Chapter 14
FOURTEEN
Lissia
The serenity of my father’s house agitated me. I shouldn’t have felt at peace here, but I had spent my whole life in the comfort of this house.
Sitting behind his desk, looking at all the framed pictures of him and me through various stages of my life, I couldn’t help but mourn.
Contradicting memories haunted this place. The man who taught me to ride a bike and made every Christmas magical was the same man who tried to sell me like property. How could those two versions of him co-exist? And how could I mourn one without hating the other?
He viewed my relationship with Marchello as a betrayal. He never even gave me the chance to explain where I was coming from.
Now he was dead, and I didn’t know how to process that.
“My daughter is expecting me.” My mother’s voice echoed down the long hallway. “I don’t need to be announced.”
“Dom,” I called out. “It’s okay.”
“See, Dom.” My mother had my no-nonsense bodyguard’s arm in hers by the time they reached the study. “It’s all good.”
“Lissia,” Dom said. “I’ll be on the front porch if you need me.”
“Thank you.” I nodded as my mother approached.
“He’s a tough one, but very handsome.” She pushed her leopard-print Versace sunglasses on top of her head.
“He’s getting used to me.”
“Well, look at you.” She motioned in front of the desk. “Taking your father’s place?”
“Hardly.” I didn’t want to be here at all, but being the sole heir of this tainted estate meant there were things I had to take care of.
“What’s with all the extra security?” She tossed her Gucci bag on the desk before sitting on the chair by the window. “The whole perimeter of the property is covered with hunky guards with muscles and tattoos.”
“They’re supposed to be discreet.”
“I’ve been in this life long enough to know what to look for.”
“Danny made an appearance the other night, so Marchello is being extra cautious.” I pushed the papers about bank accounts and properties that were in front of me to the edge of the desk. “Marchello isn’t happy.”
“Is he keeping you safe?” She glanced out the window. “Is one guard on you enough?”
“Dom is more than enough,” I said. “Marchello wouldn’t let me out of his sight if he didn’t think I was protected.”
Actually, it took plenty of convincing for him to let me come to my father’s house. In the end, I promised no stunts and that I would do everything Dom told me to do. Marchello also sent the men for the perimeter.
“What was so important that we had to meet here? I could have come to Nico’s house.”
“Even though Nico, your new obsession, isn’t there?” I rolled my eyes.
“I’m not that infatuated with him, and I’m not looking for an entanglement with another mafia don.” She nodded out the window. “But I could get underneath your bodyguard.”
“Oh God.”
“What? He’s sexy.”
“Leave Dom alone.” I took the envelope from the top drawer. “The reason we’re here is because I want to give something to you. I had Lucas draw up these papers.”
“What are they for?”
I stood and came around the desk. “You put up with Dad for a really long time.”
“Longer than I needed to.”
“You stayed as long as you did because of me, but I know you weren’t happy those last few years.”
My father was never going to let my mother walk out with me. She waited until I was old enough before she finally left.
“You know,” she said softly, her manicured fingers brushing my cheek, “I should have taken you away sooner. I should have found a way.”
“You did what you could,” I said, but my voice wavered. I wasn’t sure I believed it.
“I don’t regret being here with you.” She glanced around the room. “I love this house. Not all the memories were bad.”
“I remember the good times.”
“Your father and I were happy before he became so obsessed with power and money.”
“He took care of you in his will,” I said.
“He was more generous than I thought he would be.”
“He knew how expensive you are.” I couldn’t hold a candle to my mother’s shopping sprees, and that was saying something. “I wanted you to have something else. Something that I don’t need or want.”
“What is it?”
“This house.” I handed her the envelope. “I signed it over to you.”
“What? Why?” She took the envelope.
“You just said you loved this house.”
“I love all the memories of raising you here. All the birthdays and holidays.” She smiled. “The pool parties.”
“They were epic.”
“This is your house.” She stared at the envelope. “You can’t give it to me.”
“I already have.” This house was more hers than it would ever be mine. “I have a life with Marchello. I don’t need this house. You can sell it if you want and take the money and buy another one. I don’t care. I just want you to have stability.”
“That’s sweet of you.” She took my hand. “I don’t know what happened to your father these last few years, but I know he loved you.”
“Ma.” I shook my head. “I don’t want to talk about him. I can’t get past the whole sex trafficking thing.”
“That was pretty awful. I would have killed him myself for that if I had known.”
“If you decide to stay, maybe we can renovate. A project we could do together.”
