♛ Fear. Fear is the first thing that crosses your mind when you think of a loved one in danger. It's what makes your heart race, your palms sweat, and your mind go numb with panic. And right now, fear is all I can feel as I speed down the highway, driving home as fast as I could, trying to hold back tears while my mother was on the phone, crying and begging me to get home soon.

"Vanya, please, hurry home," Mama sobs on the other end of the line. "Your brother is in trouble, and we need to talk to your Papa and Zio Paolo to convince them to save him before it's too late."

I can feel the weight of her words in my chest, and I grip the steering wheel tighter. This isn't the first time our family has been in trouble, but something about this feels different, more dangerous. The thought of losing my brother, the thought of him being hurt or worse, is too much to bear.

Danger. Danger is all I've known my entire life. It's a constant presence, lurking around every corner, waiting to strike. It's like a shadow that never leaves your side. And right now, that shadow was looming over my brother. My family may have tried to shield me from the harsh reality of our lifestyle, but I know enough to understand the stakes.

My family is part of the Mafia, and we're sworn enemies of the Ferrara family. But my brother, Koen, got himself into a mess with the Ferraras, and they're threatening to kill him. My mother is trying to talk to my Zio Paolo and Papa to convince them to do something. But I know it won't be easy.

Zio Paolo was the Capo, the Head of the Santoros and a sworn enemy of Antonio Ferrara, the Head of the Ferraras. The power struggle between Santoros and Ferraras has existed for generations now and often, members of the family get caught in the crossfire of trying to establish an upperhand in the Cosa Nostra. But I refused to let my brother be the scapegoat this time.

I drove as fast as I could, the city streets a blur around me. My hands were shaking on the steering wheel, and my heart was pounding in my chest. As I drove up the winding road, I tried to calm myself down and focus on what I needed to do. My mother was still on the line, her sobs audible even over the sound of my car engine. I knew they were in a meeting, but my mother was desperate and couldn't wait before she called and begged me to rush home at an instant. She knew too well that Zio Paolo would not see past his hatred for the Ferraras to want to get to a negotiation that could spare my brother's life. And as much as I adored Papa, he would never go against his Capo's orders, even if it meant risk losing his son.

Finally, I reached the front door of the mansion and rush inside to the living room, where my mother was waiting for me. She was a mess, and I could see the fear in her eyes. "Vanya, you have to help us," she said, clutching my arm. "You have to talk to your Papa and Zio. They'll listen to you."

I only nodded in response as I walked past the guards and headed to Zio's office where all their men were gather, discussing the situation with a grim expression on their faces. My heart sank even further as I saw their faces.

"What's going on? What's happened to Koen?" I asked, my voice shaking.

Papa looked at me with a mixture of sadness and resignation, "Vanya? What are you doing here? You shouldn't have drove here alone at such a time-"

"What happened to Koen, Papa?" I repeat, cutting him off. I didn't care about my safety right now. Not unless I knew for sure that my brother was going to be back here with me and Mama soon. Safe as well.

"It's the Ferraras," he said. "They've taken him, and they won't release him unless we give them something they want."

I felt a chill run down at the thought of it. They were our sworn enemies, and I knew that whatever they wanted, it would come at a high price. And if the price wasn't paid in due time, they wouldn't release my brother. That meant only one thing. They'd kill him.

My mother's voice echoed in my ear, urging me to do whatever it took to save my brother. But as I looked around the room of prideful Mafia men, I knew that this was not going to be an easy task. It was going to take everything we had, and more, to get Koen back.

And so, the fear and danger that had always been a part of my life became even more real. I didn't know what lay ahead, but I knew that I had to be strong and do whatever it took to save my brother's life.