Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
F our Months Later
Gaetano
“Thank fucking god.” Sandro sighs as he almost falls onto the couch.
“What?”
His smile is wicked. “Bianca isn’t graduating early after all. She failed two classes. Now, she’s so disappointed she’s not even going to try to make up the classes over the summer.”
Exhaling a laugh, I shake my head. “It’s wrong to be that damn happy when you know she’s disappointed.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m an asshole. This is not new information to her. I hope she’ll take some time and chill out. Maybe date a guy, find a husband who doesn’t want her working. Luca wants her in the hotel. But since Paul is going to be the one who puts up with her, he said not until she’s got her degree.”
Paul is the vice president of the hotel on the strip and doesn’t have anything to do with the Outfit side of things. His father ran our hotels before his death and openly knew what we do.
“She’s as stubborn as you are.” I remind him. “Bianca isn’t going to drop it.”
“If she finds someone who doesn’t want her working, she will.” His sigh is heavy. “Hell, I can hope. It’s just frustrating that Luca is encouraging her.”
His phone goes off with a text. “Speak of the devil. His flight is leaving on time to come back to Vegas. He’s not going to be in a great mood. Said his dad was talking to him again about getting married—like he knew he would. Now that he's broken up with Tracy. Asshole told me that I have to straighten up on picking women too. It’s not my fault it’s hard to find classy chicks who are good with casual.”
“Another reason why I’m more than good with never going any higher. I’m never doing that again.” I remind him.
There’s more to running a city than people think. Business includes parties for things like fundraisers for the mayor, senators, and congressmen, it was important for people to owe us in more ways than money.
“I’m well aware, and so is Luca. Neither one of us will make you.” He assures me.
“Would you marry to keep your spot?” I’m curious.
Running a hand over his face, he nods. “I’ve worked too hard to give it up. If I have to, I’ll do it.”
I shake my head, better him than me. Marriage is a hell I’m never going back to.
Gaetano
The doorbell going off shocks the hell out of me, it’s almost nine. I check the doorbell camera and find Sandro looking stressed out.
I open the door. “Hey, what’s up?”
“Luca is going to get us all killed.”
Fucking hell. I step back for him to come in.
Hand running through his hair, he’s wide-eyed but not seeing a damn thing. “Bella, the chick he found among the girls trafficked the other night—the night he got in from Chicago. She is the daughter of Augusto Reyes.”
I was about to sit down in the recliner, but I keep moving to grab my bottle of whiskey. “I’m going to grab my Macallan. Two minutes.”
He nods.
Grabbing the bottle and two glasses, I take them back with me to the living room. I pour him two fingers that he swallows down in one gulp. Before I pour my own, I refill his. “Has he told Dominic and Tony?”
Shaking his head, he sips at the second pour. “I asked him if he was prepared for war, and he is. Asked me if I was ready for the first blood to be my own when I suggested we send her back to Augusto.”
“Jesus, Sandro. I’m surprised he didn’t kill you the second the words were out of your mouth. The way he is with her is unlike anything I’ve ever seen.”
“Augusto Reyes, Gaetano. We barely survived him once. It’s only because you saved my life that I did. All these years later, the man has only grown more evil.”
Swallowing my pour, I nod. “Yes, but we were younger and less wiser then. We’re stronger, and we have more weapons?—”
“That’s what Luca said. To make sure we’re full on bullets and guns?—”
“It’s not just about bullets and guns. We have Valdez and men who are even more loyal than before. This won’t be an uneven fight like it was before. Back then, we were fucking kids, and we still came out on top. It was close, but we did it, and we’ll do it again.” I assure him.
His sigh is heavy. “Yeah, maybe you’re right. I still can’t believe how fucked up it went last time.”
“We could have done a lot more planning and been a little less dependent on firepower. Now we know better, and we’ll be better.” For the first time in decades, I pray that I’m right and no one ends up dead.
One month later
Bianca
“Are you serious? Bianca, you can’t do that. Just talk to Sandro and tell him what you told me. He’ll listen to you.” Joanna gasps loudly in my ear.
“She’s stayed overnight twice already. He never does that. If I say something, I’ll look like I’m a brat trying to keep them apart. Or worse, because she’s black, he might even think I’m being racist. If I tell him that she gives me a weird feeling and her smile never reaches her eyes—especially when she’s looking at him or talking about him...”
I’m up, pacing my bedroom. “It doesn’t sound enough to even me. He’ll try to talk to her, or he’ll give her another chance to hide it better. But if I tell him that she said something about my weight, he’ll never forgive her. This way, he won’t give her another thought. I swear this is all Luca’s fault.”
“How is it Luca’s fault?”
