Chapter 24 Sophia
Sophia
Massimo’s father is all over the place, first yelling at Leandro because Massimo is married to me, a fucking Cassone, and then pissed as hell that he’s at Carnal Sins sleeping with the Amorte woman who’s caused his son and this entire family one fucking heartache after another.
“Massimo professes his devotion to the enemy upstairs in his bed, yet he’s at the club doing god knows what with Desiree, who according to her father was snuck out of his estate.
He’s fucking accusing us of dragging his daughter through the mud, sullying her in public, and putting all of our dirty laundry on display! ”
A glass crashes into what I can only imagine is Massimo’s immaculately clean slate fireplace.
Well, clean until old man Roselli’s whiskey glass hit it.
The storms and fate are often cruel in this life we lead.
Who would have ever thought the worst enemies of modern times and old times alike would fall in love?
True, head over heels love. The kind that makes my heart ache for him, even while my blood pumps with jealousy, the feral green-eyed type that causes me to want to head to the club and rip that woman’s fucking heart out of her chest with my bare hands.
In my heart though, did I ever really think it was going to end any other way?
We are born into the mafia world and the harsh world has rules that each of us play by without compromise. Arranged marriages are very much a part of that world, and like it or not, Massimo’s father gave his word. No matter that Massimo did not agree.
I inhale a deep breath, letting my tears wash over me, letting them cleanse what’s left of my fraught emotions until the crying is done, and only rational thought remains.
I turn to head upstairs, no longer wanting to listen to anything that comes from that room.
Nothing good ever comes from hearing one of the Rosellis’ conversations, usually about me in some way.
I highly doubt it’s anything new, but being around it, hearing the first-person conversations myself just confirms what I’ve thought all along.
Massimo’s father is not ready to welcome me into this family, and maybe he won’t ever be.
No matter that Massimo thinks one day it will change.
Massimo is wrong if he thinks his father is not on his side, though.
Even in his state tonight, while not pleasant, he was able to see through some of the dust and not put all the blame for whatever is happening tonight on his eldest son.
I’ve barely taken a few steps when Leandro’s voice calls my name.
I stop walking mid step, inhale a deep breath, and swipe at my face to remove any errant tears lest he sees them falling down my face.
He and his brother have more to deal with right now than my emotions.
“Go to your brother, Leandro. I’m not sure what’s happening, and I don’t need to know. Go, make sure he’s okay.”
I turn away and climb a few more steps. “You know he fucking loves you, Sophia. In a way that transcends all the fucking barriers. Don’t bet against Massimo, because he will find a way to be with you, no matter what anyone else says or wants. Understand?”
A single tear spills down my face as I turn to face him.
“Bring him home safely, Leandro, but only if this is where he wants to be.” I make my way up the rest of the stairs feeling his eyes track my retreat, unsure what he thinks or will say to Massimo at this point but no longer caring.
Massimo has things in the world he needs to set straight, fix, sort, and Leandro is right, I have no doubt he will do whatever it is that he wants.
And I won’t stand in his way, no matter what or who he wants.
One night, that’s all I want, and then we say goodbye.