by Frankie Love
The nun seems eager to speak to us about taking the boy away. I assume it’s because the orphanage is overcrowded as is, and I let Bianca talk to her to arrange this while I look at the boy.
When he thinks no one is looking, he tears up the picture of his father with hatred in his eyes. He lets the pieces of the photograph float to the floor from his hand, and when he’s absolutely certain no one’s looking, he spits on the torn up image.
17
Bianca
The boy, Cristiano, will move into the house with Matteo and me. On the plane ride home, I admire his handsome little face as he sleeps, and squeeze my man’s hand lovingly.
“Thank you,” I tell him honestly. “For taking me to him. God knows what would’ve happened if we hadn’t gotten him.”
Matteo seems a little hesitant about the whole thing, but I’m too afraid to ask why. I’m too worried he’ll confess he thinks the whole idea is horrible, because his opinion means a lot to me. But at the same time, I’m going to do what I want. And I want Cristiano to grow up with real family, not some Sicilian nuns in an orphanage.
“Why are you so weird about this?” The words escape me before I can stop myself, and I look at Matteo pleadingly, needing to know what the deal is. “Please, help me understand… You don’t seem thrilled about this whole arrangement.”
“I just…” he sighs heavily, rubbing his temples. “I don’t know anything about the boy, and it makes me uneasy.”
“Matteo, he is ten years old!” I exclaim, quickly looking in Cristiano’s direction to ensure he didn’t overhear me. But he’s still asleep, safe and sound in the big overstuffed chair of Abbate’s private jet. “How does he make you uneasy? He hasn’t done anything strange, has he?”
Matteo looks at me for a long time before answers. “No.”
I can tell he’s lying and it pisses me off. I’m about to object when Cristiano yawns out loud and asks us how much of the journey we have left. I smile and answer him. He’s been such a good boy this whole trip, mesmerized by his first airplane journey. He looked out of the window for most of the trip and even visited the pilot in the cockpit. Finally, he dozed off after hours of exploring the plane with the flight attendant.
He comes sit in my lap and I smile victoriously at Matteo. He gives me a sad smile in return, and it makes my insides hurt. I don’t understand his reservations, but I know I’ll do my damn best to make sure the two most important men in my life get along.
We land in the city a few hours later. Cristiano walks out with eyes wide open. I have papers waiting for him already, and he lands on the ground as a US citizen. It doesn’t matter how we got it for him. All that matters is that he’s here now.
Carole is waiting for us in the airport, and I smile wide as soon as I see her. I’d grown closer with the assistant who was my father’s right hand over the past few weeks, and I’ve come to trust her with everything. As far as I’m concerned, she’s family now. But she looks worried, and as I get closer to her and embrace her, my smile slowly dissipates.
“Something the matter?” I ask her once we break apart.
“Miss Bianca…” She’s her usual nervous self, but there’s something else there today. She has something to tell me, and I’m not going to like it. “Can we go sit down somewhere?”
“What’s this about?” Matteo’s arm wraps around my shoulders protectively, and I give Carole a long, searching look. “You may ride in the car with us and explain what is happening.”
“Thank you,” Carole says simply, her face lighting up when she sees Cristiano hiding behind me shyly. “And who might this be?”
I nudge him forward and introduce her to him as auntie Carole. I’d like them to be close – it doesn’t matter to me that she’s part of the staff. In the past few weeks, she’s proven to be just like family to me.
With the help of our two guards, we get all of our luggage and the tiny backpack Cristiano brought with him, and load it up in the car that will take us home. Cristiano sits in the front with the driver this time, so he can see our surroundings, and because I can’t deny him when I see the excitement on his face. Plus, Matteo and I need some alone time with Carole to find out what’s really going on.
As soon as the car starts moving, Carole begins to speak.
“You were gone a few days,” she starts. “And I did my best to keep things in order. But news of your father’s death came out, Miss Bianca. I knew they would, and I knew what would happen… But I was too afraid to warn you.” She clutches my hand and gives me a desperate look. We’ve had quite a few heart-to-hearts over the past few weeks, Carole and I.
