Chapter 4
4
LAZARO
Fuck, that hurts. Who knew such a tiny hand could pack such a punch? Clearly, I need to watch out for those from now on. Still, it pleases me immensely, this temper of hers. Makes me want to see just how hot I can make it burn. Though, maybe not right this second, considering the amount of pain in my groin.
Note to self: Stay out of striking range or wear a cup next time I mention how small and cute she is.
Now to decide how much to tell her. I still need to call Alessio, so who the hell knows how long it’ll be before he’s able to get someone here to extract us. And if those bastards outside figure out how to get down here, that will be a whole other problem. Still, there has to be another way out of here. Military installations never have only one exit and entrance. There’s another one down here, I just have to find it.
“Hello?” Amara demands impatiently. “Are you going to answer me or not? I punched your balls, not your throat, and they aren’t connected.”
“You punched them hard enough to make it feel like they are,” I grit out. Alright, I need to get a grip. “But yes, I’ll tell you that the men out there aren’t after me, but you.”
“Me? Why the fuck are they after me? I’ve never seen them before, and it’s not like I’m part of some criminal enterprise.”
Oh, she has no idea.
“They’re after you because of who you are, not because of what you’ve seen or done,” I say patiently, watching her. Her green eyes narrow at me. God, I love those eyes. Green eyes are rare in Italy, and one of the few families with this trait are the Contis.
“And just who am I to them?”
“You may have grown up in the foster system, but your birth parents are Giovanni De Luca and Bianca Conti. You were given the name Amara by the people at the fire station who found you, but they had no idea of your true Italian heritage. Just a happy coincidence, I suppose. Your father’s brother is Don Leonardo De Luca in New York City, and now that they know you exist, your entire family is searching for you. Each for their own reasons, and the majority of them aren’t good. I’m here to keep you out of their clutches. As you’ve seen, they’ll do anything to get you back to them.”
She stares at me, open-mouthed. When she closes it, it just drops open again. “What?” she gasps out.
“It’s a lot,” I agree, sliding my hands into my pockets as I watch her carefully. This is going to go one of two ways. Denial, or complete hysteria, and I’m not sure which one is better right now. I just hope this revelation doesn’t send her running like it did Sienna. I’m not chasing this woman all over the damn world. I’ll tie her to me if I have to. “But that’s the truth of it,” I continue when she still doesn’t say anything else. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“Okay, we need to back up,” she says suddenly, clearly getting her wits about her. She pins me with a hard glare. “If my family is looking for me, why the hell are you trying to keep me away from them?”
See? She’s a smart one.
“Because while they might be your family, they don’t want good things for you. They only want you under their control so they can marry you off to someone they think will give them more money, more power, and control of something they want.”
“They don’t even know me, so how the hell would they marry me off? That doesn’t make any sense.”
“Amara, your family is mafia, which means they don’t give a damn about knowing you. They only want to use you for their own benefit. And in this case, there are three people in your family that want to grab you before the others so that they can get ahead first.”
“Mafia,” she repeats slowly, as if weighing the word. “You’re saying that my family is part of one of the biggest crime rings in the world? How?”
“They are. The American families aren’t as large as those in the home country, but they are far more ruthless at times, always fighting amongst each other.” I don’t hide the disdain from my voice. Sure, we have skirmishes between families back home, but there is still some honor in it. Here, greed and power rule them all.
“Okay, fine, let’s say I believe that—and trust me, I don’t—but how the hell did I end up here in Arizona, growing up in the foster care system, if I was born to a big mafia family in New York? That doesn’t track.”
“You were smuggled out by your mother when you were only minutes, maybe hours, old. We’re not sure how you ended up here, but you were found on the steps of the fire station at only three days old, so it wasn’t long after they got you out of the state without being caught.”
“How the hell do you know all of this?”
“It’s my job to know.” Simple as that, and I’m not quite ready to tell her yet how I got that information. Or that I know more about her than she might be comfortable with. I need to ease her into that.
Amara glares at me. “Uh-huh, what else are you not saying? You’re not giving me that cop out excuse and hoping I don’t pay attention. Tell me the rest of it. Including why there are three different family members looking for me instead of just my father.”
So much for that idea.
“Short version or long version?”