“Because he’s gone and fallen in love, and it put ideas in Sandro’s head of love, a relationship, and all that stuff. He admitted he’s worried with Luca getting married soon the Outfit is going to press him harder to get married, too. Which is why he’s not really thinking with her. Normally, he could see through a woman. She’s a right-time thing, not a right one .”
Her sigh is heavy. “Are you sure he’s not in love with her already?”
“How rude, Joanna. If I believed he was really in love with her, then I would keep my mouth shut and hope he found out what she’s really like before they got to the marriage thing. Sandro is a control freak. She’s about him being in control of who he gets stuck with.”
“Okay, okay. I believe you. I’m worried he’ll catch you in the lie and never trust you again. You said the whole reason he met her was because she’s working for the hotel on the traveling Van Gogh exhibit. What if they have to work together in the future or something?”
“It will be fine. He’ll drop her and never so much as look her in the eye again.”
A notification comes through on my phone. “I have to go. That’s him letting me know I can see him in his office.”
Ending the call, I toss my phone on the bed and leave my room. This is bad, I know it is. But I believe it’s for the right reason. Lauren makes my skin crawl. I don’t understand how Sandro doesn’t see it, feel the unease around her.
When he opens the door to his office, anxiety bubbles up at the idea of lying to him.
“Lauren…” I swallow as I fight the real tears forming. Seeing the way his eyes light up when I say the woman’s name, I wonder if I’m doing the right thing. Maybe it was me being jealous of the woman who seemed to make him happy.
Then I remember the way her eyes never light up when it comes to Sandro and the look of disgust on her face when Sandro kissed the top of her head. No, this is the right thing. The same way he tried to protect me, it was my turn to protect him.
“We went shopping today, the way you suggested, and she wouldn’t stop talking about my weight the whole time. She said I was too young to be so fat, and she had a trainer who could help me lose weight. But I shouldn’t do it if I wasn’t going to be committed because it would be a waste of time.”
Sandro loses his smile. “I’m so sorry, sweetie.”
Real tears escape me from the fear I’m doing the wrong thing and hurting Sandro unnecessarily. “I’m sorry. I saw how much you liked her…”
He hugs me tight. “She’s nothing to me. Don’t worry about her. You never have to see her again. I’m sorry she even got close enough to hurt you. You are beautiful. Don’t listen to catty bitches like her.”
His phone rings. It’s Luca’s ringtone. I pull away from him, wiping my eyes. “I’m okay.” Giving him permission to answer the call.
“Yeah?”
“Augusto Reyes is in the wind. Valdez has no idea where he is.” I hear Luca say.
Sandro goes pale and stands up, walking to the other side of the room. “I think you should send Bella to Chicago now. Especially with her pregnant. If she knows Augusto is in the wind, it will stress her out.”
I can’t hear anything with him on the other side of the room, which is why he walked away from me. Augusto Reyes? What’s going on? Augusto Reyes is the guy who shot Sandro at close range, leaving him for dead. That’s the guy they’re worried about?
No, I believe in Sandro and Luca. They stopped them once, they’ll do it again.
“I’ll handle it.” He says before ending the call.
“Sandro, is everything okay?”
“Everything is fine. I need to get to work. Are you good?”
I nod. “I’m sorry I bothered you.”
“You didn’t bother me. I needed to know. You’ll never see Lauren again. If you could do me a favor and round up her stuff, I’ll have it sent to her.”
“I’ll have it done before I go to bed,” I promise.
Bianca
Sandro is cursing up a storm in Spanish and Italian.
“What’s the matter?” I’m out of my room, scared. Ever since I woke up to find out Augusto Reyes kidnapped Luca a few days ago after killing almost a dozen Outfit men, I’ve been terrified Sandro was next.
We’re in the hotel on the strip in a suite because Sandro believed I was safer here than at the hotel in old Vegas. I’m not allowed out of the hotel unless I have security with me. But with losing men, there isn’t really anyone available. Thank goodness I didn’t have school to worry about because I would definitely be failing classes if I did.
“I need to go to Chicago. To meet the woman—girl that I’m supposed to marry. I’m being forced to marry in order to take over Vegas from Luca.”
“Married?” I’m stunned. “You’re taking over Vegas?” This was a dream for him.
“Yeah,” Sandro says to me. Then, to the person on the phone. “Natasha, I need you to call and file a flight plan for me to get to Chicago today as soon as I can get out there. I also need you to call in a jeweler to bring some rings by for me to pick out.” Ending the call, he immediately begins typing—I’m guessing a text.
“Who are you marrying?”
“Carlo Toro’s, the Don of the Outfit’s daughter. She’s too damn young, only twenty-two, and she’s fucking mute or acts like she is anyway. It doesn’t make any sense to me why I have to marry her. The girl doesn’t even have his name. Carina goes by Parker. Why the fuck would it matter if she’s married?”
