"But WHY can't I?  Papà!  You're being unreasonable.  This isn't fair!"

"Non parlarmi in quel tono, piccola ragazza. Sono il genitore e non sarai coinvolto. Questa è la fine!"

Hearing her father tell her not to take that tone with him, AND calling her a little girl outraged her to the point she'd had enough.  Telling her who is the parent here, and ending the discussion without giving her a chance to speak further, well that was it.  She was twenty five years old damnit, and still treated like an outcast just because she was female.

Rachel gathered her dinner napkin from her lap, pushed her chair back suddenly as she stood up.  She then threw the napkin over the plate of unfinished food before storming off with an angry glare towards her father.  She heard his thunderous voice calling out for her to come back, but Rachel obeyed every defiant bone in her body as she ignored the very powerful Silvio Lorano.

Doors slammed around the villa as she stormed through the rooms in frustration and anger.  Once she made it to her room, she opened the balcony doors then walked over to the ledge.  Blue eyes gazed out towards the small waves making their way across the Tyrrhenian Sea.  It usually had a calming effect on her mood, but not today.  Nothing was calming her one bit.  The growing rage within was becoming ubearable, and any day now she was going to snap.

"Rachel!!  You can't just leave the dining room like that in the middle of dinner.  Your father is furious right now."

Rachel heard her mother come into the room, but she chose to stay outside.  Lia Lorano made her way to the baclony door, not bothering to hide the disapproval of her only daughter's behavior.  With a soft sigh, Rachel turned towards her mother, leaning back against the ledge then crossing her arms in defiance before flying into her native tongue.

"Lui non mi ascolta mai. Mai. Questo è il mondo di un uomo, e io non dovrei essere coinvolto.  Madre, I tuoi figli sono incompetenti."

Rachel was not bothering to reign in her temper at the moment because her brothers were incompetent in every way, and she told her mother as such right then.  Quoting her father's words of it being a man's world just shot her temper up even higher.  She tried time and time again to prove to her father that she was a hard worker.  Always willing to put in the effort, show how dedicated and nothing but loyal to her parents she was to this family, but no.  Just because Silvio Lorano deemed everything a man's world, his daughter was not meant to be a part of the family business.

Despite the soothing words her mother tried to give her, Rachel was holding steadfast in her frustration.  She'd had enough.  If her father didn't wanna ever listen to Rachel, and thought her brothers were competent then her father wasn't the smart man she'd always believed him to be.  She shrugged then turned back to the water, watching the waves roll over one another.  Lia understood the frustration her daughter felt, so let her be for a while to calm down. She didn't hear her mother leave the balcony, or close the bedroom door; Rachel just kept her focus on the waves.

It did no good to think about how her brothers were fumbling over every opportunity in her father's business.  Angelo was the eldest bother, and dumb enough that he got pinched for what should have been a simple errand for their father, and still serving six more months.  Franco was the second eldest, and never was there anyone so lazy that just wanted things done for him.  He was afraid to get his hands dirty, yet expected to reap the rewards and credit for everything.  Then there was Giorgio, the baby of the family.  He was the golden boy their father thought could do no wrong when in fact Silvio constantly had to clean up the messes his son continually made.  Rachel was completely passed over.

Eventually she came into her bedroom once the evening skies turned dark.  Her mind kept wandering over the insistence of sheltering her away just because Rachel wasn't one of his sons.  She flung herself across the bed then got situated on her back to stare up at the ceiling.  Her red curls were sprawled out in every direction, and she continued to let her mind roll over the possibilities, the ideas swarming around on how she could prove herself, prove her worth to her father and his business.

After what seemed like a couple hours, Rachel curled up with the plush blanket then got settled in, ready to pass out for the night.  She tossed and turned a bit before sleeping so sound in a deep sleep until the sun peeked into her room the next morning.  Once she was fully awakened, Rachel showered then headed downstairs slowly, dreading breakfast.  She knew the atmosphere was going to be hostile, but when she walked into the dining room it was empty of people.  It was seldom that the family didn't gather for breakfast, but she wasn't going to dispute the peaceful morning. 

Having had a quick breakfast of cereal and fruit, Rachel then wandered around the house wondering where everyone was off to so early.  She slowed her pace as she neared her father's office once she heard voices. She of course recognized her father speaking, even Giorgio, but the other voice she couldn't place.  They were discussing an 'assignment' of some sort, in which her father was giving praise to the unknown person, something to the lines of his budding capabilities, and how he held such promise.  Rachel then heard the conversation take a turn for goodbyes.

