“Oh.”
“As to why you are here—” she waved a hand around, taking a deep drink of her red wine “—we cannot be too sure. But let me give you a lesson, ah? If Marzio Fausti wants, he gets. End of lesson.”
“Marzio?”
She blew out a hefty breath, and it hit me square in the face. “Marzio is the head of the family. He is Brando’snonno. He is not as involved as he once was, unless something brings him out of the shadows. His sons have stepped up to see who will rule next. You know of Luca, of course, but he has four others. Ettore, Lothario, Osvaldo, and Niccolo, born in that order. I would say Luca is the most ruthless, but Ettore comes a close second. If you ask me, Brando bears a striking resemblance to his father. There is no denying whatfamigliahe belongs to. Rocco has eyes like Marzio.”
“Are they all here?” I chanced a quick look around, slowing on the door that Brando left through.
“If Marzio is here, the entire family is here.” She patted my hand. “Do not worry, if they requested your presence, you will make their acquaintance soon enough. Do not look so worried. Yes, danger lives. However, you must remember that they are only men, even if their shadows make monsters. Their word is as good as their blood!” She laughed sarcastically. “But it is the truth. It is also reassuring that we are women. No harm shall come to us,from them.”
“I thought only Sicilians had Mafioso affiliations! They’re from the North!”
“Ah, well, let me give you another lesson. Marzio's family is from the south of Italy, Sicilians, most of them. His family has ties to the most powerful Sicilian Mafias—check history books. Marzio married a woman with ties to Maranello and Florence…lawyers, most of them. He married beyond his status, some say; Grazia Angeli was one of the most famous actresses Italy has ever seen. She is considered one of the most beautiful women and extraordinary talents of her time. She was also an heiress to a fortune, from the luxury sport cars. It is true when they claim their word is as good as their blood.” She sighed. “Theyallmarry above status, because they can. They marry women that Italy and beyond are in love with. And it is beneficial, no, to take a region not overrun?
“Open your eyes,bella. Listen. Even in Milan and Rome their name is feared. Building contracts, the collection ofpizzofrom all of the shopkeepers, and that is only a basic explanation of what they do. Marzio’s family fought their way from the trenches and crowned themselves kings and queens once the land belonged to them. You have married into Italian royalty. We live beyond the golden gates, but not all is as it appears to be, ah? There is a certain order to this family that is not known beyond blood. I do believe you are the first non-Italian to bless ourfamigliathough.”
“My husband has always been a renegade gone rogue.”
She tittered. “You tickle me.” She winked.
I needed a drink.
Three bottles of wine, two laughing women—Rosaria and Violet—later, Brando and his brothers finally reentered the room. Rocco took Rosaria by the arm, Mick appeared and plucked Violet on the shoulder, and Brando gave me his hand. Our three guards disbanded.
Time to go.
Brando was quiet on the walk back, and when we entered the villa, he went straight to the porch over the water, looking out.
I watched him until the silence felt like it might drive me mad. He seemed to sense it.
“They want me,” he finally said.
“For?”
“The family business.”
“What did you say?”
“Not a word. There are other things to be considered. First.”
“Such as?”
He turned to me. He had the look of a man with too many burdens and not enough solutions. “They refuse to say. Tomorrow.”
“That’s odd.”
“You think so?” He smirked. “Think, Scarlett.”
“This has something to do with me?”
He nodded. “Yeah, but what exactly, we don’t know. Whatever it is, they’re keeping it close to the heart.”
“Is this because of the wager between you and Rocco?”
“Possibly.”
He opened his arms and I went to him. He held me tight, keeping my head to his heart. Putting his lips to my hair, he said, “You don’t need to be afraid. I’d die before I ever saw you hurt.”
