3. Alessia
Chapter three
Alessia
O nce I told Gemma the news, she insisted on flying home the very next morning.
She’s appalled at the prospect of me marrying Massimo De Luca and thinks of me as some victim being forced into this no matter what I tell her, and when Gemma gets like this, it’s hard to get through to her. So, I called in our cousin Fia, who is our best friend, for reinforcement.
As soon as my sister walked into the door this morning, there was yelling and screaming in rapid Italian between all of us. Tullio is the only one out of my siblings who isn’t upset with the arrangement because he knows damn well I would speak up if I were not on board. I’ve never been one to keep my thoughts and opinions to myself, especially if I am unhappy about something.
The rest of my brothers are riotous over Massimo's being much older than me. He isn’t wrinkling, and yes, he’s technically old enough to be my father, but he can’t be more than thirty-nine years old. The men are to marry by forty, and my brothers seem to miss the fact that I am a woman. One beyond my chronological years.
Mamma was just as upset as Gemma and tried to talk me out of it until late in the night last night, but she, too, knows me well. She knows that I cannot and will not be forced into something I did not want to do or forced out of it. And if I have my mind set on something, then that’s it. It’s done, and no one can stop me or change my mind. I’m always more willing to learn the hard way if necessary.
Looking around at my family arguing about me and my future, I’ve had just about enough of it.
Heading over to a chair, I stand up on it and open my lungs. “ é abbastanza !” That’s enough ! The whole room falls silent and turns to me. “ Mia famiglia .” My family . “I was a part of this decision, and I agreed to it knowing exactly what I was agreeing to.” Armando and Paolo open their mouths to protest. “ Sta’ zitto !” Be quiet ! “I am not a child. I’m a woman, and I will do what is expected of me just as is expected of each and every one of you. When you are called to step up, do you not? Now, it’s my turn. I will marry Massimo De Luca, strengthening us as a whole.” Paolo and Gemma now look sheepish, but Santino and Armando still look upset.
Tullio remains reticent, most likely blaming himself for this. If he went through with the original arrangement, I would not be asked to do this. But I am not upset about this, nor am I with him. I’m elated to finally be able to step up and show my importance. To not only marry into another eminent family, but to someone who will become a capo.
Gemma and I finally head up to my room to be alone as Fia follows us. “Well, that was entertaining,” Fia muses as she plops down on my bed.
My sister remains meek as we both climb up to join her. “Gemma, I promise it’s okay.”
“How? How can you be okay with this? You’re being forced to marry Massimo De Luca. He’s…he’s…”
“Scary as fuck?” Fia fills in for her.
“Yes! Scary as fuck!” My eyes widen in faint shock at the profanity she never uses. “You’ve heard what they say about him! I even hear what they say, and you know I stay out of that business. But people still talk. He like…ties up women and beats them!”
Fia giggles as I roll my eyes at her dramatics. “He doesn’t beat them, Gem. It’s called BDSM.”
She jerks her head back. “What the hell is that?”
Fia laughs, and I shake my head at her innocence. She’s in college, for goodness sake. How is she still so sheltered? “It’s like bondage, dominance, submission, and masochism?” I think out loud.
“I think there’s also discipline and sadomasochism in there somewhere as well,” Fia adds, and I raise a questioning eyebrow at her. She shrugs her shoulders with a guilty smirk.
“Wait, what the hell are you guys talking about?” Fia and I both laugh at her. “It’s not funny!”
Doing my best to sober up, I look at her. “It’s a kink, Gemma. Yes, he might tie up women and like to use toys and such in the bedroom, but he doesn’t beat them.” I purposely leave out the part of him putting collars on them because she would actually die. And this is all hearsay. It could all be total bullshit for all we know. None of us have slept with the man. Oh, God. I’m going to have to sleep with him.
“Okay, so maybe he doesn’t abuse women, but what about all the other things? He’s killed so many people!”
“I’ve killed too,” I state flatly.
Her whole demeanor softens as she remembers my brush with death a couple of years ago. “Yeah, but you were defending yourself, Less. That’s different. He does it for a living and with his bare hands. And he likes it!”
