In The End (Butterfly #1)

by Isabella Redwood

  ‘Crocifisso wanted more, as us men often do,’ he smiled and reached to stroke my hand. ‘He had read about love in many books and longed for the touch of a woman, but not just any woman, Crocifisso had his pick of the local town, many of whom his family wanted to make alliances with, but Crocifisso could never settle and choose a wife. That was until the horrendous storm that nearly destroyed the fishing business in the area hit, decimating almost all the fleet of boats and taking the lives of countless men.

  ‘A rescue boat had been sent out to supply aid to the village and on board was Irina, the most beautiful woman Crocifisso had ever laid eyes on. There were a select few women in the village that had turned his head, but she was so rare a beauty, he could only imagine that she would choose him.

  ‘Irina had been travelling from Russia to visit her family in Sicily when the storm had hit, causing her ship to sink and the rescue boat en route to the village had picked her up. Crocifisso likened her to a doll, his Russian doll, and became obsessed with seeing her, taking every opportunity to meet.

  ‘Unbeknownst to him, one of his brothers had informed their father of the budding relationship and he caught Crocifisso sneaking out one night to rendezvous with his Russian lover, forbidding him from seeing her again on pain of banishment from his family. He could not keep away and the next week they eloped to the nearby town to get married. Crocifisso hoped that once she was his wife his family would accept her and life could resume, as it was, albeit with his dream wife.

  ‘He was sadly mistaken and his family disowned him, taking away his livelihood and home. Irina suggested they should go to Russia and start a new life, but this was Crocifisso’s home, he wanted to show his family that he didn’t need their support and resolved to do whatever it would take to prove that.

  ‘After trying to obtain new employment and his father threatening anyone who dared to employ him, the positions disappeared fast, he had to support his new wife and give her all the fineries she was accustomed to. Having explored all possible forms of employment, Irina suggested that they exploit a market that was opening up, importing and exporting, wanted goods, alcohol being the prime along with tobacco and anything else a man was willing to pay for, all except drugs and that remained the policy throughout his reign.

  ‘Crocifisso built his business from the ground up; employing more men than the fishing industry had jobs for, expanding out to nearby towns and growing richer by the day.’ Nicholi paused to gauge my reaction, and I kept as poker-faced as possible, taking a sip of my water.

  ‘What happened next?’ I replied, willing him to continue.

  ‘What happened next shaped the future and changed the course of history for the Veneto family. Irina, after giving birth to their first son, was murdered in cold blood on the order of Crocifisso’s father.’ Nicholi paused as I gasped.

  ‘His father had been following their success with disdain, blaming Irina for corrupting his son into a life of crime; he sought revenge and committed the sin of murder in the name of protecting his son. Of course, it backfired and Crocifisso, in a fit of rage, attacked his father, pushing him down a flight of stairs and broke his neck as a consequence.

  ‘From that point on Crocifisso became everyone’s worst nightmare, the stories that were infamous concerning the Mafia, were nine times out of ten instigated by his family and the group of loyal followers he built up. Over time, he climbed the ranks of the criminal world and became one of the most infamous Mafia bosses of all time. Until his son took over the family business and made Crocifisso, look pleasant in comparison. Their reign of terror continued for a decade when a new family encroached on their territory and the war of the families began.’

  I was speechless, hearing this was like watching a gangster movie except this was real life and a true story. ‘When did things change?’ I questioned, assuming and certainly hoping that the Veneto family I knew were not involved in anything like this.

  ‘My grandfather, the man you met at the hospital, was the last don of our family. My father, after meeting and marrying my mother, wanted nothing to do with the life his father had treasured and mercilessly kept, leaving everything behind and starting afresh, the new Veneto family. It obviously did not go down well with my grandfather and as a result he did everything in his power to destroy my father’s relationship with my mother and succeeded with his most effective weapon.’ I interrupted, knowing what that was.

  ‘Larissa?’ However, the answer was a forgone conclusion.

