A/N: There will be small time jump in the next chapter.

Bonnie quietly slipped into her mother's darkened bedroom. The wall mounted television provided enough light to keep her from tripping over the toys and bean bag chairs strewn around the room. Bonnie didn't want to disturb the children by making too much noise. Her brothers, sister, and daughter had fallen asleep in Abby's California King bed some time ago. Abby looked to be dozing off as well. It was still relatively early but the last couple days had been stressful and tiring for everyone. Frankly, Bonnie could use a few hours of sleep, too. However, she still had an hour's drive out to the safe house. Bonnie knew her people were eager to let off some steam. She had told them to finish off the co-conspirators but Ollie belonged to her. Bonnie would decide how to end his life.

She approached her mother's side of the bed. She whispered, "Mama…"

Abby opened her eyes when she heard her daughter's voice. She flashed a tired smile but shifted over a few inches. Abby patted the bed in silent invitation.

Bonnie smiled at her mother. She wanted nothing more than to crawl into the bed. It brought back pleasant memories of her own childhood. During some of Abby's visits to Shadow Hills, Bonnie would end up in her mother's bed. The pair would stay up for hours while Abby recounted PG rated stories from her life on the road.

She sat on the side of the bed. "How are you feeling, Mama?"

"I am fine but I feel like I should be asking you that question. How are you and my grandchildren doing?" Abby asked as she sat up in the bed.

Bonnie smiled. "We're fine, Mama. Zio Gianni fixed a snack for me about an hour ago. I even took some time to put my feet up. It helped with the swelling."

"Good."

"How were the kids coping before they fell asleep?" Bonnie asked while glancing at the slumbering children.

Abby said, "The little ones were none the wiser. On the other hand, Jamie barely said a word to me. Not that I blame him for that…"

The younger woman shook her head. "I am sorry, Mama. None of this should have happened on my watch. I should have done more to make sure you and the kids were safe."

She took Bonnie's hand and squeezed it gently. "Let's go downstairs. I could use a cup of tea."

Bonnie grabbed the baby monitor and followed her mother downstairs. Men loyal to her family lounged in the living room to protect the house.

Abby walked into the kitchen and filled the kettle with water. She said, "I don't want you blaming yourself for Jamie's kidnapping."

Bonnie smiled sadly as she sat at the island. She asked, "How can I not? What kind of boss can't keep their own family safe?"

Abby's expression hardened. "Do you think your grandmother was a poor leader?"

Her green eyes widened at the notion. Everyone agreed that Sheila had been one of the best. "Of course not, Mama."

"Well, she nearly got you killed as a child. Uncle Paul died that day. Mama knew that Giuseppe had pissed off our rivals in Milazzo. Still she insisted we all attend the wedding. Do you blame her for the tragedy that happened outside the church?"

Bonnie sighed heavily because she understood her mother's point. Danger was part and parcel of their business. There was nothing she could do to guarantee her family's safety. "You know that I don't."

"Then I don't want to to hear you blaming yourself for this. Our security here isn't as stringent as it should be and Jamie was able to slip through the cracks. We will adjust and make sure it doesn't happen again."

Bonnie nodded. "You're right."

Abby squeezed her daughter's hand. "Besides, you are handling this situation just as your grandmother would have. You are too young to remember the aftermath in Milazzo…"

"I just remember Grams telling me that Uncle Paul and Alonzo were going to live with the angels. But I have heard stories about her retaliation," she replied.

The older woman said, "Your grandmother made the streets of Milazzo run red with the blood of our enemies. Her retaliation was swift, brutal, and terrifying. I have never been prouder of my mother than I was that day. Losing Uncle Paul broke my heart but seeing the corpses of our enemies stacked up like cordwood eased my pain. I know that you will provide me with the same sort of peace."

Sheila's retaliation was the stuff of legends. Her grandmother hadn't been the type to enjoy death and mayhem. She went to Mass every Sunday to keep her baser urges in check. Sheila didn't want to become a monster. However, she was capable of brutality that could chill the blood of even the bravest man. Sheila had been devastated by the murder of her younger brother and best friend. The possibility of mercy and compromise were rejected from the outset. Sheila didn't want concessions. She wanted to wipe their rivals off the map and she had done that. The few men that survived Sheila's retaliation had fled Milazzo in fear of their lives. Her grandmother had hunted those men down and had them killed, too. Sheila hadn't felt an ounce of remorse for leaving scores of women and children without their husbands and fathers.

