"I wasn't locked in. They tried to kidnap and threatened me because of some boss that doesn't want me to have anything to do with my uncle who's behind bars."

Knox steps aside and lets me enter his office. There's photos of different members of the family lining the walls. He watches me closely as I take everything in. "Why don't you take a seat so we can talk?"

My fingers run across the brown shelf in the room, where the photos are. "Am I going to be interrogated because of what happened at Twin Towers Correctional Facility?"

He shakes his head. "No, I'm not going to do that. I want to talk to you like a friend would."

Slowly moving over to the chair I say. "We're not going to be friends Mr. Moretti. You're going to get all the information you need from me and then make sure that I don't darken your doorstep again."

Knox takes a seat behind his mahogany desk. "You don't trust people do you?"

I laugh. "Since, I came back home there hasn't been any reason for me to trust people. The ones that should have been happy that I'm back don't want me and the one person I shouldn't like is the reason that I'm staying here. Isn't that messed up?"

Lauren sits next to me and places her hand on my arm. "I know exactly how you feel. Knox and I had a similar thing happen when we first met, but things worked out perfectly for us. I believe the same will happen for Cole and you."

Is she always this optimistic?

Knox looks at his wife and his eyes shine brightly as he says. "That's not messed up, Julia. At least you don't have to go through all the things I did to have Lauren as my wife. There was a lot of people that didn't want me to marry her, but at the end love won out and they were happy that I was going to have heirs that would one day take over the empire."

Looking at Lauren I say. "How do you feel about your kids taking over the empire?"

She stands up and walks into Knox's arms. "Our first born son is going to make an extraordinary head of the family when the time comes. We're raising him to be kind to people, but when it comes to criminals we have to teach him to be hard on them or else people are going to walk over him when it comes time for him to take over."

"Will he have guys stand by him? When they're growing up?"

He nods. "I have a few men that have sons around his age."

"That's good."

Knox looks at the table and then back at me. "How is it that I wanted to talk to you about your life and you can make us talk about ours?"

I shrug. "It comes natural to me, Knox. A lot of the time people like talking about themselves, but I see how hard it is for you because you're the head of a criminal empire. Just know that if you need someone to talk to you can call me."

He runs his hand across his face and sighs. "I see why Cole had to be cold towards you in high school. You're the type of person they people want to share secrets with, but that's also something that can get you killed. I'm surprised that you haven't effected Amalia yet."

A smile spreads across my face. "She's the type of woman with few words, but I can tell she misses her husband and kids. Why don't you let her bring them here while she trains?"

Lauren steps in this time saying. "She's afraid of taking them with her because the family could turn against her. Having her husband stay behind and lead the family is making her life a bit easier. Things are always going to be harder on Amalia."

"Because she's a female?"

"Yes," Knox says. "That's why I don't want my daughter to lead the family. They will treat her like shit and I don't want that to happen to her."

Hearing pattering of small feet Lauren says. "Here comes the little one."

"Daddy," the door opens and I see the cutest little boy. He has blonde hair and blue eyes like his parents. "Can we go to the park?"

Knox scoops the little boy up. "Sure, I need to get out of this office." Looking at me he adds. "We'll talk again later?"

"Sure," I stand up and walk out of the room. "Can someone show me to my room? I would really like to rest up before dinner."

"I'll show you." Lauren says, she leads the way to the bedroom. "The sheets have been freshly put on the bed. We normally don't have too many visitors in the house at one time, but I'm glad that you're here, Julia."

"I've only been brought here because Cole wants to make sure I'm safe after what happened today. There's no better place for me to be than on a house full of mafia members. I just hope the people that were after me at the Correctional Facility don't come for me while I'm here."

"If they do. They're stupid. Knox has this place secured like fort knocks."

I step into the room with purple paint on the walls and matching curtains. "Thanks,"

Lauren closes the door and I walk over to the bed.

Pulling my phone out of my pocket I call Cole. He answers after a couple of rings.

Cole: Hey, Julia.

Me: Hey, Cole. What are you doing?

Cole: I'm about to go out for dinner with family. You?

Me: I'm crawling into bed at Knox's place.

Cole: Are you feeling okay?

Me: I'm tired from everything that happened today. I wish you were here and not in New York.

Cole: Me, too.

We're quiet for a moment before Cole says.

Cole: The high school reunion is in two weeks and I've been asked if I'm bringing someone with me. Do you want to go or not?

Me: I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't step foot in our old high school again, but being able to move forward from what you did to me is making me wonder if I can do the same with the other people from school.

Cole: Does that mean you're coming to the reunion?

Me: Yes, Cole. I'll go with you.

Cole: That's great. Can we make it like it's our prom? I come to your house in a limo with flowers and chocolates?

I laugh.

Me: If you weren't the asshole you were in high school would you have asked me to prom?

Cole: Yes, I would have. I didn't want you to know my secret of being in a mafia family. That's why I had to do what I did. My life back then was dangerous as I was helping my cousin in New York when we were in high school.

Me: Thanks for telling me, Cole. If you would have asked me to prom I would have accepted in a heartbeat.

Cole: I'm going to make our high school reunion a night for you to remember, Julia.

Me: Okay.

I close my eyes and listen to Cole as he talks to me. The last thing I hear before he hangs up is.

Cole: Sleep tight, Julia. I can't wait to see you on Monday.