“The version where you start talking instead of stalling,” she snaps.
I narrow my eyes at her, my temper pricked. I’ll take a lot, but her sass is about to get her in trouble. The kind of trouble that’s going to have her over my knee or my cock down her throat, neither of which she’s ready for. “You can cut down on the sass, dolcezza ,” I warn her. “You already racked up points with that punch.”
Her face flushes at my words, but she doesn’t lose her angry glare. Oh, someone likes that, but she’s fighting it. Good to know.
“Just tell me what’s going on please,” she grits out between clenched teeth.
It’s better, though we’ll have to work on her delivery.
“The long and short of it is that your father is the Underboss to your uncle, and he feels that position is beneath him. He wants the top seat, and your father is in the way. But to overthrow your uncle, your father is going to need backup and help. The easiest way to get that help is through an alliance with another larger family. Namely, one that isn’t afraid to go toe-to-toe with your uncle. And while he can just ask for help, he’s not a Don, and most families wouldn’t be inclined to help him if he has nothing to offer them. The easiest way to secure any alliance is with money or marriage. And since your father is a greedy bastard, that leaves marriage. Of course, when your father started making his plans, he didn’t know he had a daughter, only a niece—your uncle’s lone daughter.
“He promised her hand in marriage to a few different people, seeing what would stick. The problem is that Gia is already married to Nico Armani, another Don in New York, and an enemy of your family for many years. That put your father’s deal with his backer in jeopardy; he’d promised something he can’t deliver. So now, your father needs to find another way to make the deal work. All while laying low so your uncle doesn’t kill him for betraying him, and avoiding your cousin, who is also trying to take the top seat because he wants him out of the way as well.”
Her scowl deepens with every word that leaves my mouth. “None of that explains what this has to do with me.”
I give her a hard look, but she just glares back at me. Sassy brat.
“How it relates to you is that the cousin I mentioned, Marco, he had much the same idea as your father. Marry off his sister to someone willing to back him and give him more power to overtake your uncle. His mistake, though, was approaching the people I work for, and trying to deceive us. He offered a marriage contract between his sister and our Don’s son, Alessio, in exchange for an alliance, all under the guise that his father knew and was in full support. Come to find out it’s all a lie; Gia was already in a relationship with Nico and set to marry him. Of course, we couldn’t leave it at that, and we started digging deeper. We made sure that your cousin was safe and happy with Nico, and then we started looking into what else was going on. We managed to dig up that not only did your mother smuggle you out, but between her and your aunt, there were four baby girls smuggled out of that life. The only one who didn’t get out is Gia, Nico’s wife, though we’re still not sure why.
“After we discovered that, we learned that your father, uncle, and cousin found out the same information. We’re unclear how, but since then we’ve been running ahead of them as much as we can to get to you all before they do. Because if they get you, you’re as good as dead. They’ll marry you off to men they think will further their cause. Men like themselves. And we’re not going to let that happen.”
She’s silent as she digests what I’ve just told her. I can practically see her mind spinning as she tries to work through it. Emotions flash through her eyes and across her face; anger, confusion, shock, denial, then just plain disbelief. “So in all of this, you’re telling me that you’re part of the mafia, but you’re one of the good guys?”
“If we’re comparing, then yes, you definitely want me in your corner, not the others.”
She doesn’t look the least bit convinced, but she asks, “Why is it that only girls were smuggled out? Is there some kind of gender preference? Which, I’m just going to point out, makes no sense if you’re going to use women for marriages and alliances. Also, that’s fucking barbaric.”
“It’s a way of life for some, but not all. This world doesn’t run on normal societal rules. Males are, and always will be, the preference. Most will love their daughters as well and ensure they are happy and married to those they think will take care of them the best, but there are still those that live by the old ways and traditions. Seen as pawns, and used for nothing more than spying and breeding. Your family falls into the latter category. They wanted sons, and to continue their lineage without sullying it with a bunch of girls. They wanted to be the ones that controlled the alliances by having their pick of which poor woman would marry into their family. Your mother and aunt knew that. I can only assume they wanted to break the cycle.”
“But this Gia, she was kept. Why?” There’s no bitterness in her tone, which surprises me a little, but I can also appreciate that she probably understands that if she had stayed, her life would be much different than it is now.