Bonnie nodded at her mother. When it was all said and done, she planned to return what was left of Oliver to his family. It would serve as a warning. The idiot had kidnapped Jaime because she murdered his brother. Bonnie needed the Molinari family to understand that they couldn't win going eye for an eye against her.

She cleared her throat. "There's actually something that I wanted to talk about with you. I planned to wait a couple days but…"

"What's on your mind, baby girl?" she asked worriedly.

Abby pulled a travel mug and a ceramic mug from the cabinet. Then she dropped a bag of peppermint tea in each cup.

"It's nothing bad," she assured her mother. "I was just wondering what you thought about moving out of here. Maybe you and the kids could live with me."

Abby relaxed but then frowned as she added honey and hot water to the cups. "I love the beach house but I don't think it is big enough for all of us."

She huffed out a small laugh. "No, you are right about that. The beach house is smaller than this place. I was actually thinking of buying something larger to accommodate our family. Perhaps not as big as the Salvatore Manor but in that general ballpark."

She was surprised but intrigued by the idea. She knew that living in this house was no longer an option. Things between her and Ric were too fraught with tension. Abby asked, "Would you really want us living with you?"

Bonnie replied, "Yes, I would love it. It would be easier to keep you safe. It would also be nice to live with you and my siblings. I have enjoyed being here. I feel...it's like I am getting something I missed as a kid."

Abby couldn't ignore the overwhelming feeling of guilt. She had abandoned Bonnie and the girl was still paying the price for her mistakes. Sometimes Abby dreamed that she had made a different choice...a better choice. Waking up was always a bitter disappointment. "I'm so sorry that I wasn't there for you."

"You don't need to apologize anymore, Mama. The past is in the past. I am more concerned with the present. You have stepped up for me in a way that I never thought you would. When I was at my lowest, you threw your full support behind me. You asked my father, a man you hate, for help," she whispered.

Abby moved around the island to sit beside her daughter. She gave her a tired smile. "I am not going to sit here and lie to you, baby girl. My feelings for your father are complicated. It's no secret that I hate that man…"

"You tried to kill him with rat poison," Bonnie muttered with a half smile.

"The son of a bitch deserved it and he knows that. But there are also parts of Rudy that I still love. There are moments when I see flashes of the man that I married. I see some of his better traits in you. You sound like him when you laugh."

"Really?"

She nodded with a smile. Abby said, "Anyway, calling him for help was no great hardship. Rudy and I owe you this much."

"You alienated the father of your children, a man you love, for me. I don't want you to regret helping me one day," she confessed.

Abby sighed softly and hugged Bonnie. "My sweet girl, your father and I did so much damage to you. I love Ric and I have for a very long time. But I don't love him more than I love you. I would slit his throat while he slept if it meant keeping you safe. And I wouldn't regret it for a single second. Besides, our problems fall solely on Ric's shoulders. The moment things stopped going his way, he reverted to type. He became the angry violent man that I refused to marry 18 years ago."

Bonnie nodded in understanding. Damon had tried the same thing until he realized that intimidation tactics didn't work on her. These weren't men who were used to being denied or contradicted. She smiled at her mother. "Should we start house hunting together?"

"I think that would be a great idea. I also need to hire another nanny," Abby said.

"Why? I thought Seline was good with the children."

She said, "Ric hired Seline. She reports back to him. It's the reason she hasn't been here since you moved into the house."

Bonnie looked surprised. "I didn't realize…"

Abby said, "I didn't care because I wasn't doing anything I felt needed to be hidden. Besides, I knew that he did the same thing to Jo. I didn't feel as if he was singling me out. Anyway, it was a red flag that I should have acknowledged sooner. It was a controlling behavior."

Bonnie scoffed. "Controlling doesn't even begin to describe it. I hated feeling watched at the Manor. I knew the staff were reporting back to Giuseppe and Damon. It made me feel…"

She nodded. "I am proof that age doesn't exactly make you wise. I put up with Ric's shit for too long. I should have kicked him to the curb years ago. I can do better."

"Yes, you can," she agreed.

"But for now...I would rather focus on my children and my grandchildren."

Bonnie said, "No one is asking you to be a nun, Mama. We all have uh...needs."

Abby chuckled at her daughter's pained expression. "Oh, I don't plan to be a nun. Your mama still has the moves, baby girl. I can pull a man on my worst days. But I won't be looking for anything serious. I might try to reconnect with some old friends."

The younger woman looked as if she wanted to run in the other direction. Her grams hadn't talked about sex openly. She cleared her throat. "Anyone I know?"

