9. Chapter 9
9
Caffè Casadei looked like every other cafe in downtown Palermo.
A green and white striped awning framed the open shop front. Lingering aromas of fresh coffee and pastries floated in and out of antiquated wooden doors.
Inside, an espresso bar with a glass display full of fluffy brioches, slightly crisped and cracked biscotti, and ricotta cream stuffed cannoli beckoned passersby to wander in.
Outside, streetside bistro chairs and rounded tables, woven out of a classic rattan, welcomed busy city dwellers to sit down and put a pause on their hectic day.
The scene felt like il dolce far niente brought to life . The beauty of doing nothing. At first glance, Elyse would've never imagined that such a charming, unassuming shop was tied to one of the most notorious mafia clans in the region, but, according to Malina, Caffè Casadei had been under the De Leóns’ protection for the past decade or so.
Around a quarter to ten, Elyse arrived at the cafe with Monte and Luca. Mariposa was already seated at one of the tables, waiting for her.
Monte and Luca sat down at the table right beside them.
The younger woman smirked as she spotted Elyse. " Ciao , bitch."
Today's agenda was clear. Get intel, and give nothing away. Would she be able to outplay Mariposa? Or would she end up getting played? Elyse plastered on a smile to hide her nerves. "Always a fucking delight to see you, Mari."
Mariposa eyed Elyse's all-black getup. "Again, I am sorry for your loss."
"Thank you."
An awkward lull bloomed between the two females. Elyse coughed. "How's life? "
The girl seemed distracted when she answered, "Life is life. Nothing really seems to change."
Mariposa's gaze kept drifting away. Her eyes darted this way and that way as though she was looking for something. Or someone?
A waitress with bright red lipstick came by. They ordered their food and drinks. Once the server left, Mariposa leaned over the table and shared in hushed tones, "I have something to tell you."
Elyse leaned closer to her as well. “I’m listening.”
Was Mariposa aware of Enrico's death? If she knew something, the girl's cheeky expression revealed nothing. A thump of guilt hit Elyse. Mariposa had come here today, thinking they were allies. But nothing could be further from reality. They were plotting her family’s downfall. Elyse wouldn’t blame the younger woman for hating her once the truth came out.
With glittering eyes, Mariposa said under her breath, "My brother's bodyguard died last night."
Mierda . The fact that Mariposa readily offered up this information seemed to suggest that she was trying to uphold her end of their bargain. The situation was hard to read. Elyse willed herself to react as though her hands weren’t stained with Enrico’s blood.
“I’m so sorry to hear it.” She asked mildly, "How did he die?"
The server brought out their orders, setting a delectable array of coffee and pastries on the table.
Mariposa sipped on her espresso and, again, waited for the waitress to disappear before speaking up, "I think he got into a fight with one of the Berlusconis."
"Over what?"
Mariposa shrugged and sighed, "Who knows with these idiots? Just the right combinazione of tits and booze can set them off, I imagine. God rest his soul, but Enrico was an even bigger idiota than my brother."
The girl seemed unaffected by the man's demise. Judging from the breeziness of Mariposa's tone, however, they might as well have been chatting about the weather. This prompted Elyse to study Mariposa more closely. It was then Elyse noticed a noticeably darker spot on the younger woman's left cheekbone. Powder and foundation could only hide so much.
A sickening intuition struck Elyse. Something felt wrong. She sensed it in her gut. Within this troubling moment, all other thoughts flew out the window.
Gently, Elyse addressed the younger woman, "Mari? "
Mariposa hummed back, "Yes?"
Green eyes locked onto the girl's blemished, bruised cheek. "Is there anything else you wish to tell me?”
“About Enrico?”
“No,” Elyse replied, “ about you .”
“Me?”
“How are things at… home?”
A flicker of unease appeared in Mariposa's dark eyes. The girl replied quietly, "I already told you. Life is life . For me, it is all I have known."
Both women shared a look. The flash of despair on Mariposa's face said everything that she couldn't say aloud in her father's establishment. From the corner of her eye, Elyse saw movement. Right on cue, the crimson-lipped waitress reappeared again with a tight smile.
There was an edge in her voice when she asked, "Posso portare a voi ragazze qualcos'altro?" Can I get you ladies anything else?
Mariposa shook her head with a bold, bright smile, but Elyse couldn't help noticing the way the dark-haired girl shrank in her seat, much in the way she had shrunk in Aberto's presence when Cara went crazy at the De León's party. Elyse's shoulder still carried the scar from Cara's stray bullet. Green eyes narrowed sharply. It seemed Mariposa might be carrying some scars as well.
When the woman spoke again, she only addressed Mariposa, "Ho anche un messaggio per te, signorina." I also have a message for you, miss.
Mariposa glanced at the server with a wary expression.
