Chapter 21
Movement on the bed caused me to open my eyes.
Unlike the night before, we woke up cuddled up on each other.
My naked body, still wrapped in the towel, clung to his side as my arm and leg draped across his body.
He was still clothed in his shirt and pants.
With one arm wrapped around my body and the other resting behind his head, I had peacefully slept the entire night. His movement woke me.
“Trying to sneak out?” I said with a sleepy smile.
“I need to get going.” Emilio tried to pull his arm from under me, but I shifted my weight onto the leg draped over him so that I was now seated on his pelvis. “Bethany.”
I ignored his warning and removed the towel wrapped around me. “I didn’t get to thank you for last night.”
Emilio locked eyes with me. “There’s no need,” he sat up, placing his hands on my hips.
“Yes there is.”
He rolled me onto the bed so that he laid on top of me. “You should get some rest.”
“I'd rather do something else.”
Lingering over me, I could tell he wanted it but holding back.
There was no reason to at this point. His face got closer to mine, and our lips were about to touch, but it all came to a halt when his phone rang.
We both look at the nightstand and see Luca’s name appear.
I jumped off the bed to cover myself like he was in the room.
Emilio reaches for the phone and answers.
It was a quick ‘yes’ and ‘will get there soon’ before hanging up.
Just as he hung up, it was my phone that rang next. Now Luca was calling me. So, I answer.
“Where are you?” Luca asks.
“At home.”
“I’m walking into your building now.”
My nerves kicked up. “You’re coming here?” I say out loud as I look at Emilio.
Without having to say much else, Emilio gathered his things quickly.
“You want to bring Mother into this. Then it’s time the three of us have a chat.”
“Mom is with you?”
“No, she is meeting me there.”
And just like that, my doorbell rings. Emilio walked toward the window as though debating if he could jump out.
“I’m guessing that’s her ringing the bell.”
I quickly get off the phone and throw on a pair of sweatpants and a shirt.
“Just stay in here.”
“I need to be across town,” Emilio stated.
“Okay, I’ll make sure we are in the living room. You can sneak out. That’s your only option, or stay here until they leave.”
Without much of a choice, Emilio nodded his head. I exit the bedroom and head for the front door to let my mother in. When I got to the door, Luca was standing behind her. Both of them had a serious look on their faces.
“Are you alone, dear?” my mother asked.
“Of course,” I reply, watching to see if they are suspicious.
I let them in and take them into the living room. My mother sat on the sofa chair while Luca stood behind her, looking at me seriously.
It was silent for a minute before my mother started to speak. “Bethany, dear. I spoke to Luca about marrying Gabe Appollo. And we are at a standstill.”
I scoff, “A standstill?” looking from one to the other. “The man showed up to my place last night ready to smash my face in for walking out on dinner!”
“Your brother has ensured that behavior will never happen again.”
“Mother!” I shout in disbelief. “Luca has you wrapped around his finger. As always.” I began pacing around the room. “I won’t marry him. You can’t make me.”
My mother looked as though she pitied me, but not enough to change her mind.
Luca barely looked at me. “The wedding is in two days.”
This threw me into a rage. “No!” I said, shaking my head as tears began streaming down my face. “I’ll kill myself,” I blurt out.
My mother looked down at the floor in defeat while Luca walked to the window, peering over the river.
With eyes full of tears, my mother looks up to me. “Bethany, dear. Have a seat.”
I sat on the sofa closest to her. “Why are you making me do this?”
“The Appollo brothers somehow got a hold of information and intended to use it against us to fulfill a vendetta that we put behind us for the sake of our family.”
A vendetta is a blood feud—a body for a body. Marco and his family were killed in vengeance for an act my father committed against the Cassariano Family. Normally, it’s a never-ending feud until someone calls a truce or an entire bloodline disappears.
I roll my eyes. “How many times have people tried to blackmail us? It’s never been an issue.”
“This time, my dear, we are in a bind. Your brother doesn’t have a way out without it causing a bigger problem for us.”
“Father called a truce. The vendetta has been over.”
Reaching out to take my hand, my mother begged me. “Please, Bethany. Trust us.”
Pulling my hand away, I said, “That’s all I’ve ever done. Look where it’s got me. I’ll never be truly happy, and it’s because of him.” My line of vision shot in Luca’s direction. Speaking through my teeth, “Why do I need to suffer for the sake of this family?”
“Tell her.” Luca’s voice was stern as he continued to peer out the large window.
“Tell me what?” I asked, feeling a lump in my throat.
My mother cleared her throat. “You know family is important to me. It always has been. When your brother Marco passed, it killed me. Your father called a truce so that there was no further bloodshed.”
“What does it have to do with this marriage?”
This time, Luca finally turned to face me, who answered, “Alfie.”
“What about Alfie?” I was confused more than ever.
“That night Marco, his wife, and child were gunned down. We made them believe all three were dead.”
My brain went blank trying to connect the dots through my rage.
My mother said, “Alfie is our last piece of Marco.”
The room went silent. I got to my feet and turned away from them to process what I had just been told.
Thinking back to that day, I remember running out of the house and seeing the horrific scene.
Luca was holding a bloody and limp Marco.
My father held my mother as she sobbed, trying to stand.
My sisters checked Marco’s wife in the passenger seat and baby Paulo in the back seat.
Rita looked to Luca and shook her head to let him know both were gone.
Isabella rushed me back into the house and told me to stay in my room.
“I saw it with my own eyes.”
“I noticed Paolo was lightly breathing,” Luca replied, “I rushed him to the hospital. He lived, but I knew he couldn’t stay with us.”
Turning back around, “How could you keep that from me?”
“The only people who know are me, your father, and Luca. It was safest that way,” my mother replied.
“So Alfie is really... Paolo? Marco’s son? My nephew?”
“Shh,” my mother whispered as though someone would hear.
“His name. He was in foster care. He followed Luca from California to Chicago.” I was thinking out loud.
Luca placed his hands in his pockets, and the look on his face was full of emotion. He never let his guard down; it was a surprise to see. Or maybe he just wanted me to be sympathetic to the situation.
“B, we had to play it off.” Luca breathed deeply, “He was five years old, and we needed him to forget us. I made sure he was put in a foster home with good people with nice monthly checks to cover all his living costs.”
I laugh mockingly, “Of course. Why else would you take an orphan under your wing? It makes sense.”
“Do you understand now?” my mother asked hopefully.
“I understand,” I place my hands on my hips, “But it doesn’t change my mind. You wanted me to partake in a plan I had no idea was going on.”
“Bethany,” Luca was done being emotional, “If it’s known that he’s alive, he will become a target.”
“I don’t care,” I state.
“You should,” Luca shot back, annoyed.
“You should have thought of that before having Aria here,” I replied.
“Aria?” our mother questioned.
“Oh, you haven’t heard?” I said maliciously. “Your son here is entertaining a Cassariano in this city, at his office and home.”
The look of shock on her face was priceless, while my brother looked about ready to kill me.
“Luca,” my mother was on her feet facing him, “Is this true?”
“Aria is working on the development project,” Luca replied. “Bethany, don’t try to deviate from the conversation.”
“I’m not marrying anyone!”
Luca started walking off down the hall. “Go find yourself a dress. The wedding is in two days at the cathedral.”