She nodded. "They work for you. I hope that won't be a problem."

Bonne shrugged. "I would be a hypocrite if it was."

Abby said, "It would still be your right as the boss."

"I just want you to be happy, Mama," she swore.

Abby smiled and kissed the top of her daughter's head. "Honestly, I am happier than I have been in years. Being around my family is just what the doctor ordered."

Bonnie said, "I know the feeling. I should get ready to head to the safe house."

Abby knew that Bonnie was right. However, she anxious about her daughter leaving her side. She stood up and walked to the refrigerator. She pulled out two aluminum pans covered in foil. Abby placed them on the island. "Take these with you. Who is driving you out there?"

"Cristian," Bonnie replied. She peeked under the foil and grinned.

She smiled and said, "Courtesy of Aunt Geneva."

Bonnie picked up the travel mug and said, "I'll call Aunt Geneva to thank her. I am going to find Cristian."

Abby picked up the pans and carried them out to the living room.

Cristian was focused on his phone despite being in room full with people.

Bonnie said, "Cris…"

He looked up with a grin. "You're ready to go?"

"Yeah. The kids are asleep."

Cristian grabbed his jacket and then joined Bonnie in the foyer. He took the pans from Abby. "Let me get those."

Abby hugged Bonnie. "Be safe. I love you."

"I love you, too. I'll call later to check in," she promised.

Abby smiled and walked them to the door. She pecked the younger man's cheek. "Watch out for my baby, Cristian."

"I will, cugine," he promised. Cristian knew that Abby was on edge and he didn't blame her.

Cristian walked out to the car and unlocked it. He placed the aluminum pans in the trunk of the Audi. Then he opened Bonnie's door for her.

Bonnie climbed into the car and sent a text to Tyler from a burner phone.

Bonnie: We're on our way. How is everything?

Cristian climbed into the car and then backed out the driveway.

Bonnie nodded to the radio. "Do you mind?"

He shook his head. "I already synced my phone to car's bluetooth. Play something good."

She took Cristian's phone and flipped through his music. She settled on Bruno Mars and then put the phone down.

Cristian asked, "Are you still looking for a way to get closer to Klaus' nephew?"

Bonnie frowned and said, "Yes. Why?"

Her phone vibrated when she received a new message.

Tyler: Three down. Three to go. Are you okay?

Bonnie smiled and typed out a response.

Bonnie: I'm fine. Miss you.

Cristian waited until he had her full attention. "I might have got Drew's number last night."

Bonnie blinked. "Really? I thought you weren't interested."

"He's cute and grew up around the business. The latter has become more important to me in recent years. I didn't like all the lying that I had to do while dating civilians. But finding guys, in this line of work, that are out...isn't easy."

"I can't imagine dating a civilian," she replied sympathetically.

Cristian chuckled, "My ex-boyfriend knew the rumors about our family...most people do. But he couldn't get over the fact that there were some things he just couldn't ask me. Then I got shot during that thing in Sciacca. It was the last straw for him."

"I'm sorry, Cris."

He shook his head. "Anyway, I had a nice time talking to Drew after you and Tyler left."

"He knows you are a Benedetto?" she asked.

Cristian nodded. "He does. He called earlier because his family heard that Jamie was missing."

Bonnie said, "I got a call from Klaus, too. He offered to help but I declined."

"Probably for the best since Damon was involved. Lucy mentioned that there is bad blood between the two of them."

"That's an understatement," she huffed with a laugh. "They hate each other...like a lot."

"Why?" he asked.

"Who knows? Maybe it's like looking in the same fucked up mirror," she quipped.

Cristian chuckled.

"How did you manage to get Andrew's phone number so fast? Tyler and I were only gone for a couple hours."

He grinned in response. "You know that Benedettos are irresistable. We possess a certain je ne sais quoi."

She frowned and said, "I don't know if that is true for everyone."

Cristian glanced at her. "I am not going to pile on your husband. I know you get enough of that from everyone else. But I will say that you're beautiful and anyone with eyes can see that. If Damon's attention was elsewhere, that his failure and not yours."

"Thank you for saying that, Cris."

Cristian said, "As long as I am here, I will be sure to remind you of how amazing you are."

Bonnie chuckled softly.

"And you need to get out of the house more. You're a great mother and boss but you need to socialize with people your age," he continued.