She hustled herself down the hallway then made her way up the stairs to wait and see who the mysterious person was.  As she trailed a delicate hand along the railing, Rachel took each step at a slow pace as she went up the stairs one by one.  She lingered as if she had just been around the house, nowhere better to be at the moment, when she heard her father's office door open, and the voices grew louder.  She heard them part ways then waited where she was on the stairs until he came into view in the foyer.

Her hand gripped the rail in a rising anger seeing that this unknown person did not look much older than herself, but she didn't have the best view of his face, just the profile view before he turned back towards her brother, Giorgio.  His profile held handsome features, but once she got a good look at him her breath caught.  She'd never been one to be infatuated at first glance, but there was a first time for everything.  The two men shook hands before Giorgio bid him farewell then headed back to their father's office.  

Each step further she took up the stairs made a louder echoing thud from heels of her shoes hitting the steps with force.  Bringing in outsiders for family business....the hell was her father thinking now.  Despite her initial reaction upon seeing the man, Rachel was ready to scream.  Once she got to her room, she called for Roberto.  He was one of the men assigned for protection detail, but took a special liking to Rachel since her youth, feeling protective over her.

She trusted Roberto and always probed him for information from time to time.  Most times he was reluctant to tell her things, but he would give her bits and pieces of the family business.  Whenever she wanted to be in the know, which she had every right as part of this family she argued vehemently to Roberto, she'd just call him for a meeting.  Now she needed to know who this mysterious man was, and just what the hell he was gonna be doing for her father.  She barely waited for him to come out to the balcony where she was waiting, less ears to overhear any details to be discussed there.

"About time!"

Rachel teased him in return receiving his arched eyebrow as a reply, so she carried on quickly.

"I need you to tell me, or find out even, everything about the man who just left.  It seems he is doing some work for my father, and I wanna know about him."

She held back a bit on the curiosity leaving her tone neutral, so Roberto didn't gain the insight that her request wasn't strictly business.  Rachel was curious on a personal level as well to the identity of the man.

"You know how your father feels about you being part of the family business, but fine."

With a heavy sigh, he walked over towards the ledge away from the door then began telling Rachel what she wanted to know.

"All I know at the moment is the fact his name is Antonio Maldonado, Jr.  He is from the states, his heritage is Sicilian though, strong business ties here.  Moved back here to the homeland after his family has all but passed on.  Your father had heard about a few certain qualities Antonio had since he came over to Sicily a few years back.  Silvio took the time to delve into Antonio's background before reaching out to him on a business level.  I believe he sees in him the qualities he wished his own sons possessed."

Rachel had been paying rapt attention to every detail spoken, soaking in the information. 

"Well what else is there?"

"I heard talks about a job coming up soon in regards to the mayor, Salvatore Di Marzo.  Surely you've heard about the plans he is attempting to put forth a legislative proclamation to lock down organized crime, and anyone associated with it.  There were talks of a plan to kidnap the mayor's son, hold for ransom to teach Di Marzo a lesson on who is in charge, and Antonio might be the one your father uses for this job if he does well on this current mission."

Rachel had been paying rapt attention to every detail spoken, soaking in the information. 

"What does my father want done?   Was that everything you know on Antonio?"

Her voice kinda broke a bit when saying his name.  This didn't go unnoticed by Roberto though because he paused then said.

"....Not to mention he is single and easy on the eye..."

Roberto laughed softly when her mouth flew open slightly gasping at being so obvious when she thought she'd hid it well.

"Never play poker princess, or you'll be broke in no time."

Rachel crossed her arms scoffing at his teasing.

"You know what Roberto?  Just hush!"

You could hear his chuckling as he continued down the hallway back to work.  It wasn't much details on the man in question, but it was a start. The rest of the information regarding the mayor, and the trouble he was planning indeirectly and directly for her father, well all that gave her an idea.  You hurt the family, the family hits you where it hurts most.  She had learned that much from her father over the years.  Rachel knew the mayor had a son just out of high school.  

Well perhaps she could get to Antonio first with all of this before her father could give him the job.  Hopefully she could persuade him to work with her, so she could prove to her father once and for all just how valuable she can be to his organization.  With this plan in mind, Rachel awaited for Antonio's return, which fortunately was the next day. 

She waited patiently outside in the foyer until the meeting was over with her father, and caught sight of Antonio coming down the hallway.  Not waiting til reached the door, Rachel marched right up to him with such a fire in her eyes that gave little doubt to her determination of enlisting his assistance, and not taking no for an answer.  She gave him a time and place for a meeting with her later in the week then headed up the stairs to flesh out the details of her plan.