Sunday morning had been practically idyllic. The Benedetto cousins had come around for breakfast at Abby's house. She and Lucy had cooked enough food to feed an army. Laughter and raucous stories about their family had filled the early morning meal. Everyone studiously avoided the very large pink elephant in the room. They all knew how rotten Damon had treated Bonnie last night. They also knew that her cool demeanor meant that there was a reckoning on the horizon. Having Damon beat into a bloody pulp would be satisfying but ultimately meaningless. Bonnie would extract compensation from her estranged husband in her own time and it would be exorbitant.

Later that morning they all attended Mass together. Bonnie found it refreshing to be around family that shared her beliefs. It had been unsettling to marry into a family that had long ago turned their backs on the church. As a child, she would attend Mass every Sunday morning with her grandmother. After church, Sheila would take Bonnie to lunch. There she would explain the priest's lessons in a way that a young child could understand. Sheila believed that the bloody business they were born into was capable of stripping away a person's soul, humanity, and sanity. She taught Bonnie to use her faith to remain grounded. Sheila felt that it was the only way to control the darkness lurking in their hearts. She knew how easy it was to transition from doing monstrous things to becoming a monster.

Bonnie kept that lesson in mind as she said goodbye to her little girl. She picked Sarah up and hugged her close. She said, "You are going to spend the afternoon with Nonna. She has so many fun things planned."

Sarah wrapped her arms around Bonnie's neck and squeezed. "Why can't I come with you, Mama?"

The raven-haired girl had been more attached to her mother since she witnessed Giuseppe attack her. However, that attachment had seemingly intensified in the last few days.

Bonnie hated denying Sarah even a moment of her time. However, her plans for the afternoon couldn't be altered. She smoothed a hand over Sarah's back and said, "I would love to take you with me, but I have a very important meeting this afternoon, Bambolina. You would be very bored while you waited for me. But I promise that I will not be gone for long. We can do whatever you want when I get home."

Her blue eyes sparkled as she asked, "Can we have a tea party?"

"I think a tea party sounds lovely. I bet we could even convince your uncle Jamie to join us. Wouldn't that be fun?" asked Bonnie. Her voice was loud enough to catch her younger brother's attention.

Jamie was standing nearby staring at his phone. He scoffed but then asked, "Will the tea be real?"

Bonnie laughed and asked, "What good is a tea party without proper tea and tiny sandwiches? I might even stop by the bakery to pick up some scones and teacakes. But only if you are a very good girl for Nonna."

Sarah nodded excitedly. "I will be a very good girl. I promise, Mama."

Bonnie smiled and peppered Sarah's little face with kisses. She placed the girl on her feet and gave her a gentle pat on the back. "Go on. I will see you soon. I love you."

"I love you, too."

Jamie held out his hand. "Come on, Bambi. Let's go see what game Cooper is playing on his tablet."

Sara raced forward and grabbed her uncle's hand. Then the pair walked over to the car where Cooper was already waiting.

Abby was holding a sleeping Savannah in her arms while she chatted quietly with Lucy. Bonnie couldn't hear their conversation but she could guess the content. Abby didn't know exactly where her daughter was headed but she knew it was dangerous. She was likely telling Lucy to keep Bonnie safe from whatever new threat was lurking in the shadows. However, her mother did not need to go to the trouble. Lucy wasn't the only Benedetto that would be accompanying the young woman this afternoon. The world was about to change for their family in a very big way.

Bonnie walked across the courtyard to join her mother and cousin. She said, "It's time to get going, Luce."

Lucy smiled and jokingly said, "I know. I was just reassuring your mother. She is worried about her little girl. I'm trying to convince Abby that she can't toss you into a burlap sack and take you home to Milazzo."

The young woman knew that Lucy was joking but Abby did feel that way. Bonnie couldn't blame her. She would want to do the same if someone was threatening Sarah. While Shadow Hills was home, Milazzo was being within the protective bosom of family.

"These are strange times. I keep feeling like something terrible is barreling right towards us," Abby replied ominously.

"Are turning odd in your old age like Grandma Emily did? Have you started dreaming of fishes?" Lucy asked jokingly.

