Enzo and I decided to have breakfast al fresco while we wait for my Uncle Timo.

"So, you've been in Italy this whole time?" I ask.

Enzo nods his head as he puts his coffee cup down; he looks over at me, his eyes are bright in the morning sun, and his face is littered with his beard coming in from not shaving.

"Yes, that's where I live when I'm not working." He responds.

"I'm sorry about your dad, Enzo, and your mom. I didn't know what had happened to her until a few years later, my dad told me. And I just found out about your dad recently." I lean over and squeeze his hand on the table.

He looks down at my hand over his before looking back up at me. "It was a long time ago, Stella. If anything, I should be the one apologizing to you. If it weren't for my dad, Serena would still be here."

"Don't apologize for something you had no control over and your dad had no way of knowing things would turn out the way they did that night; my nosiness is what got their attention on us."

I clear my throat. "Is it true you had your first...job or assignment when you were 13?"

Enzo's eyebrows twitch for a moment before he relaxes his face. "Yes."

"How...how did it happen? If you don't mind me asking, but if you don't want to talk about it, I understand."

He creases his eyebrows as his long fingers trace patterns on the table cloth. He looks up and out into the vast yard before he starts speaking. "I was asked to go with my Uncle to a meeting. Except it wasn't a meeting, not like one you'd think, anyway. We drove to an old farmhouse out in the middle of nowhere. 

When we got out of the car, I had this feeling that something terrible was going to happen. When we walked into the barn, there were five people on their knees, their hands tied behind their backs, with bags over their heads.

My Uncle looked at me and told me I would see firsthand what happens when people betray him. These people, each one of them, worked for him, but they each broke Omertà, the code of silence. There were three men and two women; the women were crying and trembling. And one of the men had pissed himself."

"My Uncle asked me to take off the sacks, covering their heads. I still remember the shocked look on each of their faces as they saw me, standing in front of them; a kid."

"My Uncle's 'training' for that first year lead to that moment. The training involved anything from learning different fighting styles, how to use and fight with all different kinds of weapons, learning how to read people, studying different languages, even fucking dance lessons." He laughs coldly, and I think of the night at the gala and how well he moved.

"But the worst part was at night. See, for the first two weeks, I had a nice room, comfy bed, new clothes, warm food. But as soon as training began, he'd lock me in a dark room, in the basement at night, no bed, a small torn blanket to use. The food that he'd give me was cold and tasteless.

He'd see me once a week; that went on for the first year. There were limited interactions with the men unless we were training, and when I had to fight them, they wouldn't take it easy on me because I was a kid. This was from my first knife fight." He gestures to the scar on the side of his face.

"Anyway, so there I was, standing in front of these 'traitors' as my Uncle called them. He shot four of them, and as he raised his gun on the last one, he turned and held his gun out to me.

He said it was time to prove my worth to him, to prove he didn't waste his time with me over that first year. To show if I had more balls than my father ever did." He stops, swallowing hard.

He rubs his hands on his thighs, taking a deep breath. "The look in her eyes before I pulled the trigger still haunts me to this day. The sound of her crying and begging me not to do it--still runs through my mind."

I wipe my eyes and sniff as I look out into the large acres of land. "Do you feel bad about it? When you kill people?"

Enzo looks down before looking back up at me, and his gaze is severe. "No."

I let out the air I was holding in and look away.

"Every person I have killed was not good, Stella. That's why you have to understand, I wasn't sent to kill you but to send a message to Timo. And by having me do it, Timo couldn't brush it off as he has over the years, from what I've heard."

"And you do know Cristian and Timo are like brothers. My Uncle didn't take the job from Bobby because that just what the Fratellanza does, although that's what Bobby thinks; it's because he wanted to know what Bobby's up to."

"Wait, so you're saying Timo knew you were behind the attack from the get-go?" I ask, starting to feel angry.

"No, no. He didn't; Timo reached out to my Uncle asking about the real identity of his number one assassin, Furia." He says, almost smiling. "Which I'm assuming you told him who I was, and that's when Cristian told Timo about Bobby setting his sights on you and Isabella."

