by AA Lee
“Are the headlines true, Mr. Gregorio?” she emphasized.
Her father gave a stern expression. “Ella, what are you doing here? I didn’t expect to see you again after you left my room.”
“You see,” the woman next to him sneered. “You are a bother.” She started to push Ella away when Ella yanked her pistol out of its holster and pointed it at the woman. Fear instantly caused the woman’s lips to quiver.
“How am I a bother?” Ella asked. “You have no idea who I am. You are nothing to me.” Ella’s gun instantly gained the men’s attention, and one of them pulled a gun on her. She was not having it. She did not care. “Go ahead.” She glanced over at the man. “Pull that trigger. I dare you.”
“Put your guns away…both of you!” Gregorio waved to the two; however, neither withdrew their weapons. “Ella, what is this about? Where’s Tomassi?”
Ella had forgotten about Angelo, and panic crossed her eyes as she remembered leaving the restaurant. She suddenly could not hold the tears, as she looked completely helpless at her father. “It’s about the death of my mother. It’s about my picture being broadcast for the entire world to see. It’s about you lying to me my entire life.”
Somebody jerked the gun out of her hand. Ella bolted around but nearly crashed into Angelo’s chest. He did not look at her. He scowled at the man who pointed the gun at her. “I suggest you not aim that thing at my future wife.”
“Mr. Tomassi?” the man said and lowered his gun. “What? If you are... then that makes her…” Ella saw the man turn pale at the revelation as Angelo yanked her arm away from the entire group.
“Wait. Stop, Angelo! Stop! Please,” Ella begged.
Her pleas did not faze him, and she struggled to free herself as he dragged her past the bar and lifted his arm to snap at someone. He had to bring her back to her father. He must. Ella cried in a state of hysterics. Her life was falling apart.
“I need him to answer me, Angelo. My father needs to answer the question. Please let me go back. Don’t do this to me.” She used every muscle she had to free herself, but Angelo clenched her fiercely and continued his silence through a room full of elite. Ella showed no concern for members in the VIP room as Angelo pulled her inside a smaller room in back and forced her on the sofa. Then he looked up.
“Go bring that bastard to me. We are going to finish this.” Rafa understood and immediately walked back out of the room as Angelo brought the back of Ella’s head to his chest. “Ella, I tried to prevent this from happening to you. You are not going to like what you hear.” He pressed his cheek against hers and massaged her arms, her shoulders and neck, anything he could touch to calm her down. Nothing he did would help her right now.
Seconds later, Jim and Ray led Gregorio into the room. They pointed to the sofa across from Angelo and Ella. She stared at her father, knowing something was definitely off. Her father looked at the wall to avoid her, and Angelo’s arms clenched her body much tighter than before. She did not know if she could handle the truth.
Her father did not speak right away, and the silence of the room consumed her, bringing her to a point that was almost unbearable. She could not control her shivering as she thought about her mother. Her mother was all she had and she feared the worst had happened. Her own father was responsible for her death.
“Your daughter wants to hear the truth, so talk.” Angelo turned his gaze from Ella and gestured his chin at her father.
“Just kill me already, Tomassi. That’s what you plan to do?” Angelo’s jaw tightened as Ella lifted her head, looking at him with questions. He already knew who she was on the balcony of his suite. Was that what she would not like? Did he plan to kill her father?
“Don’t turn this around on me,” Angelo said. “I didn’t cause this; you did. You and your drunken frenzies. I told you to leave before it was too late.”
When her father still said nothing, Ella looked at him again. “Did you kill her?” Her voice trembled, making him briefly glance at her and then away. “Are the news reports true?”
Gregorio then looked her straight in the eyes. “Yes, they are true, Ella,” he admitted, looking at his lap with regret. “I caught her with another man in our bed and I fired a shot at him. I didn’t even know what I was doing.”
“She wouldn’t have cheated on you,” Ella said. Her mother would never do such a thing. Her father must have been lying again. She could not believe it.
