I can't believe this.
Cassius killed my dad.
He never got the chance to raise me because he was murdered by his own blood. Why does this hurt so bad? Maybe because this man not only caused my mother pain, but he also left me without a father.
“I am your boy too.” Cassius sounds contempt.
Grandfather walks back to his desk and stands before Cassius. “You stopped being my son the moment you pointed the gun at your brother’s head and stole his bride. The only reason you are still breathing is because of those two boy’s upstairs and, as for Andrea, she will fulfill her father’s wishes.” There's a long pause before he continues. “She will be the boss of this family; it is her duty. Her whore of a mother had no right to keep her from us.” I watch as Cassius grabs Benedetto by his throat and holds him up against the study’s wall.
“You damn well know that she’s…” —Uncle Cassius growls in his face and tightens his hold on Benedetto’s neck. But before he can refute his father’s accusations against him, he is interrupted yet again.
“I won't tell you again to shut your goddamn mouth.” – Benedetto struggles getting the words out but still he threatens. — “Andrea will never know that you killed her father with the help of that whore!”
I quickly cover my mouth before a shocked gasp escapes me.
My instinct is telling me to barge in and demand answers, but that's reckless and won’t guarantee me the truth from them. I am not only living under the same roof as liars and criminals, but also a fucking murderer of the worst kind.
Uncle Cassius committed the worst sin against his own flesh and blood.
Now, more than ever I shouldn't trust anyone, not even my goddamn blood.
26
Ventisei
WELL PLAYED ASSHOLE
“I’m fine. I’m just being dramatic. It’s what I do.” – Lorelai Gilmore
ANDREA
Eighteen years old
Today is bittersweet.
My first birthday without mom.
Roberta surprised me with breakfast in bed ordered by my grandfather. He also sent a dozen pink roses and filled my room with balloons. Well, he didn’t do shit. He asked his employees to do it for him.
I haven't seen or heard from him since the horrifying revelation of the crimes committed against my father and the accusation against my mother. I’ve been avoiding everyone by staying in my room all weekend.
Not that anyone noticed.
That night I watched Uncle Cassius getting in his car and leaving like a thief in the night from my bedroom window. I haven’t seen or heard from him since.
I don’t know how I’ll react the next time I see him. This man is the reason my mother suffered so much in life.
I will probably cut out his heart and give it to his sons.
What am I going to do now?
Benedetto knew all along that my father didn't leave us willingly. He also has his son’s killer living under the same roof as me. Why keep that a secret from me? What does he want?
And why would he say that mom helped kill him? That’s a reach since Valeria Turner wouldn't have hurt a fly, let alone the love of her life.
I knew this would happen.
I am surrounded by secrets and betrayals.
Should I confront Benedetto and demand to know the truth about my parents? But what guarantee do I have that he will tell me the truth?
No. It’s up to me to find out the truth.
Since my mother’s passing, I’ve come to terms that it is me against the world now. But how am I supposed to let this go? Why should they go on living life like they didn’t cause my family so much pain? And how can I make these people pay for their crimes when it feels like everything, she told me was a lie?
Fuck, this hurts.
What also hurts is that the day I've been anxiously waiting for has arrived. I am finally eighteen years old and I can leave this town for good. Now that I know for certain that this family caused my parents so much pain, I don't want anything to do with them. I didn't want to be boss before and I certainly don't want to lead this family now. How can they expect me to be the head of a family I don't trust or hold any respect for?
Let the twins kill each other for it.
Benedetto knew he couldn't possibly hold me here against my will. The moment I turn eighteen, I am no longer under his temporary custody. He has no hold over me.
Did he want me here because he wanted to get to know me? He seemed sincere the night he gave me my dad’s photo, but then he insulted my dead mother and accused her of murder. There’s more to it if that I am sure. He held so much animosity against my mother and he didn’t want anything to do with me before, so why now?
Fuck.
I don’t understand any of this. It can’t be money he’s after. He must be bathing in hundred dollar bills every night. He must have a motive for all of this and in my gut, I feel it is a sinister one.
What is he hiding?
I am running out of time, the moment the court agrees to hand me over my inheritance and the board of shareholders appoint me CEO of Valentina, I am out of here.
I won’t finish school here. The only good thing about this place is coming with me to New York as soon as she graduates.
I can’t lose Fallon, right now she's all I have, and I need her in my corner. I have a feeling shit’s about to get real and I'm barely eighteen years old.
My phone pings with a message from a number I don't recognize.
Unknown number: Come down.
Me: Who is this?
Unknown number: I’m waiting.
I leave my bed and walk to my window; Lucan’s Maserati is parked in the driveway. I haven't heard from him since our “date” last Friday night. The asshole just ended the date and dropped me off at the mansion.
Me: I don't think so. Go away.
I send the middle finger emoji for dramatic effect.
