Caterina and I spend every moment together. She tries to convince me marriage to Carlo wouldn’t be the worst thing while dealing with her own heartache and doubts regarding Alessio. Doesn’t she know? There are no truly happily married couples in the Trio. Not any I’ve ever seen.
A few days later, we agree to join Valdo out by the pool. I pop in my earbuds, meaning to lose myself in music. Drowsy from the heat and days of indifferent sleep, I drift off when Cat and Valdo start playing in the pool. Armando is watching over us, and Alessio is coming home soon.
A drop of something wet lands on my chest, rousting me from my foggy-headed dream state. My eyes fly open to find Rocco hovering over me, a line of spittle hanging from his lips as his eyes roam my body in my bikini. A wave of raw terror overtakes me. This is it, the day I’ve long feared.
Before I can even prepare for a fight, his powerful hands grab me, painfully pinning my elbows together as he hoists me off the lounge chair. I start to scream but another one of my uncle’s guards claps a hand over my mouth. I try to bite him and flail against Rocco’s hold.
“Quiet or I’ll put a bullet in his head,” Rocco says, jerking his chin toward the grotto wall. More of my uncle’s men are dragging an unconscious Armando out of sight. What did they do to him? Frantically, I look for Cat and Valdo, but I can’t see them on the far side of the pool. Are they underwater? What’s happening?
I look back at Rocco who’s leering at me again. “Time to pay for your crimes, bitch. You don't deserve to be the wife of a Don, but Vicini can have what’s left after we’ve had our fun… if he still wants you then.”
14
Carlo
“Francesca… I heard what happened.”
Every word had been a trial to push past my lips, but the worst was her quietly broken reply."You don’t have to worry about me.”
Those fucking bastards. How could I let this happen? How can I ever make it up to her? Letting my monster loose had satisfied my rage temporarily, but it hadn’t absolved me of my failure. Nothing ever will.
“Christ, Carlo…” Luca mutters when he finds me in the wake of my rampage at Red Hook.
"They were squeaking little rats," I say, opening my tired eyes. Small-fry dealers who wanted to avoid a few months of jail time. The omertà, our vow of silence, duty, loyalty, honor; they’re the pillars of life in the mafia for Made Men. When our head Enforcer called me after I heard the news from Vegas, I told him to let me handle them. "Have them dumped where they'll be found by the others."
Luca squints at the second body. "Did you use a goddamn drill on the bastard?"
I nod toward the power tool on the table. "So many little holes. The other didn't want to watch… until it was his turn."
"You know Father doesn’t like for you to get your hands dirty.”
“Fuck what he wants.” I sound like the spoiled princeling Francesca accused me of being, but I can’t help it. I’m furious with everyone and everything, including him. Just because I’ll be the boss someday doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy getting my hands dirty.
A week ago, I would’ve married the wrong woman for the sake of a pact crafted by others. Now, I can't forgive myself for a broken promise I made to myself – that I would keep Francesca safe.
“The fact that she suffered, that she could have died…”
Luca studies me shrewdly for a moment, trying to peek inside at something that shouldn’t be there. “Well, she’s alright now,” he says at last.
“I imagine she’s very fucking far from alright after that cousin of hers tried to rape her! After her uncle nearly killed her!” My voice rises in volume until it echoes off the walls of the empty warehouse, causing my headache to intensify. "She never should’ve been returned to their territory."
“You’re just pissed you didn’t kill them.”
“You’re goddamn right about that.” The cousin was put down like a rabid dog by Caterina. Alessio’s petite young bride has deadlier aim than I would’ve guessed. Silvio’s death was his son’s honor… and perhaps his downfall.
“Father says there will be a Tribunal tonight in Chicago for Alessio’s crime of killing his Capo. He expects you to fly there with him.”
I played my advantage last week to get the bride I wanted. Silvio played his own devious game. He lost, but I nearly did as well. I cannot leave her unprotected. If Alessio dies while she's still in Nevada… I don't want to consider the outcome. “Tell him I’ll be there.”
***
Many hours later after Alessio is unanimously absolved of his crime and named Capo of the West, my father and I are alone in the car that carries us to our hotel for the night. The old man tires easily, another complication from his heart attack. Every day, I’m taking on more of his duties behind the scenes.
“I have always treated you with respect around the men you will soon lead, have I not?"
“Sì, padre.More than I deserve at times.”
“From birth, you understood duty better than your brothers ever have.”