Bonnie rested a hand on her stomach with a laugh. She said, "Well, she would be a little late on that premonition."

"Don't make me curse both of you out in front of the Lord's house," the older woman retorted with a small smile on her face.

Lucy chuckled softly and put her hands up in a placating gesture. "My lips are sealed…"

Abby rolled her eyes and said, "You haven't stopped talking since you started babbling at seven months old. You fell in love with the sound of your own voice from the very beginning."

The younger woman smirked. "It's not my fault that I was blessed with the voice of an angel."

Abby stepped forward and hugged Bonnie. "I want you to be safe, baby girl."

She smiled warmly and nodded her head in the direction of their male cousins. "What do you think is going to happen to me with those three lugs watching me like hawks?"

Abby followed her daughter's gaze and relaxed. "Well, I feel better knowing that the three musketeers will be with the two of you."

Bonnie lowered her voice and said, "Tyler is going to be there, too."

"They all will," added Lucy for good measure.

Abby nodded knowingly. Now she understood what was happening to some degree. "Well, don't let me keep you any longer. I am going to get the kids home and get them working on Christmas cookies like little Keebler elves."

Bonnie motioned for Matt and said, "Mattie is going home with you to keep an eye on things. Better safe than sorry…"

Abby said, "Well, don't just stand there like a lump on a long, Matthew. Come along. Are you any good at baking?"

"Uh, sort of." Matt squeezed Bonnie's forearm and smiled. "Give em hell, Bon."

"Oh, I will," she replied cheerfully.

Lucy and Bonnie linked arms and walked across the parking lot. Two Range Rovers with tinted windows were idling while Cesare, Remy, and Cristian talked amongst themselves. The girls climbed into the back of the first car.

A moment later, Lexi climbed into the front passenger seat. She said, "I just talked to my little brother. Almost everyone is present and accounted for. It is all business as usual as far as anyone is concerned. They think that my father called the meeting."

The Benedetto family was different from other mafia organizations. The women born and married into the family weren't automatically shut out of the process. Those that showed a certain aptitude were given an opportunity to prove themselves. A few generations removed, they had not forgotten how Hannah's ingenuity had given life to the empire they now held. The Benedetto family had been simple merchants that turned into smugglers in the mid nineteenth century. They would have remained inconsequential if not for Vincenzo falling in love with such a formidable woman.

Lexi was a Lockwood by birth but she became a Benedetto after marrying Cesare. She had jumped at the opportunity of having a role in the organization. Her mother, Carol, was a tender soul. Lexi had inherited that caring spirit but she was also her father's daughter. She wanted more out of life than motherhood alone could provide. That wasn't to say that she didn't want to be a mother. Lexi and Cesare had four children in nearly eight years of marriage. She just hadn't been able to stomach the idea of her gender forcing her into only occupying that space in the world.

"Good. I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise," Bonnie quipped.

Lucy chuckled softly and pulled a hand carved mahogany box from her purse. She said, "I found out from my gran that Abby had this locked away. I thought you might like to have it for today. Unfortunately, my asking Abby for it tipped her off about what is about to go down. Sorry."

Bonnie's green eyes warmed when she saw the box. She took it from Lucy and ran her fingers over the intricate carvings. Bonnie flipped open the top and smiled at the gleaming silver item inside. "I haven't seen this since I was a little girl. Thank you, Luce."

"It was nothing," she replied airily.

Bonnie ran her fingers over the cold metal and then closed the box once more. She opened her bag and placed the box inside. "That's not true at all."

Lucy casually studied her manicured nails. She asked, "Have you heard from Damon?"

Lexi peered over the seat because she was interested in that question, too. Tyler hadn't been the only Lockwood that wanted to murder Damon last night. She would never forget the look on her father's face when she relayed the story. He took his responsibility of looking out for Bonnie seriously. Richard felt as if he had let Sheila down for a second time.

"No, I haven't talked to him. He has sent a few text messages that I haven't answered. I will speak to him when I am ready. Not a minute sooner…"

"Good. You make his dumb ass stew for a while. He deserves that and a hell of a lot more," Lucy said snidely. "For a moment, I thought he was going to be stupid enough to put his fucking hands on you."