"But if Bobby gave you the greenlight to kill my Uncle would you have done it?" I observe his face carefully. 

"Stella, my Uncle took the job knowing that was going to be a probability but we would have found a way around it. Faked his death, even. We've done it before." Enzo tells me.

I sit back, letting all that he's told me sink in, and then I look at him, "Are things better with your Uncle? Like he's nice to you, now?"

Enzo snorts, "Sure, I mean, Cristian has a funny way of showing "love," but yeah, I guess you can say things are better. Anyway, enough about my sad life. At least, you've had a charmed life, looks like." His voice is teasing and not judgmental.

It's my turn to snort. "It may appear like that, but it's far from that. I felt like a prisoner most of the time, until recently." My thoughts drift to JP.

Enzo seems to read my mind. "So you and JP, it's fairly new?" He asks me as I look over at the house, knowing he's probably watching; I smile and nod.

"He seems a little...intense, and that's saying something, coming from me. He's watching us right now, you know."

"Yes, I wouldn't doubt it." I chuckle, shaking my head. "He's just really passionate about anything or anyone he loves."

"Love?"

My face reddens as he watches me closely. "Isn't that a little fast?"

I shrug. "Not really. We've known each other and lived together in the same house since I moved in here; we know everything about each other."

Enzo laughs lightly. "You can't know everything about someone, Stella." He admonishes me, and I frown at him.

"Yes, you can. We knew everything about each other, didn't we?"

He looks at me thoughtfully. "I don't know. I mean, I didn't know who my own father was until that night, Stella."

I know he's right about that, but JP and I do know everything about one another.

"I think... in the end; we only think we know people." He tells me. "Alright enough, serious shit. What are your plans? You don't strike me as one that will be taking over your Uncle's business?" He says, taking another sip of his coffee.

I look at him and sigh deeply. "You're right. I don't want anything to do with my Uncle's business. I'm going to travel to Paris in a couple of months, I enrolled in some baking programs out there, and eventually, I want to open and own my own pastry shop."

"Wow, very cool. So you're following your dream after all." He smiles at me.

He laughs suddenly. "Do you remember when you took those Oreo cookies to school that you filled with toothpaste?"

I laugh, too, remembering. "Yes! That's because Trevor Black was always taking my lunch and eating it before lunchtime, and then I wouldn't have anything to eat, so you'd share your food with me."

I smile at the memory. "Do you remember how he yelled after he bit into one?" I laugh loudly. Enzo nods his head, laughing along with me.

"You know what I remember?" I ask and start laughing uncontrollably. He smiles as he watches me, but I can't stop laughing as the memory comes to mind.

"After I told you Sean Malone was making fun of me, you put a small piece of chocolate on his chair, and when he stood up, it had smeared on his pants. Everyone was calling him 'Skidmark Sean' after that."

He laughs, throwing his head back. "Oh yeah, good times!"

I watch as he laughs, remembering how easy he always laughed. "How's your arm feeling?" His forearm is bandaged where Zeus latched on to him.

He shrugs his shoulders. "It's fine. I've had worse, believe it or not." I do believe him, though.

I look over as the terrace door opens and Annalisa steps out, and she seems upset but quickly puts a smile on her face when her eyes meet mine.

"Hey, girl. I just wanted to say bye, before I head out." She tells me.

Annalisa looks at Enzo and smiles at him, and he stands as she approaches, returning the smile. "It's nice to finally put a face to the friend she grew up with, Enzo. Sorry, I look a mess."

He pulls a chair out for her. "You're far from a mess," He tells her, smiling at her with a slight wink.

She shakes her head at him, smiling. "I won't be staying; I need to get home."

"I'll walk you out," I tell her, and we all head back into the house.

JOHN PAUL

You're being irrational. It's fine. She's happy; that's what matters. They're just friends. There's nothing to worry about.

