lorenzo-zanetta

[lorenzo-zanetta]

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[lorenzo-zanetta]

my favorite part of every day is the moment you fall asleep safely in my arms

[lorenzo-zanetta]

Never have I seen anyone more beautiful than my Vienna. Yet, she managed to defy reality itself when she gave birth to our darling, Sunny. To this day, I am in utter awe of the strength, the determination and the resilience she had to bring our daughter safe and sound Earthside, and moreover, to fight off every demon that tried to take you away from us.

Thank you, mia amore, for everything that you do, and for everything that you are. Sunny and I will forever consider ourselves the luckiest to have you in our lives, to have chosen us to be your family. What an honour and a privilege it is to watch you bloom into the best mother Sunny could ever need. You are my dream come true.

I love you, @vienna-fiore . Happy Mother's Day.

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All'amore della mia vita —

Today marks a very special day - your birthday. My most favourite day of the year. Without it, there'd be no you. Without you, there'd be no Sunny. And without you both, my life would have no meaning. You've given me life and purpose by loving me the way you do, just as I am, and far more than I know I deserve. Even on your birthday, you've given me another year of you which further proves I'm the luckier one between us two. ;)

I love you, baby, so so much. Hope you'll enjoy the intimate birthday tea party Sunny and I have planned for you. Happy birthday to the most beautiful woman in the world. @vienna-fiore

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"A blood oath."

The words that came out of Giovanni's mouth were as unexpected as they were precise, stunning both sides of the chess board.

"A blood oath — to end the war between the two families once and for all," Giovanni proclaimed, not a hitch in his voice. "And if either side breaks it, they lose everything." Gio's fury had made a heaving beast out of him. "Contracts can be rewritten, misplaced or burned. I need something binding. Hell, you all need something more binding, if you're to keep your fucked up empires running!"

The reactions from both parties were minute but not unnoticed. From behind his mahogany desk, Giuseppe's jaws visibly clenched while, Lorenzo — who'd been standing a few feet from Giovanni, quite literally watching his back — furrowed his eyebrows. His friend had not let him in on this little plan of his, and he wasn't sure how he felt about it.

"I refuse to let my wife continue to pay the price of her birthright."

One glance at Nicola was all it took, still bound by the forceful hands of two of Giuseppe's thugs — as if they needed two burly men to restrain a five-foot-tall woman, and her six-year-old child. This was for family. For her. For him — Giovanni Bosco Fiore III. The child they all loved and mourned six years ago, now standing behind his mother.

Did he know she was his mother? That in spite of them all thinking she was beyond her grief, she never ceased to insist that 'somehow' she felt he was never truly gone? Moreover, did he know that the man demanding for the impossible was his father? And that he'd never stopped fighting for the impossible if it meant his family was safe and sound?

Ironically, this had always been Antonio Zanetta's core values: Do anything for family. Risk everything for family. Burn the world, if you must, for family. These were the words ingrained in Lorenzo's head since he was a little boy; the one true and unshaken principle his father had passed down to him.

Lorenzo didn't need another second to think.

He stepped up until he was shoulder to shoulder with Giovanni — his friend, his brother. He didn't need to look at him to know that despite being at each other's throats — literally and figuratively — for once, they were in agreement. Then, taking a further step forward, Lorenzo cocked his head at an angle, practically riling up his father's rival into facing him man to man.

"Uncle." Giuseppe's runner and bodyguard, Vincenzo, stepped up to volunteer his blood for the cause. "Let me do it."

All eyes were on him now, though Lorenzo's never left Giuseppe.

"Scuderis," Lorenzo addressed the head of the Confrérie di Serpenti so casually to show that the man stood on no pedestal. "Tell your worm to stand down. HIs blood is worth nothing here."

"Watch yourself, Zanetta," Giuseppe hissed. "He is of my blood."

"He is of your brother's blood," Lorenzo corrected him. "The one you had assassinated just to sit where you sit now," he pointed out. "So, as much as I hate to admit it, that makes you the more poisonous of the two snakes and therefore, his blood, just like his father's blood, means nothing to me, and will ultimately mean nothing to this oath."

