Blood Always

by Ramsower, Jill

  Governmental laws and regulations? A joke.

  Common decency and morality? Tools used by the weak to help even the score.

  I would not surrender my power based on someone’s arbitrary, misguided attempt at justice and equality. The only laws I would allow to govern my actions were those set out in our family code.

  For the Luccianos, I would give up my independence.

  I would bind myself to the man whose family tore my life to pieces.

  Chapter 2

  Matteo

  If it hadn’t taken me so damn long to quit smoking, I would have lit up the second hurricane Maria blew her way through my door. I could almost feel the silky touch of nicotine gliding through my veins when I envisioned dragging a lungful of Marlboro past my lips. It had been ten years since I’d had a cigarette. Nothing in my stressful life had driven me back to the consuming habit, but if something could, it would be Maria.

  She wasn’t just a force of nature; she was a natural disaster of global proportions.

  World-ending.

  And it was my world she was about to rain down upon.

  So why the hell am I letting it happen?

  I wasn’t sure I wanted to answer that question. Maria was that spicy Korean dish you knew would make your entire face sweat, but you ate it anyway because it was too delicious to pass up. The woman was sure to make my life difficult in every way, but the tiny taste of sweet submission she handed over was enough to keep me from walking away. There was a split second during the kiss when her spine melted into my hold. I was suddenly a man stranded in the desert, given a teasing taste of life-saving water.

  I had known she wasn’t like most women. Our intel showed she rarely hung out with her sisters, or any other women for that matter. Her cousin, Camilla, had a girls’ night birthday gathering at a swanky bar days before our meeting. One of my men reported back that Maria sipped her drink, stood against the wall, and rebuffed each man who attempted to talk to her. I couldn’t find a single photo of her with a smile. Even knowing what I did, I had still been surprised by the woman who marched herself into my home.

  Not just surprised—I was intrigued.

  I could have refused the match. My life would have been far simpler if I did, but the maniacal masochist living inside me came alive at the hint of a challenge. Crazy fucker.

  Maria wasn’t just complicated; she was nuts. Her one saving grace? She wasn’t a doe-eyed millennial pining for a love connection. That had been my biggest concern about the entire arrangement from the moment her father proposed a marriage to link our families. Any other Genovese girl would have been a problem.

  Maria, on the other hand, would be explosive in bed without the ugly entanglement of feelings—the perfect combination. And she would end up in my bed. She could call her little lap dance a demonstration if she wanted. I didn’t have to sink my fingers inside her to smell the arousal soaking her panties. She took pleasure in her demonstration, and it was all the encouragement I needed.

  I wasn’t sure what Enzo Genovese had been thinking when he volunteered Maria for marriage, but he couldn’t have picked a more perfect woman. Of course, he was knee-deep in a flood of problems, so maybe he hadn’t actually put all that much thought into the match. Vincenzo, known to most as Enzo, was in the process of cleaning up after his underboss, Sal Amato, had turned against him. The man Enzo had called his best friend had committed a number of unforgiveable acts in an attempt to usurp Enzo’s role as boss, including kidnapping Maria’s sister, Alessia.

  As it turned out, a man in my family had been involved in the woman’s abduction, so I was able to help get Enzo’s daughter back within hours of her kidnapping. Our families were less than hospitable with one another—the slightest insult easily magnified by years of hostility. While our man had sound reasons for his involvement, harming Enzo’s daughter would have brought war to the city. I saw no reason to walk down that path … for now.

  I helped resolve the issue and thought our business had been concluded until one month ago when I received a summons from Enzo requesting a private meeting. I wasn’t the type to be surprised by much, but his invitation had stirred my curiosity. Our two families weren’t just oil and water; we were dynamite tossed into a barrel of gasoline—the combination would burn down an entire city block.

  Our families had little to do with one another outside necessary business transactions. I had no clue what Enzo wanted to discuss, but I was too curious to refuse the invitation.

  “Matteo, thank you for joining me. I appreciate you meeting with me privately.” Enzo extended his hand toward me as I entered the small construction trailer used to coordinate operations at one of his current building sites.

  The dilapidated trailer had to have been twenty years old if it was a day. Fake wood paneling rippled along the warped walls and gold linoleum floors pulled up at the corners like stickers on a child’s school notebook. There was a narrow table acting as a desk along with several chairs at the far end of the trailer. The faint residue of smoke permeated the room, doubtless saturated into the walls and the tattered brown sofa under a window.

  The makeshift office was entirely utilitarian and the last place I would have expected a meet.

  I didn’t know the man well because he’d remained in the shadows for so long, but I was quickly learning he wasn’t driven by a need to impress others. I appreciated that quality a great deal. Our world was full of posers looking to exaggerate their own self-importance in the search for power. I learned early on that the men I needed to respect were the quiet ones—those who were confident without the need to boast. A sailfish may seem impressive with its harpoon snout and shimmering dorsal fin, but it’s the stealthy great white swimming in the depths you need to fear.

  Enzo was a businessman focused on strategy and success, not the appearance of power.

  He was a man I would not underestimate.

  Extending my hand, I accepted his in greeting. “I’ll admit your requested meeting was unexpected. I hope there aren’t further issues with your daughter.”

