“To dumb it down for you, I called my favorite sister to help me get out of this clusterfuck,” she states, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
“When?” I seethe, glaring at her as I clench my jaw.
“A couple of days ago.” She shrugs.
“Are you fucking stupid?” I roar, charging her. I swing back my fist, ready to hit her but instead slam it into the wall. A cracking sound greets me and I’m not sure if it’s a bone in my hand or the wall, but as I take my hand away I see there’s a small dent in the sheetrock.
“No, I’m not stupid. I’m smart, doing what I could to get out of this situation before it turned to . . . this.”
“No, you are stupid, Al. Francesca is a jealous bitch, the evilest of us all. She’s the one who told Sergei where we were! If you had just kept your fucking mouth shut, none of this would’ve had to happen. What the fuck is wrong with you?” I can’t help myself. I pull back my other fist and do the same thing, crashing it into the wall instead of my sister’s face.
Francesca is our only other sister and the one I shared a womb with. Francesca, Matteo, and I are triplets. While Matteo and I get along, Francesca and I are polar opposites. She’s the closest in personality to our father outside of our brother Giovanni. They’re practically Satan himself. She was the only one I told when Father started pawning me off. I will never forget the day I told her, how she laughed in my face and told me her plan worked. She told me Father was going to do it to her, but she had to prove her value to him and stated I would be more beneficial to ruin, that she was the most beautiful of all the DiGiovanni women and when her marriage proposal comes through, it would be tarnished by being touched by another man. She’s just like our father, a fucking con artist.
“She wouldn’t have done that! Francesca said she was going to come get me,” Alessandra whines, and I don’t know what's sadder, the fact she believed Francesca or her betraying my trust.
“You are a naïve little girl. I’m glad you married Luca because Sergei would’ve chewed you up and spit you out. You might not realize it now, Al, but you’re lucky,” I seethe yet again, trying not to speak with such venom.
Alessandra whips her hand back and slaps me across the face. I burn from the impact and completely miss the fact we’re not alone. That is until two pairs of hands rip us away from the other.
19
“I can’t wait to love the fuck out of somebody and not look stupid.”
~ Unknown
Liam
“I still can’t believe I’m doing this for you,” Father O’Sullivan grumbles as he signs my marriage certificate to Caprice.
“I can because you’re a dear family friend and you know the stakes of what will happen if you don’t sign,” I state, playing the obligation card. While he bitches about the favors he does for us, he doesn’t complain too much. I want to believe that in his heart he knows we’re not bad people. He’s never admitted to me he thinks we are, but I’ve shielded our dear friend from the horrific parts of the mafia. There are certain things even he doesn’t need to know about or see. Many families in the mob will invite their family priests over to business occasions. And in these situations, you’ll discover these men aren’t as holy as they declare.
I had gone to a party in Tokyo for the previous leader of the Yakuza. His shinshoku, which is essentially their priest in the Shinto religion, partook in raping a virgin girl alongside other crime lords. These are the types of things I’d rather Father O’Sullivan avoid. He doesn’t need to cross paths with anyone of that nature. Out of all the mafia families, mine is one of the most respected, solely because we’re not demented motherfuckers who enjoy the suffering of others.
“I expect you to honor not only God, and your family, but the woman you have tied yourself to. If I understand correctly, she is in a dire situation, one where you need to be cautious as well. Protect Caprice, Liam.”
I wrap my arms around the old man in a hug. “I will, with my life, Father O’Sullivan. Caprice is a Mackenzie now and if there’s one thing we don’t do, it’s turn our backs on each other.”
“Yes, that is true. Since you brought up not turning your back on the others in your family, I am a bit curious about your sisters. Have you spoken to them lately?”
I laugh because my answer has always been the same. “I haven’t spoken to them since I was a boy. You know this.”
“Hmm, yes, you do tell me this every time. I must admit . . . I’m not sure if I believe you or your father.”