The younger girl shook her head. "I know that you have very little faith in my husband. However, I can say with certainty that he is not a wife batterer. He's too worried about turning into Giuseppe—not that I blame him."

Lucy bit her tongue because she didn't share Bonnie's faith in Damon's integrity. She didn't hate him as some members of their family did. There was a time when she had a thing for Damon. She knew that he was capable of goodness. However, her positive vibes had soured upon seeing how he treated Bonnie. She wondered where the old Damon she occasionally snorted cocaine with in her early 20's had gone.

Cesare climbed into the driver's side of the car and looked in the back seat. "Ready?"

Bonnie nodded. "Yep."

He started the car and pulled out of the church's parking lot. Fortunately, it was not a long drive because the meeting place was in the area. Richard had chosen one of their rarely used warehouses because of the proximity to the church.

Bonnie asked, "Do you think that Beatrice would be interested in moving out here?"

The mention of her younger sister caught Lucy off guard for a moment. "She has thought about leaving Miami and spreading her wings. She talked to Tessa about a job for a while before backing off the idea. Why do you ask?"

"There is going to be a shake up at Velocita very soon. Mama suggested Aunt Ayana as a viable replacement for Damon as CEO. I will need to meet with her first but I am inclined to agree," she explained.

Cesare chuckled as he made an illegal U-turn in the middle of an intersection.

Lexi frowned. "I am driving back because you're going to kill us."

"Yes, mio amore." He looked at Bonnie in the rearview mirror. "Zacharias will not be pleased if he gets passed over."

"Well, he will just have to deal with it. I have had quite enough of the Salvatores running roughshod over Velocita. We need to move our family members into better positions within the company. Besides, Damon and Zach will have their hands full with the organization. We need a CEO that can devote all of his or her attention to Velocita. There is no one more qualified for the job than Auntie. She was the chief operating officer of our company before the merger."

Lucy asked, "Where does Bea fit into this plan?"

"We are going to have to shuffle several positions within the company to accommodate the changes I have in mind. The head of our public relations department will soon have a different job title. I was thinking that Bea would be a perfect fit."

While Lucy had chosen to put her roots in their families illegal dealings, her younger sister had focused on their legitimate business ventures. To that end, Beatrice had earned a master's degree in Public Relations and Corporate Communications. "I can talk to her. Maybe she can come out for a visit when my granny comes to town in a few weeks."

Bonnie smiled and squeezed Lucy's hand in thanks. "I would love that. I haven't seen Bea…"

"Since the funeral," Lucy finished softly.

She nodded. Bonnie's hand sought out the Saint Christopher's medal around her neck. Her goals had changed drastically since the day Damon learned what Giuseppe had done to her. At that point, all she wanted was her family and her business. Bonnie still wanted her family only Damon was no longer included in that number. She longed to be closer to those that shared her blood. The Salvatores were every bit as poisonous as Abby had claimed that they were. They were men that did not understand how to do monstrous things without themselves turning into monsters.

"Nonno will be coming here, too. He and Zia Geneva have synchronized their trips," Cesare added.

Lucy said, "We should have a party. It's not every day that Uncle Johnny makes a trip to the States."

"You're always looking for a reason to party, Luce," Bonnie chided playfully.

"I want to get all of my partying in before shit starts sagging. Then I will settle down with the white picket fence and 2.5 kids."

The younger girl smiled mischievously. "Are you thinking about settling down with Brady? He's just your kinda crazy. You two have been spending a lot of time together since you hooked up over Thanksgiving."

Lucy lifted an eyebrow and said, "You're just trying to start shit now."

Bonnie shrugged innocently. "I'm just saying that you two have looked mighty cozy."

Lexi looked over the seat with a smirk. Because of her grandfather spending more than a decade in prison, she was embarrassingly close in age to her uncles, Brady and Mason. Therefore, they were more like her older brothers. "There is just something about Loiaconos and Benedettos. We can't keep our hands off each other."

Lucy smirked at her younger cousin. "Ain't that the truth?"

