La Dolce Vita: Romantic Suspense (Battaglia Mafia Series Book 7)

by Sienna Mynx

  For days she had little to report. Not much happened. She was with Carlo, but not really with him. He disappeared all day and held her at night. He was so sexy to her when he slept. That wasn't a rational emotion. She knew what he was capable of. But the feeling crept in on her every night, and it felt good.

  Done with cleaning, she returned to the master bedroom. She wished she had candles. Something to sweeten the atmosphere. But she had nothing. What she did find in his room was more gadgets. So she turned on one and located a jazzy station. She showered and put on Shalimar lotion in all her sweet spots. She returned to the bed in a towel to listen to the tunes from the magical television he wired. She fell asleep soon after.

  ***

  When Carlo returned home, he heard music playing and immediately knew the source. He didn't bother to turn on a single light. Carlo's burden was heavy. He had gone to Melanzana to learn the truth. Protect Lorenzo from whatever disastrous deed he kept hidden. But his vows made through Omertà paralyzed him. He did not betray his Don. He did not listen to the tapes. He left them where they were. The problem was he couldn’t accept that in doing so it would be mean the death of his friend. If he lost one more person, he loved he might not recover.

  He walked inside his villa on stiff zombie legs and closed the door. Carlo plopped on the sofa and put his face in his hands. For a moment he didn't dare think. He sat still and cleared his mind. Then the clean smelling air drew his thoughts to the surface. His eyes scanned his home.

  "What the hell happened here?" he asked aloud.

  She did more than clean. She transformed his place. He got up from the sofa and looked around. He saw furniture he had forgotten he'd purchased. And the floor of his home sparkled as if it had been hand scrubbed.

  "Adara?" he called out.

  She didn't answer. Carlo went to the bedroom and found her sleep on her side. She lay on a towel. Her hair was wet from her shower. He walked over and stood next to the bed so he could get a good look at her.

  "Adara?" he whispered.

  "Mmm?" she moaned. Her hand reached out and touched his leg. It went up his thigh. "You came back. Facciamo l'amore—let's make love."

  He chuckled.

  She opened her tired eyes and smiled for him. Adara sat up slowly. Her wet wavy hair was slung over one shoulder, and covering one side of her face. Again she had washed out the pink. She opened the towel that covered her body and tossed it aside. She scooted back and got under the sheets.

  "We don't need it tonight," he said. He ripped the sheet off her body so he could once again gaze down at her. And he was close to the edge. She looked like an Italian goddess to him. Every curve blessed by God, sweet and decadent.

  "Cosa c'è?" Adara blinked in confusion.

  He shed his clothes and stripped bare. He eased onto the bed and crawled over her. Adara reached for his face to bring his lips to hers, and he stopped her by turning his face away and opening her legs. He'd fuck her and forget the night. "Carlo? Kiss me."

  He kissed her brow and avoided her lips. He just wanted her soft pussy and nothing more.

  "Carlo?" She reached between them and pushed back on his pelvis to keep him from entering her. "Kiss me?"

  "Fuck this," he turned away. He sat on the edge of the bed. She immediately came behind him. She put her arm around the front of him and kissed the back of his head.

  "Why won't you kiss me?"

  "I'm not in love with you."

  "What? So if you give me a hug we are in love?"

  “No,” he said.

  “Every woman you kiss you’re in love with?” she asked.

  “No.”

  “I’m confused. Who are you in love with? The woman who wears Shalimar. Is she the reason I’m here?"

  It was a question he wouldn't answer. When he used the word love, God heard his request and punished him for it. His soul was so dark and stained he'd never see his way out of the black tide of shit he'd given his life to. Adara pressed the side of her face to his. And everything about her tempted him. Losing Shae hurt. Losing his brothers hurt. Now the thought of losing his bestfriend hurt. He was tired of hurting. And more importantly, people that got close to him always felt the pain or suffered. That was why he stayed away from his mother and surviving sister. Why he lived out here at the foot of his Don, like a stray dog only released from his chains of self-hate and guilt when it was time to attack. This was the life he deserved. And he should not have brought her here.