  ‘Yes, he had been grooming her from a very early age; her parents had died when she was young and my grandfather had virtually raised her. She was his prodigy, made in his image, completely lacking in empathy and remorse. Larissa will do whatever it takes to serve herself and has no problem with using brutality to accomplish it.’

  I was staggered; I knew that Nicholi detested her, but never realised that my nightmare of her was in actual fact a true likeness.

  ‘What did she do to end your parents’ marriage?’ I asked, terrified of what the answer would be.

  ‘There are two parts and to this day my dad when questioned still maintains that he loves my mother, and never would have left her had she not ended things herself, but his side of the story is so far-fetched I find it extremely difficult to believe.’ Nicholi paused, taking another sip of water.

  ‘Larissa had been sent to destroy their relationship by my grandfather, but neither of them had counted on the fact that my father loved my mother deeply and would not be swayed by such obvious ploys. He maintains that he received a call from my grandfather to attend a party to discuss reconciling. My mother stayed at home with me and my father went alone. At the party he claims that his drink was spiked and when he awoke he found himself in bed next to Larissa, both naked, her congratulating him on an epic performance.’

  ‘Holy crap, yet he married her? I don’t get it?’ I announced, confused and disturbed immensely.

  ‘Soph, trust me, there are few things that I understand about my family and to be honest I think it’s better that way, to understand would mean being complicit somehow.’

  ‘How did he end up marrying her?’ I questioned, still reeling from the information, my brain not wanting to absorb such heinous acts.

  ‘When he woke up, my father couldn’t believe that he had slept with her, not remembering any details whatsoever. His conscience could not hold and he told my mother exactly what had happened. My mother wanted to call the police and have assault charges made against Larissa, as she believed my father when he told her that he thought he had been drugged.

  ‘The police took my father in for medical examinations, including drugs screens and brought Larissa in for questioning. She denied the whole thing of course and claimed it was just my father’s guilty conscience, not wanting to face the truth that he had cheated on his wife. She said she could prove it and produced a videotape of them having sex. My father, after seeing the tape, maintained that he was innocent and it had been doctored somehow to depict him. My mother still stood by his side until Larissa claimed she had DNA evidence that they had slept together and was examined.’ Nicholi paused then and I could see this was causing him emotional distress, but he obviously wanted to tell me so I leaned in to stroke his hand, trying to offer some comfort.

  ‘When the results came back it was a perfect match, my mother was destroyed. She had supported him throughout, maintaining that he was innocent and to then have the results thrown back in her face, it’s something she has never gotten over,’ Nicholi confirmed, clearing his throat, as though he was swallowing his emotions away, something I did often.

  ‘My mother left, taking me with her and my father, still maintaining his innocence, fell apart. He mixed with all the wrong types of people and along with abusing alcohol, became the man his father would have been proud to call his son. During this time, Larissa came to him and told him she was pregnant with his child.’

  ‘Cross?’ I asked, knowing the answer already.

  ‘Ye
s, and they married shortly after.’

  ‘I can’t believe it, such a horrible chain of events, you and your mother had your lives turned upside down and Cross, well it explains a lot about him.’ Nicholi interjected.

  ‘Actually, Cross was the complete opposite of both my father and Larissa. He was a true brother to me in all sense of the word and much more akin to my mother than his own,’ Nicholi explained, the affection in his tone for his brother was obvious.

  ‘What happened to him then?’ I questioned, fearing the worst.

  ‘He will never talk about it, but from the details I could ascertain, while he was at Stanford studying for his law degree, he got burned badly by a relationship and he has never been the same since,’ Nicholi explained, empathy radiating from him.

  ‘Oh, I never thought that would be the reason,’ I stated, though why I do not know, maybe there was much more to Cross than I had imagined. ‘Cross is a lawyer?’ I was shocked, as he certainly did not look the lawyer type, particularly with the company he was keeping.

  ‘Yes and this is the part I detest, he defends our family interests whenever necessary,’ Nicholi confirmed despondently.

  ‘Is the family still as criminal as it was?’ I questioned, nervous for the response I would receive.

