I shot him...I killed him...he's dead. How is he here, alive?

"No need to adjust your screen, figa (cunt). I assure you are not seeing things. I'm alive and in the flesh." 

Alfonso aka Eyepatch is looking back at me, his arms crossed, smiling sinisterly. My heart is pounding in my ears as memories of that awful week and the last day I saw him replay, quickly through my mind. 

"I'm sure you must be wondering how I survived, yes?" He walks around the room and steps behind Annalisa. My mind freezes as I watch him use his gun to move the hair out of her eyes.

"It was a near death experience, in all honesty. I won't bore you with the details, but I owe my life and loyalty to Sofia, who came back for me when she learned what happened." He moves back around to face the camera. 

"It looks like I was meant for something great in life. Or maybe...it's just fate that you and I continue to meet like this. Do you believe in fate, puttana?" He looks back at me.

I focus on keeping my voice from shaking. "I believe I may not always get what I want in life, testa di cazzo (dickhead). Clearly, you're still here after I shot you several times. This time, I'll put a bullet through your other eye."

He howls in laughter. I take the moment of his distraction to look around. Beside the forty men well, thirty nine now, since Gio killed one, there are still several other guards standing against the walls. No doubt each one is armed to the nine's, carrying all sorts of weaponry on their bodies.

I catch Cristians' eye and he shakes his head, realizing I'm weighing my odds on taking out as many as I can.

"The way I see it cagna, I'll be getting the chance to finish what we started. Be honest, do you ever think about me?" He grins at me. 

"I know I thought of you and that last day. It's what I focused on during my recovery." He winks with his good eye. "Admit it, you were starting to enjoy it, with each thrust I gave your tight pussy." 

I few men murmur having to hear the details of my nightmare being retold by the one who caused it. My jaw hurts from how tight I'm clenching it, trying to push his words and memories out of my mind. 

"Word is you were already knocked up, that's why you bled, wasn't it? You were in the process of losing your bastard, while I was driving myself into you." He laughs. 

"Shut the fuck up!" I growl, breathing heavily. Cristian's hand comes on my shoulder squeezing. 

Alfonso holds his hands out. "Fine, we'll get catch up later. For now, it's my pleasure to inform you, that we've had our associate watching you for some time, now. Why don't you say hello..."

He moves to the side as another person walks up to him before turning around. I'm once again shocked at the who's looking back at me.

"No hard feelings, Stella. It's nothing personal. Just business, darlin'."

Bruce. Only, he's not the same Bruce I've known for all these months. This Bruce is clean shaven, his once crooked and missing teeth are now actually all there, straight, and clean.

"We can always count on that bleeding heart of yours can't we, Stella." Sofia cackles. "You took good care of our Bruce, especially after we knocked him around a bit. Gave him clean clothes, let him shower in your shithole apartment, but really we just wanted to see what we were working with. And you gave him access without a second thought, didn't you?" She grins back at me.

The room is starting to spin. My hand shakes as I reach for the chair next to me, to steady myself. He was working for them, this whole time? I felt bad for Bruce, I helped him. I didn't even think twice about it either. Was the story he shared with us even true? Or did I just fall for it, like I do everything else?

Cristian says something to me, but I don't hear him. My mind and eyes are only focused on the living and breathing monster grinning back at me on the screen, both of them actually. I can't get past the fact that I was played, again.

Alfonso gets my attention, "Stella, what do you think about me giving Annalisa a matching scar on her eye? Or what about your new friend here?" He trails the knife in his hands down Samantha's tear stained face.

He moves back to Annalisa. We look at each other and I try to will her with my eyes, to stay strong. She looks back at me and clenches her jaw. Her small head movement is all I need to know she will, even though her breathing is accelerating as Alfonso leans down over her neck.

"I will kill you, Alfonso." 

He takes in a deep breath, and then presses his lips on her neck. She screams out with the gag in her mouth and recoils away from him. Topo thrashes on the chair next to her.

Alfonso laughs before addressing me. "You do not get it, puttana. You cannot kill me. You've tried twice now, sweetheart." He sighs. "I will be waiting eagerly for our reunion. In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy getting reacquainted with my old friend here, Annalisa." He caresses her face and she kicks at him. He backhands her in retaliation.

I fight through the memories and sounds of what she went through at his hands as they come flooding back.

Another Don in the room, stands up from the table. "Gio,Ti sei rincoglionito?!  (Are you out of your mind) You are disintegrating the values and traditions that have been carried on for centuries among the families, doing this during a gathering!" The man's two guards stand next to him, ready in case Gio decides to take matters into his own hands, again.

Gio looks back at him for long measured minute before he gives a subtle nod and the two guards, standing next to the Don, crumble to the floor. Daggers impeded in between their eyes.

I look over at the two men dressed in black, that came in with Sofia, as they return to their previous positions. They stand silent, like guard dogs, waiting patiently for their next command.

The Don who spoke, looks down at both of his dead guards and sits down shakily. Gio turns back to the screen. "Alfonso, wait for my signal and then kill the other two, but bring me Annalisa."

My friends all start reacting to his words. Topo is thrashing wildly with his body tied to the chair. Alfonso, nods and the image cuts out. My heart is racing. I need to help them.