“What happened, Carole?” I ask. I’m worried. Surely nothing big could’ve happened while we were gone. Daddy’s funeral hasn’t even happened. I’m sure people respect that fact.
“I…” She swallows a lump in her throat, and Matteo and I exchange worried glances. Finally, she starts speaking, and it’s as if a dam has broken. “I tried my best to stop them, Miss Bianca. It tried so hard, but they raided your father’s house, the one he lived in with Lorenzo… They live there now.”
“Who, Carole?” Matteo asks coldly. His touch against mine is hard and unrelenting. I can tell he’s pissed off – he always gets this way when someone disobeys him.
“Romeo and Leonardo. Do you remember them, Bianca?” Carole asks me desperately.
I furrow my brows. Yes, I remember the names – how could I not? They are my cousins, my father’s sister’s children. But they only have minor roles in the mafia. My father never liked them. Too young, and too impulsive, he said. They’re my age, though I haven’t see them in years since I was at school, and even when I was still at home, we only saw each other at family functions.
“What did they do?” I ask harshly.
Carole sighs before speaking again. “They found out your father had passed away. News of that spread like wildfire… They arrived in the mansion and claimed the mafia couldn’t have a female successor. They took everything, and the staff was too afraid to fight them on it.”
“So let me get this straight,” Matteo gets out through gritted teeth. “Two men basically broke into the Da Costa mansion, and are now living there without Bianca’s permission. Fuck that.” He looks like an angry beast, and I squeeze his hand gently to get him to calm down.
“They say it’s for the best if they take over,” Carole stutters. “They say you never wanted any part of the famiglia, anyway.”
It’s true. I’ve expressed my opinion about the mob several times, even to my cousins. I’m sure they were aware of my decision of not wanting to be involved. But that doesn’t give them the right to barge into my father’s house a mere day after he passed away.
“Your father,” Carole nods at Matthew. “He tried to stop them, but they wouldn’t stop. They are still there now, and the guards have pledged their allegiance to them as the new Da Costa heirs.”
Well, fuck.
“That’s going to be a problem,” Matteo says matter-of-factly.
“But let’s deal with it once we come to the house,” I say, trying to placate him. He gives me an empty look, one I’ve come to recognize every time he’s already made up his mind about something. I sigh softly and sink into my seat, wondering what will happen upon our arrival.
“And you’ve shacked up with this cazzo? Disgusting.”
“Shut the fuck up before I break your teeth.”
“Don’t threaten my brother, you son of a bitch.”
“Get off him! Call help!”
The last few hours have been a whirlwind. My cousins and Matteo are at each other’s throats and I don’t see them stopping any time soon. As soon as we came back to my house, they greeted us with looks of steely determination. They’d even made some of my own guards pledge allegiance to them, and even I’m pissed as hell. But mostly I’m… thankful, and relieved.
I never wanted the burden of the famiglia to fall on my shoulders. All I’ve wanted all along was to be a normal girl,
not a pawn in one of my father’s – or now, cousins’ – games. I want to live a normal life with Matteo and stop fucking worrying about my obligation to the mafia.
But I’m too afraid to speak up and talk about it. I’m worried because Matteo is so intent on me being the sole heir, and I don’t want to disappoint him by telling him it’s the last thing I want in the world. Instead of saying it out loud, I stare helplessly at my love fighting my cousins. I don’t know what to do, and Carole and I exchange uncomfortable glances as the men have a go at it.
Romeo and Leo have changed since the last time I saw them. They used to be surly teenagers, but now they’re all grown up. They’re identical twins with bulky bodies, handsome as hell and determined to dethrone me. They treat me in a patronizing way that gets on my nerves, since we’re practically the same age. I don’t know how many times I’ve been told I don’t deserve to be heir today, and how stupid my father was to not come directly to them.