Sure, there isn't. He's totally not into her...my subconscious sarcastically taunts me. He's just weaseling his way into her heart, and you're stupid enough to let it happen, right in front of you, dumbass.

I grind my teeth as I watch her laugh at something he tells her; she covers her mouth as she continues laughing loudly.

"Geez, you'd think Kevin Hart was out there, the way she keeps laughing her ass off," Joey says, standing next to me. I grip my glass to keep from hitting him for pointing out the obvious.

I decide to change the subject. "Where's Annalisa?"

Joey gives me a side glance before walking away towards the fridge. "She's still sleeping; I didn't want to wake her."

"So... nothing is going on between you two?" I ask as I pour my second cup of coffee.

"Nope," He breaks off a piece of muffin off and pops it in his mouth. "Why?"

I shrug. "I don't know; it's just you make it pretty obvious you're into her."

He shakes his head. "I'm not into her; I just like to see her get all flustered and shit."

I snort in response. "Right..."

"Fuck man, are you kidding me? That girl is way more trouble than she's worth. I mean, sure, it'd be nice to fuck her, but she's got stage five clinger written all over that gorgeous face of hers. I'd end up wanting to chew my own leg off, out of that bear trap!"

"So you don't give a shit about her then? You wouldn't care if she started dating someone seriously?" I ask him narrowing my eyes at him.

"Ha! If anything, it might help loosen her up a bit; she's got a self-righteous stick shoved so far up her ass, she can't ever relax."

I shake my head at his blatant denial and put my focus back on my girl when I hear someone clear their throat.

We turn towards the sound and see Annalisa standing in the doorway; her eyes glisten, but her face is like stone.

"I just wanted to say goodbye to Charmaine; I didn't see her in her room. Do you know where she is?"

"She's out on the terrace with Enzo," I tell her. She doesn't look at or say anything to Joey as she walks by us towards the terrace.

"Do you think she heard me?" Joey asks me quietly.

I sigh heavily at my clueless, idiot friend. "What do you think, Joe?"

A few minutes later, Charmaine, Annalisa, and Enzo walk back into the kitchen. Charmaine skips over to me cheerfully. "Hey, handsome."

She reaches up and pulls my face towards hers as she places a kiss on my lips. I relish the fact that she's not shy to show her love for me, publicly and I return the kiss as I run my hands down and squeeze her ass lightly.

"Alright, so I'm going to head out, Char. I'll call you later." Annalisa interrupts us, and I let go of her so she can say goodbye.

Annalisa turns to Enzo. "I'm sure I'll see you around, Enzo. It's nice to meet you formally and not as Leo." She smiles and winks at him.

Enzo takes her hand and places a kiss over her knuckles. "Anche tu, Annalisa." Charmaine smiles at the two of them and hooks her arm in Annalisa's, leading her out of the kitchen.

"Bye, Annalisa," Joey calls out, but she doesn't say anything back; she doesn't even acknowledge him as she walks out.

"You're fucked." I tell him.

"No, I'm not," Joey responds. "That's just what we do." But the troubled look on his face tells me he knows he fucked up.

"Must have been bad for a beautiful girl to reject you, like that openly," Enzo speaks up, sitting on a stool at the island.

"No one asked you; mind your own damn business." Joey glowers at him.

Enzo shrugs and starts eating from the fruit and cheese plate Carmela had set out earlier. "So, when does daddy Warbucks get here? I've got shit to do."

"In a hurry to murder people?" Joey responds.

Enzo smiles at him. "Time is money, bro."

"So, what are your intentions with Charmaine, exactly?" Joey asks imprudently.

Enzo's head snaps up to look at him. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"You think you can just show up and force your way into her life like it's no big deal? You fucking tried to kill her, and you expect us all to be okay with that, just because you were friends before you turned into a serial killer?"

"Joey!" I yell at him to stop him. I know he's lashing out because of what's going with Annalisa.

"That's right; I am a killer, faccia di culo." (Assface)

Enzo stands, looking directly into Joey's eyes. "So I'd watch what comes out of that dumbass mouth of yours. Unless you want me to show you what I'm really capable of; You think you guys beat me yesterday?

