Chapter 20
TWENTY
Lissia
Marchello and I were set to leave for Miami in a few hours. As excited as I was to get away and spend a few days alone with him, I couldn’t rid myself of the intrusive thoughts that kept creeping into my head.
I trusted that Marchello believed he could keep me safe, but I wasn’t as naive as everyone claimed when it came to organized crime. The Accettis remained in power because they were capable of doing the unspeakable tasks that had to be done to keep them there.
But weren’t their enemies capable of inflicting the same terror to gain control? Wasn’t there always going to be someone lurking in the shadows, waiting to overthrow my new family?
Ricardo came up the stairs that led to the main offices from the showroom floor at the dealership.
“It’s a beautiful portrait, isn’t it?” he asked.
“Huh?”
His voice broke my concentration from my obsessive thoughts about enemies and power.
“You’re staring at the portrait of Julia.” He motioned toward the stunning photo of Marchello’s mother leaning against a vintage Mercedes-Benz. The photo credit on the picture was from 2001, but the white convertible looked to be from the sixties.
“Oh, I never realized that was Julia in the picture.” How could I? It wasn’t as if Marchello ever thought to mention that was his mother in the picture. I’d seen pictures of her in their house, but I never put it together.
“Nico took the picture.”
“Really?”
“There was a whole series of Julia, and even Marchello and Milo when they were younger, in front of all these classic cars. They used them in an ad campaign.”
“I’d love to see the photos.”
“The originals are in storage, but you could probably search the internet for the campaign,” Ricardo said. “They hung this one for the first charity auction after she died. Nico didn’t want to take it down after.”
“Julia is striking.” Her designer red dress accented her long black hair, and her naturally olive complexion made her stand out even more against the backdrop of the car.
“She really was.”
“I don’t know too much about the charity, but I think it has to do with young moms who need assistance.”
He nodded. “Julia really embraced that cause because she and Nico got pregnant with Marchello at a young age. She realized that her life was different because they had the support of their families and Nico ended up doing well for himself.”
“That’s an understatement.”
“Julia knew she was fortunate, so she did what she could to help other women who needed support.” Ricardo gazed at Julia’s picture. “The charity was getting off the ground right around the time she died, so Nico pledged the Accetti support. The car auction raises so much money every year.”
“This year the auction was a disaster,” I said. “I didn’t even think about how the shooting that night affected the donations.”
That was the night Marchello pulled me from harm’s way. That was our beginning.
“They could have raised a lot more had the night been able to continue, but I’m sure Nico made up the difference.”
“When? He’s been so busy.”
“I’m sure he’ll work it out. It’s an important cause to him, so he won’t forget about them.”
“You’re probably right.” I took his hand as we walked down the hallway to Marchello’s office. “What brings you here?”
“I’m running errands for Milo, and I heard you were here. I wanted to say goodbye before you left for Miami.”
“That was sweet of you.” I bumped his muscular arm with my shoulder. “I won’t be gone long. When I get back, we can go Christmas shopping on Fifth Avenue.”
“Promise?”
“Absolutely. We can have lunch and see a show too. We’ll bring my mother.” She would jump at the opportunity if she thought Dom would be with us.
We stopped when we got to Marchello’s office.
“Are you feeling better?” Ricardo asked. “Your color is returning to your face.”
“I’m getting there.” I smiled. “I’ve been a mess these last few weeks, but I know how lucky I am to have found the Accettis and you.”
“It’s all of us who are lucky to have found you.”
“I’m going to miss you.” I kissed his cheek. “But I’m looking forward to getting away and spending some time with my new husband.”
“A honeymoon.”
“For now.” I didn’t have the wedding I’d always imagined, and a few days in Miami was hardly the honeymoon of my dreams, but I did find the perfect man to spend my forever with, so I wouldn’t complain. “When things die down and Nico comes home, I want to go on a real honeymoon. No business. Just Marchello and me relaxing.”
Getting away for a few weeks to an exotic setting sounded wonderful and romantic. We could make a baby…
I couldn’t seem to get that thought out of my head.
“Does he know how to relax?” Ricardo laughed.
