Furtively, I dried my eyes, and looked up. He scrubbed at his jaw and his face became more strained as the person on the other end of the line spoke.
“And you’re sure she’ll be safe?” he asked. “I don’t like this. It seems like too big a risk.”
He listened intently for a while, then shot me a look I couldn’t read. “Hell, no. She doesn’t leave my side – or I swear to God, we will walk.”
Another long pause.
“Well, I guess as long as she’s not--Okay, yeah. Man, I get it.” Axe’s face twisted like he was trying his hardest not to swear. “Yeah, we’ll leave now… Oh, no. Thank you,” his voice was heavy with sarcasm as he disconnected.
His face was a mask of concern and my fingers itched to run through his hair – but I locked them together harder instead.
“Who was that?” I asked in a soft voice.
Axe raised his head, not looking at me, and waved the waiter over. “Check as soon as you can, please,” he told the kid, who nodded and hurried off.
“Axe? What’s going on?”
“That was that prick, Ellis,” Axe muttered, drumming his fingers on the table. “I’ll explain it all in the car, but…” He shot me a grim look, “We’re going back home.”
Ten minutes later, we were on the road again.
Apparently, the call from Agent Ellis went something like this:
The FBI had found someone from Quantico to pass for me from afar. She was going to be the bait – but that meant Axe had to be seen back in town as well, in order to make it seem legit.
The FBI had offered to keep me in Boston, but Axe had refused to leave my side for that long. I had to admit, knowing that warmed the coldest part of my heart. The last thing I wanted was to be hours away while he was in the same town as Emilio Ruffino.
The closer we got, the more Axe was avoiding looking at me, even though I’d been staring at him the whole time. His face was set, his jaw clenching.
This guy was going to get lockjaw because of me.
“Do you hate this plan?”
“I can’t lie. I don’t love it. We don’t know who could be in Ruffino’s pocket, or if protection from the Feds will be enough once we get there.”
“Maybe they could just, like, lock me in a cell somewhere while everyone else puts their lives on the line for me. Would that make you happy?”
“Don’t be cute. I wish you were out of Ruffino’s reach, but I won’t let you out of my sight until I know you’re safe. Then you can go straight to Napoli, for all I care. Got it?”
In spite of myself, I laughed at that. “For your information, I do know that’s how Italians tell each other to go to hell.”
Axe’s mouth twitched and he finally looked over at me. I bit my lip, as palpable heat built in just those few seconds, but then he looked back at the road.
“Too smart for your own good, pecorelle,” he said, sounding less grumpy, almost wistful. “But even though I hate that prick Ellis and think he’s a scumbag of a Fed – if Westfield thinks this is the best plan, then I’m good with it. It’ll work, I think. It’s just not exactly what I had in mind.”
“It will be okay.” I tried to smile at him, but my heart twisted in my chest.
Letting out a long sigh, Axe slumped in the seat a little, as he turned his gaze back to the road. “Brenna, listen. I shouldn’t have lost my temper with you last night. Even though it had been a hell of a long day and I knew I was in a bad mood. It wasn’t right. I’m sorry.”
“I know. I was in the same boat,” I replied gently. “I don’t hate you, Axe, and I’m sorry, but--”
“I wasn’t finished,” Axe cut in.
He didn’t sound angry – just tired and frustrated.
“Please, let me get this out,” he gritted through his teeth. “Brenna, I’m not the kind of guy who sits on the sidelines, okay? I gotta take care of things on my own terms, and I don’t think you realize that. You were at that dinner with my family. Didn’t you listen to what I said? I meant every word.”
Suddenly, Axe’s face went tight with a look of raw pain – a look I never would have expected from him – and my stomach clenched.
“Axe, are you okay?” I asked, becoming frightened. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
“Everything,” he muttered. Then his phone rang. He glanced at the screen and then answered, “Pronto?”
After a short pause, he rattled off into Italian, leaving me in the dark. When he hung up a few minutes later, he said, “We’re going to stop and see Mama Ange.”
The sainted Mama Ange.