I’m sure my father had his reasons for keeping the two boys out of this world. In fact, I remember him telling me upon more than one occasion that my cousins were reckless and irresponsible, and given the way they’re acting today, I can’t help but agree.
I can’t take it anymore, and when no one is looking, I slip out of the room. My father’s funeral is tomorrow. The last thing I need is to watch the man I love fighting with my remaining family.
Carole rushes out after me and hugs me tightly. “I’m sorry, Miss Bianca,” she says sweetly. “I’ll do my best to keep them all peaceful.”
“Good luck with that,” I sigh with a small smile. “I need to get away for a second, Carole. Tell Matteo I’m safe – I’ll take a guard with me. Just make sure I have some space to breathe. We’ll sort everything once I get back, okay?”
She nods, always understanding. I kiss her on the cheek before heading for the car, my guard in tow. “Where to, Miss Bianca?” he asks me, sitting behind the wheel.
I think for a second, but the answer comes to me in almost an instant. “Take me to the cemetery, please,” I ask him. It will be the perfect way to get away. I haven’t visited my brother’s grave yet, and I’d like to put some flowers down where my mother lies.
The drive passes quickly, and we stop by my favorite flower shop. I pick a bouquet of white roses for my mother, her favorite. My guard drives me to the small family cemetery, and follows me at a polite distance as I head for my mother’s grave. I am thankful for that. It has been ages since I felt like I could breathe.
I think about all the things that have changed in the past month or so. Matteo, finding love in the most unexpected place. Suffering at the hands of my kidnapper, Antonio. And now Cristiano, who is asleep, safe and sound in his brand new room in my house. I haven’t told my cousins about him just yet. That’s a story for another day, because I won’t let them take him away from me – and I’m fairly certain they’ll want to do just that.
I approach my mother’s grave, and my guard steps into the shadow of a tall oak tree, his eyes always on me. I appreciate his discretion, and I set down the flowers on her gravestone with tears in my eyes. It’s always so very difficult coming here, even after all this time has passed.
“I see someone else knows what her favorite flowers were.”
I turn around sharply, half-expecting my kidnapper to stand behind me. But instead, it is only an older gentleman, one I’ve come to know over the past few weeks. “Hello, Sir Abbate,” I say with a small smile.
He approaches me, and I give my guard a sign to let him know it’s alright, I’m safe. Abbate crosses his hands behind his back and I notice there is another single white rose on my mother’s grave. In fact, I can remember there always being one here. I always assumed it was from my father, but thinking back, he always gave my mother red roses, not white ones.
“Is that from you?” I ask softly, pointing at the rose. Abbate simply nods, and my heart softens a little for this man whom I know almost nothing about.
“Have you been bringing them this whole time?” I ask again, and he nods. “Thank you.” My hand finds his and he squeezes it gently.
“You look like her,” he says. I look up and see tears in the older man’s eyes. He looks tired now, and worn out. I wonder what happened between my mother, him and my father. It mustn’t have been pretty. Someday, I make a promise to myself, I’ll find out all about it.
“Thank you,” I reply. On an afterthought, I add something else. “I love your son.”
“I know,” he says with a heavy voice. “He loves you, too. It was apparent to me since the first moment he laid eyes on you. And it’s going to bring a lot of trouble for all of us.”
“I think we’ll be okay.” I give him a brave smile. We’re still holding hands, and it feels… nice, albeit a little weird. He is my love’s father, after all.
“We went to get the boy,” I add on an impulse. “His name is Cristiano.”
Abbate looks at me with wide eyes. “Da Costa’s son?”
I nod, and he smiles slowly. “I should like to meet him someday,” he admits, giving me a hopeful look. I’m shocked time and time again by the soft spots of this tough, rough and relentlessly evil man, which is what I’ve been raised to picture him as. “Would that be possible?”
“Yes,” I nod, already deciding I won’t keep Abbate out of Cristiano’s life. After all, the man played such a big part in finding my little brother, he doesn’t deserve to be kept out of the child’s life. “We’ll arrange it. You have my word for it – I promise.”
