my straight nose, pale skin, green eyes, and blonde hair,

but my chin and the slight accent I inherited from the Italian part of my bloodline isn't totally lost. And if

that didn't give it away, the company I hang around with, sealed the deal.

We take the stairs, pushing our way through. Two guys make out on the left as a really wasted girl

sleeps on the top two steps. The rest of the people scattered around the upstairs area remain by the

corridor and one of the rooms.

The music dies as the strong whiff of weed hits my nose.

“If my uncle smelled me now, I don't think any amount of holy communion and repentance is gonna be

saving my hide when he gets a hold of it,” Sienna whispers in my ear as we walk down the corridor to

the end door that’s currently open. I laugh because I understand exactly what she means. My Papa will

turn my skin rainbow.

Another staircase which leads to the bottom floor is made visible as a light is switched on.

“Kylie's hide might just be next if she's caught smoking.” The male voice from behind us has a distinct

tone to it. Sienna spins around so fast she almost trips.

I barely catch her in time with both my hands wrapped on her upper arms and my tiny body pushing her

up.

“Whoa. I wouldn’t want you falling on the face now, Love.”

I look up at the guy, and I want to fall at the square jaw and full thick lips, I’m sure has caused many to

fall in his presence. Short, light brown, unkempt hair glows under the warm lighting meant to map our

route through the corridor.

“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your little friend?” His dark green eyes pierce me, as a small smile

plays on his lips. I hear the hint of an accent I can’t really place, however, if given a chance to guess, I

would say Scottish.

“What are you doing here?” Sienna walks up to him and pulls the guy by his grey V-neck t-shirt.

“I thought you not coming this side until next fall,” Sienna carries on talking when he doesn’t respond.

His eyes stay on me, and for some reason, I can't place, there's this nagging sense in the pit of my

stomach telling me this moment is essential.

“Actually, funny, you should mention that. I had a bit of an emergency, you see,” He explains.

Sienna frowns, releasing his clothes from her tight grip.

“Is everything alright with Maralese? I spoke to her this morning, she seemed good.”

I watch as his gaze softens when he studies Sienna. He taps her nose in a familiarity that can't be

replaced for anything besides intimacy. She is almost as tall as the mysterious man.

“She’s fine, Sin. I’m here to see Aliyana.” If I didn't before, I now have his full attention, as my heart

rages war equal in fear and nerves. Those eyes of his don’t help.

Breathe Aliyana. Breathe.

What would he want with me?

“Why would you want to see Liya?” Sienna asks as my concentration turns to the one walking up

behind the mysterious stranger who knows my name - Ren.

Though, I have to wonder just how mysterious he really is.

He must see my question in my gaze as it settles back on his smiling one.

“Where are my manners, I’m Xander Moretti. A half-blood like you, except my mother, is Scottish.”

“Well then half-blood, What business does a Moretti want with a Capello? Because right now, it looks

like you are trespassing on our side of the streets,” Ren interjects, still stationed behind Xander. If

Xander Moretti is scared of Ren, he doesn't show it.

Calvin Harris, Dua Lipa- One Kiss starts playing through the surround-sound, causing the people

around us to explode with life. It also reminds me of where we are.

We are supposed to be partying. Why is it that a Moretti is out to get us?

"Well?" Ren questions Xander who doesn’t turn his head to acknowledge, he heard Ren behind him, or

that he has a Catelli at his back.

I have to give him points, he has balls. Balls I would love to cut off.

“Alec Russo. My cousin disappeared a couple of months back, his parents think he jumped ship, but I

happen to believe someone helped him over. I’m here to get answers. You know, the usual.” He tilts his

head to peer at me from an angle. He is handsome, I give him that, still, there is something I recognize

in him. Something innocent. Something unlike me and a lot like Ren.

“And what does that have to do with Liya? Surely you have more sense than to insinuate she knows

anything about your cousin's whereabouts?" Ren points out.

"Xander, Alec was and still is an asshole, and I have only met the guy once,” Sienna defends me by

pointing out a mutual fact.

She also unknowingly reminds me that we have a lot of witnesses, and the reason I liked her off the bat

- She’s loyal as a fault.

But shouldn't her loyalty stand with this Xander guy? Unless I have read their relationship wrong.

My attention doesn't deter from Xander's perceptive one still on me. Yet, I don’t miss the shadow of

Ren’s head jerking.

“Alec was never my friend if that’s why you here. You should ask Matteo, they were attached to the

hip.” Even as his name leaves my lips, I know the words for the lies it truly tells. Forgive me, father, I

have sinned.

“I did, he sent me here. I wondered why until I saw you. Tell me, Aliyana, where’s the rest of the

Misfits? Did your little crew finally split?” Xander questions as it takes every bit of my will to remember

to breathe, to look at him dead in the eyes, and to not slice a blade across that mouth.

Sometimes the past is only forgotten for a short while. In our world, the past can be the only reason for

a thousand lives to be lost. This isn’t one of those times.