“His wish was for her to never be forced to marry. A lot of times daughters are married off as part of the business. He wanted to protect her long after he was gone. The only issue for her, unfortunately, is she doesn’t get to date much. She’s always under so much protection.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean. We saw a guy at breakfast the other day and she thought he was so cute. But, it was kind of hard for her to even talk to him with Dominick up her butt.”
“She met a guy? Who? What did he look like?”
“No, no. She never met him. She just saw him.”
We’re just pulling up to my Uncle’s estate when I pull over before the gate.
“Dolcezza,” I take her hand in mine and I kiss it. “Don’t be nervous. You’re going to do amazing tonight.”
Our eyes meet and the corners of her mouth lift up in a smile.
It’s such an odd feeling, but my mouth suddenly takes on a mind of its own and I smile back at her.
Her small hand touches the side of my face. “That’s the first time I’ve ever seen you smile. If only you knew how incredible it makes you look.”
I turn my head and kiss the inside of her palm.
“Nello,”
I turn and lock eyes with her again.
“I love you.”
She covers her mouth and her eyes go wide. I know she didn’t mean to blurt it out loud.
As all of this registers, I realize my face is no longer wearing the smile it so briefly wore.
I don’t know what to do or what to say.
I do the only thing I can think. I drive us up to the party.
Chapter 10
Violet
What have I done? As if spilling my guts to him in the bathtub a few days ago wasn’t bad enough, now I go and blurt out, of all fucking things, my love for him? What have I fucking done?
He obviously doesn’t feel the same. His eyes were wide and his smile faded immediately. It looked like he’d rather be anywhere on this earth than in that car with me. I should’ve never read into his kisses. I should’ve never jumped to conclusions after I saw her made our picture his phone background. It all was probably for show and I fell for it like a fucking idiot.
We’re walking in now and I think I may throw up. This whole night is a mistake. This whole life I’ve made with him is a mistake.
Caterina walks over to me as soon as we enter. I’m holding onto her like she’s my lifeline right now. Nello is at my other side and he grabs hold of my waist so hard I can barely walk.
“Don’t be nervous,” Caterina whispers into my ear.
Nello pulls me away from her and walks me down the hall to a grand ballroom. There are throngs of women in bedazzling dresses and men in tuxedos. Elegant food is piled high on fancy displays and there are actual waiters coming around with champagne and hor’dourves. This is the fanciest house party I’ve ever seen. Although this house is more of a museum. I peek on one of the waiters’ trays and I have no idea what this food even is. It’s some little piece of bread with something brown on it. I want to stick my tongue out.
“It’s liver,” Nello’s deep voice says into my ear.
“Ew.”
I don’t fit in here. I don’t fit in his world at all. This whole thing is a mistake.
Nello leads me to a group of men and I think some of them are from the mishap in his office last week. Gian embraces me and gives me a kiss on the cheek and I am grateful I at least know him, even if the circumstances are a little unusual.
“You remember my cousins, Stefano, Tony and Matteo.” Nello’s hand is tighter around my waist as he says the names. I remember Matteo was recently shot but I know to shut my mouth and just nod to everyone. “This here is Leo, Angelo, Maurizio. You may have met them at the club.”
I just nod and smile. It’s crazy how each guy is cuter than the next.
“Here she is! Finally, I get to meet her!” I hear a booming voice across the floor as a large man with salt and pepper hair comes over to us. It takes a moment before I process that he’s talking about me.
“Violet, this is my Uncle Sal.”
Wow. This is not what I was expecting. I thought mob bosses were like what you see in The Godfather. This man is sort of jolly.
He claps Nello on the back and the two kiss on the cheek. Uh, weird.
I realize I haven’t said anything. I clear my throat and squeak out, “It’s nice to meet you.” I leave it at that. Nello looks pleased. I guess less is more.
Caterina comes over with two women.
I can’t handle all of these introductions. It’s overwhelming and it’s just too much right now. Between living a fucking lie, confessing my love to someone who obviously doesn’t feel the same way, and now having to put on a big show and meet mob bosses, I think I may scream.
“Violet, this is my mother and this is my Aunt Teresa.” I repeat what I just did with his Uncle. “It’s nice to meet you.”
His mother looks like an older version of Caterina, but with short hair. I try to smile warmly. I feel myself shaking and I’m not sure if it’s the temperature or my nerves. Nello’s warm hand moves up my exposed back.
His voice is in my ear. “We need to go have a quick meeting, dolcezza, but I’ll be back.” He kisses me on the cheek and I almost want to wipe it away. He’s putting on an act, I’m sure.