She smiled and shook her head in disbelief. Cristian had always been able to read people. It was one of his many talents. When Bonnie saw Andrew on New Year's Eve, her interest had been in making a friend. Her cousins had assumed that she was looking for an angle to work Klaus. However, Bonnie didn't need to work Klaus. She had him beaten and mutilated his hand in the name of revenge, but he still couldn't keep his eyes off her. Klaus would take her to bed right now given the chance.

Bonnie said, "You're right."

The cousins chatted during the rest of the trip. They had always shared an easy going relationship. Growing up separated by an ocean meant they hadn't seen each other often. However, Sheila and John made sure that their children and grandchildren knew each other. They both felt it was the only way to ensure the two halves of the family never drifted too far apart.

Cristian pulled onto the gated property. He found a spot to park among the other cars.

Bonnie climbed out the car and walked up to the house. She knocked and waited for someone to open the door.

Cole opened the door and smiled. "Hey."

Bonnie hugged Cole and walked into the house. "Thank you for being here tonight, Cole. I know this isn't your scene."

He said, "I've mostly been hanging out in the kitchen with Uncle Richie. He's been putting me to work."

She chuckled and sniffed the air. "It certainly smells good in here."

"You got here just in time. Dinner is almost ready," he said.

Bonnie turned and took the aluminum pans from Cristian. "I am going to put these in the refrigerator."

Cristian nodded. "I'm going to find Zio Maurizio."

She carried the pans into the kitchen. "I brought dessert, Uncle Richie."

Damon was pulling a beer out the refrigerator. He asked, "Did you make it yourself, Bunny."

Bonnie said, "No. I spent my time with the kids."

Richie stood in front of the stove wearing slacks and a white tank top. He was stirring a simmering pot. He turned and smiled at Bonnie. "Is this Geneva?"

She nodded. "You know it. Zia made her famous banana pudding and she made tiramisu."

He smiled at the girl. "I can't wait to try both. I can't remember the last time I had Geneva's banana pudding."

"Probably after Grams' funeral," she said.

His expression saddened and he nodded. Richard took the pans from her and said, "You're probably right. I'll put these in the refrigerator."

Bonnie immediately regretted bringing up Sheila's funeral. Richard had taken her grandmother's death hard, too. She asked, "What are you making, Uncle Richie? I smelled it as soon as I walked through the door."

Richard closed the refrigerator and said, "Nothing special. I just tossed some meatballs and spicy sausages into the sauce with some vegetables."

"When will it be done? I am starving!"

He chuckled and kissed her cheek. He said, "I'll tell you like I told the boys, it'll be done when it's done. Get outta my kitchen."

Bonnie laughed and left the kitchen as instructed.

Damon followed her out the room. Spending time at the Benedetto safe house had been eye opening. It was a rare opportunity to see how the Benedetto and Liacono families interacted. They behaved as if they were part of one family. Damon wasn't talking about a mob family but one of blood. He didn't understand how they had managed to get the true nature of their relationship a secret for so long. However, he wondered if his scheme with Elena would be as successful as he hoped. "How are the kids doing?"

Bonnie took off her jacket and hung it up in the closet. "They're fine. We're not out of the woods with Jamie just yet. He had a lot of questions for me and Mama. Then he just shut down."

"I'm not surprised," he replied with a pained expression. "How did Abby decide to handle his questions?"

Bonnie sat down and took off her suede boots. "She decided that we would be as honest as possible. Jamie is still a child but he needs to understand that we don't live a regular life. Frankly, I think he knows more than he's letting on."

"Do you think it would help if I spoke to him?" he asked.

"Thank you for offering but...Zio Gianni is going to help out. Jamie has a good relationship with him. He feels close to that side of the family."

Damon knew that to be true. The boy had called Big John when Ric showed up to the beach house uninvited. "Well, let me know if I can do anything to help."

"I will. Has everyone been treating you okay?" she asked.

He nodded. "I can tell we're not welcome but everyone has been civil. I didn't expect more than that. I know we're encroaching on your territory."

Bonnie offered a small smile and pulled her hair into a ponytail. She stripped off her sweater to reveal a black tank top. Then she shimmied out of her skirt to reveal a pair of black cotton shorts. "Well, Zacharias had a point. My family would raise hell if the roles were reversed."

Damon lifted an eyebrow and swallowed thickly. Suddenly, he was acutely aware that he hadn't fucked anyone in several weeks. His eyes lingered on Bonnie's breasts that were noticeably fuller. "What are you doing?"

"Getting ready to see Oliver for a bit. I don't want to ruin my clothes," she replied with a cheerful smile.

No one had touched Oliver since arriving at the safe house. He was forced to watch the men that had followed him die painfully. Damon had to admit it was an inspired bit of torture.