  "I will have one of the boys take you back. You can't go to Baldamenti. Alek is dead. They'll take you wherever else you need to go. And money..."

  "Dead? Alek Baldamenti is dead? Did you kill him?" she asked.

  "No. I tried. Someone else did."

  "Oh?"

  "Get dressed," he said and made to stand, but she tightened her arm around his throat and dragged him back down.

  "Stay. You need to sleep, let me help," she said.

  He looked over at her.

  She smiled.

  "Sleep would be good," he said. “If you can be quiet and not question me for the rest of the night.”

  "Then lie still," she ordered.

  She picked up the sheets and blankets. She spread them out across the bed. Then she joined him. He turned into her and pressed his face between her breasts. She held him close. "I know what you want. I can feel it, Carlo. The way your heart beats faster, your dick gets harder. You want me."

  "Sleep. All I want is sleep," he said.

  "For now," she whispered and kissed the top of his head.

  ***

  "Do you have to go? You just got here. If it's about what I told you, then I'm sorry—”

  "No Minnie. It's not you. Giovanni has business, and we have to get back home. I wish we could have stayed the full week," Mirabella said. She hugged Minnie close to her heart. She was so grateful to her for everything. But somehow she couldn't formulate the words to express it. To learn a truth as deeply buried as her mother's parentage rocked the foundation of her world. Nothing in her family was as she believed it to be. It would take months, maybe years to reconcile her emotions over it.

  “Mia, there’s something you should know. I got a call from Andrea this morning.”

  Mirabella frowned at Minnie’s whispered tone. “Cutter is dead.”

  “What? Dead?” Mirabella gasped.

  “Yes. They found him this morning. Andrea said he was in Pennsylvania. She doesn’t know what happened to him. I’m sorry honey. I thought you should know.”

  Mirabella glanced over to Giovanni who laughed with Clyde. Her husband looked his usual, normal self. “Thank you for telling me.”

  "Please promise you will come back? Those babies need to know their family. We need to heal as a family." Minnie let her go. She turned to Marietta and hugged and kissed her. Mirabella shifted her attention to Minnie's youngest daughter. The oldest was barely twenty-two, and the youngest was sixteen.

  "How about you come to Italy? Would you like that? Come to Italy?" Mirabella asked.

  The girls looked at each other with surprise and then back to her. They nodded that they would like to visit. But both of them seemed hesitant to believe the offer.

  "I'll make sure it happens. Soon," Mirabella assured them.

  Marietta wept.

  Mirabella glanced over to her left and saw Marietta clung to Minnie as she cried. It was never hard for Marietta to express her emotions. She wore them as merit badges on her chest for the world to see. Mirabella put her hand to her sister’s back to soothe her.

  "Thank you, Minnie. For everything."

  "You have the photo albums?" Minnie asked when she let go of Marietta. "You have what I gave you?"

  "Yeah, I have them," Marietta said.

  "Well, then you have all the answers you need. I'm going to go up in that attic again. If I find anything more, I will send it to you. Anything of your mothers," Minnie promised.

  "I would appreciate that," Marietta said.

  Giovanni nodded
at Clyde. The men didn't speak of the events from the night prior, but Giovanni was conflicted.

  “Got a call this morning. Cutter’s dead.”

  Giovanni arched a brow. “Dead? How?”

  “Don’t know. Somewhere in Pennsylvania. He dealt with some nasty men. Guess it caught up to him.”

  “Well it sometimes does,” Giovanni said.

  "I want you to know that we never meant to hurt Mia. She's our blood. We protected that secret to protect her. I look after this land because I know it’a here to heal her. And Marietta. I think that happened this time. Take care of our Mia. And bring her to back to us."

  "I'm glad to have met you, Clyde. A presto!" Giovanni extended his hand out of his window. Clyde shook it.

  "Travel safe," Clyde said. "Goodbye, Lorenzo."

  "Arrivederci, Clyde," Lorenzo nodded.