I was holding back, not wanting to hurt anyone that could be close to her, in case she was here, after all. Maybe the fact that I didn't pull any weapons on any of you escapes your small brain. She's the reason why you're all still alive." His voice is low and menacing.

"Hey, guys, what's going on?" Charmaine walks back into the kitchen, watching the tense scene unfold in front of her.

"Nothing." We all say in unison.

It's unnerving how quickly Enzo's face switched from threatening and menacing to charming and good-natured, reminding me of his lethal training.

Charmaine narrows her eyes at us but walks in, over to me. I put my arm around her shoulders, her presence instantly calming me.

"Was your friend okay? She seemed upset about something?" Enzo asks, his face reading genuine concern, and Joey narrows his eyes at him.

"Um, she was bothered, but it's not something that I can talk about with you fellas," She smiles at him, "You know, girl code and all."

He nods at her as he continues to snack on the food tray. My father comes in from the other entrance. "Meeting in the conference room. Charmaine, Timo asked that you sit this out, per favore.

Charmaine huffs next to me. "Why?"

"You know not to question Timo, Charmaine." My father states in a serious tone before he walks out.

I give her a quick kiss. "I'll find you after," I tell her, and I catch Enzo winking at her as he walks out before I follow him out.

When we walk into the conference room, David, Tobias, Santino are already sitting around the table with Timo.

"Lorenzo, it's good to meet you in person." Timo shakes Enzo's hand. "I remember seeing photos of you as a child, in your father's office. I'm sure he would be proud of the contributions you have made in your family's name."

Enzo's face is emotionless. "My father was a fucking coward; he couldn't face the consequences of his fucking selfish decisions that lead to tearing our family apart. His opinion of what I've done or become means shit to me."

Timo hides his surprise in Enzo's blunt honesty well. "Right...well, let me start by thanking you for being there for Charmaine, not once but twice, and helping keep her safe."

"Someone's got to," He says, keeping his eyes only on Timo while I feel my blood boiling at his insinuation that we don't do enough to keep her safe.

"I'm curious, though. Why do you keep Stella in the dark of who she is to you? You keep her out of everything when everything revolves around her, doesn't it? You do realize how counterproductive that is. It's no surprise she resents living here and maybe even you; you all underestimate her."

Timo clenches his jaw as Enzo continues. "The only reason I can come up with is, you're not sure if she is yours, after all this time..."

Timo stands up. "You don't know what you're talking about." His nostrils flare as he glares back at Enzo. "That's not why she's kept out of everything." 

"Possibly, but I think I'm pretty damn close, yes?" Enzo leans back. "Look, I'm not here to fight or argue. Until I discovered who she was, I thought she was dead. I'm telling you this so you can do the right thing. But you need to know; Bobby is onto who she is. He knows Isabella gave birth to a child and that that child might be his..."

My head snaps to Timo.

Timo pales slightly. This can't be true.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" I inquire.

Enzo continues, only looking at Timo as if he's the only one in the room. "He's found her, Timo. And he won't stop until he has her by his side, again."

Timo's eyes snap back at Enzo, then at my father. "Get De Marco on the phone!" Timo barks. My father pulls out his phone and dials a number, handing it to Timo. "Si, De Marco? Ho bisogno di parlarle." (I need to talk to her)

Timo turns away from us as he speaks into the phone, and his voice softens. "It's me, amore. He knows, and he's coming. Si, ciao." He hangs up and hands the phone back to my father.

"How much time does she have?" Timo quietly asks as he continues to look out the window in the conference room.

"I don't know," Enzo answers him. "He's been watching her for a while now, from what Cristian and I could see. He's also called off the hit on Stella until he can confirm if she's his daughter."

I stand and my chair flies back. "You knew she might not be yours and haven't said anything? This is going to fucking crush her." I look at Timo furiously.

"Don't fucking question me, John Paul!" Timo yells back.