  “No. Please, have a seat, and I’ll explain why you’re here.” He gestured to one of the two folding visitors’ chairs, taking a seat in the other, rather than occupying the chair behind the small desk. He was making a show of putting us on equal footing, despite my inferior role as an underboss.

  Another point in his favor.

  He gave me a moment to sit and then continued. “You and I both know tension between our families has been rising. It wouldn’t take much to pit us against one another in all-out war. I’ve lived through war among The Five Families once, and I can do it again, if needed. However, I see no reason for it to come to that. We’re living in a time of the greatest prosperity our organizations have seen in decades. Why draw attention to ourselves over petty squabbles? I would prefer to use this time, while the feds are concentrated on stopping terrorists, to grow rather than suffer attacks from within.” He paused, his hazel eyes never leaving mine as he sized up my response to his statement.

  “I would agree that warring among the outfits wouldn’t benefit any of us, but the bad blood between our two families has been festering for years. It won’t fade away easily. I suppose you have a suggestion on how to address the problem?”

  Enzo stared at me with such scrutiny, it would have made a lesser man squirm. I hadn’t gotten where I was bowing at the first hint of pressure. Years of experience enabled me to keep my composure and my secrets—I wasn’t about to offer him information in the form of sweaty palms or darting eyes.

  “In the past, the families gathered for celebrations to help strengthen ties. Weddings, birthdays, graduations—there were regular events held bringing the families together. We’re almost completely autonomous now, and I’d like to see that change. It’s much harder to hate a man when you’ve been to his wedding and watched your children play together.”

  I nodded as I considered his perspective. “Agreed. That would certainly help in the long run, but
it will take time to even convince many of our people to co-mingle.”

  “I’ve thought about that a good deal—especially over the last week in the midst of so much upheaval. There’s one surefire way to unite the families quickly. A technique the old-timers used frequently.”

  I lifted my chin with surprise at the dawning realization of what he was suggesting. The topic of marriage hadn’t even registered as a possibility when I’d contemplated the potential purpose of our meeting.

  “Arranged marriages aren’t exactly commonplace anymore.” I studied him, curious what other surprises might lie behind those calculating eyes.

  “I understand, but it’s not a totally abandoned practice and could still have its place … in the right circumstances.”

  “As you’ve put some thought into the matter, do you have a particular match in mind?”

  “Not exactly. I can’t say that I know your family as well as I should, but as for my half of the equation, I have three daughters and three nieces. I expect one of them would make a suitable match.”

  “You would arrange a marriage for your own daughter? Deny one of them the opportunity to marry for love?” I had half expected him to offer up the daughter of a capo, but I should have known better. The conversation wasn’t idle banter as far as Enzo was concerned. Anyone shy of upper management would make the gesture pointless. It would have to be two individuals with enough influence and respect in their organizations to make a difference—to bring the two families together.

  What Enzo didn’t know was that I would be the only viable option for the Gallo family. There was no one else of sufficient rank or age who was unmarried.

  It would have to be me.

  At thirty-five, marriage didn’t scare me. I had known for some time that it would be an important part of my role in the family. Mafia bosses were almost always married—wives and children were an integral part of our culture. One day soon, I would be boss, and I would need to have roots. A strategic marriage, while unexpected, was just as good as any. Definitely worth consideration.

  Enzo’s face hardened, giving me a glimpse of the man who had risen to his role as boss during a violent mafia turf war. “I love my daughters and want nothing more than for them to be safe and happy. However, I swore an oath to la famiglia—the Lucciano name comes first. What’s best for the family will be best for my daughters and nieces in the long run. If that means one of them must make a sacrifice for the betterment of the rest of the family, so be it. Not only that, but I don’t see a marriage as a death sentence. I would expect the man your family selects would treat his wife with respect. In the old days, women were seen as property. Once a daughter was married off, her family was helpless to come to her aid. Things have changed. This is not a sale of chattel; it is an alliance. The accord would come to an end should one of my own be mistreated. I don’t expect wedded bliss, but I also will not tolerate abuse. Am I being clear?”

  Tally another point for the Lucciano boss.

  It was hard to respect a man who would sell off his own blood, but Enzo was making it clear that was not the case. He was fiercely loyal to his family, and that would not disappear upon the execution of a marriage license. Fortunately, his concerns wouldn’t be an issue. I may not be a hipster pussy, but I wasn’t going to beat my wife.

  “If there are no other stipulations or concerns, I’ll take this to Angelo and let you know his decision.” I stood and extended my hand.

  Enzo clasped my hand and spoke before releasing me. “Angelo isn’t exactly known for setting aside his emotions and making logic-based decisions. I think you understand the importance of what we are discussing and the potential benefits we could both reap from an alliance. I can only hope you’ll do your best to help him see this as a good thing rather than a threat to his power.”

  He wasn’t wrong, but there was no way I would cop to that and insinuate any weakness in the Gallo family leadership. “Angelo has indeed made a reputation for himself, but that doesn’t mean he’s not acting in the best interest of the family. Sometimes, leadership requires bold action. As we sit and discuss the possible arranged marriage of one of your daughters, I would think you’d understand that.”