  "Bye, kids!" Clyde said. The children waved and said goodbye. Clyde hit the side of the van for encouragement and walked away. Giovanni cut his gaze over to his cousin. It hadn't escaped his attention that his cousin barely spoke two sentences to him since he announced they would return home. It was time for the distrust to end.

  "Have you found Isabella," Lorenzo asked.

  “I’m not sure. It’s possible. We will return home and see.”

  Giovanni glanced over at him. "I told Patri before he died I would learn to be a better man. Last night I realized I'm not a better man. I'm just a man. And I will do anything to protect what's mine. It's not your job to avenge my wife." Giovanni gripped the steering wheel tighter and stared at Mirabella as she and her sister hugged their family and said goodbye. "It's mine."

  "It's my job to protect you. And if you do this without me I can't," Lorenzo said. "Sometimes the truth isn't simple, or neat. Sometimes there's more than we understand about our brotherhood, about loyalty, about trust. You're working with Benicia, who still has a grudge from the attack you did on his father. You're trusting your enemies instead of family for the sake of that viper bitch. Do you know that last night the Benicia's fired on Carlo? Killed Leonardo and six of our boys were gunned down."

  “By who?”

  “Benicia. Trusting your enemies and not your family makes you weak and vulnerable. It will get us all killed."

  "I'm not trusting them. I'm letting them be who they are, to give me what I want. And as for our men. Mateo Benicia will pay for every life he took in my name. I promise you that cousin."

  Giovanni honked the horn.

  "Good grief, you have an impatient husband," Minnie chuckled.

  "We'll call you. As soon as we are home," Mirabella said.

  Marietta hugged the girls one last time. "I gave your mother my number. You two can come to visit anytime. Anytime!"

  The girls nodded. Mirabella gave Clyde a hug, as well as a few more family members who came to say goodbye. It was done. The girls returned to the van and waved and watched as the last of their family faded away. Mirabella glanced over to her husband, who smiled encouragingly for her. She reached for his hand and squeezed it.

  Lorenzo had put his sunglasses on and slumped down on his seat. The kids were sleeping in the back of the passenger van. Marietta scooted in closer to him, and he flinched as if startled. Lorenzo put his arm around her and held her.

  "Are you okay? Earlier when you took the phone call, you... well you've been quiet," she said.

  "Thinking," he said.

  "About?" she asked.

  "A surprise. One I will have for you at home."

  "Yummy! I like surprises. Can you give me a hint?"

  "It's a gift. For you and the baby. Something I should have given you a long time ago."

  "Really? Now I'm intrigued. And don't say it’s in your pants," she rolled her eyes.

  Lorenzo chuckled. "I said for you and the baby, naughty girl."

  "Happy mommy makes a happy baby."

  "How did it go, Marie? Saying goodbye to your family?" he asked.

  "It wasn't like saying goodbye. More like I'll see you later," she said.

  "What if you don't? See them again. What then?"

  "That's a strange question. I just found them. And my sister. I just found her. I don't plan to lose any of my family anymore. For the first time in my life, I feel whole. It's a good feeling."

  Lorenzo sighed. "My wife is whole, perfect. I will make you happy."

  "You do. And our baby. Say I love you to the baby." She put his hand on her tummy. Lorenzo turned sideways in his seat with his right arm extended on the top of the seat and his left hand on her belly. He leaned in and whispered.

  "I'm not perfect, but I'm your father. And I am going to do everything in my power to protect you. Because I love you. Tu sei il sole del mio giorno--you are the sunshine of my day. Per sempre."

  Marietta smiled. He looked up into her eyes, and he kissed her. "That goes for you too. Sei il mio incantesimo--you're my enchantment. I don't want you to worry. About anything. I am going to protect us. Believe in me."

  "I know, sweetheart. I've never doubted you."

  Lorenzo removed his sunglasses and kissed her again. This time deeply. She had to touch his face to slow down his passion. It felt a bit desperate.

  "Eeeew stop it!" Eve said from the back seat.

  Marietta laughed. She looked back at her niece. "I will kiss you if you keep complaining."