I nod my head and walk closer to the women. They make chit chat but I just stand there and smile. A waiter comes by with champagne and I down my glass in a few gulps.
“Oh my God. He’s there. He’s right there!”
“Who?” I look to Caterina. The other two women are in a conversation and don’t hear us.
“The guy from the diner!”
“Here? No way! That’s great!”
“No, Violet,” her voice is sad, “this is the worst.”
“Why? I thought you liked him?” I follow her line of sight and I see the guy from a week earlier. He’s all dressed up in and tux and yeah, he is pretty damn hot.
“Because if he’s here, I can just forget it.” Her face falls and she looks into her champagne glass.
“Why? Isn’t this a good thing? This means you have a connection!”
“Not exactly.” She tips the glass back and drains it. “He’s clearly got a connection to the famiglia. Meaning he’s one of them.”
“Why is that a bad thing?”
She lowers her voice, clearly not wanting her mother or aunt to overhear.
“Because I don’t want a life like them,” she points to her aunt and mother. “No offense.” I forgot I’m in that same category. “I don’t want to marry someone who’s in a famiglia.”
I nod my head slowly.
“Oh.” It’s all I can think to say. I realize how little I actually know about mob life.
“I’m just going to go and find the bathroom,” I tell her.
I need a moment alone. I have to process all that’s happened in the last twenty minutes. I walk through the giant mansion and find doors that lead out to an enormous balcony. It’s chilly outside but I’d do anything for a moment of fresh air.
I push the door open and I breathe deeply and let the cool air fill my lungs. I walk to the railing and I look out at the yard below. It looks like it goes on for miles.
I start to process this nightmare that is my life. I’m stuck playing pretend in this tangled web we’ve woven and worse yet, I let my heart get sucked into it.
He doesn’t love me back. My stomach drops into a pit. How could I have let this happen?
The door opens behind me and I turn around.
It’s Caterina’s crush from the diner.
I give a small smile before I turn around again.
I hear his footsteps but it sounds like he’s walking towards the other end of the balcony. I look at him from the side of my eye and I watch as he lights a cigarette. He takes a few puffs and the silence is making me uncomfortable.
I feel the hairs on my body stand up and I decide to just get bac
k to the party.
I turn around and start to head back to the door.
“Ah. Not so fast. What is it he calls you?” He stomps out his cigarette and looks me right in the eyes. “Oh. That’s right. Dolcezza.”
Antonello
“This is a fucking shit show,” Gian says in my ear.
We’ve been standing towards the back of the office watching Uncle Sal duke it out with Rocco Vassallo, their Don.
This isn’t going well at all.
“Well, last time I checked we were free to take Lorenzo Crisanti up on his offer for twenty percent. I wasn’t aware I had to consult you first, Salvatore. You are more than welcome to take that up with Lorenzo.”
“I would have thought as our ally you would have let me know they took on new business without even consulting us first!”
It went in circles for at least an hour. After the Vassallos go back to the party, I know this is going to be one hell of a meeting.
“If they want fucking war, I’ll give them fucking war!” Uncle Sal is pissed to no end. Stefano gets riled up all over again. Even Gian’s getting crazy, although he tends to get amped up a little too easily. It’s his only vice.
I want to check on Violet but I have no idea when we’re going to be done here.
Another hour later and it’s decided. We are going to kill Vinny and officially take on war with two of the most dangerous crime families in the area. We know we have other allies but right now we’re not pressuring them to get involved.
We leave the office and I pass different famiglia members on my way to the ballroom. I’m looking for Violet’s gold dress. I need her so bad right now. I’m stressed as all hell and I know wrapping my arms around her will make it all better.
I spot Caterina but Violet’s not with her. Maybe she hit things off with my mom. But I see my mom and aunt by the buffet table and Violet’s not with them either.
“Cat, have you seen Violet?”
Her brows crease in confusion.
“I thought she was with you this whole time.”
My heart stops.
“Caterina. It’s been three hours since I left for that meeting. How long’s she been gone?”
I see panic start to rise on her face. “I don’t know. Almost the whole time I guess. I’ll go check the bathroom.”
I go to my mother and my aunt. I try to keep the panic out of my voice that I feel on the inside. Nobody has seen Violet for hours. Aunt Teresa sends her maids to start checking all the rooms in the house.
I start to feel sick.
No.
My dolcezza.
She’s left me.
I knew I should’ve told her how I felt in the car. Why didn’t I speak up?