Good news was, the thought distracted me from my worries. Bad news was, I now had a whole new set. By the way the Capestrana men talked about her, something told me that this woman’s opinion of me meant…well, everything. Salvatore was the head of the family, but Mama Ange was the bedrock.
As we finished up the long drive, Axe had locked himself away in some place where I didn’t think I could reach him if I tried. And me?
I fretted like a pre-teen about impressing my not-boyfriend’s grandmother despite the fact that there was still a reasonably good chance I could still get murdered by the mob.
What a twisted chick.
Once we’d crossed state lines, Axe had insisted I climb in the back. I was crouched in the rear of the vehicle, hood up and heart pounding, as he drove through the familiar streets of a city I hoped to never see again. Soon, we were heading into parts of Ehlrich I didn’t recognize – it was more affluent and open. Fields stretched out on either side, with mansions dominating the skyline, and sweeping driveways leading up to them.
Finally, we drove down a long, heavily wooded private drive, with no other houses in sight. A massive gate loomed up, with men guarding it, but when they saw us, it opened immediately and they waved us right through.
I couldn’t help but climb forward a little, peeking out the windshield as we continued on. My mouth dropped open as the woods fell away. Gentle green hills rolled on either side and a pond sparkled off in the distance. There were even horses running around, pens with cows, goats, and chickens. Like a slice of heaven.
I blinked, staring around me, wondering if I was hallucinating.
And then we swooped around a large garden and arrived in front of a massive, peach-colored villa. With its arches, pillars, and balconies – it looked straight out of an Italian fairytale.
“Oh my God,” I breathed. “What is this place?”
“This is home,” Axe said simply. The tension in his shoulders seemed to unfurl just a little.
“You live here?” I almost shouted. Then softer I asked, “Your dad lives here? And Colt?”
“Eh, depends,” he responded vaguely, parking the car. “My dad and brother both have places of their own. But after my mom died, Pop thought it best we live here, with Mama Ange.”
“Your mom--” I started to ask what happened but Axe looked down, playing with the keys. “I’m so sorry, Axe.”
He grunted and got out of the car. Someone was running down the front steps, waving frantically, and he laughed as I climbed out. He was hugging a small, round woman with sparkling brown eyes and white hair, who was releasing a torrent of Italian into his ear.
Her face lit up when she saw me over his shoulder. “Ah, caro mio, is this her? Oh, Axe.” She patted his cheek, then gave him a little slap on the forehead. “You idiot!”
A laugh popped out of my mouth as Axe straightened and glanced back at me, looking embarrassed. I couldn’t help but smile at him.
“What was that for?” He grimaced, looking back at the woman.
She swatted him on the arm. “That’s for not telling me what was going on. What is this family coming to – keeping secrets from me? You’re lucky I don’t beat you black and blue, Angelino. It’d better never happen again, capisci?!” She pointed a finger in his face, then turned to me, smiling widely. “Ah, Brenna, so nice to meet you. Welcome home. Please, please call me Mama Ange.”
Then I was being emb
raced in the softest, warmest, and most maternal hug I’d received since my mother died. Tears sprang to my eyes as I hugged her back, smelling sweet lavender mixed with flour and spices. Suddenly I found myself understanding Axe a little bit better. This woman was indeed the very salt of the earth.
You’re one of the most important pieces of his puzzle... I thought.
After a full minute of hugging and murmuring, Mama Ange stepped back and wrapped an arm around me, guiding me into the house. “Come in, come in, you must be starving! I’ll make whatever you like – just ask. Oh, Madre di Dio, but you’re so thin. That bastard Emilio – he’ll get what’s coming to him in the seventh circle of hell, the gavone.” Mama Ange’s voice had a hint of an Italian accent – like a half-forgotten song – and I could’ve listened to her talk about feeding me and Emilio in hell all day long.
“Nonna!” exclaimed a teenage girl who was crossing the entryway, tapping away on her phone. “I thought you said we couldn’t use those words.”
“You cannot use those words, Sophia, but I am an old woman, and can swear anytime I like.”
Sophia was a tall, slender girl with her grandmother’s warm brown eyes, and a halo of silky dark curls. She gazed at us in confusion, then gasped. “Oh my God! Is she… Are you Brenna?” When her grandmother nodded, Sophia gasped again, then screamed, “AVA! TRINA! C’MERE RIGHT NOW!”