“Yes, she would, Ella. I know it was my fault for leaving her alone all the time, but your mother had several affairs. When I found her in our bed, I couldn’t handle it. I shot Peter and she jumped in front of the bullet. I never meant to take her away from you.”
Ella took a breath. She knew her family was not the perfect picture they portrayed themselves to others, but she never expected that. Her mother’s smile had merely covered the reality of her lonely life. Her father left her alone too much. Her mother filled in the void. The life had sucked the life out of them both and was passed down to Ella.
“And yet you kept your secret and told me she took her own life. Why would you do that to me?”
“Ella,” he hesitated. “I have lived with plenty of guilt. That’s part of this life.”
“But you sent me away not knowing any of it. You lied about everything, even my name. Who is Robert Collins? How did you even change my last name?”
“Sweetheart, I have many connections. It wasn’t difficult. Bonadio knew me as Gregorio. My men knew me as both. It was the perfect protection plan for you, until my men turned on me. After that, it was war. Bonadio wanted my estate. I offered it to Tomassi. I knew that I could not protect you once Bonadio knew who you were. I have another name that I used too. It was my way of setting up Bonadio. He bought property under the aliases, and I know exactly where to find his group. It is information that I passed on to Tomassi. Bonadio is his problem now. He signed. He agreed. You are under his protection from now on.”
Her father planned her life without telling her a single thing. Ella could not believe the lack of say she had in her situation. It was unbelievable. “Why would you offer to marry me off without even telling me you were in the mafia? Angelo refused, and you still sent me away. How was abandoning me going to help? Do you have any idea what this has been like for me, knowing that people were trying to attack me but not knowing why?”
“That’s right. He did refuse. I found out that he was looking for property and sent you as the real estate agent.”
“Your plan could have failed,” Ella said with disbelief.
Gregorio sighed. “No, I knew he would like you. There was no doubt in my mind. You are different from the other women he has been around. I knew.”
“But what if he didn’t? I could be dead. Were you really okay with that risk instead of just giving me the truth?” Ella hung her head and her arms went numb as she waited for a response of which she already knew the answer. She turned to Angelo next.
“Get him out of here.” Angelo pointed at her father but looked at Jim and nodded. Ella speculated on their understanding. She did not like the secret undertones behind his nod. Ella found herself deeper in the life than she had ever imagined. She was at the heart of the dispute between the groups the entire time.
“You are like him.” Ella stood and pointed at Angelo as his hold relaxed around her body. “You should have told me when you found out who I was. You kept it a secret just like my father. Are you going to leave me alone, too? While you are handling matters with the group, are you going to keep me locked up all day and never include me in your life? Is that what I can expect from you? My father forced my mother to cheat on him. She would have never done something like that! Are you going to make me that desperate too?”
Angelo folded his arms and frowned at her. A glimmer of animosity crossed his eyes as he heard what she said. Ella knew right then that these men did not take the matter of infidelity from their women lightly. She did not want to know what thoughts went through Angelo’s mind.
“I’m going home tonight, Rafa,” he said and did not bother to counter her words. His voice sounded calm, dangerous, and full of spite, sending chills across her skin. Ella should have held her tongue. Now she feared what he waited to tell her in private. “Handle her outburst in the casino. Call Brett and Sammy to assist. And you,” He stretched out his hand to Ella. “Will be coming with me. We need to talk about your new situation as my future wife.”
CHAPTER 41
Ella drifted in and out of sleep all night long. She was exhausted and yet could not stay asleep for more than half-hour intervals. Her neck felt cold from the perspiration on the back of her head. Her clothes stuck to her body with cool dampness from the cold sweats she experienced during the night.
There was light outside when she opened her eyes. Angelo’s hands were locked around her body as she attempted to move her arms. Only seconds passed when she remembered the night before. She gasped for air as her heart sped mercilessly against her chest. Her body bolted up straight and jarred Angelo awake.
