The two siblings walk alongside none other than Nicolas Sapienza, Don Mazzilli’s heir to the thrown of the East Coast Famiglias.
He hears Isabella’s cackle through an intercom and the sound irritates every cell of his being. He joins Derrick closer to the window. Rory and Chase step up as well.
The Romanos pause once they are in the middle of the warehouse and the sound of metal doors slamming shut stuns them all into silence.
Nico steps away from the group and walks forward, plopping down into a chair and then nonchalantly lights a cigar.
“Are we early?” Cristian asks Nico.
Nico shakes his head, taking his time with the cigar without saying another word.
“You’re all a little late actually.” It’s Stella who speaks and steps out of the shadows, out of the dark corner and away from his Ariana.
“Stella? What is she doing here?” Isabella hisses at Nico.
“Can never account for traffic around these parts, cousin,” Nico replies to Stella before taking another puff of his cigar.
“Cousin?” Cristian asks, visibly swallowing. “What’s this about, Nico?”
“Cristian, buddy. I ever tell you about my cousin, Stellina?” Nico answers with a smirk.
“You have no cousin. We would have known. It can’t possibly be her even if you did, Nico,” Isabella retorts with a scoff. “Is this some kind of practical joke. I don’t find it funny. Time is money.”
“I don’t give a shit what you believe,” Stella tells the two Romanos.
Her fury scares even him at this moment. It’s unhinged and unleashed. Unchecked since no one in that room would be able to hold her back from whatever she has planned. He can sense it even from the other side of this wall. And if Brooks is here instead of with her then there’s reason to believe that’s she’s in more than a mood.
He normally enjoyed watching Stella’s darkness when it’s unleashed but now his sense of wanting to protect Ariana trumps that. He knows this darkness that swirls around all of them. He’s familiar with it. He enjoys its company which tells him that Ariana has no business being caught up in it.
“Stell knows what she’s doing,” Rory says from his side. It’s meant to calm him.
It doesn’t work.
Derrick hasn’t said one fucking word but his eyes are transfixed on his wife.
“I’m guessing Brooks is planted in here to stop us from going in there,” Chase says.
“You know how she is,” Brooks answers nonchalantly, leaning one shoulder against the wall and crossing his arms over his chest.
“Someone tell me what the fuck is going on!” Cristian demands. He sounds like he has his balls in a grinder now. The spineless motherfucker.
“You fucking pissed my cousin off,” Nico tells the siblings with a slight shrug.
“And you’ve been invited to your execution,” Stella finishes.
“WHAT?” Isabella all but screams into the room. Her high-pitched voice causes their to all draw their weapons. “Does my uncle know about this?”
“He’ll know about your deaths, if that’s what you’re asking,” Stella responds.
“Don Mazzilli! He won’t let either of you live when he finds out!” Isabella wails, pointing at Nico and then Stella.
“We’re protected under Don Mazzilli himself!” Cristian cries out with his quivering voice.
“I’m here in his place,” Nico answers. “I’m here to make sure this is settled to Stellina’s satisfaction.”
“See, my grandfather saw that little home video the two of you made at your club. The one with you and my husband and brother-in-law. He wasn’t too happy. And speaking of the club, by now Eden should have burned to the ground. Olympus has fallen too and won’t be opening its doors. I assure you,” Stella answers.
“What?” “Huh?” The Romanos and their crew are heard gasping and asking questions.
“Stella was the one that beat us to the security video,” he says. “I knew there had to be one.”
“Actually, I retrieved the video,” Brooks says from his corner. “The only thing Stella beat was the shit out of the security guy trying to hide it from her.”
“Ouch,” Chase says. “Heard there wasn’t a bone left unbroken on the bastard.”
“She’s had a rough few weeks,” Brooks grunts as if to excuse Stella’s conduct.
“Understatement,” Derrick mumbles.
“Grandfather?” Cristian asks.
“Dom is Stellina’s grandfather,” Nico answers in a blasé manner. “We’re cousins. Flesh and blood.”
“But he’s the one who supported this arrangement. I am to marry Adam which will bring the Kings under The Five,” Isabella hisses. She grins smugly afterward.
“Things changed when you touched my husband!” Stella yells back. “It wasn’t enough that you were going to get Adam but you laid your filthy paws on my husband too, you greedy bitch.”
“Because…because you’re a nobody,” Cristian says. “With you out of the way…the Kings, their fortune…” he trails off.
“Would be under Isabella’s control? How are you friends with such dumbasses, Nico?” Stella asks.
“Hey! Were friends, Stellina. Were. Past tense,” Nico answers with a chuckle.
“Derrick and I don’t have a prenup. And with how pissed I am, do you think I’d leave anything for him? You would have gotten nothing more even with me out of the picture. If you had just kept on track and played your part with Adam, you would have at least gotten a share of his cut. But now? You’re not even getting a shallow grave.”
He focuses on Ariana sitting in the dark to see her reaction to that revelation. His girl doesn’t flinch. She sits tall and proper as if she’s watching a court show and awaiting the verdict. Except she already knows what that verdict is going to be yet she doesn’t crumble.
His girl never ceases to amaze him.
His girl.
Four figures walk in through the same entrance the Romanos used earlier. He recognizes the four immediately. Leo, Lou, Frankie, and Silvio.
Seeing the four men have the Romanos’ men raising their weapons in defense. Dumb move. He and his brothers would have shot up the place by now then asked questions later. That’s how you stay ahead in this game.
“You can’t do this! You won’t!” Isabella hollers.
The bitch tries to stand tall on nothing but her pride.
“You think either King will let you get away with it. Especially if they find out that you touched me while I’m pregnant?” Isabella hisses.
“You’re seriously going to play that card, Isabella? Your desperation is showing. Didn’t I tell you that’s something you shouldn’t be broadcasting? Even if it were true. And who said anything about touching you?”
Stella raises one hand and with the snap of her fingers, her four men immediately execute everyone from the Romanos’ crew before any of them even gets a shot off.
The only two left standing are the siblings.
Cristian steps back into his sister, clinging on for safety like the coward that he is. Isabella, in turn, uses her brother as a human shield, pushing and shoving Cristian in front of her.