“If we try to contact them, Volkolv could figure out where they are. He’s continuously made threats against Greer and Sloane. Father and I would rather not speak to them and know they have a long, happy life than be selfish and put the twins in danger.”
Father O’Sullivan hands me both marriage certificates in a manila envelope. “Liam, I highly doubt you will both go through your lives without your sisters’ presence. God sometimes speaks to me and told me you’d be reunited. I have a feeling that danger will accompany their arrival back into your lives.”
“Of course, it would. The big man upstairs wouldn’t make it easy for us in any way.” I chuckle, wishing we could have it easy for once. God, I miss my sisters and hope one day we can be reunited. The last I heard, Greer was close to graduating fashion school and Sloane was being accepted into residency programs. I tell whatever I can to our father whenever he has a bad day. Hearing about the girls is one of the only ways to cheer him up.
My phone begins to buzz out of nowhere, so I stick my hand in the pocket of my trousers and put it to my ear. What I’m told is enough to make me furious. I hang up and look to Father O’Sullivan.
“Is everything alright, Liam?”
“It will be, but I have something which requires my attention. Thank you for doing this for us, Father. I can’t tell you how much the family appreciates this.”
“Don’t thank me, Liam. Instead, pick a day for your wedding so I can officiate it.”
I laugh, nodding as I walk away from him and head back to the family estate. It seems Caprice and Alessandra have gotten themselves into some trouble.
I arrive back to the family grounds and enter the security team’s house through the front door, heading upstairs where Luca now lives with Alessandra. Luca is a few steps behind me. I filled him in on the way here. Needless to say, he’s not amused either.
“Oh look, your men have arrived to deal with your petty asses,” Shaun, another member of the family security detail, comments. He’s obviously pissed he’s had to babysit two women this afternoon.
I glance right over to Caprice, who’s seated on the couch, while Alessandra is across the room sitting in one of the armchairs that look out the window. Bishop is sitting across from her, handing her tissues. “Now would be the time to explain what the hell happened here,” I hiss, looking to my men. Alessandra bursts into tears at the sound of my voice and Caprice rolls her eyes.
I can’t help but wonder if this is what sisters are like— at each other’s throat.
“We heard hootin’ and hollerin’ from our own flats. Met on the damned stairwell and charged our asses in here. Saw the little one slap her.” Shaun points to Alessandra and then to Caprice.
I look at my now-wife, scanning over her body. Her face is a little red but I’m more concerned with her knuckles, which are split open and bloody. “What happened to your hands?” I ask her while Luca goes over to Alessandra.
“I might’ve punched the walls because my sister is fucking stupid. She’s the reason Sergei came after us. She called my evil womb sharer and she pointed Sergei in our direction.”
“What the hell is a womb sharer?” Bishop asks, chuckling from his position across from Alessandra.
“She’s one of the triplets,” Alessandra comments. Ah, yes. Caprice, Matteo, and Francesca are the DiGiovanni triplets.
“She’s also an evil fucking queen who wants nothing more than to save her own ass. You know she traded information with our father. She
only stays safe because she plays his fucking game. You called Francesca because she said all the right fucking things to you as a kid to get you to instill your faith in her, hoping for a day like this where she could rip your entire world apart. She will only ever look out for herself, Al. Trust me, she doesn’t care what happens to you.”
“And you do? I was perfectly fine in New York and you lugged me around the world, had me pretending to be someone I wasn’t, then married me off to this guy.” Alessandra looks over to Luca, crying her bloody eyes out. “I didn’t ask for any of this!”
“Well, I didn’t ask for it either, but I’d rather be married to a good looking, sweet man than being chained up in a basement. I’m so angry with you. Do you even know how pissed I am? I was protecting you, Al . . . and you . . . ugh!” Caprice stands up, grunting like a frustrated child. It’s obvious the tension is thick here and I can’t help but want to diffuse the situation and separate these two.
“You two can go now,” I tell Bishop and Shaun. “Thank you for checking on the ladies and staying with them until we got here. I appreciate it.”