Dogs barked in the distance and pattering footsteps echoed through the house.
“Basta!” Mama Ange shouted. “No yelling in my house!”
“Since when?” Axe asked with a chuckle. Mama Ange and I paused, both of us turning, as Sophia let out a squeal of joy.
“Axey! You’re back! Omigod!” she shrieked and jumped on her big brother.
Another black-haired beauty, identical to Sophia, darted across the entryway, followed by a fat golden retriever and three miniature greyhounds, all barking. “Hey, bro! We missed you! Where did you go? What happened? What were you thinking? Are you okay?”
I couldn’t help but laugh as Axe locked both of his sisters in a headlock and they screamed at him to stop. “None of your business, sorelline. And knock it off – I’m sure Beppe is napping.” The dogs bounced around him, wagging their tails, and whimpering for attention.
“I was napping,” came a mild, heavy-accented voice. “That never lasts long in this house.” An older man with an impressive gray mustache and heavy spectacles shuffled into the entryway. “Ah, Ange – is supper ready? Axe, you’re home. Wait, what time is it?”
“Beppe, it’s only three o’clock,” laughed another woman, appearing out of nowhere, wearing a leopard print apron and heavy gold hoops, with her curly hair piled high on top of her head. “Nonna, Pop just called – he wants to know if… Oh, I guess they’re here. Explains the racket.”
“Ava, Sophia – enough. Angelino, let them go,” Mama Ange ordered, waving her free hand. Everyone quieted down and came crowding around me. “Yes. They’re home. This is Brenna, our guest. Brenna, this is Trina, Axe’s older sister.” She gestured at the gorgeous young woman in the leopard print.
Trina and Colt looked a lot alike, I realized, as I smiled at Trina. She grinned at me, her light brown eyes sparkling. They had the same vibe, too, but where Colt was suave, Trina seemed distinctly sassy. I flushed when she raised her eyebrows and smirked over at Axe.
“And this is Beppe, my husband,” Mama Ange sighed irritably as the older man shook my hand. “Please excuse the bathrobe. And the twins are Ava and Sophia. It takes awhile to tell them apart.”
“We’ll help you, though,” one of them chimed in.
I nodded, suddenly dizzy with all these Capestranas staring at me at once. Even one of their dogs was snuggling against my leg, and I wondered if there were more about to pop out.
“She looks shell-shocked. And famished.” Trina shot a glance at Axe. “What, you couldn’t stop and get her something to eat, Axe? Honestly.” She snorted. “You want some soup or somethin’, hon?”
“Or maybe coffee, dear? I make a great cappuccino,” Beppe offered kindly.
“Would you wanna watch a movie with us, Brenna?” one of the twins exclaimed. “Sophia and me were just about to go watch Divergent.”
Sophia added in breathlessly, “We’ll make popcorn and get candy and hot chocolate.”
“Ha, no. You’re not ruining your appetites, sorelline. It’s Sunday dinner tonight, hello? People are coming over,” Trina warned, propping her hands on her lushly curved hips. “Nonna, tell them.” Both twins stuck their tongues out at Trina and she returned the gesture.
“Oh, you two, yes – don’t fill up. Now, Brenna, what do you want? We have everything. Just ask,” Mama Ange said. “Trina is making soup and meatballs, I am about to make some gnocchi.”
“Actually, Brenna and I need a moment. Alone.” Axe spoke loudly above his chattering family, who fell silent, staring at him. “And we can’t stay too long, Mama, the suits are putting us up.”
“Che cosa?” Mama Ange exploded, tightening her grip on me. “Why wouldn’t you stay here? Axe, what is going on? That’s not what I was told. Questo è il posto più sicuro. No?”
“Ange, please. Let me talk to Brenna, then I’ll explain, okay?” Axe sounded weary.
“Marone.” Mama Ange let go of me, threw up her hands, and then pointed at a room off the entryway. “Go make yourself comfortable in there – we’ll get you something to eat, yeah?”