Caterina comes running out of the bathroom. “She’s not in there. I don’t know where she could’ve gone. Leo said your car is still out front.”
“Caterina,” I pull her closer to me. “She’s left me.”
“What do you mean? She’s in love with you, Nello. She’s head over heels for you. I know it. She wouldn’t just leave you.”
The prickling feeling in the back of my eyes is back again. I grab my sister by the hand and I pull her into the library and shut the door.
“Caterina, I need you to please listen to me. Violet didn’t just leave me.” I have to take a breath before I go on. “She escaped.”
“Escaped? What are you talking about? You’re not making any sense.”
“It wasn’t real, Cat!” The truth comes out like a freight train. “She was a witness! I held her captive and I forced her to be my girlfriend so Uncle Sal didn’t marry someone to me for business. It was a horrible idea. I don’t know how it happened.”
My sister looks like I just smacked her.
“You what?” She starts to raise her voice. “You did what?”
“I didn’t mean to hurt you or lie to you.”
“How could you do this to me?” Tears start to well in her eyes. “How could you do this to her?”
“Caterina, I’m sorry.”
“You’re sorry? You’re fucking sorry?! You not only lied to me but you held her against her will! I can’t believe you!”
She tries to run out of the library but I grab her by the arm.
“I’m sorry, sis. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. It started out as pretend but I don’t know what happened.”
I look down. I feel water well in my eyes. I can’t let her see me like this. Not even my own twin.
“I can’t believe you’d keep this from me. Who else knows?”
“Nobody. Just Gian.”
“Oh, so you’ll share this with Gian and not me? Why? Because I’d tell you what a goddamn fucked up asshole you are?” She’s flailing her arms at me and smacking my chest.
“Caterina, please. You have to help me. I need to find her.”
“She’s better off without you!”
She turns and runs to the door.
“I love her,” I choke out, but Caterina is already gone.
Chapter 11
Violet
Everything hurts. My head is throbbing and my limbs feel achy. The concrete floor is cold and damp and it smells musky. I strain my eyes against the darkness. I can barely make out any shapes. Where the fuck am I?
I’m paralyzed with fear. I don’t remember anything. It takes a moment for me to process that my gold dress is gone and I’m in nothing but panties. I’m afraid if I move they’ll hear me and come for me.
Whoever they are.
I attempt to move my arm but I hear the sound of a chain clink and I instantly stop.
Shackles.
It’s only a moment after the chain clinks that I hear footsteps approaching.
I’m shaking with fear.
“Well, well, well. She’s awoken.”
I’m roughly pulled up under my arms and tossed onto a hard chair. I can’t help it. I start sobbing.
A light turns on. It’s a bare lightbulb connected to the ceiling. I squint at the sudden brightness.
I see men I don’t recognize in the room and more coming down the stairs. They file in and stand around me. Some are smiling like this is all a big joke. A few eye up my almost naked body and I cry harder.
Nobody knows I’m gone. Not like anybody would even come for me anyway. Nello is probably relieved to be rid of me. The liability.
“Shut her up, Dante.” A tall man in a suit points to me.
I scream as I see a large man with a beard coming at me. His fist collides with my face and I temporarily lose my vision. I scream and cry harder but when I see him coming back for more I try my best to calm down before he does it again. A few of the men are laughing.
The copper taste of blood appears in my mouth. My chin is wet with my own blood, tears, and saliva. I can’t even wipe it because I’m chained up.
My legs are shackled to the floor and Dante takes my shackled arms and loops them around the chair.
The tall man stands in front of me. He’s insanely intimidating and I can just feel the power radiating off of him. He terrifies me.
“Listen here, little lady. I’m going to ask you a few questions. For every question you don’t answer or give a false answer, you’ll get a punishment from Dante.”
My breathing is coming in pants. Questions? About who? About what? I don’t know anything.
“Tell me, who is it that the Bianchi Crime Family is planning to murder tonight?”
WHAT?
I freeze up. I don’t know what they’re talking about. I have no clue what to say.
Dante comes forward and I scream knowing what’s coming.
He punches me again and I swear I see stars.
My whole head is pulsating.
Someone leans into the tall man and says quietly, “Little Mikey said it was this one that had the information. Maybe he was wrong and it was the other one. We should get her too.”
I realize they’re talking about Caterina and I panic.
“No! She doesn’t know
anything!”
Some of the men snigger. I hear one of them say “Wow, she does talk.”
Antonello (Mob Men Book 1) Page 14