I plug my phone into its charger and start my morning routine. I have a lot to figure out today.
What's my next move?
I’m almost done curling my hair into stylish waves when there's a knock at the door.
“Ms. Nicolasi, Mr. Volpe wishes to speak with you.” Roberta tells me with a scowl on her face.
She’s always so proper and it’s obvious she doesn’t approve of me.
Like I give a fuck what she thinks.
I’m done caring about what others do or say.
“I’ll be done in a minute.” I dismiss her because honestly, I’m no in the mood for her shit.
I take my time getting dressed and head downstairs. Benedetto is nowhere in sight. I bet he doesn’t think I know what he's been hiding. I have a gut feeling and it's telling me not to trust him. The only thing in my favor is that no one knows I heard their conversation. No one knows I was there that night and listed to their argument. Now I know what they've all been hiding.
I have to keep it that way. I’ve watched enough crime movies to know that the first one to blab is the first one that gets buried.
Benedetto protected a murderer and is now trying to keep me here under false pretenses. He doesn’t want to get to know his long-lost granddaughter. He just wants me here to be the face of his fucked up criminal organization all the while protecting my father’s killer.
Oh, and let’s not forget he called my mom a whore and accused her of murder.
I find Lucan waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs. He looks different, not at all like the pretentious asshole he truly is. He almost looks carefree, wearing jeans and a white plain t-shirt. His hair is styled differently too, not perfect like usual.
“You look beautiful.”, he smiles and offers his hand for me to take.
Yeah, I don’t think so.
“I think my text message was pretty clear.” I don’t have time for this. “I don’t want to be around you. Not today.”
I’m done playing his games.
One day he threatens me, the next he kisses me, he c
hokes me and then takes me out on a date.
What the hell.
He must think I’m the president of the dumb hoe club. — “I said no, what part of that don’t you understand?”
What he pulls out of his jeans’ pocket makes my blood turn cold. No, it can't be.
I touch my neck, feeling for the only thing that gives me peace and it’s not there.
Oh God, no.
How did he get a hold of my necklace?
I’ve been so busy with self-pity and wallowing that I completely forgot mom’s necklace. I’m always so careful and I never take it off.
Fuck!
The last time I had it with me was in the training session.
“How did you get that? Give it back!” I snap.
I have so much pent-up rage that I’m losing control of my emotions. I’m a fucking mess, but that necklace grounds me, it feels like mom.
Like home.
“I’ll give it back, only if you spend a day with me.” He must be joking.
This can’t be happening right now.
“Please, just give it back.” I try to reason with him, but I know it is futile. There’s nothing reasonable about Lucan Volpe. He studies me with an unreadable expression on his face.
Yeah, he’s not giving it back if I don't do as he says.
Feeling defeated for the first time since I arrived in this town, I give in and do as he says. I can’t risk losing the necklace and this psycho is capable of choking me with it. “Fine, one day, but give me your word that when the day is over, you'll give it back.”
“You have my word, Andrea.” he looks me down with an intense look on his face. His tone is not sarcastic or condescending, it’s honest.
Well, that’s a first.
I can’t believe I just agreed to spend a whole day with this idiot. Out of everything I needed to do today, this wasn’t it. I need to call Emilio and ask for an update on my mother’s company. Last I heard the board of directors is demanding a meeting with me. Apparently, I am too young to be the CEO of a global enterprise. I also need to ask him some questions about mom. I think no one knew her better than him.
Maybe Lucan is a welcome distraction after all.
I also notice he calls me Andrea; He is the only one that does besides Benedetto. I’m curious as to why.
“Why don't you call me Drea like everyone else?”
“One day soon you'll learn that I’m not everyone else.”, he grabs my hand and leads us out of the mansion. “Let’s go, every second of your day is mine. We can’t waste them.”
I pride myself on being a strong and independent woman that takes no shit from men...today, I fail.
In my defense, he has the only thing that means the world to me. This means I’m at his mercy.
Well played asshole, well played.
27
Ventisette
WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME?
“Wow, we really are bitches.” – Rachel Green
ANDREA
Stuck in the twilight zone.
That's the only way I can describe my day with Lucan.
After we left grandfather's mansion, we had breakfast at a small and cozy diner in town. I thought it would feel awkward and uncomfortable since I’m a hostage and all but, if I'm being honest, it was kind of pleasant. Lucan made me forget that my mother is gone, my father was murdered by my uncle and my grandfather is a piece of shit.
Lucan has taken an interest in my life, but I’m not naive. I know he just wants leverage that he can use against me later on.
“Were you close with your mom?” he suddenly asks.
I’m not surprised by the question because my mom’s death was all over the news. I just want to forget, just for today. Not forget her but forget that the person that meant the most to me is lost to me forever.
“Change the subject, Lucan. I don't want to talk about her.” I really can’t, not today, and especially not with him.