  ‘No, on the whole it’s mainly legit businesses, casinos, restaurants, night clubs and an import and export business, but with Larissa, who knows; I know that she has had a run in with the Sar family concerning territory.’ The sound of that name gave me palpitations.

  ‘Do you think that was the reason they came after me because of something Larissa has done?’ I questioned, not wanting to know the answer.

  ‘I genuinely don’t know. What happened to the guy who shot you was definitely Larissa’s signature, but without proof, I do not know what we can do. I do know it is not something I ever want you mixed up in. I have done everything in my power to protect Jacob from them and now Max.’ Nicholi looked visibly disturbed by the dangers his family could generate, so the farther I stayed away from them the better, particularly Larissa.

  ‘I have no intention of ever getting mixed up with her, but I fear that my relationship with Max may make this very difficult. How did Max end up in your custody anyway?’ I questioned, noting Nicholi’s unease growing.

  ‘Up until six months ago Max was living with his mother and Cross had access visits, weekends, holidays etc. It was working out fine for them until Max’s mother, having been remarried, wanted to leave the country. Her husband is in the military and he was due to be posted overseas. Cross did not have a real problem with it, of course he would miss Max, but he knows that Max belongs with his mother. Larissa, however, was a completely different matter, and she insisted that Cross pursue full custody of Max.’

  ‘Cross knew as a lawyer that he had no right to demand such an extreme agreement, but Larissa, being the person she is, planted drugs in Max’s home and called the police, anonymously. Max’s mother was arrested along with her husband and Max was taken into child protective services. The charges were later dropped of course against Max’s mother and husband, due to lack of evidence, and they tried to resume custody of him. Larissa is still fighting them in court and in the interim period, I was granted temporary custody of Max. The court case resumes in November and I will do everything in my power for him to return to his mother.’

  I was speechless, after hearing everything Nicholi said about his family, it was amazing to think that he had gone unscathed and deemed that must have been largely due to his mother. We were both silent, Nicholi the first to break it.

  ‘Are you okay? I know it’s a lot to take on board, many couldn’t.’ His voice broke off, and I leaned into his arms, wrapping myself around him.

  ‘As long as you’re here I’m always alright,’ I reiterated, and stifled a yawn.

  ‘Bedtime?’ Nicholi asked and I could not hide the fact I was exhausted any longer. Getting up to brush my teeth and cleanse, I flopped back onto the bed and into Nicholi’s arms.

  ‘I’m looking forward to meeting your mother tomorrow and our date,’ I advised, my heart racing at the proximity of him.

  ‘Me too, I have an idea in mind for our date I think you will love,’ he explained, his arms tightening around me, bringing me closer.

  ‘Nothing too fancy, though as I have packed for camping and hiking,’ I replied, not that my wardrobe back at home would have held suitable attire. Nicholi smiled, stifling a yawn, looking noticeably tired. I echoed back, snuggling in to feel as close to him as possible and we fell asleep in each other’s arms.

  I awoke several hours later and carefully displaced myself from the bed, heading to check on the children initially before wandering out onto the deck to clear my head. The wind had picked up, and the moon was silhouetted across the lake, dancing with the water’s current under the wind’s instruction. I turned at the sound of footsteps and discovered Cross standing in the doorway.

  ‘Can’t sleep?’ he asked, and I again wished I had purchased new nightwear. My white cami glowed under the moonlight and I suddenly felt very exposed.

  ‘Just wanted some air,’ I confirmed, though that was not the whole truth, the date was swiftly approaching, the date that I dreaded each year, swimming against the current, savagely trying to consume me.

  ‘Me too,’ he added. ‘It’s one of my favourite places to be, this time of year.’ The way he said it made me think it was more than just a seasonal preference, and I pondered whether the information I had deemed earlier had anything to do with his solemn mood.

  ‘Would you like some coffee?’ I offered, strange though it may seem to some, but coffee always brought comfort, particularly at this time of night.