The waitress informed her, "Tuo padre ha chiamato il bar. Ha bisogno che tu vada a casa." Your father called the cafe. He needs you to go home.
As usual, Elyse feigned ignorance as she listened in on their exchange, but, inwardly, her mind was spinning at lightning speeds. Initially, she’d come today to press Mariposa for more information about Aberto and Cara. Now, she didn't know what to think. Was Mariposa an enemy pretending to be a friend like her father? Or was she another one of Aberto’s victims?
She needed to get Mariposa away from the cafe so they could talk in private. Before the waitress could say another word, Elyse turned to Mariposa and demanded in the bitchiest voice she could muster, "I don't know what the two of you are going on about, but my father-in-law's funeral arrangements need to be finalized. I have to go run some errands. Come with me as my translator, Mari. I won't take no for an answer."
A worried look emerged on Mariposa's face, but she responded with a snort of displeasure, matching Elyse's domineering tone with a combative attitude of her own, "I am a busy woman, but I suppose I can spare some time today. If you make it quick."
Mariposa sounded annoyed, but Elyse saw a gleam in the younger woman's dark eyes that looked... relieved? She watched carefully. No, maybe not relief. The emotion ran deeper. Mariposa appeared grateful .
Elyse's worst suspicions flared up right as their waitress spoke up again, "Sei sicura che sia una buona idea, signorina?" Are you sure that's a good idea, miss?
The question felt like a threat.
Monte grunted beside them, "Dimmelo tu, puttana." You tell me, bitch.
He glowered at the waitress like a Rottweiler ready to pounce.
Luca's hand reached inside his blazer. He didn't pull out his gun, but the warning was clear.
Danger hissed in the air.
After a moment, the waitress quietly backed away with a scowling grumble, "Tiro fuori l'assegno." I'll bring out the check.
The check came. They paid for it. A few minutes later, Elyse, Monte, and Luca escorted Mariposa from the cafe to their car. Luca and Monte sat in the front. Elyse and Mariposa settled into the backseat.
"Where are we going, Signora Vitale ?" Luca asked Elyse.
"Doesn't matter," she muttered, "just drive."
With Monte at the wheel, the four of them sped through the city for a while before Mariposa broke the silence in a strained voice, "Thank you."
Elyse glanced her way. Concern marred her face. "Now that we’re away from the cafe, can you please tell me what's going on?"
“What do you mean?”
Green eyes locked on to the younger women’s bruise once more. “Don’t play dumb. We don’t have time to fuck around.”
Mariposa gave another distressing pause before asking, "Why do you care?”
“Because I’m not the kind of bitch who looks the other way when another bitch is clearly hurt.”
“Did you just call us both… bitches?”
Elyse shot her a pointed look. “Did I lie?”
Mariposa laughed coldly. “I admit, you are starting to grow on me."
"I could say the same for you."
"But, just because I like you," Mariposa warned, "does not give you the right to poke your nose into my personal shit. My life is none of your concern.”
“I want to help you, Mari, if you let me. But if you don’t want me to meddle, I won’t overstep. I can take you home right now. Just say the word, and I'll never bother you again. Let me know what you want to do.”
This seemed to give Mariposa pause. “P-Please do not take me home. Not yet.”
“Then I’ll ask one more time,” Elyse murmured, “is there anything else you want to tell me?”
Mariposa gave an anxious nod. "Before I say anything, I want to renegotiate.”
Their eyes met. Tension sparked as the women looked at each other like two rivals trying to become friends.
“Are you referring to our agreement?”
“Yes.”
“What are your new terms?”
"In addition to providing a position in your cosca for my, ah , services, I want protection."
"From who?" Elyse inquired even though she already sensed where this conversation was headed.
"My father."
Her gaze swept over to Mariposa's injured cheek once more. "Was he the one who hit you?"
"No," Mariposa answered with an acrid bite in her voice, "he never lays a hand on me. The bastard orders his men to do it for him."
Elyse's heart went out to the girl even while a trickle of uncertainty coursed through her. "Fuck them all."
In an unexpected burst of vulnerability, Mariposa added in low, broken tones, "You have no idea what Papà is like when he gets angry. I cannot live with him anymore. You must help me, or he will break me. For good ."
Could this be a trap? Had Mariposa been sent by Aberto to break down her walls? Dios , she hoped not. Elyse despised herself for doubting the younger woman's pain, but, knowing what Aberto was capable of, it felt foolish to lower her defenses.
Elyse wished to protect Mariposa, but she was also wary of getting played by the De Leóns. The dilemma between picking the risky, righteous choice versus the safe, selfish one railed within. Could she afford to be an angel in a world of devils?
Elyse forced herself to remain undecided for the time being. More facts were needed. Desperate for the truth, she turned to Mariposa. "I want to help you. Believe me, I do . But I can’t help questioning your motives. Why are you asking me for protection instead of someone you’ve known longer and trust more?"