He wants me gone and the only thing that could truly hurt me is people finding out the cause of my mother’s death. “What’s the plan for today?”, I ask to change the focus back on him.
He leans back on the booth we are occupying, looking at me like he wants to crawl inside me and lay claim to every single part of me. That’s the thing about Lucan. He doesn't need words, his eyes tell me everything I need to know, and right now, he looks like he wants me.
He wants this day with me, but why? What’s his endgame?
He feels his pants looking for something and pulls out a cigarette. He does it again but this time it’s for a zippo with an ugly snake on it.
Huh.
Who would’ve thought, the student body president and chess geek… smokes?
He lights up the cigarette, but he's not paying attention to it. He’s lost in thought. So, I leaned over the booth, reached over, and pluck the cigarette out of his mouth. I take a drag and quickly blow a great amount of smoke right in his face. That makes him snap out of it and he trains those baby blues on me.
Yeah, that got his attention.
He takes the cigarette from me and scowls. “Get up, we’re going shopping.” he tells me while dropping a couple of fifties before rising from his seat and exiting the diner, leaving me to follow.
This guy has no manners whatsoever but, thankfully, breakfast is over.
One more second this close to him and I will fall on my knees for traitorous Judas.
I’m relatively new to this place so I don’t judge it much. Detroit is different but some of the people that I have met thus far are over the top and way too pretentious for my taste. The fashion business prepared me for this but still I was not expecting rude as fuck criminals. Even so, I can't deny the appeal. The streets are squeaky clean, there’s no hellish traffic and I haven’t seen a single paparazzi insight since I arrived here.
The opposite of New York.
Still, I wouldn’t willingly trade my city for this place.
We are currently inside one of the most expensive boutiques in town by the looks of it. The walls are painted matte black, the mannequins are made of glass, the ceiling is one big ass mirror, and I won’t even get into the women that work here.
They look way too perfect.
One approaches us with a knowing smile on her face. “Lucan, good to see you again.” I don’t appreciate her tone and I hate the feeling of possessiveness that runs through my body.
He is mine.
Well, only for the day and I don’t share my toys.
“Leah, we need a short evening dress for Andrea. The cost won’t be a problem.”, he tells her before he leaves and goes who knows where.
“Come with me darling. We’ll find the perfect dress to bring that boy to his knees.”, she winks and guides me to the changing rooms. Even the changing rooms are elegant, with gold chandeliers on the ceiling and mirrors everywhere.
“We need a dress that will accentuate your beautiful curves. Here, try this one.”, she hands me an elegant red, satin dress that stops just above the knee.
She leaves me to try the dress on. I quickly change into it and stare at my reflection in the mirror.
I look hot. Leah was right, this dress hugs all my curves and pushes my breasts up, making them look fake. I take my phone out to snap some mirror selfies for Fallon, but before I can do that someone knocks.
“It’s occupied.” I call out.
The dressing room’s door opens before I can stop the person on the other side and Lucan walks in. “I said it's occupied, get out.”, he shuts the door behind him and closes in on me until my back hits the mirror.
I follow his gaze and notice he’s staring at us... staring at our reflection.
I look up and I'm surprised by the look in his eyes. It’s the look of a hunter waiting to devour his prey.
“What are you doing to me, principessa?”, he rasps and in one swift move he grabs my ass and lifts me up until my back hits the dressing room wall. “Whatever you're doing, stop it. I am not a man to be played wit
h.”, he snarls.
My heart is beating abnormally fast and it feels like it’s trying to escape out of my chest and crawl towards him.
Pathetic I know, but this stupid need for him is clouding my judgement. Blame it on the past couple of shitty days.
“Shut up and kiss me.” I grab his ass and pull him to me.
“Whatever the principessa wants, she shall get.”, he flashes me a charming smile before taking my mouth in his and devouring it.
Just one look from him and he sets my damn body on fire. I’m tired of fighting it, maybe I should give in and see if I can bring this king to his knees.
Lucan’s mouth leaves mine. I think he's about to stop this but then he surprises me by trailing soft kisses down my neck. I’m so lost in him that I didn’t even notice him dropping down on his knees. I feel his hands roaming my body like he’s trying to discover a secret only my body could tell him.
I’m lost in thought staring at his lips, wanting them on me, on every part of my body. “Don’t you dare stop now.” I growl. I’m so lost in pleasure that I don't even care that I'm acting like a needy bitch.
Lucan looks up at me with a knowing grin. “Oh, baby girl, I wasn’t planning on it.”
We both know it's too late to turn back now, this fucked up train with no destination has left the tracks.
Time stops as I feel his hands on my waist, goosebumps travel all over my body when I feel his breath on my navel. Lucan leisurely hikes up my dress until my red thong is exposed. Thank God, I wasn't lazy today and decided to match my underwear.
Andrea The Beginning (Holy Trinity, #1) Page 12