There’s a knock at the door. I go to answer it, my mind in a whirlwind. Bobby nods at me. “Hey, sweetie. Your brother told me to come by to drive him to the airport.”
“Bobby, give me a few minutes. I need to get packed.”
He’s so stressed. I want to help him in some way. There’s only one way I can think of. “When the jeweler comes, can I pick out the ring? I promise she’ll love it.”
“Yeah, sure. Sounds good to me. I don’t know about any of that shit.” Sandro is relieved.
The minute he’s gone, I pounce on Bobby. “Who is Carina Parker?”
Bobby’s eyes go big. “She’s Carlo’s daughter. The girl is…different.”
I have my phone out and go searching for her. “What do you mean different?”
There are more Carina Parkers than I thought there would be.
“She dresses up and goes to those conventions and stuff. There’s also the rumor she’s had a bunch of boyfriends. Carlo doesn’t care for the girl, so I’m surprised he’s making Sandro marry her.”
Found her. With him saying she dresses up, I stop on a photo of a chick in anime cosplay. Carina Parker is buried under some of the coolest makeup I’ve ever seen and a truly cool wig—it has to be a wig—that can’t be real. For two seconds, I think she’s cool until I take in the rest of her.
Holy shit, her skirt is so freaking short, and her breasts are front and center. I can’t believe it. Poor Sandro. She’s going to embarrass him dressing like that. And she’s always with multiple guys in every picture. Women in the mafia were supposed to be virtuous. They were sent to all-girl Catholic schools to protect them from men. It was such a big deal that their bedsheets were shown the day after their wedding as proof they were virgins until their wedding night.
It didn’t matter Sandro is being forced to marry her, the men he has to deal with will know she’s a slut, and they’ll look down on him because of it. Bobby said she’s had multiple boyfriends. Are the guys in the photos men she’s sleeping with? Is she going to cheat on Sandro?
A knock at the door has me nearly running for it. The man is tall, thin, and very serious. “Hello, I’m here for Mr. Leonetti to select a ring.”
“Come in.” I wave him into the suite. “He’s busy, and I’ll be doing it.”
The large box he’s carrying is set down on the marble coffee table. He opens it, and wow. “Holy crap.”
He chuckles. “Indeed.”
It’s in the corner of the tray. The ring is huge, the kind of ring that screams she’s in it for the money, and he’s in it because she gives good head. At least with this, it will speak for Sandro because he can’t. “That one is perfect.”
“You have interesting taste.” He nods as he takes it from the tray. From his inner pocket, he takes out a ring box and sets the ring into it.
Whatever, my taste is better than this. The rings I prefer are art deco, everything from three-stone rings to old mine-cut diamonds bezel-set into platinum.
I’m closing the door behind him when Sandro reappears with an overnight bag. “Bianca, since I’m taking over, I’ll also be taking over the penthouse. Right now, it only has one bedroom. There’s a workout room and Bella’s studio. Since this isn’t going to be a regular marriage, she needs her own room. Do me a favor and have the two other rooms turned into bedrooms.”
“For me, too, right?” My heart is pounding in my chest at the idea of staying in the hotel in old Vegas, or does he want me to move out? Is it happening already?
“Of course, you too.”
I sigh in relief. “I’ll take care of everything.”
He catches me close in a tight hug. “Thanks. I’m not sure how long I’ll be gone. I should know by tonight. I’ll call and let you know.”
Less than five minutes after the door closes behind him, there’s another knock on it. It’s Natasha, Luca’s assistant.
“Hey, girlie. I saw Sandro at the elevator. He mentioned we need to turn the penthouse around for you guys. Boxes should be waiting for us so we can pack up Luca and Bella’s things today. Tomorrow, someone is going to pick them up and store them until we can send everything to Chicago. Ready to get to work?”
“Sounds good, I would love having something to keep me busy. I can’t believe how quickly everything is changing.”
She sighs. “Tell me about it. I never thought Luca would leave Las Vegas. He’s always loved it so much. I guess he needed something he loved more. I’m glad Sandro is here to take over for him. Sandro, I love. Your brother is a total sweetheart. I am not looking forward to dealing with Gaetano, though. He’s such an asshole.”
“What do you mean, dealing with Gaetano?” I love Natasha, so I’m not sure why I want to hit her hard for calling Gaetano an asshole, especially when she’s not wrong.
“Well, he’s going to be Sandro’s second. Or at least Sandro is going to do everything he can to ensure he is. Carlo might have other plans, but if he’s not, it will be a Gianni thing all over again. Someone named as his second, yet in the background. No matter which one it is, I’ll have to deal with Gaetano on the daily.” She scans into the penthouse.
I hadn’t thought of that. If Gaetano is going to be Sandro’s second, it means I’ll see him more than once or twice a year. I’m not sure if the way my stomach is twisting is in anticipation or fear.