“It’s no problem, Liam. Yours is a biter though, so count your fingers.” Shaun chuckles, walking past me. Bishop moves a little slower, rubbing Alessandra’s shoulder as she cries into another tissue. The way he touched her even caused me to look at him a bit differently. I hear the door shut behind us from where Shaun left and Bishop walks in my direction with Luca heavy on his heels.
Luca grabs ahold of Bishop’s shoulder and turns him around. “I won’t say this to you again, but that woman over there is my wife. You might’ve been fucking my fiancé before she died, but you won’t ruin this for me. Find your own woman.”
I can tell everyone in the room heard it because Alessandra looks in our direction. At the same time, Caprice’s eyes have gone wide. “Caprice, let’s get going. I want to check on your hands.”
She gets up from the couch and turns to her sister. “Happy Birthday.”
“Oh, fuck off,” Alessandra shoots back at her.
“It might seem hard for you to accept, but I genuinely hope you have a good birthday.”
20
“There’s nothing quite like the feeling of infatuation. It is the most painful feeling of ecstasy . . . like lust and obsession combined with the volume turned way up.”
~ Ranata Suzuki
Caprice
Liam and I walk alongside each other in a sluggish manner as we venture back to the main house. Neither of us has said a word, but I’m not minding it. That’s not the most awkward part of everything right now. Although, I’m not sure what is. Nothing feels natural. It’s only weird and uncomfortable. Over time, I’m sure things will get better.
“Who is the baker for your family?” I ask him, not bothering to look up. Instead, I keep my eyes trained on the gravel in front of me.
“We have a couple, though I’d say Maeve is the best.”
“Ah, okay.”
“Why, what’re you thinking?”
I shrug. “I was going to see if she could point me in the right direction on what shops have what I’ll need to make Alessandra’s birthday cake.”
“You’re going to make her a cake . . . after you both fought like that?” Liam asks, seeming to be confused.
I nod, gather the courage to look at him, and speak. “Yes. We fight because we’re family and have very strong opinions on what we think is right. Even though I’m pissed at her and she says she hates me right now, she’s still my sister and it is her birthday. So, I plan on making a Mille-Feuille Napoleon cake for her.”
“You don’t need Maeve to tell you where to go. I’ll take you, and on the way, we can stop at a pharmacy because I doubt there’s a first aid kit in the house.”
Liam and I get in his car and head into town. I’m surprised Luca isn’t with him, or one of the other security guards his family has hired. Oddly enough, it’s refreshing to be alone with him. Being by ourselves, I’m slowly seeing a different side of him. One where he doesn’t keep his walls up because of prying eyes.
He took me to a small bakery supply store on the western side of Dublin. There was an old couple who immediately recognized him and thanked him so much for coming in. They explained they were having difficulty with some teenage thugs coming into their store, demanding free supplies and baked goods. Even confessed the kids took a hefty bit of cash one time. Liam didn’t have to help this couple, but I could see how much the actions of these kids irritated him. I also saw how seeing one of the key figureheads of the mafia was so well received. Instead of fearing Liam, they welcomed him with open arms and explained their issues. They felt comfortable enough telling him what happened, hopeful he’d help. This is a huge difference between the Italian and Irish mobs. My family scares people to death, whereas the Mackenzies demand respect.
Liam introduced me to the couple as his wife and what shocked me more than anything is how happy they both were. They came up to me, wrapped their arms around me, and congratulated us both. Then the wife pointed out she hadn’t heard about a wedding. Liam took the opportunity to tell her we eloped and are going to have a ceremony at a later date, offering them the job of baking the cake and scrumptious treats for our guests. The way her eyes lit up told me how much she loves the Mackenzies . . . as does her husband. They wouldn’t let us leave without a couple of boxes of mixed pastries, cupcakes, cookies, and miniature pies, along with the supplies I needed for Alessandra’s cake.