I’d thought I had a good idea of what Axe’s family was like after dinner the other night, but now I realized I’d barely scratched the surface. My heart was overflowing with all the kindness and affection around me. Nothing at all like the fear and cruelty that seemed to hold it all together in the Ruffino family.
Once again, I found myself wishing that Axe’s family could have been my own.
Careful, girl. Wishes like that, you’re just cruising for a bruising. And the worst kind. The kind that never heals.
Axe steered me into the room Mama Ange had pointed at, and once inside, I gasped. It was exquisite. Walls lined with arched windows and oil paintings, cozy cream-colored furniture, and a baby grand piano tucked in the corner.
It was all too much. I had to sit down. One of the dogs had followed us in and arranged itself at my feet, looking up at me with adoring brown eyes. My heart melted again.
“Trina was right. You look a little shell-shocked,” Axe commented dryly, sitting down next to me on the couch. “Don’t worry. That’s a normal reaction visiting a Capestrana house. Especially this one.” He scratched the dog’s ears and smiled. “Hey, Teddy-boy, you miss me?”
I laughed at his ironic, rueful tone. “I just… Yeah, I am. This place… Your family. It’s incredible. They’re incredible, Axe.” Looking over at him, I watched him relax into the soft pillows, the lines easing out of his face, and he smiled at me.
“Yeah, never a dull moment around here, pecorelle,” Axe commented, leaning forward a little. “Hey, so – I never finished what I was saying in the car.”
I nodded, lips pressing together, and heart pounding. “Go ahead.”
“You’ve met my family. Do you understand a little better now? They come first. Simple as that. That’s what you do for the people you care about. That’s who I am. I can’t change that. I don’t want to change that. And I need you to accept that about me.” His eyes searched my face. “I apologized for losing my temper – but I won’t apologize for what I said. I can’t.”
You want to walk in there and get yourself killed after I put my life and family on the line to save you? You want to make this all for nothing? Over my dead body.
His words roared through my head and my heart seemed to stop in my chest. He reached out, pulling me to him and I gave in, letting him hold me.
His voice rumbled in his chest under my cheek, “I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure you’re safe.” His grip on me tightened. “I’ll pay any price. We’re going to try it the Feds’ way. But if it doesn’t work out, I need you to know
that I will end this. One way or another.”
“No,” I murmured, tugging on his shirt, and trying not to cry. “No, there has to be another way. Please.” My voice was tiny and raw.
“That’s the way it has to be, dolcezza,” he whispered. “Please, accept that.”
“Axe?” Mama Ange’s voice carried into the room and we both jerked apart. I turned away, hastily drying my eyes.
“I’m sorry, caro,” she said, keeping her eyes averted. “Your father is on the phone. He needs to speak with you.”
“Okay.” Axe hesitated for a moment, then he left the room.
“Brenna.”
I turned to see Mama Ange lowering herself to sit beside me. The woman could’ve been a ninja, she was so quiet.
“I’m sorry, I heard the end of that.” Her gaze was all sympathy as she reached forward and brushed my hair out of my eyes. “If I didn’t… He called you dolcezza. Dante was right, for once. Oh, I cannot believe my Angelino said all that.”
“Why?” I asked, desperately trying not to cry again. “Why not? He’s…”
Mama Ange welled up and smiled sadly. “I know. Oh, you lovely girl – lovely inside and out.”
The breath caught in my chest. That was what my mother used to say. I floundered for words, unnerved. It felt like a sign or something. Finally I blurted out, “It’s okay if you listened. I’m sorry I’m upset, it’s been a long couple of days.”
Taking my hand, Mama Ange squeezed it tight. “No, no apologies. You’re practically family. Angelino has proven that these last few days, no? And I can’t recall the last time he spoke from the heart like he just did, if he ever.” She patted her own chest with her other hand. “Brenna, I know what is happening between you two. I see it. And that’s why you are crying, lovely girl, you don’t need to pretend with me, it’s alright… I am so happy to see it.”
I bit my lip, nodding. Suddenly words came pouring out of me. “If the Feds can’t take down Ruffino, he’s going to do something stupid. What if he gets hurt? Or worse? Could you talk to him?” I begged. “Please, he won’t listen to me.”
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