

The returned sister
Fifteen years ago, the Baresi family, pillars of the Italian Mafia, lost their only daughter, Adriana, when her mother vanished with her. Now, after a life of defiance and shadowed by a notorious police file, Adriana is forcibly returned to her powerful, estranged family in New York. Can a girl hardened by the streets of England, who knows nothing of their world, find her place among six protective, imposing brothers? Or will the secrets she carries and the life she left behind collide with the dangerous truths of the Baresi empire, igniting a war that threatens to consume them all? Dive into a story of lost family, dangerous loyalties, and a sister's fight for identity in a world she never chose.My calves ached, my thighs burned, and my feet throbbed from the two-mile cross-country run. I stripped off my sweaty clothes, quickly washed down, and pulled on clean black shorts and an oversized grey jumper.
Hopping onto the bus, I found my usual seat by the window. I pulled out my phone, but two teenage boys across the aisle were watching me, one even blew a kiss. I just rolled my eyes, a small chuckle escaping my lips.
The bus stopped. I got off and began the familiar walk down my dodgy street, the silence feeling heavier than usual. Reaching my house, I noticed the missing presence of my mother, who usually sat by the window, ready to scold me. Sighing, I pushed open the front door, assuming she was passed out drunk again.
I started up the stairs, glancing into the living room out of habit. Then I froze. She lay there, eyes wide and lifeless, foam at her mouth, a needle half-hanging from her arm. Kneeling beside her, I checked for a pulse. โStupid junkie bitch,โ I muttered, pulling out my ancient iPhone 6 and dialing 999.