She could not help but cry. She could feel the hot tears adding to the chill of her clothes. Angelo sat up with her and squeezed his arms tighter around her, but it did not help and she cried more. She was angry. She felt the shadow of dread over her head. She was part of a life that caused her mother’s death. She was the sole reason why the restaurant was gone. Angelo was under attack the entire time because of her. Now she risked facing the same problems her mother did—stifling loneliness and pain. How would she ever come to terms with that?
“Shhh,” Angelo whispered, but she would not let him comfort her. She knew the full extent of the impact that this life would have on her. She was no longer under a guise that love was all she needed. It would take more than love to survive this kind of life. The realization struck her hard.
All at once, Ella stopped crying. Her mind entered a state that turned everything off around her. She looked at Angelo. His expression reflected the heartache she felt. He constantly was worrying about how to keep her safe. She now worried about ending up like her mother. She could alleviate both of their concerns. Neither would have to endure the pain in their life anymore. The life was her pain. She was his.
Ella shifted one arm slightly out of his grasp, and she carefully grabbed her pistol off the nightstand. She pointed it at her head, right at her temple. She would no longer be the issue between the groups. They could not fight over her if she was not there. Her death would at least grant them that.
“Ella.” Angelo spoke her name in as calm a tone as she thought he was capable of speaking. He held out one hand; the other fisted the sheets with silent horror of what she was doing. Her tears silently started to fall again until she felt the drops fall from her chin to her arm. She had never felt more strongly about anything in her life.
“Give me the gun,” he choked out. His eyes were turning red. She never thought that she could make Angelo cry. It broke her heart to see such emotion from a man who hid his feelings from the world. It was another reason why her death was the only logical solution.
“I am so completely hurt right now that I don’t care anymore. He lied to me. My entire life has been a lie. My mother is dead, and I’m only causing you pain. There is no reason for me to live.”
“That is not true, Ella. I will help you get through this. We will do it together.” His voice shook as her finger pressed further on the trigger. She could not see the joy she once had. Ella found it difficult to think of a single happy memory. She was searching for a reason to hand him the gun, but the darkness around her sucked her dry.
“Ella, I am not your father. All of this will pass. It always does. Just give me the gun, sweetheart.” He was desperate for her to put down the gun. Those deep brown eyes begged her to do as he asked. His hand barely touched her knee with his palm spread open wide.
Ella could not bear to see the hurt she was causing him anymore. She would leave him bitter and heartless. He would become a brutal man, showing mercy to no one in retaliation for his loss. She could barely think about what else he would do. Ella finally lowered the gun and set it in his hand before she could change her mind.
Angelo immediately ejected the clip and removed the bullet from the chamber. Ella did not have time to blink before he placed it safely in the drawer. His arms snatched her waist as he buried his head in her chest. She could feel his body shake as his arms clenched her from around. Ella started to cry again; this time from the fear that radiated from his limbs. This life was agony for them both.
He was breathing hard as he lifted his head. His chest rose and fell as he held onto her hands. It was as though he wanted to make sure she could not get to the gun. Angelo had never been that transparent before. He did not attempt to try to hide how he felt.
“How did you know that I was Gregorio’s daughter?” she sniffed. Angelo was a wreck because of her. She wanted to take it away.
“I saw him last night at the banquet. He handed me an envelope with information about everything he did. He left me a note that he saw you yesterday. He saw my ring on your finger.”
“That’s why he suddenly let me leave,” she mumbled. “Why didn’t Sullivan know?” she wondered.
“Your father hired Sullivan to protect you. That was it. He knew your father had chosen someone to marry you. He did not know it was me.”
“If you weren’t going to marry another woman, what was it that I wouldn’t like? You said that you would keep me with you no matter what.”