Bonnie rolled her eyes as they pulled up to a gray warehouse made of corrugated metal. Around twenty-five cars occupied the parking lot. It looked as if everyone had heeded Richard's summons. However, none of them had reason to be suspicious. John had died at a Mikaelson establishment and they had dead and injured men in France. Moreover, Giuseppe was running amok and Damon had put a bounty out on his head. It was reasonable for Richard to ensure they had their proverbial ducks in a row.

Tyler walked out of the warehouse before Cesare even had a chance to turn off the engine.

Bonnie climbed out of the car with a grin. They had only been apart a handful of hours but she had missed him all the same. "How goes it?"

He took a minute to admire Bonnie's appearance because she was a vision of beauty. Tyler cleared his throat when he realized that he had been staring too long. "Uh, my old man is keeping everyone occupied with business."

Bonnie was wearing a pair of dark denim jeans, a blue tank top made of silk, and a fitted black leather jacket. She slung her purse over her shoulder and followed Tyler up to the warehouse. She discreetly slipped her hand into his for a moment. "Will you come back to the house when all of this is over? Mama is making Christmas cookies with the kids…"

"Sure," he replied with a smile. Tyler opened the door to let Bonnie walk in first. He was a gentleman after all…and he really wanted to see how her ass looked in those jeans. He wasn't disappointed.

She walked into the cavernous warehouse where thirty or so chairs had been hastily organized into rows. All of the chairs were filled with the assets that her grandmother and great-grandmother had spent decades cultivating within the Salvatore family. The only ones missing were dead, in prison, or on the other side of the world in Milazzo.

Her Jimmy Choo heels clicked against the concrete floor as she walked to the front of the room with Tyler trailing behind her.

Her cousins and Lexi took seats at the back to keep an eye on everyone.

Richard stopped talking as Bonnie approached him. He cleared his throat. "Now I am going to hand things off to someone that would like to speak to all of us."

Bonnie hugged Richard for a long moment and said, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he replied.

The tension in the room was literally audible as the men shifted anxiously in the creaky metal chairs. Sheila's granddaughter showing up unexpected and unannounced meant that there was trouble brewing. Rumors of Giuseppe's attack on her had trickled down through the ranks for the last few weeks. They had been waiting to see what actions Bonnie would take-if any.

She placed her purse on the folding table behind her before turning around to face the crowd. Bonnie's sharp green eyes roamed the room for a few seconds to take in everything. She smiled wryly. "I am sorry for having Uncle Richie call you all here under false pretenses. However, as my mother reminded me this morning, we are living in strange times. We can't even be sure who among us are friend or foe. That uncertainty is why I am here today. Recently, I learned that there were a number of traitors within our ranks. It seems that since my grandmother's death a small faction has formed. These men doubted my ability to one day take my rightful place as head of this organization. They began working for Giuseppe Salvatore. They have helped him maintain control in light of the moves Damon had been making to take over."

Hushed whispers filled the room as the men discussed who might have been a traitor. The most obvious suspects were the men not present.

"I don't know exactly when this conspiracy to unseat me began. The nearest we can tell it started about two years ago. When I first learned of their betrayal, I thought perhaps it was my fault. I have taken a hands-off approach. I was only 17-years-old when I inherited my family's business. I was dealing with my grandmother's death and my new role as Damon's wife. However, I left you all in Uncle Richie's capable hands. He has done well for this family in the role of acting boss. He has made sure that all of you are flush with cash. He worked his magic to get you better positions and territory within the Salvatore organization. Yet it still wasn't enough for some of you. I was faced with a dilemma when I found these Judases within our family. I could have them all executed for their treachery or I could show them mercy. Who could blame these men for doubting my ability to one day lead you all? Perhaps the strength and shrewdness of my great-grandmother and grandmother were merely aberrations."

Richard bit back a smile as he leaned against the wall. He saw so much of Sheila shining through Bonnie in that moment. He missed his friend dearly.

"Execution or mercy?" she repeated as if pondering her own question. Bonnie smiled cheerfully at the nervous men in front of her. "I chose execution. Freddie, Atticus, Tripp, Charlie, and John fucking Gilbert betrayed us all. They died for that betrayal."