“I don’t think so.” I shrugged. “I’ve never seen Marchello do that.”
“You’ve never seen me do what?” Marchello appeared in the doorway of his office. “I’d love to know what the two of you are discussing.”
“Oh, well, Lissia and I were… We, ah…” Ricardo shoved his hands into his pockets.
“Ricardo,” I said, putting him out of his misery. “I’ll handle my husband.”
“Milo is looking for you,” Marchello said to Ricardo. “Go find him.”
Ricardo hustled out of Marchello’s sight faster than I could recite my credit card number. That was saying something.
“Are you ever going to cut him a break?” I asked as I entered the office and sat on the couch. “He’s terrified of you.”
“He’s alive, isn’t he? I’d say that’s a pretty big break after what happened, wouldn’t you?” Marchello closed the door and joined me on the couch. “What have you never seen me do?”
“Relax.”
“I don’t have time to relax.”
“Maybe you’ll have a few hours to try it when we’re in Florida.”
“Probably not,” he sighed. “Are you keeping yourself busy?”
“I am, and I’ve been doing some thinking too.”
“Have you?” He ran his hand through his hair. “Am I going to need a drink for this conversation?”
“I don’t think so.” I kicked off my heels and set my feet in his lap. “I like being here with you. I loved getting dressed this morning and riding into the city with you.”
“I like having you with me.” He rubbed my feet. “It’s always an experience.”
“Right? That’s what I was telling myself.”
“What’s fueling this conversation?” He arched his brow. “And why do I feel like whatever it is, it’s going to be trouble for me?”
“No trouble.” I waved my hand in the air. “I want to work with you.”
“Work with me how?” He gripped my foot a little too hard.
“I’m sure you could find something for me to do.”
“At the dealership?”
“I was thinking a little more hands-on.” I scooted over to him and situated myself into his lap. “I don’t know much about the car business.”
“What is it that you think you know about my other businesses?”
“I’ve picked up some things these past few months.”
“Like what?”
“Like how things work.” I traced my fingers along his manicured beard. “I’m good with people. Look how well I did with Lorenzo. Because of me you have a new alliance.”
“Hmm…” Marchello gazed up at the ceiling. “You were extremely useful in that particular situation.”
“See.”
“And then you got shot.” The low tone in his voice reflected his agitation. “If you want to get a job, I’m all for it, but it will not be as a mafia moll.”
“Mafia moll?” I took my phone out of my pocket and looked up that term. “Well, according to this, I’m already considered a mafia moll. Says right here, a moll is the female companion of a gangster.”
“You’re not working in the organization.” He grabbed my phone and set it on the end table. “End of discussion.”
I may not have liked the violent side of his business, especially after what I had witnessed in my father’s basement, but I did find the negotiation side of it fascinating. I liked learning about the power plays and the strategic methods behind running such an unorthodox business.
“We can revisit this discussion at another time.” I kissed his jaw. “When you’re more open to what I have to offer.”
“Lissia?” He blew out a frustrated breath. “Revisit when I’m more open? That’s never going to happen.”
“Can I still renovate the club?” I asked. Baby steps.
“Your time will be better spent focused on the club. Milo is eager to get it up and running.”
“I have something else I want to run by you.”
“Of course you do.” He shook his head. “I’m afraid to ask what it is.”
“I have exceptional ideas.”
“Let’s hear some that don’t involve getting you killed.” He wrapped his arms around me and cradled me against his chest. “I like having you with me. Alive, breathing, driving me insane.”
“I was thinking about the money that was wired into my father’s account.”
“What money?” He tightened his hold on me. “You’re not talking about the money that someone paid to purchase you, are you?”
“Yes, that money.” I clasped our fingers together. “It’s mine, right?”
“Technically.” He leaned his head against the back of the sofa. “Your father left everything to you, so any funds in his accounts belong to you.”
“Ha!” Serves that bastard who deposited that money to purchase me right. “Talk about irony. I get their money, and the scum who paid doesn’t get me.”
“You don’t need his money.”
“I don’t want his money.”
“Then why are we talking about it? We still don’t know where it came from. It was deposited by a shell company, and we have yet to uncover who owns that company.”