  ‘Sure, I thought it was only me who enjoyed such an unusual beverage at this time of night,’ he mumbled and paused, a look of anguish etched across his face. He brushed it away and headed back inside.

  Cross had switched on the coffee maker and sat down, opening his laptop that had been strategically placed on the table top. The coffee maker gave its audible ping of readiness and Cross poured us both a cup, adding sugar to his black coffee as I did mine.

  ‘Are you working?’ I was attempting to make polite conversation and curiosity had gotten the better of me, seeing him appearing to be researching environmental law.

  ‘Yes, I am considering taking a new position and one of their specialities is environmental law,’ Cross explained, still looking quite overwrought, and I wondered what had happened to have caused him such hurt that he would have completely changed the person he was. I could empathise more than he could possibly realise, I was not the person I had been nor would I ever be again.

  ‘Nicholi said you worked for the family business?’ I began and seeing Cross’s reaction I wished I had not opened my mouth.

  ‘I bet he did, telling you how hideous I am, no doubt, and that you should keep away from me,’ he scoffed. It was not entirely true, but the message had been clear; sensing this, Cross continued.

  ‘Sophia, just do me one courtesy would you? Judge me based on your experiences, yes I know we haven’t gotten off to the best start, totally my fault, but I would like to wipe the slate clean.’ He placed his cup down and reached across, presenting his hand. ‘Hi, I’m Crocifisso Lucas Veneto, pleased to meet you,’ he smiled, and I froze.

  ‘Lucas?’ I almost whispered, my voice tense and bewildered.

  ‘Yes, it was my father’s choice; my mother hated it, but accepted it after some persuasion,’ he replied, looking sheepish.

  ‘You went to Stanford right, class of 2013?’ My pulse was racing, the blood seemingly pooling in my veins.

  ‘Yes, everything okay, Sophia? You’re looking a little pale,’ Cross noted, his brow furrowing.

  ‘Fine, just tired,’ I confirmed and left the table as quickly as my failing limbs could carry me.

  I sat on the window seat in the bathroom until the sun started to rise, just twirling round and round the initial on the bracel
et I had worn on my ankle every day for the past five years. The letter L.

  Date Night

  I felt like I was floating, my limbs hanging freely in the wind, completely weightless. My arms reached up to touch the air and instead hit a solid object, the heat penetrating my cold skin, tingling with the sensation then moving closer, desiring more.

  My body started to respond, and I stirred, enough to wake me from my slumber. Opening my eyes, I saw the face that had graced my dreams every night since we met, my heartbeat increasing with the closeness of our bodies.

  Nicholi, having carried me from the bathroom, laid me down gently on the bed before climbing in next to me and pulled the comforter over us, shielding us from the elements, the cold air protesting at its eviction.

  ‘Baby, you’re freezing, what were you doing asleep in the bathroom?’ Nicholi questioned, holding me close, trying to transmit his body heat to mine.

  ‘I couldn’t sleep and went to get a drink and then watched the sunrise, I must have fallen asleep in the bathroom.’ My voice was trailing, my body starting to thaw, leaving a dull ache in my neck. I reached my hand to ease the stiffness and Nicholi, sensing this, completed the task, massaging the ache away as only he could.

  ‘You should have woken me up; we could have watched the sunrise together.’ He stopped, searching my eyes, the sapphire contrasting against the blue topaz of mine. ‘Why couldn’t you sleep, Soph?’ he questioned, concern radiating throughout his face, his brow furrowing in anticipation. ‘Was it because of what I said about my family?’ he asked, nervous vibes emanating from his body.

  ‘No, I think I just had too much coffee, you know me.’ Desperately trying to evade the question.

  ‘Hey, this is me you’re talking to; I know you and it’s way more than that. Sophia, it’s okay to be nervous where my family is concerned, in fact I encourage it, not to do so would mean being complacent and that’s never a good idea. But at the same time you don’t need to fear, I will never let anything happen to you; I swear it on my life.’ He held me so tightly; I knew without doubt he would protect me to the death, though I would ensure that never happened. I would never lose him, no matter the consequences.