“He might like to be more hands-on , but it’s what Babbo has enforcers for. He might not be doing the actual killing themselves like Massimo, but he might as well. So, if Massimo is a bad man, so are Babbo and our brothers.” Her body deflates as she heavily sighs, and I know I need to be patient with her. “Gemma. I know this is hard for you to understand, but I need you to trust me. Trust that I know what I’m doing and that I’m perfectly happy with my choices. Just be thankful this will never be asked of you.” I take her hands in mine. “You get to meet someone normal and fall in love like a normal girl, and that makes me so happy for you.”
“ Babbo would let you do that too if you told him it’s what you wanted.”
“It isn’t, though. I promise I am not being forced into this nor do I feel obligated to do so.”
She shakes her head. “I just can’t let you—”
“You have to, Gemma. This is my decision, and that’s final. I will not be talked out of it,” I say firmly, and she studies me for a long moment.
“Seriously?” I nod my head without blinking. “Ugh!” she groans. “You are crazy, you know that?”
“I do,” I state arrogantly.
Fia snorts. “And so does half the east coast.”
Anyone relevant that didn’t know me by name sure as hell learned it two years ago. A man who worked for the Gallos made the grave mistake of trying to take me in an empty banquet room at an event, not knowing exactly who I was. Not only did I kill the bastard, but I made sure to send a message.
After getting the upper hand in the struggle, I cut his limp dick off with one of my pocket knives and stuffed them in his mouth to choke on. Then, using the same knife, I carved my initials into his chest, legible enough to read.
The dude was low on the totem pole, and I’m like royalty, so the Gallo’s did not seek revenge. If he were higher up in the chain of command, they might have taken out one of our own in retaliation, but they knew better. The bastard got exactly what he deserved, and everyone learned I am no rose.
That was the first and only life I have taken, but I know it will not be the last. Leaving my family’s estate to marry a De Luca, I will no longer have full protection from my brothers.
“And you’re wrong.” Gemma gives me a sad smile. “No matter how normal I try to be and how far I go, I will always be mobbed up. Nothing can change that.”
It’s true. She’ll always be connected to the mob. And if any guy were ever to hurt her, they’re dead for sure. I can’t even keep track of the number of guys who have been given a good beatdown if they in any way mistreated me. Meaning, unlike a princess. And anyone who has stuck around long enough was given a mock execution as a test. No one has made it past either of those. They all ran for the hills. It never bothered me, though. I don’t want a pansy. If they can’t handle my brothers, they can’t handle me.
“You’ll find someone good enough and brave enough to stick around one day knowing who you really are.”
“Maybe date someone else who is mobbed up,” Fia suggests.
“No way! I don’t want to date a gangster! I want away from the mob, remember?”
“It doesn’t have to be a made guy. It can be a soldier.” She shrugs.
“So, I’d always be worried if they were coming home alive or in a body bag? No, thank you.” She scowls.
“It doesn’t have to be a soldier necessarily. Just someone who would understand this life. Someone who wouldn’t judge you for who your family is. Someone connected but not entirely involved,” I say.
“Yeah, someone who isn’t directly connected but in the know,” Fia adds.
Gemma waves her hand around. “I’m not even looking for someone right now. I’m still in college, and I’m enjoying it. That’s enough for me for the time being.” She sighs. “So, a wedding.”
My head starts whipping side to side. “I’m not there yet. Massimo and I have yet to meet one-on-one, so I’m not even considering the wedding.”
“Do you at least know when you’re supposed to be married?” Fia asks.
“Within a year.” Upon agreement.
“Wow. In one year, you will be Massimo De Luca’s wife,” Gemma says dreadfully, adding a shiver at the end.
“He isn’t that bad!” I chuckle.
“He certainly isn’t bad-looking,” Fia mutters, and I bite back a smirk.
“What! You two are insane! How can you see anything about him that doesn’t shake you to the core?” Gemma exclaims.
Fia and I exchange a look, then break out into laughter as Gemma officially thinks we have lost it. “Oh, I think he makes my core quiver alright,” Fia jokes, making me laugh harder and giving her a playful swat.
“Hey, that’s my fiancé you’re talking about there.” We keep laughing.
“What is wrong with you two?” Gemma stares at us with great consternation.
“Oh, I’ll explain it to you when you get older,” I tease.
She growls and climbs off the bed. “I need some alcohol if I’m going to hang out with you two all day.”