"Then this should be between me and Antonio!" Giuseppe snarled.

"And what, risk your wife and daughter's lives while we wait for my father?" Lorenzo retorted, unafraid.

It was the faintest flicker of fear, but Lorenzo could've sworn he saw it cross Giuseppe's cold grey eyes.

"That's what I thought."

Without another word, Lorenzo reached behind his back, inevitably creating a ripple effect. Before his arm could even twist around, all twenty of Giuseppe's men immediately drew their automatic rifles and in unison, directed tem straight at Lorenzo. Without missing a beat, Lorenzo drew his own silenced gun just as quickly, its muzzle pressed firmly against Giuseppe's forehead.

"Twenty times the rain of bullets may be what it'll take to finish me," Lorenzo growled at Giuseppe. "But all I need is one of mine to take down your entire family," he threatened. "So, I won't say it again, Scuderis. Tell your worms to stand... the fuck... down."

Giuseppe may not have cowered from Lorenzo's icy stare, but he did eventually wave his men down. Only then did Lorenzo proceed to retrieve his steel switchblade from behind him. It had been a gift from his father when he stepped up as Capo Bastone, his family's second-in-command. It was compact and seemingly understated but Lorenzo had kept it as sharp and as lethal as the day he got it.

Withdrawing his gun from Giuseppe's head, Lorenzo opened his knife with one swift click of a button. But as he opened his palm, Giuseppe held up his to stop him.

"Uh-uh," Giuseppe shook his head. "I'm not surrendering my blood on some superficial wound," he scoffed, a nefarious smirk lurking at the corner of his mouth.

Astounded, Lorenzo watched as Giuseppe surrendered his other hand, inviting Lorenzo to make the cut for him.

It took everything in him not to use his knife on the man's throat, let alone his hand. However, despite this very tempting opportunity, Lorenzo knew he had to tread carefully; by the look in Giuseppe's eyes, he'd be getting exactly what he gives.

Reaching forward, Lorenzo made the cut. It was deep enough to let the Snake's blood run freely down his arm, but not enough for Lorenzo's taste. Certainly not enough to avenge for everything the Scuderises had put the Zanettas through.

And true enough, when it was Giuseppe's turn, he looked ravingly gleeful at the prospect of manipulating the situation where he could scar his rival's only son for life. Even then, Giuseppe couldn't resist playing dirty; though his cut was of the same length, Lorenzo felt him dig the blade across his flesh much deeper than he himself had, almost nullifying the oath before it even began.

"Now, swear to it."

* All conversations are in Italian.

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It was a beautiful, sunny Saturday in Laglio, Italy. Lorenzo and Vienna had made the trip the day before to visit her parents, and in turn, the parents could also have some quality time with their granddaughter, Sunny.

Nicola had been invited as well. Greatly encouraged, in fact,especially since Giovanni had gone to New York to visit his younger sister, Gemma. Vienna didn't want her best friend to be alone, and the Fiores were ecstatic at the prospect of a whole weekend with both of their grandchildren.

However, very early that Saturday morning, before Lorenzo and Vienna were even up, Nicola had called Vienna to ask if she could drop Ant off instead. She didn't want her son to miss out on time with his cousin, Sunny, but she herself had to go to Milan to meet with their father, Antonio. Though still half-asleep, Vienna agreed wholeheartedly.

So, later that morning, Nicola came by with Ant in her arms. She stayed for an hour to chat, out of respect, but later bid her goodbyes, making sure Ant got a big hug and a big kiss before she left.

It was after lunch when Vienna and her mother, Martha, had the two children in the living room, singing and playing their toy instruments along with the cartoons on the television. Meanwhile, out on the terrace, were Lorenzo and Giovanni Sr. smoking a cigar and chatting about different business ventures. It was then when Lorenzo's phone started to ring. He politely excused himself before wandering off and out of earshot of anybody.

"Papa calling..." The notification made him curious. For one, his father very rarely called, unless it was something important. And two, why would he be calling at this time? Shouldn't he be having lunch with Nicola?