“Do you think Lucas can figure it out?” I asked.
“He’s working on it, but I’m pretty sure whoever it is will take a loss.”
“Why?”
“If they don’t, they’re going to reveal themselves to me, and that guarantees that I’m going to kill them. If I were them, I’d forget the three million.”
“Three million?” How insulting! “I’m worth way more than that.”
“You are.” Marchello laughed from his belly. “As a matter of fact, you’re priceless.”
“You’re sweet.”
“Why are you so interested in this money?” he asked.
“I want to donate it.”
“To whom?”
I sat up and gazed into his eyes. I didn’t want to upset him, but this gesture was important to me. I hoped he understood what I was trying to do for him and his family.
“Your mother’s charity.”
“That’s very kind of you, but what brought this on?”
“I’m embarrassed to say I don’t know much about the charity. The night I came to the gala, I was here because of the booze and the silent auction.” Could I really have been that shallow? “I was more interested in winning a Gucci bag.”
“I remember.”
“Then, when I laid eyes on you, all I wanted was to be the center of your world.”
“The second I set my sights on you, I knew you were going to blow up my world.” He brushed his lips along mine. “I’m so glad you did.”
“I’m here for it.” I kissed him. “All of it.”
“What made you decide you want to donate this money to the charity?”
Giving the money to his mother’s charity seemed appropriate. It was the gala that brought us together, so I wanted to commemorate it in a special way while honoring Julia.
“Like I said, I don’t know a ton about it, but I do know it helps mothers in need. It was an important cause to your mom, and I want to help.”
“They do a lot of good work with helping women who get into difficult situations. They relocate women who are in domestic abuse situations, and they offer assistance to teen mothers who want to keep their babies and to those who don’t. They have counseling services, shelters, and programs to help with childcare and finding jobs. The charity has come so far over the years.”
“Thanks to your family and the money you donate.”
“We’re trying to give back. It’s what my mother would have wanted.”
“That’s why I want to donate that money.” I traced my finger along his lips. “What better way to use the money from the pig who tried to buy me than to donate it to a charity that helps women?”
“It’s a beautiful idea.”
“Do you really think so?” I cuddled against him. “I wanted to do something nice for you.”
“I appreciate it.” He kissed my knuckles. “Lucas can transfer the funds.”
“As soon as possible.”
“There is something else I want to say.” He ran his fingers through my hair. “You’ve come a long way since that night at the gala.”
“I’m trying.”
“You’re still the same chaotic firecracker that stormed into my life, but you’ve changed.”
“For the better?”
“You’re growing up and becoming an incredible woman.” He kissed the top of my head. “Coming up with the thought behind why you want to donate that money came from a caring and nurturing side.”
“I can’t lie to you,” I said, “it was still impulsive on my part. Ricardo told me a little about the charity, and then I remembered the money. I just figured I should put it to good use.”
“You could have blown it on a shopping spree.”
“I have your money for that.” I giggled. “I want to make a difference, Marchello. I’ve spent my whole life taking and expecting. I have everything I could ever want. It’s time I paid it forward.”
“I love that, but I’m going to miss the brat in you.”
“Don’t worry.” I patted his cheek. “I’m still going to be your brat.”
“I love you.”
“Back at you.”
Having him hold me and tell me I was becoming a better person filled me with pride. I had been lost for so long that I didn’t even realize I had been searching for a purpose. I had more than I could ever need, but I always wanted more. I had come to expect everything going my way.
I didn’t want to be that person any longer. I wanted to be a better version of myself, but not just for Marchello. I wanted to do it for me, so that we could build a life we were both proud of.
“We should leave for our trip soon.” He stroked my hair. “A few days in the sun with you wearing nothing but a bikini is exactly what I need.”
“Have we ever had a few days where everything was normal?”
“I don’t think so.” He held me close. “Right now, Miami seems to be our best bet. Getting away will be good for us. You’ll see.”
Have fun in Miami. Angelo’s dreaded words invaded my thoughts. I hope there isn’t a repeat of the last time you were there.
He was dead and gone. His idle threats couldn’t hurt us now. Could they?