And now, she sat beside me in silence, offering comfort for a storm that hadn’t even broken yet. She didn’t know it, but she was a fighter. Maybe it was in her blood. They said her grandfather had been one of the bravest, most loyal soldiers the Mafia ever had.
My phone rang, dragging me out of the thought. I glanced at the screen then answered. “Brando?”
His voice was low and strained. “Is he dead?”
“Not yet. You can come if you want. Say goodbye.”
There was a pause before he said, “There was never much to say between us, no reason to start now. The only one who’s going to miss that old man is you, Carlo. I’ve got no reason to be there, and even less desire.”
He hung up.
“Is he okay? Will he make it in time?” Emily asked softly.
“He’s not coming.”
“Because of you?”
“No. Because of my father. They were never close.”
“But… you said he was a good father.”
“He was. To me. Not to Brando.”
She looked confused, so I explained. “There’s a bitter truth about men, Emily. If we don’t love the woman, we don’t love the child we have with her. My father’s marriage to Carmen was political, nothing more. He never loved her, and Brando paid the price.”
“He loved you though. But you said your mother was his slave.”
“They were in love.” I’d never said it out loud before. Not to anyone. Saying it now felt like tearing open something buried deep.
“They’d loved each other for years, long before Gianni’s betrayal came to light. It was an arranged marriage, but they wanted it. After Amara’s father was murdered, Giuseppe tried to sell her off overseas. My father stepped in. Told my grandfather he’d take her and break her spirit so thoroughly it would be a warning to others. But the truth was, he was madly in love with her.”
“So that’s why your father cared so much for you. You were the child of his mistress,” Emily said quietly.
“His wife,” I corrected.
Her eyes widened. “What? They were married?”
“Yes. A few months after the dust settled, a priest married them on a secluded island in Greece. To protect my father’s reputation, and my mother’s life, they kept it a secret. If Don Francesco had found out, he would’ve had her killed.”
She hesitated. “What happened to your mother?”
“She died giving birth to her second child. I was six.”
Emily shifted closer, her hands wrapping gently around my arm. She rested her head on my shoulder. “I’m really sorry. Your father didn’t deserve this.”
“No, Emily. Don’t romanticize him. He wasn’t a good man by any standards. He was the most ruthless bastard in the Mafia. No mercy for women. No pity for children. He didn’t blink when it came to blood. Even—”
She looked up. “Even what?”
I shook my head. “Just know this, my mother was the only exception in Don Fernando’s life.”
She fell silent for a moment, then murmured, “I guess every man, no matter how ruthless, has a heart that might one day beat for someone.”
She didn’t realize how dangerous that thought was. I gently pulled her head away and looked her straight in the eyes.
“Be careful with your heart, Emily,” I warned her. “If it starts beating for someone in this house, all it’ll bring you is heartbreak.”
A flicker of sadness crossed her face, but then she straightened. “Don’t worry about me. I’m tougher than I look. When I leave this place, I’ll take my heart with me untouched. You can count on that.”