  His jaw flexed beneath his neatly trimmed beard. “I hope you’re right.”

  I held his stare for an extra beat before walking away.

  ***

  The following week was spent discussing options and debating the merits of Enzo’s proposal. Once a decision was made and I had volunteered myself as groom, Enzo informed us that Maria had agreed to become my wife. I spent the next two weeks researching her and settling into the notion that, in a few short months, I would be walking down the aisle.

  Envisioning myself taking over as boss and gaining insider access to the Lucciano construction business made the concept of marriage sound almost enticing. We controlled the cement and waste management industries for the entire state. Angelo hadn’t kept our businesses in the greatest shape, but I had plans. With the Lucciano family at my side, I could resurrect the Gallo name. We would become unstoppable.

  If it meant saying “I do,” it would be a small price to pay.

  After meeting my bride for the first time, I decided she might have perks of her own. She’d be a pain in the ass, but a fucking gorgeous pain in the ass. Her thick hair was perfect to fist, and her curves would make JLo weep with envy. The sight of her straddled above me got me so hard, I wouldn’t have needed much to push me over the edge. Assuming she didn’t kill me in my sleep, our marriage might just be one of the best things to ever happen to me.

  “You busy?” Filip called from my office doorway. “Venturi’s here to see you.”

  “Send him in.”

  My youngest brother disappeared, and moments later, Diego Venturi, the Gallo family Consigliere, came into view. It had been a rough couple of months for the older man who acted as counselor to the boss. His first-born son had been killed by Sal Amato as part of a setup to get Enzo killed in retaliation.

  Gio had been moving up the ladder in the cement business, tasked with handling price negotiations with Enzo. One day, Gio didn’t come into work. The family found him hanging from a rope in his home with a penned suicide note left on his desk. Gio was ambitious. He had a fiancée and everything to look forward to in life—the faked suicide had been a joke. Sal had intended for us to figure out it was a hit and hoped we’d blame Enzo, since he was the last person to see Gio alive.

  Diego didn’t take the loss well. He wanted revenge on the Luccianos, regardless of their lack of involvement in his son’s death. I understood where he was coming from. I lost my mother when I was only twelve and had been desperate for payback in the months that followed. Those are the times we need someone close to keep us from lashing out when emotion has clouded our judgment. I’d spent weeks talking Diego off a ledge, but he was still unable to see past his hatred.

  “How did your date go with the Ice Queen? Ready to settle down and have little Genovese bastards?” The contempt in his words was palpable.

  I reminded myself he was still grieving and refrained from shoving my fist in his windpipe. “Be very careful, Diego. That’s my future wife you’re talking about.” I paired my warning with an ‘I-can-bury-you-without-breaking-a-sweat’ look and knew my message was received when his gaze dropped to the floor.

  “Fuck, Matteo. I’m sorry.”

  “You’re going to have to come to terms with this, Diego. It’s happening, and I’ll need you to stand beside me as we unite with the Luccianos. We’ll face enough flack outside the administration, the last thing we need is dissent from within.”

  He ran a hand over his receding hairline and sighed as though he had just been informed he had six weeks to live. “You truly believe this is the best course of action?”

  “We’ve discussed this, and I thought we were in agreement. We’ve had trouble recruiting decent soldiers—no man with a brain is going to sign on to go down with a sinking ship. With an unpredictable boss an
d enough bad investments to bankrupt a small country, we’re teetering on the brink of annihilation. We’ve managed a good number of changes to help turn things around, but this would be monumental in securing our future. The Gallo family is our priority, and I will do whatever it takes to restore our position of power.”

  “And how do you propose we handle Angelo?” he asked as he dropped into a leather armchair.

  “He’ll be out of the city for a while. It won’t be a problem.”

  “People will question why he’s agreed to this.”

  “He isn’t exactly the most predictable man,” I offered as I sat opposite him. “He may have agreed, but it was begrudgingly. The way I see it, he’ll want to make sure that’s known by refusing to appear at the ceremony. Yes, it would make people talk. But would you expect anything less from Angelo?”

  “No, I suppose you’re right.” He stared at his hands for a moment before continuing in a hardened tone. “What’s the latest on Sal?”

  After his botched murder plot to take out Enzo, Sal had attempted to flee the country by using Enzo’s other daughter, Sofia, as leverage to escape. He failed miserably and ended up shot in the process but still managed to evade capture. That had been two weeks ago, and we’re still working on locating the prick.

  “As you know, security footage showed him getting on the subway and exiting at the bus station. Enzo informed me that Sal has since been tracked loading a bus to Kansas City and was seen exiting that bus station. By that time, blood loss was affecting his movements considerably. They were able to locate the records of a John Doe getting medical attention for a gunshot wound to the shoulder. The man was treated and then fled the hospital. That’s where the trail ends, but we’re still searching. No one involved has any intention of giving up, and one day soon, he’ll resurface.”

  “You think he’s still in Kansas City?”

  The glint in his eyes worried me. I didn’t think he’d go off on a John Wick revenge spree, but Maria and her father were proof that people could still surprise me.