“I think that’s perfect.” She stood and hugged me. “I’ve been wanting to redecorate for years, but with the divorce and his new girlfriend, I figured it was inappropriate to ask.”
“Inappropriateness never stopped you.”
“I guess if it’s my house, it’s no longer wrong to start fresh here.” She let go of me. “I have a ton of very expensive ideas.”
“We’ll start as soon as I get back.”
“Back from where?” she asked. “Where are you going?”
“To Miami.”
“What?” She shook her head. “You can’t go back there. What is Marchello thinking?”
“It will be okay.”
“You got shot the last time you went.” She paced in front of the desk, then turned back and shook her finger at me. “No, I can’t let you go back.”
“Ma.” I reached for her arm. “Let’s be realistic. Given who my husband is, I can get shot anywhere. It doesn’t have to be in Miami.”
“God forbid, Lissia. Don’t say such things.”
“It’s true.” I moved closer to her. “I can’t live in a bubble. Dad was the one who ordered that hit last time. Marchello will keep me safe. I have faith.”
“You’re an Accetti.” She pursed her newly filled lips. “Do you know what that means?”
“That I’m safe.”
“No.” She caressed my cheek. “Marchello may have thought that by rushing to marry you, he was keeping you secure, but he made you a bigger target.”
“Marchello will take care of Danny.”
“It’s not just him you have to worry about.” She looked at the floor. “Your father and I sheltered you from this life because I didn’t want you to know the constant danger you were in. We were at peace for so long, but circumstances have made being a mafia bride much more dangerous. Let’s not even talk about the risk of bringing children into the mix.”
Don’t go there.
“Thank goodness we don’t have to worry about that now.” My mother smoothed out her hair.
“Yeah.” I twisted my hands.
Little did she know, making a baby with Marchello was all I had been thinking about ever since that damn pregnancy test came back negative.
“What I’m saying is, you are in a unique situation. You’re from both families now. People will see you as a way to get ahead. You are Marchello’s weakness, and they will come after you when they need to get to him.”
“Ma, I don’t want to deal with hypotheticals.” I threw my hand in the air.
“These aren’t hypotheticals,” she said. “The fact that Nico left again tells you all you need to know. I don’t believe he would have left his sons for a second time if they weren’t dealing with a dire situation.”
“It is dire, but he has it under control.”
“The most powerful man in the organization went to deal with the problem? That’s not how it’s done.”
“That’s the kind of man he is.” I trusted Nico to fix the problem. “You said it yourself, these are different times. They call for drastic measures. If Nico believes he has to be the one to protect his family, then I trust him.”
“Don’t go to Miami.”
“I won’t send Marchello alone.”
“I know that.” She pulled me into a hug. “I can see the determination in your eyes.”
“No sense in arguing with me.” I held her a little longer. “It’s all going to work out. You don’t have to worry.”
“I’m your mother. I worry about you. That’s my job. You’ll understand that when you have your own children.”
“I appreciate it.” I let go of her. “I’ll text you as soon as we land.”
“You tell Marchello I will kill him myself if anything happens to you.”
“You can’t threaten my husband.” I walked her to the door just as Dom and Angelo came down the hallway.
“Angelo.” My mother stood in front of me. “What brings you here?”
“I need some files from Gian’s study,” he said.
He had the nerve to come here and raid my father’s study?
“It’s good to see you, Rosalie.” Angelo glared at me with prominent disgust. “I didn’t expect to see you here, Mrs. Accetti , but I guess it is your house now.”
“Actually, it’s my mother’s house. I just gave it to her.”
“And I already have so many plans for it.” My mom smirked. “Do you need me to stay? Or I could walk you out, Angelo.”
“That’s okay,” I said. “I’ll see if I can accommodate Angelo.”
“I can stay with you.” Dom glanced at Angelo. “I’d prefer it.”
“That won’t be necessary.” I widened the door and motioned for Angelo to come into the study as I spoke to Dom. “Please see that my mother gets to her car.”
Dom didn’t budge.
My mother winked at me, then took his arm. “Please, I could use a strong man like yourself to walk me to my car. You can come right back and stand outside the door when I’m gone.”
Dom sighed as he reluctantly escorted my mother down the hallway.
I shut the door and then turned to find Angelo staring out the window. I didn’t want to have to deal with him, but I also didn’t appreciate the way he behaved at the funeral.
“Are you planning on taking your father’s place?” he asked.
“That’s an absurd question.”
“Is it?” He faced me. “You’re in his study. You gave his house away.”
“It was mine to give.”
