Chapter 20
LUCY
Everyone is talking over each other, and the noise is too much for Soren.
He lets out an angry sound, and I know he’s going to be close to a meltdown if I don’t get him out of here and to somewhere quiet.
I slip around Massimo, heading for the door.
I half expect someone to stop me, but no one seems to be paying any attention to me.
Good. This is a little too much for me right now. I need the break.
Out in the hallway, it’s blissfully quiet, and I rock Soren with my body slightly as I make my way down toward the end of the hall.
It’s lined with more shut doors, until I finally reach the end and find a wide window seat, along with a set of stairs that look to head up to the second level, but then another set that leads down.
I’m curious about where the ones going down go, but I’m not brave enough to have Nico pissed at me for snooping.
I curl up on the window seat, putting my knees up as I pull Soren out of his sling so he can rest back against them. He quiets now that he can see me and look around. He’s always been an inquisitive baby, even for being so young. I swear he was looking around the minute he was born.
He clutches my fingers that I hold out to him, and he kicks his little legs excitedly, and I glance out the window.
At this end of the house, I can see the outside is well-kept, lots of bushes and fancy-looking flowers, but also very well patrolled.
Men with dogs walk along the paths, along the fence lines, and through trees that lead down to the main gate.
It’s like a military operation, but I guess a man like Nico can’t be too careful.
And considering what I just heard, it’s probably a good thing.
I do know one thing. I’m starting to see that being here is the better option. Even if I don’t want to be here, it looks like I’d have ended up involved somewhere, and this group, while a bit odd and scary, at least they aren’t trying to sell or abuse me. Or Soren and Kida.
I probably could do without knowing that Nico murdered his mother, or that he kidnapped Gia, but I think I just need to start changing my expectations.
I can’t expect them to do things normally.
Legally. Morally right. This is the mafia.
While I’ve never been completely sheltered from the world as a whole, I don’t think I’ve ever really grasped just what kind of world this one can be. Or, rather, is.
“We’re not in Kansas anymore, are we, baby boy?” I murmur to Soren, who kicks his feet again and squeezes my fingers tightly.
“Lucy? Are you alright?” Massimo’s voice asks.
I manage not to jump, but I turn my head to look at him in surprise. “I’m fine. Soren was getting fussy with all the noise, and I just needed a minute.” He sits down on the other end of the window seat, watching me.
“I’m sorry that that was so chaotic. I want to say that’s not normally us, but we’re Italian.” He shrugs and gives me a wry smile. “We tend to get loud and passionate about things. Especially when it comes to things like this.” He looks at Soren and smiles. “He seems alright now.”
“He’s nosy and happy to get out of the sling.” Soren makes a small grunting sound, his legs kicking a little more, and his arms jerking my fingers around. “He’ll want to eat and sleep again here soon.”
Massimo nods, but his smile fades. “About what Nico was saying—”
“It’s fine,” I interrupt. “It doesn’t mean I like him, and that I’m not scared of him, but I also understand why he did it if what Gia said was true.”
“It is.” His gaze searches mine. “Nico’s an asshole on a good day. The only person who sees the good side of him is Gia. He also likes to remind people that he’s big and scary, and he was already annoyed that I told you he kidnapped Gia before they fell in love. He won’t do that again.”
Something tells me that Nico will definitely do something like that again, but I doubt Massimo wants to hear that. Instead, I ask, “What did they mean about the office or whatever it was that Nico’s mother hid?”
Massimo launches into a quick explanation, and my eyes widen with each new detail.
When he finishes he adds, “Everything we figured out has turned all of this on its head. This city was always divided up with four families, and everyone kept to their corners. To know that a bunch of them were working together, and sleeping with Nico’s mother, is changing how we look at things. ”
“What kind of purpose does all of this serve Nico’s mother? Well, other than money and power I guess.”
“That’s exactly what it is. Or at least that’s what we think it is.
We already know she slept with both your father and uncle, the head of the Irish mob, and who knows who else.
The only one we think she loved was Seamus.
Though who the fuck knows why. That Irish asshole is small potatoes compared to the empire that Nico’s father built. ”
“So you’re sure that she never slept with the Russian ones? That’s the final family right?”
“Not that we can see, but we’re still going through her records and the journals she kept.”
“Makes you wonder why she didn’t. If she wanted to expand her empire, wouldn’t she want to go to each one? I mean, why avoid one? Unless he’s mean and horribly ugly I guess.”
Massimo chuckles. “I haven’t met him, but he’s Russian. They have nothing on us Italians.” He waves at himself with a wicked grin.
I smile, unable to help myself. “That ego really is getting larger by the minute. I’m still surprised your head can stay on your shoulders.”
“Lots of practice, dolcezza.” I scoff quietly, but his grin widens. Guess he heard that. “You can’t tell me that you’re not charmed, Lucy Taylor.”
“Oh, so charmed.” Sarcasm drips from my words, making him laugh. “Can I ask you a question?” I keep my tone calm, but make sure he senses the seriousness in my words.
His smile whisps away. “Of course, cerbiatta.”
I really need to ask him what that means. Instead, I ask, “Do you really think that when this is all over, I’m going to get to go back to my regular life? Or am I always going to have to be under lock and key from things like this happening again?”
He holds my stare, but I can see the wheels working in his head. How to tell me the truth without freaking me out. That’s answer enough for me, but I want to hear what he says. Is he going to lie to me?
Joey used to do that. He’d try to tell me things in a way he thought I wanted to hear, but he could never hide the truth in his eyes.
