1
ALESSIA
“I want the tree sculpture over here,” Alessia said, pointing to an empty spot in the new exhibit area. Her art gallery had just picked up a new artist, and she was overseeing the delivery of his sculptures.
The delivery driver, Darryl, and his assistant put the tree in place, rotating it to the perfect angle at her instruction. When it was just right, they took a step back.
“This is supposed to be a tree?” Darryl asked, tilting his head to the side. “Looks like some trash to me.”
Alessia grinned. “It’s called a ‘found object’ sculpture. Santino has been creating them for five years, and he’s considered a rising star in the art community.”
But she understood Darryl’s confusion. The sculpture in front of them was made primarily from parts of old electronic devices. Computers, phones, and televisions. The technological pieces were bent and arranged in a way that created the shape of a huge tree. It was supposed to be a commentary about nature versus man made technology, but not everyone understood that right away, especially if they weren’t familiar with fine art.
“Well, that’s the last one,” Darryl said. “Do you need anything else from me, Miss Mancini?”
Alessia shook her head. “Not tonight. You can go.”
Daryl and the man helping him left, and she was alone in the gallery. She’d closed the place early tonight in anticipation of this delivery, and it would remain that way until tomorrow night’s exhibit. Santino himself would be here, and she anticipated a big turnout.
Alessia had an eye for art. She always seemed to know what would be popular, and every time she featured a new artist, the gallery saw a huge increase in business. Running this place was her true calling.
Glancing at the time on her phone, she sighed. If she didn’t leave right now, she would be late for the dinner party. There was no more putting it off, and skipping it wasn’t an option. Her mother had made it clear that she was expected to make an appearance.
It wouldn’t look right if her only daughter wasn’t spotted at the party. After all, it was all about flaunting wealth and power. But what could one expect from a woman that had been married to the Don of the Italian mafia for nearly forty years?
Not that Alessia was in a position to judge her mother too harshly. She used to think it was amazing to have a father in such a position of power. When she was a kid, he seemed to be larger than life, a man to look up to. But with age came wisdom, and as Alessia grew up, she started to realize that her dad’s power came from a ruthlessness that shouldn’t be admired. In fact, he did some truly awful things.
And she was sure that her knowledge of his misdeeds barely scratched the surface.
Still, he was her father. Alessia tried to distance herself from all of his business as much as possible when she reached adulthood, but he was a controlling man and always seemed to find a way to keep her under his thumb.
So, she plastered a tight smile on her face and walked through the door of her childhood home. There was a vase full of fresh flowers in the center of a round table in the foyer, and the strong floral scent tickled her nose.
There was a chandelier hanging from the high ceiling, the soft glow of the lights reflecting off the shiny porcelain flooring. There was a double staircase ahead with an ornately carved banister that led to an open second floor where she could see a small group of people above, standing with her mother. They stood in front of one of the many pieces of exquisite artwork that Alessia picked out when they redecorated last year. Her mother was an excellent hostess, all smiles and grace, loving the attention she was receiving.
Alessia shrugged out of her jacket and hung it up in the coat closet. Heading into the drawing room, she spotted her father, also the center of attention with a group of people, but these weren’t ones that would be interested in a tour of the house. These were men that worked for her father. They were higher-ups in the organization, the capos with major influence and status. These were the men that her father could count on the most, but he didn’t really trust any of them. A man like her father wasn’t really capable of that, probably because he couldn’t be trusted himself. He was too manipulative and self-serving.
“Alessia, there you are,” he called out, beckoning her to him. “I was wondering if you’d forgotten your promise to come.”
There was a subtle disapproval in his voice that she wasn’t sure anyone else picked up on. Years of twisting herself into a pretzel to please this man made her especially attuned to his moods.
“I’m sorry for being late,” she said, gripping his forearms and leaning in to press a kiss to his cheek. “I was receiving a delivery at the gallery.”
The man standing next to her father rolled his eyes. “I don’t understand why you waste your time running that place. A woman like you should settle down with a man that can take care of her.”
Alessia’s skin crawled. The man that spoke was her father’s right-hand man, Dave. He was fifteen years older than her, but he made no secret of his desire for her. But it wasn’t just the man’s age difference that bothered her. She was appalled by the things she’d heard about him. Dave had a reputation for being a sadistically violent man. She’d even heard that he knocked around the women he’d been with in the past. He enjoyed hurting people.
“I’m not looking for a man to take care of me,” she said pointedly, wishing that her father would tell Dave to back off. He never commented on the man’s obvious ogling or snide comments about her single status. “Besides, I like the art gallery.”
Dave’s eyes flashed with annoyance, and she braced herself for an argument, knowing in advance that her dad wouldn’t have her back. But before he couldn’t say anything else, the housekeeper came into the room to announce that dinner was ready.
Alessia didn’t recognize the woman, which probably meant that her mom fired the last one and this housekeeper was new. Her mother was always doing that, finding small things that displeased her and using them as an excuse to fire the help.
Either way, she was happy to have the distraction.
The dining room was huge, with a table that could seat twenty people. Each seat was filled and she found herself between two strangers. A little small talk during dinner revealed that the man on her right was an assistant district attorney, and it was no wonder that he was invited. Any opportunity to form a connection with a powerful person was to be pounced on. Alessia knew that her father wouldn’t keep things friendly with the poor guy either. He’d find a way to control him, whether that was through bribes or blackmail. Maybe both.
On her other side was a woman that was drunk before the meal even began. Her designer dress and the expensive jewelry draped around her neck and hanging from her earlobes spoke of her wealth almost as much as the way she spoke to everyone as if they were lucky to have the privilege of her conversation.