After the shop, Liam did take us to the pharmacy and got a first aid kit. The moment we got back into the car, he looked over my hands and cleaned me up. We didn’t say much on the drive back to his house but went straight into the kitchen. He kicked the staff out, allowing it to just be the two of us for a bit longer. I’m not new to having a household staff, although sometimes it can be overwhelming. You feel like you’re constantly being watched by others.
Liam takes the baked goods out of the bags and opens both boxes, sitting them on the island while I run around opening cabinets, looking for bowls and utensils. I go ahead and pre-heat the oven as I start combining ingredients. In the meantime, Liam is chomping away on the goodies.
“These are delicious,” Liam moans, obviously savoring some sweet treat. I go over and look at the truffle-like dessert he’s eating, but taking one whiff of the box I know there’s whiskey in them.
“They stink,” I complain, much preferring my alcohol to be wine.
“They do at first,” he admits. Picking one up, he brings his fingers closer to my mouth. “But trust me when I say you’ll love it. Think of it like tiramisu. Most people hate it at first, but slowly it grows on the person who isn’t used to the combination of chocolate with the coffee and soft cake. Instead of coffee, you have Irish whiskey with chocolate, fresh cream, and butter.”
I open my mouth and allow Liam to put one in, shut it and savor the combination of flavors. The whiskey isn’t quite as strong as it appeared to be based on the smell, however, it’s so creamy and subtly sweet. I twirl my tongue around inside my mouth, highly enjoying the treat. “Okay, you’re right. Maybe when we get married, we can have some of those.” I say, open to the idea. Going back over to the stove, I finish combining the ingredients for Alessandra’s cake and put it in the oven.
“How long do you have to wait until it’s done?” he asks.
“About twenty-five minutes. I already have the filling prepared but I won’t add it until we’re ready to take the cake over. I want it to be crisp. Not soggy and gross.”
“Understandable. It already smells good. Come back over here, I want you to try something else.” I wonder what else he’s insisting I try, although considering the truffle was delicious, I’m sure whatever he’s exposing me to now will be as well. Upon getting back on his side of the island, I see slices of thin bread, appearing to be dense in nature. They have raisins and berries baked into them, causing them to smell sweet but not in an overwhelming way. Liam breaks off a piece and I open my mouth, allow
ing him to put it inside.
Just as I thought, it’s sweet but not overpowering. The spices in the bread compliment the raisins and cherries in a lovely way. “This is barmbrack. Usually it isn’t made until around Halloween, however, they make it in their shop all year long. Pretty good, yeah?”
“Mhm,” I moan, chewing on the delicious treat. “You keep feeding me yummy treats like this and I’m going to gain weight.”
Liam’s eyes don’t waver from mine as he smiles. “Caprice, you’re a tiny little thing. You could use a few extra pounds. What are you, a hundred and twenty pounds soaking wet?”
I furrow my brows, getting frustrated. “It’s none of your business. Don’t you know it’s rude asking a woman her weight.”
“I’m trying to be sweet here and you’re taking me the wrong way. You could be a hundred and sixty and I wouldn’t care. I’ve always been fonder of the thicker girls. More for me to grab onto.” He winks at the end but I watch the way his eyes slowly venture down my body, staring at my hips. “You already have a nice ass there, though. Luckily, I got an eye full this morning.”
My body betrays me again as my cheeks flush with redness, showing my embarrassed state. Liam, on the other hand, smiles wider, looking at me as if I’m this cute, innocent thing. Out of nowhere, he cups both sides of my face and stands from his seat, leaning down to where his lips are a mere millimeter from mine.
“What do you want from me, Caprice Mackenzie?”
I suck in a breath, seeing how obvious this push-and-pull chemistry is with him. Instead of pulling away, I’m as honest as I can be. “I want you to do what you would to your wife.”
21
“What eats you whole leaves you hungry.”
~ Words of Worth
Forbidden Love: Book 1 in the Mackenzie Series (Leave Me Breathless World) Page 8