Angelo looked away with that reminiscent look of his. He shook his head and then looked back at Ella. “Our groups didn’t used to be rivals. We worked together until Bonadio ruined it. When he took over, he disrespected Gregorio’s counties and mine. He wanted to move in his escort services but we refused. He really wanted complete authority of both groups. He saw you as his ticket to Gregorio’s claims. Your father wanted nothing to do with him. Then your mother passed away. Your father drank more and made a couple of mistakes. He met with Bonadio. His attitude changed. Bonadio convinced some of his members to turn on him and things just got worse. Gregorio openly offered me his daughter and estate. Bonadio hated me for it. There’s been a war ever since. Now your father doesn’t know who is working for him. I will have to sort out the traitors. I did not want his legacy; now I inherit it anyway. I will do whatever I need to do to keep you safe.”
“What will you do, Angelo?” she asked. He was not answering the question on purpose.
“Your father threatened me.”
“You’re going to kill him.”
Angelo did not reply; instead, his hands stroked up and down her arms. He lifted his fingers and touched the tears still on her cheeks. “Let me help you to the shower. The warm water will make you feel better.”
Ella lost the strength to stand and slid to the hard shower floor as the hot water rushed over her face. She hung her head as she took a deep breath; her mind would not take in the soothing gesture. She had pointed a gun at her head. Nothing terrified her more now than what she fully intended to do minutes ago. She felt panicked and afraid of even herself. She had become her own enemy.
Her family and Bonadio—Angelo—overwhelmed her mind. He planned to kill her father, and she could do nothing to prevent it. She felt hurt and sadness. It was too late for her father to reverse the choices he had made. She would always regret that she did not know the true nature of his life. He could have prevented all of this. She never imagined that she would feel completely helpless in her situation. This was what he willingly did to her.
Ella felt as though someone was watching her. She saw the shadow and looked up. Her body jolted in surprise as her head banged the back of the shower wall. She did not see Angelo walk in the restroom. He could have been there the entire time, standing directly in front of her as she basked in her own thoughts. She screamed when he swung the glass door open wide, making it bounce on its hinges.
“What are you doing?” he asked. His voice sounded upset, but aft
er earlier, he was probably still worried about losing her.
“I was only thinking,” she answered.
He swallowed and looked down at her on the floor of the shower. His eyes looked afraid as he continued to stare. “I want you to stand up, Ella,” he said and held out his hand.
She did without arguing. Did she make him wonder if she might carry through with her threat after all? “Will you please hand me the robe?” Ella pointed to the hook on the wall as she turned off the water; then she slid her arms in the sleeves he held open for her. “I’m sorry I took so long. I guess…I guess I was trying to put the situation in perspective.” She stepped onto the floor mat and started to walk past him, but Angelo would not let her pass. What more did he want from her? She had done what he had asked.
“My life will never be normal. There was never even a possibility,” she said as she waited.
“Ella.” He slipped his arms underneath her robe and pulled her to his chest. “No, it will never be normal. That doesn’t mean that you can’t be happy.”
“How?” she asked. “When people are constantly shooting at us or threatening us and setting things on fire. How can there be happiness?” She closed her eyes and dropped her arms to her sides.
“Because, Ella, you create our own life aside from the mafia. That is how it works. You don’t think about the bad.” Angelo looked down and shook his head. “We almost never marry for love. I am willing to die for you, and you wanted to throw it all away with a bullet in your head. That was harder for me than any situation that has ever threatened my life.”
Ella started to touch his arm when he looked up. His expression looked angry. Anger and hurt were not a good combination. He placed his hands firmly around her cheeks, and his serious, pain-filled eyes made hers sting all over again.
“I am willing to die for you, Ella. Do you understand what that means? I have never felt that way for anyone, so don’t you ever threaten to kill yourself. Do you hear me?” He gave her body a desperate shake and his fingers gripped her hair, paying little attention to the tears that threatened to spill. “I love you. I cannot” his throat worked. “I will not live without you.”