“This place is gorgeous, if a little cold. Things will definitely need to be warmed up. Hey, Georgia. You missed me today?” I scoop up the kitten. “I get to stay with you. I’m not just coming in to feed you and play with you. When is everything, including Georgia, being sent to Luca?”
Large, heavy cardboard boxes are resting against the back of the sofa in the living room. “I sent Bella a few suitcases of clothes for her and Luca. Right now, Luca is at his dad’s house because they need a few more weeks to get their place ready. Georgia can’t go until the house is ready since Luca’s little sister is allergic to cats. Everything else we’re packing up today and storing.”
I’m a little shocked by how quickly we pack everything away. Three hours after we entered the penthouse, we’re finished. I say as much to Natasha.
“Well, it is only clothes and her painting things. She’s an amazing artist. I wish I were as talented as she is. I’m going to leave Luca’s office to Sandro in case there are things they don’t want me to see. How is it a man can live in a home for years and years and never personalize it?”
I open my mouth to tell her about Gaetano and his place, and almost bite my tongue to close it again.
“Okay, my day was another twelve-hour one, and I’m exhausted and starving. So I’m heading home to get some sleep. I’ll come by tomorrow to begin working on turning this place into something a little more habitable.”
“Sounds good. See you.” I cuddle Georgia, who has climbed into my lap since I was sitting for more than two minutes. She is such a sweet kitten that she even had Sandro laughing and playing with her. I’ve always wanted a cat. Sandro promised me that I could have one once everything was settled.
My stomach growls with the need for food. I put in a call to room service and sigh when they inform me it will be around twenty minutes.
Curious again, I go on Carina’s social media. The fact that she has social media alone is a huge no in the Outfit. Valdez gave a dozen reasons why it wasn’t safe, so Sandro flatly said no to any of it. Jealousy hits me at all the photos of her in various costumes and makeup. She got to dress up, go to conventions, and hang out with guys.
Whatever, she got to dress like that because her dad didn’t care about her.
A yawn catches me off guard. It’s only a little after eight, but I’m so freaking tired that all I want to do is sleep. Probably from all the packing from earlier. I do the mental calculations for what time it would be in Chicago. Wondering if Sandro fell asleep without calling me.
Shrugging, I give in and call him.
“Hey, what’s up?”
“I’m sorry. Did I interrupt you and Carina?” I should have thought about it before calling him and sent him a text instead.
“No. I’m getting ready for bed. Carina had a long day. She needed an early night. Hey, why did you pick out the ring you did for her?”
I shrug. “I don’t know. It was the biggest one in the trays. I figured someone like her would want it.”
“What do you mean someone like her ? I told you maybe two things about her.”
“Sandro, come on. Her social media is all you need to know about her. She’s half-naked with so much crap on her face you can barely tell what she really looks like. She’s all tits and ass. A slut like her, all she cares about is money and?—”
“I don’t ever want to hear you refer to anyone—let alone Carina as a slut. Whether she’s fucked five guys or fifty, you don’t talk like that about her or any woman.” He’s harsh in a way he’s never been before.
“Sandro. I didn’t mean it like that.” How come she gets to show her ass in pictures on social media, and I was told to change from a dress for a party?
He doesn’t say anything. Oh god, he’s really mad.
“Sandro? I’m worried about you! If someone like her doesn’t care about her own reputation then she won’t care for yours. Then, people will start looking at you. Your safety is important to me. I can’t lose you, San. You’re the only thing I have left.”
The tone in my ear sends my heart into my stomach. He hung up on me? How could he do that? Hands trembling, I type out a text.
I’m sorry Sandro! Please talk to me!
I can’t breathe. Please answer, please answer. My phone vibrates with a text.
No. I’ll see you Saturday.
Saturday? I send him another pleading text. Only to find he’s blocked me. My heart stutters in my chest.
It’s happening. Sandro is going to leave me, too. I close my eyes against the tears falling. Memories long buried begin unfurling, my mother crying, her words slurred of how she wished she’d never had me. How she was stuck with my father because he talked her into having me, and now she couldn’t leave. The night after my mom died, my father raging at me that it was all my fault. She died because she hated her life—hated me. Then he was gone, I never saw him again. Marissa, there one day and gone the next. She didn’t even tell me goodbye. I was old enough, I didn’t need her anymore, Sandro explained.
Why was it so easy to leave me? Sandro is going to leave me the same way everyone else has. He gets someone to love, to care about—even if he doesn’t want it. Despite only meeting her once, he’s picking her over me. If she said I couldn’t live with them, he’d side with her. He gets someone to love, to care about—even if he doesn’t want it. But I can’t have Gaetano because he’s in the Outfit.