Bonnie walked into the garage. The room was made of concrete but plastic sheeting covered the walls and floor. She smiled seeing the bodies of four men lying on the floor.

Brady nodded at his nephew when he saw Bonnie enter the room.

Tyler put down his knife and walked over to Bonnie. His brown eyes were so dark that they almost looked black. "Hey…"

Bonnie stared up into his eyes for a moment. She couldn't remember the last time she saw him this way. Bonnie ignored the splashes of blood on Tyler's bare chest and pulled him into a hug.

The man buried his face into the crook of Bonnie's neck. He inhaled her scent for a few seconds before pulling away.

Damon glared at the young couple. Frankly, he preferred when Bonnie and Tyler were hiding the depth of their connection. Seeing them together set his blood to boiling. However, this wasn't the time or place to voice his displeasure. Bonnie had been kind to even allow his presence. Furthermore, he could feel Zacharias' eyes on him. His uncle had been in the garage since arriving at the safehouse. Zacharias was adamant about seeing each man responsible for Jamie's kidnapping die.

The air between Bonnie and Tyler felt thick for a few moments. The tension was only broken by a man's pained groan. Bonnie looked around Tyler to see Milo on the verge of death. It was obvious that Tyler had put the man through his paces. Milo was several years older than Oliver was. She couldn't believe that he had participated in this foolish endeavor. Even if they doubted that Bonnie would exact revenge against them, they had to know that Big John would have.

She looked up into Tyler's eyes and said, "Finish him, Ty."

He rested a hand on Bonnie's hip and squeezed gently. "Do you have a preference?"

Bonnie shrugged. "Dealer's choice...just don't take too long. Dinner is almost ready."

Tyler nodded. He walked over to Milo and looked at the pathetic man. Then he looked down at the serrated hunting knife that he'd been working with for the last hour. The blade and his hand were covered in Milo's blood. Tyler angled the blade to the side and thrust it into the man's chest. He withdrew the knife and repeated the action on the other side of Milo's chest.

Damon knew that Milo would be dead in a matter of minutes if Tyler hit his target. Judging by the angle the knife went into the man's chest, he had punctured both lungs. It was a swift end but not a kind one.

Tyler dropped his knife on the table and walked out the room to wash up.

Bonnie stood silently as she watched Milo die. Then she turned her attention to Oliver.

He was bound to a chair placed in the corner of the room. He had a perfect view of everything that had transpired. The evening's festivities had been effective. The bravado from the warehouse was a thing of the past. His eyes were red as if he had cried at some earlier point. Most of all he just looked scared.

Brady intoned, "And then there was one…"

Bonnie's lips quirked upwards into an odd smile. "How are you doing, Ollie? Have they been treating you well?"

Oliver closed his eyes. "I know that you're going to kill me...just it get over with. Please…"

"Where would be the fun in that?" she asked cheerfully. "I want you to witness what your hubris has caused. You will be the last to die, Ollie. After all, the captain goes down with the ship, right? I'm curious. How the fuck did you think this was going to end? Did you really think that I would negotiate with a stronzo that kidnapped my brother?"

"I thought…" He sighed heavily. "I made a mistake. I know that now."

"Understatement of the year, Ollie. The truth is that you thought just because I have a pussy, that I am one. Your death will serve as a cautionary tale. Frankly, I should be thanking you. You gave me the perfect opportunity to show the rest of the organization that I am a woman of my word. Not a single soul is going to dispute what I do to you because you crossed the line by involving a child in our beef."

Tyler walked into the room. He said, "Pop said dinner is ready and pregnant women get first dibs."

Bonnie smiled and said, "Oh! That's good news. I didn't want to get started on Ollie until my father gets here. Do you know his nickname?"

Olive swallowed thickly. "The Butcher."

She nodded at him.

Brady clapped his hands together. He dropped a pair of bloody pliers. The man he had been working on had died minutes ago. "Let's eat! I'm starving."

"You're always hungry," Bonnie quipped.

"You are, too," he argued jokingly.

"I have an excuse. I'm pregnant," she replied and stuck her tongue out at him.

Everyone filed into the kitchen and piled dinner and dessert onto their plates. Then they moved into the living room to enjoy the meal.

Tyler sat next to Bonnie on the couch. He asked, "Anything worth watching on TV?"

"Detroit is playing Green Bay," Richard commented from the recliner.

Bonnie huffed out a laugh. "Why watch the game when we already know the outcome? The Lions have been trash my entire life."