The dark-eyed girl smiled at her, but there was no light in her eyes. "Beggars cannot be choosers. Would you believe me if I said that no one in my life cares whether I live or die?”
Mierda . Her heart broke again for Mariposa, but she steeled herself against the pull of emotions. In a firm, gentle voice, Elyse requested, “Give me a reason to believe you.”
Mariposa’s brow pinched shrewdly. "Earlier, I told you about Enrico's death as a sign of good faith, and I can share more about what my brothers plan to do at Vincenzo's funeral. But only after you agree to protect me."
It seemed the girl had come prepared to build bridges. Elyse’s compassion battled with her fears. Could a De León be trusted?
Awkwardly, Mariposa cleared her throat. “Let me show you something.”
As their vehicle rolled through the streets of Palermo, Elyse watched as Mariposa's fingers moved to the collar of her linen shirt dress. She started to undo the line of buttons down the front.
“Oh, Dios… ”
Elyse’s gasp prompted Luca and Monte's gazes to flit toward the rearview mirror. Mariposa shrugged out of her dress. The two men's eyes grew wide. They shuffled in the front, coughing awkwardly, as they caught sight of the pretty young woman wearing nothing but her bra and underwear. Without being prompted, Luca muttered a quick apology and pressed the button to put the privacy shield in place.
Once her initial shock passed, Elyse soon realized why Mariposa had chosen to remove her clothing. Her eyes drifted over Mariposa's exposed flesh. In the girl's state of undress, it was easy to see the many cuts and bruises that defaced her body. Most of them appeared to be new. Some of them were old. One of the older scars looked distressingly like a burn mark. Her heart clenched with horror at what Mariposa had revealed to her.
"How long has this been going on?" Elyse asked carefully.
Mariposa winced as though the question stung her. "It is hard to say. My father's temper tends to run hot and cold. It happened sometimes when I misbehaved as a child. Then, my father backed off when I got older and boys became interested in fucking me. He didn’t want them to see the ugliness that went on in our home."
“I didn’t realize that Aberto cared so much about his reputation…”
“He does not care about reputation,” Mariposa clarified bitterly, “as much as guarding our dirty laundry from enemies. Anything that slips out might be used against him, so he prefers to keep everything under lock down.”
Green eyes flickered as her hands grew cold. "Did Alessandro know?"
Mariposa shook her head. “No.”
“You swear?”
“Cross my heart and hope to die.”
“I’m sure that Alessandro would’ve intervenedif he’d known,” said Elyse, “and I'd beat his ass if he dared to do nothing.”
Mariposa’s hard expression grew softer. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
"For the record, my father’s men didn’t strike hard enough to leave scars," the younger woman added, "until recently.”
Elyse began to feel sick. “I see.”
“Alessandro knew nothing when we were together. None of my boyfriends were aware. I did not tell a soul."
Gingerly, Elyse picked up Mariposa's dress and draped it over her shoulders. With a grimace, Mariposa began getting dressed again. Green eyes locked onto a particularly nasty bruise on Mariposa's rib cage. The purplish-blackish abrasion looked fresh.
Ugly, painful memories of Mikey flashed through her mind. Elyse tightened her jaw. "I despise men who hurt women.”
Glancing over, Mariposa grew still and observant. Dark eyes searched for green ones. “The hate in your voice sounds… personal.”
“I know what it feels like to be around a violent man, and it is hell,” Elyse whispered. “You’re not alone, Mari.”
Mariposa’s eyes grew round as she realized what Elyse was revealing to her. “Who… was he?”
“An asshole named Mikey.”
“I hope he dies a horrible death.”
“He already did.” Elyse smiled faintly. She was beginning to develop a deeper appreciation for her axe-wielding pyromaniac of a husband.
“ Good riddance ,” Mariposa said with a smirk. Then, the glee faded as her mood dimmed once more. "I wish I was as lucky as you. If I do not stop pissing off my father, I may not live to see my next birthday."
Distress set in as Elyse asked, “Do you really think that he’ll kill—”
Shooting a pointed stare, Mariposa didn’t let her finish, "It is all your fault, you know, that I’m no longer his obedient spawn.”
Elyse scowled. "What do you mean?"
Mariposa averted her gaze. An obvious blush darkened her cheeks. "I do not know if you are aware of it, but I have been studying you since we met. When I saw the way you saved Cara at Carmen's villa— even though you knew she hated you —and the way you fought back against her when she held you at gunpoint at my party, I realized that you are not like the other women in our world, and I realized that I did not want to be like the other women in our world, either."
Mariposa's heartfelt confession shocked Elyse, catching her completely off guard. She found herself stammering, "Knowing th-that you saw something worthwhile in me is just… Dios , I don't have the words to describe it. You have no idea how much it means to me."