It got to the point that I just stopped talking to him or asking him things if I wasn’t ready to hear the truth.
Not the healthiest thing, but at the time, I thought it was for the best. Protecting myself.
Still, there were so many questions that didn’t matter, but that last one. The one that mattered the most he failed.
I might be a heartless bitch for it, holding a grudge against a dead man, but I’ll never forgive him for that day. Or for his answer. I wonder if Massimo will be the same?
After a long, stilted silence, he finally sighs.
“I won’t lie to you, Lucy. Your life isn’t going to be the same.
I’m not saying you can’t do the things you normally do, but there is always going to be a small amount of danger that you’ll have to be on the lookout for.
For decades, no one knew you existed. Now, here you and your sisters and cousin are, popping up and giving people something to talk about.
Because there isn’t a family in this country, or even around the world, that isn’t paying attention to how this is unfolding.
It’s going to make people question their own organizations, the people in their lives.
The secrets long forgotten. You will now have people wanting to know more about you, about your son.
Most will leave you alone, but if anyone wants to get back at Nico for something, but can’t get to Gia, you’re the next closest one. ”
My heart clenches with fear. “You mean that someone could try to kidnap or murder me to prove a point to Nico? Just because I’m his, what, sister-in-law?” Okay, maybe I wasn’t ready for this answer after all.
Soren picks up on my stress and lets out a mewl, and I quickly jiggle him with my knees and coo at him until he calms down.
Massimo leans forward, hand outstretched until it connects with my bicep.
It’s gentle, trying to comfort. “Don’t panic.
I’m not saying that’s going to happen, Lucy, and Nico won’t leave you unprotected.
I won’t leave you unprotected. Either of you.
You asked me, and I’m determined to give you the truth so you can work through it.
Nothing may ever happen, especially when this is all over, and you can live your life as normal.
The only issue may be that people will get wind that you’re the sister of the Don’s wife, and you might have some issues with work, friends, or family, but it can’t be helped. ”
I wince. Yeah, my parents are not going to handle this news well.
They’re terrified of the cartel from things their family members experienced, and now I’m connected to the Italian mafia?
Yeah, my mother is going to lose her shit.
My father, too, but in a quieter way. “I’m going to probably have to get Kida to break that news to them,” I admit.
“She has a way to keep them a bit calmer.”
“All of that is a problem for later, though. Right now, the only thing that matters is you staying safe here while we handle this mess.”
“The mess that is growing into a much bigger mess from the sounds of it.”
He gives a low chuckle. “Pretty much. It’s keeping us on our toes.
Still, the one good thing out of all of this, is finding you all.
There is one more to find, but we’re working on that, and we’ll find her.
We just have to try and be faster than the others.
So far, none of them seem to have located her. ”
“Do you know anything about her? And she’s another cousin or she’s a sister?”
“Cousin. She’d be Amara’s younger sister from the birth certificates we have. And we don’t know anything else. She seems to have disappeared, but we had a hard time finding you too.”
I nod. “I feel like my head is spinning, Massimo. Honestly, the only constant in this whole thing is you.”
He smiles gently. “And I’m good to be your constant, Lucy. Perhaps it will ease the discomfort of all of this. If you ever need anything, you only have to find me and ask me.” He gives my bicep a light squeeze and lets go.
I feel a distinct sense of loss from his touch, although I try not to read too much into it. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt close to someone other than Kida, that’s all.
I give him a teasing smile instead. “Maybe I should be asking someone else, like Zeno or Urso. Don’t want that head of yours to get any bigger than it already is.”
Something flashes so quickly in his eyes that I almost miss it, and I feel a jolt in my stomach.
Wait, was that jealousy? No, it can’t be.
“Those two are far too obsessed with their computers and shit to be of any use to you, dolcezza,” he scoffs, but then grins at me.
“And I’ll just make sure to have some extra support when you come to see me.
You won’t mind holding me up, will you?” His eyes go bright with mischief.
“You can grab on to any part of me, of course, you don’t just have to hold up my head.
In fact, I have a few suggestions for you. ” He wiggles his brows suggestively.
I roll my eyes. “That was a terrible line.”
He laughs. “You Americans are rubbing off on me. Back home, I’d have you eating out of the palm of my hand with the perfect lines.”
Yeah, I don’t doubt that.
“I don’t know. I’m made of sterner stuff than that.” I can resist giving him a teasing smile of my own. “Even pretty words and accents don’t work on me. My husband could do a mean British accent, and that never worked.”
“Ah, but you’ve never had an Italian man whisper all the sweet nothings a woman loves to hear. In a language of love and passion, it will hit differently, trust me.”
“If you say so.” Why the hell am I flirting with him? Still, I can’t seem to make myself stop. His eyes heat as they look into mine, and that same tension as before starts to build between us.
Thank God for timing, because that is the moment that Soren lets out the loudest fart and grunt, completely obliterating the moment.
Massimo chokes on a laugh, while I make a face of disgust. “You really are a boy,” I say to my son. Soren looks at me, and then his lower lip starts to quiver, and my heart melts. “Alright, we’ll go back and get you changed and fed, huh?” I look back at Massimo. “You don’t need me, right?”
He shakes his head. “I’ll take you back up, then come back down.”
I want to tell him he doesn’t have to, but I also have this strong urge to stay with him. It’s so confusing. These hormones are no joke. I need to get myself under control.
Wanting Massimo is a bad idea. Even if my body thinks it sounds very right.