"Hello?"

"Enzo." The mention of his name alone, he could already tell his father was on edge. "Is Nicky with you?"

"No," Lorenzo answered, confused. "Shouldn't she be with you?"

"Yes." Antonio snapped. "At least she should be. But she's late."

Lorenzo was glad his father couldn't see him rolling his eyes. "Have you tried calling her?"

"Don't be an idiot, Lorenzo. Of course, I have." Then, Antonio paused, sounding like he was thinking aloud. "It's not like her to be late," he murmured, "or not even send a text. Even when she's angry with me...." Antonio seemingly snapped back into reality. "You're in Laglio, right? Go and check on her, will you?"

"I'm sure she's already on her way to you, Papa," Lorenzo reminded his father as gently as he could. "She came by the Fiores' earlier to drop Ant off."

Silence.

"Papa?"

"Just check on her." That was all he said before Lorenzo's ears were met by a dead dial tone.

Lorenzo sighed, swiping his phone so he could find his sister's number on his address book. Pressing the phone to his ear, he waited for her to pick up but was met with nothing.

Hmm, that is strange...

"Vi?"

After excusing himself from Giovanni Sr., Lorenzo had found his way to the living room to call on Vienna. Pulling her aside for privacy, he relayed the phone call he'd just had with his father and informed her that he'll be gone for half an hour max to pop by Nicola and Gio's apartment to check on her. If not for his conscience, at least for his father's peace.

Vienna nodded, looking very concerned. "Update me as soon as you can, okay baby?" she asked, to which Lorenzo promised her he would, with a kiss on her forehead. "I love you."

Lorenzo was halfway down the marble steps of the Fiores' grand entrance when his phone started to ring again. Halfway to his car, he stopped short as soon as he heard his father's voice. There was no irritation there or thinly veiled panic. Not like in their earlier conversation. Instead, he spoke distinctly and directly, giving Lorenzo no room to misunderstand him.

"She's not there."

"Wha—...? You mean Nicky?" Lorenzo was beyond confused. "How would you know—..."

"The snakes have got her."

Lorenzo's heart stopped. This was it. This was their worst nightmare. In particular, Antonio's worst nightmare. His whole life had been dedicated to keeping his family safe. And now this. "H-How do you know?"

"I got a call."

"Are you sure it's them?" Although Lorenzo already knew the answer to this, he still felt the need to ask. Because no sane person in Italy would ever pretend to be a part of the Confrérie di Serpenti, just to prank call its rival mafia, La Rosa Scarlatta — The Zanettas.

Even Antonio didn't bother to entertain this question.

"Keep Vienna and the kids there with the Fiores," Antonio began giving his strict orders. "Emilio and his team are there. They'll protect them. Meanwhile, I need you here. Now."

"Yes, Sir."

Antonio Zanetta may be the worst of the worst at a lot of things under the sun, but the devil did have one redeeming quality in him, and that was his love for his children. Especially Nicola, his favourite. Yet, the only Zanetta who wasn't equipped to go up against the Scuderis...

Shit.

Fiore. She's a Fiore now.

Heart racing, Lorenzo swiped his phone open and immediately called Giovanni. He didn’t care what time it was in New York at that moment, or if the man didn’t want to speak with him after the arguments they’ve been having. None of that mattered right now. He knew Giovanni would want to know about this.

"Where is she?" Gio’s voice cracked with desperation as he answered Lorenzo’s call.

Lorenzo, taken aback by the raw anguish in Gio’s tone, stammered, "You’re home already?"

"I hadn’t heard from Nicola, so I raced back," Gio explained, his breath uneven.

A heavy silence hung between them before Lorenzo whispered, his own voice laced with pain. "She’s been taken."

Lorenzo didn’t need to see Giovanni via video call to see the man’s reaction. He’d seen him with his sister long enough to know Gio would burn the world for her. And quite frankly, the Zanettas could use Gio’s fury right about now. The Scuderis wouldn’t know what hit them.

* All conversations are in Italian.

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Amore mia. @vienna-fiore

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📸: @vienna-fiore

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Per sempre mio.

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