  Eve’s nose wrinkled. She went back to combing the hair of her doll. Lorenzo relaxed again. This time, he didn't seem as tense. But all the love and affection did make Marietta wonder.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Betrayed

  Sorrento, Italy

  Dominic woke. He winced against the glare of the sunlight. The night spent in the car had put a cramp on the back of his neck, and the pain numbed his spine. He sat up and looked around. When he was a kid, he used to have blackouts. Madre Eve told him it was God's healing, and soon the nightmares of his torturous existence as a boy would fade. Eventually, the love of his adoptive mother and new family gave him faith and made him completely forget the pain of the past. And just as she promised, the blackouts stopped. He healed.

  He could no longer rely on that remedy.

  Alcohol would suffice. Dominic reached over to the seat and picked up the paper bag with the empty bottle. He'd drank two pints of whiskey. And he was still thirsty. Dominic checked the time. It wasn't too early.

  Dominic grabbed his gun. He got out of the car and walked across the street. Nothing moved. He knocked three times on the door with his gun and then he waited.

  The door opened.

  "Domi? What is it... what's wrong?"

  He opened his mouth to speak and couldn't.

  "Renaldo! Domi's here!" Kyra said.

  Within minutes Renaldo appeared in a white t-shirt and shorts. Kyra stepped back with her hand to her swollen stomach. Dominic realized he must have looked a state. Eyes swollen shut from tears. And the gun in his hand.

  "Come in, come in," Renaldo pulled his arm and forced him to do so. Kyra turned and took the hand of Renaldo's son, leading him to one of the rooms in the villa.

  "I didn't mean... to upset her," Dominic said and looked at the gun.

  "What's happened, Boss?" Renaldo forced him to sit. He took the gun from him. "What can I do?"

  "Can I stay here? For.... until I... for now," he sighed.

  "Do you want some coffee, Domi? Something to drink?" Renaldo's mother said.

  "No, I shouldn't have come here," Dominic tried to stand, but the boozing made him drop back down.

  Renaldo gave his mother a look and she left. "You need coffee and lots of it. Stay put."

  Dominic looked at the gun. He had the choice of flying into Sicily or returning home to Sorrento. In the end, he took a one-way trip. And then the thought of seeing Catalina again after what she had done was too much for him. He spent the night drinking and driving. He had nowhere else to go.

  "Take it," he said.

  The coffee mug was hot, the liquid scorching. He didn't mind the
burn. It helped clear his head. The pain was now focused on his tongue and not his heart.

  "Is it Giovanni? Has something happened?"

  "It's me. I... caused it."

  "Caused what?"

  "Fuck!" he threw the coffee mug before he had control of the reflex. It hit the wall and splattered. The act of rage didn't stun Renaldo, but it shamed Dominic.

  "I shouldn't be here. I need to go," he grabbed the gun.

  "Sit!" Renaldo ordered.

  "I didn't mean..."

  "Fuck the wall, Boss. You're in trouble. You stay here.”

  Dominic sat back down.

  “Tell me what happened?"

  Dominic explained how he discovered the love of his life had betrayed him with their mortal enemy. Renaldo’s nostrils flared, and he took in a deep breath, but he showed no other visible reaction. The sordid tale poured from him like a stream of vomit. He couldn't keep any of the bile in.

  "We will kill him," Renaldo said. "I can promise you that boss."

  Dominic nodded. "I need to sleep. Forget."

  "Take the room downstairs. I will show you." Renaldo helped him stand. Dominic had to lean on him for strength. His body was beginning to stop functioning. By the time they reached the room, he had all but given up on standing. Renaldo put him on the softest bed. The sheets smelled like lilac. He wanted to thank him, but he couldn't. All he could do was sleep.

  ***

  Renaldo found Kyra on her knees cleaning up the shards of the smashed mug.

  "No, Kyra! You can't!"

  "I can't? No. You can’t do this!" she stood up with tears in her eyes. "You promised me, Renaldo. You promised me!"

  "Cara, what are you upset about?" Renaldo pulled her into his arms. "Everything is fine."

  "Dominic is not fine. I heard him. That's right; I was eavesdropping. Because I knew one day, they would come and get you killed, and leave the baby and me..."