"Sit the fuck down, John Paul!" My father adds, but I move away from the table, looking out the large windows, trying to calm down.

Timo sighs deeply. "What can you tell me about Sofia, other than we know, she's an illegitimate daughter of Cardinale."

Enzo responds. "To be honest, I didn't know that myself until the Atlantic City trip. Bobby doesn't even know about her yet."

"What?" I turn around. "So, she wasn't the reason you knew about Charmaine's study group in the library."

Enzo finally looks at me. "Yes and no. I had been watching and following Stella and saw her with her two friends. Sofia seemed the more approachable one. Bobby wanted the job done as quickly as possible. The gorgeous blonde, who I now know as Annalisa, seemed like too much work to get through to."

"That's an understatement," Joey chimes in, and we all turn to glare at him.

"Anyway, as I got to know her more, I noticed Sofia wasn't as close to Stella as Annalisa. Her apartment was bare, for having been living there for four years. I also found correspondence with the name Sofia LaMontagne.

After digging, I found out her mother was a regular escort that Bobby frequented whenever he traveled to Louisiana on business in his younger days. He was listed as her father on the birth certificate but being who he is; he managed to have the records changed. So, while it seems he was aware he had a child, Bobby's never claimed her as his; he's never even met her."

"Her mom was killed, working the streets when Sofia was thirteen, and she was raised in the system, but excelled in school and got a few scholarships earning her spot at Columbia.

But her being at Columbia with Stella is no coincidence. I found a file full of information on Stella with pictures, hundreds of them of her from when she lived with Dominic and Serena in New Jersey to when she moved here with you, Timo; I'm talking borderline obsessive."

My blood runs cold at hearing that; I didn't know Elena well, but to hear she was pretty much stalking Stella for so long before she even talked to her at Columbia is unnerving.

"Before all of that, though, I had taken a copy of her schedule and told her I missed a lot of my Econ class, and she mentioned a study group, and I knew she had a lot of the same courses with Stella.

The night before the library incident, she texted me and told me she would miss the study group. So, I knew that was when I had to make my move, knowing she wouldn't be there.

But just as I explained to Stella, it was just meant to send a message to you, Timo. But Stella didn't make it easy, which I'm glad for in hindsight. And when I went through her bag, I found the picture of her and Serena in her wallet."

"When I tell you time stopped at that moment, looking at the picture, but I still had to make sure. Then I saw Stella wearing the necklace her mom--I mean Serena, gave her on her 10th birthday, and I knew.

It was the night at the restaurant near the mall; she was with Annalisa and some other guy that was not you." Enzo looks at me, smirking, and I grit my teeth at his antagonistic antics.

"I warned Stella about Sofia outside of the restaurant in Atlantic City because I knew she wasn't honest about who she was, but what Sofia didn't count on was Bobby also planning an attack the same day, which is why she bailed, I assume."

"You're saying she's not working for Bobby Cardinale?" I ask him.

"No. At least she wasn't then. I don't know what her end game is, but I know she has her sights set on Stella."

"So what's your role in all of this, now that you know who she is? You can't finish what you were contracted to do unless you plan on seeing it through after all?" I question him.

Enzo stands, narrowing his eyes. "Listen, testa di minchia (dickhead). If I wanted her dead, she would be. Maybe you haven't been paying attention because you have your head so far up your ass, but I've saved her twice now. Where were you, huh?"

"You're still not answering the question. So how are you going to play this out?" I fold my arms, waiting for his response.

"I can't blow my cover with Bobby, but the goal is to keep her alive."

"What the fuck does that even mean?"

"Look, you already had one traitor among your group, so you can't blame me for not saying too much with your lot." He says, looking around the room.

"No one in this room would betray me," Timo tells him.

"Well, that's the difference between you and me, Timo. I don't trust anyone, not even myself." Enzo responds.

Well, that's just fucking great; that makes me feel so much better about Charmaine being around him.

~~~~~~~

Who thinks Enzo is trustworthy? 

Any thoughts on what Sofia's role is?