Her words smothered every sound in the room for a few seconds before hushed conversations erupted. Bonnie sat on the edge of the table and opened her purse. She retrieved the hand carved box that Lucy had given her in the car. Then she removed the slender silver item from the box and discreetly slid it up the sleeve of her jacket while everyone was distracted. Lucy wasn't the only Benedetto versed in sleight of hand.

Tyler, Brady, and Lucy all moved into position and waited for her signal.

Bonnie stood and began walking as if she were merely pacing. "I appreciate everyone that remained steadfast in their duty to this family. I understand now that my absence made some of you skittish. You swore your allegiance to the Benedetto family and a Benedetto will be at the helm once more. I have already informed Damon that I will be taking over the smuggling operation. My dear cousins from Milazzo will be helping me run things until I get the hang of it. However, make no mistake, you all answer to me now. As you all know, Giuseppe has a one-way ticket to hell. That is also courtesy of yours truly. I gave my husband the ammunition he needed to whack the old bastard. I gave him proof that the mob war in the 80's started because Giuseppe needed a way to hide his crimes. He shed the blood of his own people…of our people just to kill Domenico. Alas, my husband seems to be a little inept when it comes to finding his father. Fortunately, he and I are not cut from the same cloth. I suppose it is because I don't spend quite so much time chasing after whores."

Bonnie stopped behind a man's chair. In the blink of an eye, the antique ice pick slid from inside the sleeve of Bonnie's jacket and into her hand. She gripped the beveled silver handle and rammed the ice pick into the man's carotid artery with all her might.

Jacob's large hands grabbed his throat immediately. However, it was much too late for that.

Bonnie wrenched the ice pick out of the man's neck and watched as his blood came pouring out.

Suddenly three suppressed shots rang out in the room and then three bodies promptly tumbled to the floor.

Most of the men quickly got to their feet unsure of what was happening. The fear in the room was suffocating as they realized all the exits were covered by armed men.

Bonnie took an unnerving amount of pleasure from their fear.

The young woman casually walked to the front of the room and placed the bloody antique on the table. She said, "I am sorry for the theatrics. We just had some unfinished business to take care of this afternoon. I found out very late last night that Giuseppe Salvatore has been smuggled back into the country. The four men that we just killed are the ones that helped him. Now as far as I know every traitor in our family has been executed. We can breathe a little easier and sleep a little better at night."

Bonnie used a packet of wet wipes to clean Jacob's blood from her hand. She tilted her head to the side and looked thoughtful for a moment. "Or perhaps there are more of you hiding in our ranks. If you have betrayed me and it has remained undetected…I urge you to go home, get on your knees, and thank God for his mercy because you would have received none from me. Then I want you to rededicate yourself to this family and our mission because I will not be this lenient in the future. The next time someone betrays me I will burn their fucking lives to the ground before I give them something as sweet as death!"

She sat on the table and meticulously cleaned the ice pick. She waved a hand in Richard's direction.

The older man cleared his throat and stepped in front of the room once more. "You may all leave. I am sure some of you would like to speak with the boss in light of all that has transpired here. However, you will have to schedule a time for that through me. She has a few slots open tomorrow afternoon. She'll be taking visitors at my horse farm upstate."

The men began slowly streaming out of the warehouse having been threatened and subsequently dismissed by a girl that barely stood 5'2".

Soon only members of the Benedetto and Lockwood families remained in the warehouse. The doors were barred and the clean up process began.

Bonnie returned the ice pick to its box and placed it into her purse. She turned her attention to Richard and asked, "Have you heard from Uncle Bobby?"

Robert Donovan was Matt's grandfather and one of Bonnie's staunchest supporters. She trusted him as much as she trusted Richard. Therefore, she had given him a task of the utmost importance.

Richard nodded. "He's got a good lead on Giuseppe's location. We think he is hiding out in the valley with the boy. What do you want to do when we find him?"

She was quiet for a moment before she answered, "Gift wrap him for Damon. I want to know if his inability to find Giuseppe has been incompetence or sentimentality. We will react accordingly based on my husband's actions. Also, make sure the child isn't harmed in all of this."

"We've taken the proper precautions to take Giuseppe without a gunfight. We will retrieve Victor without incident."

"Good," Bonnie said.