All the Lockwood men complained loudly.

Richard chuckled. "My old man was a Barry Sanders fan."

Bonnie put her hands up in mock surrender. Then she went back to eating dinner.

Tyler said, "You've got a lot of big talk when you root for a team that has been trash until recently."

"At least my team has a superbowl championship. When was the last time the Lions won a playoff game?" she asked with a smirk.

Brady shook his head as he bit into a sausage. "A Warriors fan and a Seahawks fan? That's what I call a frontrunner."

Bonnie huffed out a laugh. "If I was a frontrunner then I would be a Patriots fan. I'll cop to being a new Warriors fan but that's all down to Steph Curry. I like his shooting stroke."

Tyler lifted an eyebrow at Bonnie's word choice but he didn't respond since they had audience.

Brady chuckled and looked at his nephew. "And you're seriously taking her to watch Curry play."

Tyler shrugged, "He's married. Bonnie doesn't believe in fucking other people's husbands."

Damon tensed because he took that as a shot against him.

Zacharias looked at his nephew but relaxed when he realized Damon wasn't going to say anything.

"But Luce is going to the game, too. She goes all gooey for a set of pretty eyes," Gemma quipped with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

Bonnie agreed, "That's true."

Brady's expression darkened.

Damon cleared his throat. "Where is Lucy anyway? I expected her to be here."

Bonnie said, "Lucy and Mason are handling some things for me."

They soon become engrossed in the game despite knowing how the game would likely end. Damon and Zacharias even participated in the conversation. Everyone's spirits were too high to hold a grudge against the Salvatores tonight.

Then there was a knock at the door.

Brady grunted and stood up. He put his plate on the coffee table and went to see who was at the door.

A few minutes later, Rudy walked into the room with a large leather medical bag. He smiled at his daughter.

"Hi, Abba. Thank you for coming," Bonnie said.

Part of her had wondered if Rudy would show. She was asking a lot of him. He had no connection to Jamie and no real reason to get involved. However, he agreed because Bonnie had asked him for help. Her parents were slowly proving that she could rely on them.

"What happened to your brother can not be allowed to happen again. I am happy to help. What would you like for me to do, ketsele?" he asked.

Bonnie said, "I heard about that thing you did in Galway a few years ago."

The room went very quiet because everyone knew about the job Rudy did in Galway. It was a messy affair that had the Garda breathing down his neck for months. However, they hadn't been able to assemble anything resembling a viable case against Rudy.

Rudy was tempted to ask his daughter if this was really what she wanted. However, the dark look in her eyes was answer enough. He nodded. "I should get started then."

Bonnie placed her plate on the coffee table and said, "I'll show you the way."

Damon watched Bonnie walk out the room. He didn't know when this night would end. He only knew that things would never be the same again.

Rudy walked into the garage. He looked at the dead bodies and realized that Oliver was the only one that remained.

Oliver's eyes widened when he saw Rudy walk into the room. The man's reputation preceded him.

Rudy looked to his daughter. "You can return to your meal, ketsele."

"Actually, I was thinking that I would stay...to learn from you."

The older man looked horrified by the notion. He knew that his daughter was a killer. However, this was a level of cruelty he wouldn't want to see her exact personally. He said, "There are many things that I imagined teaching you but...this was not one of them."

Bonnie understood his position. She wouldn't relish teaching her own children something so barbaric. She said, "I hope this is something that only needs to be done once. I don't want to rule my organization by fear and blood. I am not Giuseppe Salvatore. But I have to make a statement all the same. I know many things that I would not want to unleash unless necessary. What I can learn from you tonight would be one of those things…"

Rudy stared at his daughter for a beat. For a second it felt as if Abby was staring back at him. He shook his head and asked, "Did you know that your mother helped me with a few jobs while we were married...before things…"

"Before you started abusing her," Bonnie clarified.

She was willing to give her father a chance but she wouldn't let him forget what he did.

He nodded. He set the bag on the table and began removing the instruments. "We found it was something we had in common. She had learned some techniques from your aunt."

"Zia Fiammetta has a reputation. There is a reason why she was once Uncle Johnny's wartime consigliere," she replied while looking at the tools Rudy was arranging with care.

Rudy had only met the woman once and it was a memorable encounter. "Do you cook?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I haven't had to do much cooking lately. I am hoping to change that when I move into a new place. I have always found it relaxing...and it reminds me of Grams."

He paused for a moment and then asked, "Do you know how to debone a chicken?"

"Yes…"

"Good," was his simple reply.