A silence falls upon us as we gaze at the gravestone, but it’s not uncomfortable. My heart is beating steadily now, and I’m happy I came here to get some peace of mind. It has definitely been helpful.
“I heard about your cousins,” Abbate finally speaks up again. “Those two are going to give you trouble, I’m afraid.”
“I don’t understand why.” I don’t try to hide my anger. I’m pissed as hell that two teenage boys are trying to run my house instead of me. “They have no right to do that. I know how to take care of things myself, and I don’t need anyone telling me how to do things.”
“It’s not only about that,” Abbate explains to me patiently. “It’s the fact that you’re with my son now. Matteo belongs to the mafia that has been your famiglia’s enemy for decades. Your cousins won’t just get over that.”
I contemplate his words, realizing they are true. The fact that my father forgave Matteo and me is a small miracle in itself, as he was definitely one to hold grudges. “I’m not giving him up,” I say softly. Honestly, I can’t picture my life without Matteo anymore. He is as much a part of me as I am a part of him.
“I know,” Abbate sighs. “And that’s what’s going to make things difficult for you, cara.”
I look at my mother’s grave again, but this time, I don’t find the inner peace within myself. All I find is worry about the punishment I know I’ll have to receive for betraying my family.
18
Matteo
As soon as I notice Bianca’s gone, I panic. But Carole calms me down, telling me she wanted some peace and quiet. I do my best to keep my mouth shut, even though all I want to do is strangle the woman who let her leave with only one guard. She’ll hear about this when she comes back, that’s for sure. I may have to spank her as punishment… The mere thought of that makes me hard, but my rock hard cock deflates as soon as I remember what I’m in the middle of.
Leo and Romeo are two of the biggest jackasses I’ve come across my entire life. They’re convinced they can waltz in here and steal Bianca’s empire.
The problem is, they’re smart, young and charismatic jackasses. And we are at a disadvantage because we disappeared at the most crucial time for Bianca’s family. Now they think they can simply take over her famiglia as if she’s merely a pawn. And worse, they seem pissed about the fact that she’s with me now.
Her father may have forgiven us, but it seems as if the cousins might be less lenient.
When B
ianca walks back through the door, I rush to her side and block out the screaming cousins for a second. I’m so fucking relieved she’s alright, and I just need to feel her body against mine. She looks beautiful even after such a long flight and horrible jetlag. But as soon as I have her in my arms, her body slumps, and she starts to cry ever so softly. It breaks my fucking heart. It looks as if the events of the past few days are finally catching up with her, and it hurts like hell to see her hurt this way.
“You need to leave,” I bark at her cousins.
“We’re not finished here,” Romeo hisses.
“Yeah, we still need to talk to Bianca. Think of a punishment.” Leo grins, looking like a vicious little beast. I want to smack that smile off his face, the petty young bastard. I promise myself to beat the shit out of him first chance I get.
“Get the fuck out,” I roar at them. “My girl’s tired, and you’re trespassing.”
“What are you gonna do?” Romeo mocks me. “Call the goddamn police?”
I let go of Bianca for a second and she wobbles on her feet. In two swift steps, I reach her insolent cousin and punch his face, sending him flying across the room. Leo glares at me in shock and something that looks surprisingly like admiration.
“Get. The. Fuck. Out of her house.” I stare them down and Romeo starts throwing insults at me Italian. I don’t give a fuck, though. All I want is for the two of them to get lost once and for all. Or at least until tomorrow, when I’ll be able to deal with them better.
“Fine, we’re leaving,” Leo grunts in my direction, helping his brother get up. “But we’ll be back, and you, cazzo, will pay for what you did to this family.”
“Looking forward to smashing my fist into your face next,” I say, and walk back over to Bianca. A guard escorts them out of the house and I hold onto my girl, scooping her up in my arms. She’s so helpless, she just wraps her arms around my neck and cuddles closer to me.