“You got married,” he said. “Do you know how disappointed he would be to know you’re an Accetti? You’re part of the family that destroyed him.”
“He tried to destroy them, and he was dragging me into the war.” I leaned against the desk. “He didn’t have to provoke them. You could have stopped him.”
“How do you know what he had to do?” He stood in front of me. “You ran to the prince of their family without even hearing your father’s side of the story.”
“Would he have told me he was trafficking women through Nico’s territory?” My legs trembled when I thought about how many women suffered at my father’s hands. “How complicit were you in that?”
“I don’t have to answer your questions.”
“Does it make you nervous?” I glared into his eyes. “You should be worried, because when it comes out what you and my father did in Nico’s territory, you’re going to pay just like my dad did.”
“In a strange way, your father would be so proud of you right now.” A cold, calculated chuckle escaped his lips. “Too bad he didn’t see your potential before you ran off with the enemy.”
“I’m nothing like my father.”
“You keep telling yourself that. His blood runs in your veins. Don’t forget that.”
The thought of taking after my father nauseated me, especially now that I knew what he was capable of.
“Let me have what I came for, then you and I won’t ever have to cross paths again.”
“My father’s files?” I asked. “I can’t give them to you.”
“His laptop.” He motioned toward the desk. “Where is it?”
“Why do you need anything from this office?” I gazed at the wall that featured my communion portrait and my graduation photos from both high school and college.
“Business,” he said. “None of it involves you.”
“My father wouldn’t have put anything important in writing. Not on his laptop or his physical files. You’re wasting your time.”
“There are some transactions that are legitimate enough to require a paper trail.”
“Yes, but those all belong to me now.” I motioned toward the oak cabinets that housed my father’s papers. “But of course, I have no use for them.”
“Then step aside so I can get what I need and be out of here.”
“I said I had no use for them.” I strolled over to the cabinets and opened the doors, pulling out the empty drawers.
“Where did it all go?” he asked. “What have you done?”
“Marchello and Milo were here a few days ago. They took everything. They’re handling all of my affairs for me. They will reach out to anyone who is involved and explain that they have control now.”
“You stupid girl.”
“Woman,” I corrected. “And I’m far from stupid. Did you think I was going to leave anything here for you to come and pilfer? Did you think you were going to walk in here and rummage through my father’s stuff without me knowing?”
“I have more of a right to anything in here than you do.”
“Apparently, my dad thought differently, or he would have left the house to you.”
“He didn’t expect for your new family to murder him. He didn’t have time to cut you off.”
“No, but he had time to sell me.” I pointed to the door. “You should go.”
Angelo’s cologne filled the air, sharp and distasteful, as he loomed closer. His every move felt deliberate, like a predator cornering its prey. When he finally spoke, his voice was smooth but tinged with menace, every word a veiled threat.
“Why?” He stepped even closer to me, wedging me between the desk and his daunting form. “Don’t you want to talk about the mistake you made when you rushed into a union with the Accettis?”
“I didn’t make a mistake, but you did by coming here.”
“What are you going to do? Call your husband? We both know he won’t make a move without his father.”
I straightened my shoulders, refusing to shrink under his glare. He wanted me to falter, to show weakness, but I wasn’t the same woman who’d been pawned off like a bargaining chip. I was an Accetti now, and that came with its own kind of power.
“You don’t know anything about Marchello, but I know what he’s capable of, and eliminating you wouldn’t be a problem.”
“You’ve got no idea what you’re playing at, girl. Or who you’re sleeping with.”
“I know I chose the right side.”
“You spoiled bitch, you don’t know anything.” He grabbed my arm and tugged me to him. “But I’m going to teach you a lesson about how all of this works.”
“Let go of me!” I hauled my hand back and smacked his cheek so hard my palm stung.
He released me, his scowl intensifying. “You’re going to regret that.”
“You’re the only one who is going to have regrets if you don’t get the hell out of here.”
“I run your father’s territory now.”
“You should probably take that up with my husband,” I said. “Your business with me is finished.”
“You’re going to be sorry.” He headed for the door. “Don’t expect the Accettis to protect you from what’s coming. How can they? You’re a wild card, and Marchello won’t be able to control you forever. That’s going to make you vulnerable.”
“Get out of here and don’t come back.”
“Have fun in Miami.” He winked. “I hope there isn’t a repeat of the last time you were there.”
As the door slammed shut behind him, his words echoed in my mind. A cold knot twisted in my stomach. He wasn’t just being smug—he knew something I didn’t.
Something dangerous.