It was true. Despite the dangers that lurked ahead, Mariposa's faith in her filled Elyse with an unwavering sense of purpose. More than anything, Elyse wished to place a solid shield around her almost-friend, her sole female ally in Sicily other than Malina, and rescue the girl from her father's home, but acts of kindness didn’t always lead to the smartest outcomes.
As a wife, Elyse feared for her husband's life. Aberto had already tried to kill Alessandro once in New York. She refused to let anyone in the De León clan get too close to her man.
As a woman, though, Elyse desired to save Mariposa from her plight, whether or not the girl harbored ill intentions toward Alessandro, her pain was real. The abuse was real. Fear was what kept Mariposa tied to her family.
If Elyse could somehow remove Mariposa fear and helplessness, could she somehow win the girl's loyalty while, concurrently, removing one more threat from her husband's path? Right then, she saw a way to kill two birds with one stone. "Believe me, Mari, I want to help you, but I can't be careless about it."
"I understand."
"Tell me what your brothers intend to do at the funeral."
" No, no, no, not so fast," Mariposa tutted in response, "not until you agree to my terms. "
Elyse arched an eyebrow. "Very well. You have my word. Luca and Monte are at my disposal. They’ll guard you, too."
Mariposa scoffed. "My father would never allow your men into our home.”
“That’s why you’ll need to move out as soon as possible.”
“What?”
Elyse countered, "Tell your father that, true to the rumors that started in Sverso , you've confirmed that I'm an unstable, inept coke fiend who desperately needs your help to finalize Vincenzo's funeral over the next few days."
Mariposa chuckled nervously. "You know about the rumors?"
"But of course." Elyse bit back a smile. Alessandro and her were the ones who started them.
Worry creased Mariposa’s features. "Your idea may buy us some extra time, but what will happen to me after the funeral?"
"Let's cross that bridge after Sunday," Elyse murmured. "I can't promise anything except that I'll do everything possible to keep you safe."
A frown appeared on Mariposa’s face. "Fuck your promises. Give me guarantees . I am risking my life here, Elyse. If you break your promise, I will be the one who dies!"
"There are no guarantees in life, Mari," Elyse replied in steady tones, "but know that I'll always be straight with you. Even when it's something you don't want to hear."
In truth, Elyse was terrified of promising the moon and then failing to deliver. Mariposa was getting ready to betray her family. If she failed to protect her, it’d leave the younger woman in a far more wretched position than her present one.
Mariposa stayed silent for a moment.
"If I knew how to defend against your brothers at the funeral," Elyse pressed, "I could provide better protection."
Her ability to keep Mariposa alive would boil down to who lived and died on Sunday. Elyse intended to make this clear to the girl, hoping it might give her incentive to help them fight the good fight.
Elyse urged again, "Tell me what you know. I won't betray your trust. If the odds land in our favor after the funeral, I can shield you from your father. Permanently . If we fail on Sunday, you're free to return to your family with your father none the wiser. You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain."
Several tense moments ticked by before Mariposa gave in, "Fine."
Elyse waited for the girl to spill her secrets .
"Gaspare intends to kill Domenico at the funeral," Mariposa whispered.
She feigned surprise. "But why would he do such a thing?"
"To avenge Enrico," Mariposa shared grimly. "That is not all, though."
"There's more?"
"My other brothers, in particular, Orlando," Mariposa answered, "have been pushing Gaspare to go all out."
Elyse's eyebrows snapped together. "Why?"
"Orlando, especially, wants to be my father's heir, and he needs Gaspare out of the way. If Gaspare is rash enough to pull a stupid stunt— like killing Domenico Berlusconi at Vincenzo Vitale's funeral —my father would not hesitate to kick Gaspare to the curb and consider someone else as his replacement."
The muscles around Elyse's eyes grew tense. "What about the Berlusconis? Have you spoken to Cara recently?"
Mariposa made a face. "About that…"
"Are they planning to make any moves at the funeral?"
Mariposa mumbled, "Cara has gone missing. I have not been able to reach her for days, which is very unlike her."
Dread snaked through Elyse. "Oh, fuck.”
"I am worried that something bad may have happened to her."
Elyse couldn't help questioning if Cara was even alive at this point. “Do you think that she might be… dead?”
“I do not know,” Mariposa remarked with panic in her eyes, "but I feel like this funeral will create havoc in all of our clans."
"I think so, too." There was no way in hell that Domenico was going to be on good behavior. He definitely had a plan for chaos. The fucker had to know by now that one of his men killed Gaspare's bodyguard.
"I am scared."
Elyse assured her, "I'll keep you out of harm's way, Mari. Alessandro and I will be ready for the chaos. Thanks to you."
But Elyse spoke with more confidence than she felt. Her veins turned to ice at the thought of Sunday. Most likely, Vincenzo Vitale wouldn't be the only corpse at the funeral. A sea of blood was about to drown them all.