Gio orders the Claudio guy to connect with Jimmy again. The camera moves to where Jimmy is standing. JP is being held by two men, now. He's breathing heavily and welts are starting to show on his face. JP's eyes move to me. We hold each other's gaze and I find myself moving towards the screen but I stop, when I see the silent killers reaching for their weapons.

"Jimmy." I say his name through my teeth.

He turns to face me, smiling. "Si, Stella?"

"Remember what you told me when you ran away with your tail between your legs?" I ask, feeling gratified as his smile disappears. 

"You said I would be screaming your name in pleasure when we see each other again." I hold his gaze, "but the thing is Jimmy, it will be you screaming my name, pleading for me to save you." 

He throws his head back, laughing. "Stella, look around you, sweetness. Every single person in that room would rather kill you than have to deal with you. Including Romano."

Cristian addresses Jimmy. "Do not pretend to know me, stronzo. No one speaks for me."

Jimmy shrugs. "Okay, maybe you have one friend after all but as Gio will soon explain. The time of the Bracco's empire has come to an end. And we are here to eradicate every single one of you. Let's continue the fun, shall we?" He pulls Isabella forward.

Timo speaks for the first time, addressing Gio. "Giovanni, you cannot hurt your own sister. Do not hold her accountable, for what you feel I've done to you."

"I'm not sure who you are referring to, Timoteo. My sister died twenty two years ago. I have lost everyone I have ever cared about by your hands. I think it's only fair to return the favor."

Jimmy draws his gun and Isabella says something to Timo. She looks up at the camera, directly at me. "Ti amo, stellina mia." (I love you, my little star)

"Jimmy, please stop." I urge him.

Jimmy closes his eyes, inhaling deeply. "Ah, how sweet to hear those same words. They bring back such fond memories, of our time, together." He mocks. "Tell you what, let's give you a chance to participate, yes?"

"You get to pick who goes first. Either the woman who gave birth to you but you never knew—that's kind of a no brainer if you ask me—or the woman who helped raise you but the entire time, you didn't know she was your own grandmother..."

I look back at him confused.

At that moment, the doors open again and two men are pulling in someone in a torn and dirty nightgown, with a sack over their head.

They place her in the center of the table opening, right in front of me. The sack is pulled off of their head and I'm staring back at Carmela; tears running down her face. She looks around the room terrified. Her eyes fall on me and I realize she doesn't remember me.

Enzo's words about Carmela losing her memory come back to me and I can't help the tears that run down my face.

Jimmy's laugh snaps me out of my moment of sadness. He laughs so hard he takes in air, gasping. "Fuck, the hits keep coming for you don't they, Stella? You didn't know, did you? I thought for sure Timo would have told you everything, after last year. Damn, that's fucked up."

I look at Timo through the screen and see his shame and remorse as he looks at me then at Carmela...his mother.

Carmela looks back at Jimmy, confused. "No, no, not Stella. Remember we call her Charmaine. Must keep her safe, Jimmy." My heart breaks as she looks at him but then the fear comes into her eyes as she looks around, taking in her surroundings, again. Jimmy holds his hand over his mouth in attempt to keep himself from laughing.

Isabella talks to Carmela gently in Italian through the screen. She tells Carmela she's fine, that everything is okay. That she's with me now.

Carmela looks back at me then smiles. She takes a step forward. "Piccola? Where you go? I miss you every day." She holds her hands out to me and I lift my hands towards her.

Blood sprays over my face when a gun goes off. Gasps of shock echo in the room.

I watch in horror as Carmela's body slumps, to the ground.

"NO!" JP and Timo yell, mixed with Isabella's scream. I can vaguely hear JP and Timo grunting. They must be getting punched and kicked. But my eyes are only on Carmela, lying on the floor. Dead. My breathing is coming fast and deep.

"Sorry not sorry, old friend." Sofia cackles as she holsters the gun, she just used to kill Carmela.

I'm shaking with rage as I continue looking down at Carmela's lifeless body. Cristian grips onto my shoulder. "Control it, Stella. This is not over." 

"That's two down now, several more to go. Should we move straight onto your mother?" Jimmy asks me. "But maybe I'll wait...I'm curious how alike you two are..." He runs a hand down her bare arm. Isabella holds her head up and spits on Jimmy's face. He back hands her, the impact causing her to fall to the floor.

I look up at Gio. "You better shoot me now Giovanni, because I will come after all of you, including every single one of you in this room. Starting with this bitch." Referring to Sofia.

Gio looks back at me and smiles at me. "I've heard of your bravery, dolcezza. But it will do you no good after tonight, I'm afraid." He looks back at the screen, "Jimmy, save Timo for me. Kill the rest or do what you want with them." 

Jimmy nods in response. He looks at me then back at JP before he walks closer to the camera. "Any last words before I kill your friends, including your fuckboy?"

The camera pans over Timo, Isabella on the ground, David, and Santino and a few men who I assume didn't turn on Timo. I wonder where Ezno and Joey are briefly before I address them. " I love you all." A small sob escapes my lips. 

JP and I stare at each other as a tear trails down my face. "I love you, John Paul. Sempre." He looks back at me and even though I see the pain and remorse in his face, a soft smile plays on his lips. "Sempre, amore mio." He says.

"How touching" Jimmy says, sarcastically. 

He smiles at me before he turns aiming and pulls the trigger. Even though I know it's coming, I cry out, but then Timo jumps in front of JP at the last second, taking the hit. 

A second shot rings out and JP is hit, falling to the ground.