“We still aren’t sure if she was kept because she couldn’t be smuggled out, or because your aunt was under suspicion from your uncle. Either way, your cousin suffered every day of her life at the hands of every man in the family, including your own father and brothers. And no one knew because they hid her away, even registering her birth in a way that couldn’t be easily discovered.”
Her mouth twists in disgust. “And you want me to go back with you to that life? Yeah, no fucking thank you. I’m not going to be anyone’s punching bag.”
“You’re not going back to them,” I remind her patiently. “Like I said, I work for another Don, one back in Italy, and this is not the way he operates. You’ll be coming back with me, along with your two cousins and any others we might find, to stay under our protection until we deal with your family. They’ve started a war in New York from all their in-fighting; players across the city have chosen sides, pitting everyone against each other. They’re all desperate to find you and any others, to use you to gain alliances for themselves in their war.”
“Wait, you said two cousins. You found two more?”
“I included Gia in that, but we have found one other woman, Sienna. She is an older sister to Gia, and only a few months younger than you. You and Sienna were moved in much the same way, which is why we think that your mother and aunt worked together. Bearing two girls within months of each other would have led to their deaths, or to the two of you suffering. So they got you out.”
She blinks a few times and then shakes her head. “I feel like I’m in the middle of a stupid Hollywood movie. I mean, who comes up with this shit? So, who exactly is your boss aligned with?”
“With Nico Armani. Gia’s husband,” I add when she gives me a blank stare.
A quick nod and then she continues, “And this Nico guy, he’s not like my family?”
“Not in the traditional sense. He’s an only child, so when his father died, he took over as Don, and he’s young, so he’s got new ideas that have served him well. He wanted to take down the De Lucas long before any of this happened, but when he met Gia and found out what they had done to her, that was the end. He wasn’t about to let her go back to that, so he married her.” I leave out the part about him kidnapping her and keeping her prisoner. No point in adding to her list of grievances against us. “Which effectively nullified the contract her father had in place with someone else and fucked over Giovanni and Marco’s plans.”
“And Sienna, she’s already back in New York with Gia and her husband?”
“Yes. Though she’s currently in a relationship with Alessio Caruso, the man that Gia was originally promised to.” Well, she’s fighting it and Alessio is wearing her down, but again, semantics.
“Of course she is,” Amara huffs sarcastically. “Jesus Christ, it’s like a mafia soap opera.”
I chuckle. “I suppose it might look that way, but to us, it’s actually not that unusual. Though, discovering four women no one knew existed is a new one.”
“And how exactly did you figure out that I’m one of those four?”
“We have people to find out these things for us. They are very good at what they do, and they’ve been on a mission to find you and the others ever since.”
“Other than me and Sienna, who else have you found?”
“None yet, but we’re close. We’ve been focused on finding you and getting to you before the other families, but now that we’ve done that, they’ll focus their attention on finding the other two. One of whom we believe is your sister.”
Amara digs the palms of her hands into her eyes and lets out a low sound that makes me frown. I can’t tell if it’s one of pain or anger. I want to move to comfort her, but I force myself to stand still. Finally, she mutters, “Why is it always me? Why couldn’t I have been born a cow or something? Eat, shit, make some milk, or hell, been a beef cow and had a few good years before it was all over. Instead of this giant fucking mess.”
I blink, shocked. What the hell? Has all this information sent her into a mental breakdown?
She drops her hands and pins me with a hard stare. “Let’s say I choose to believe this whole story. What do you plan on doing with me? And what is your name? I assume the one you gave me at the salon is fake.”
“No, my name is Lazaro Cattaneo.” I don’t want any man’s name but mine leaving that pretty mouth, but even I know that’s impossible. Still, I wanted her to have my real name, to get used to saying it. I can’t wait to hear her screaming it when I finally have her under me. Or over me. I’m not all that picky.
Amara Stanley is mine, and she’ll see that soon enough.
“Fine, that’s your name, but that still leaves the question you just tried to avoid. And let me tell you, that doesn’t bode well for me cooperating.”
As if she has a choice. Instead of making that statement, I simply answer, “The only plan right now is to get you back to New York and behind the protected walls of Nico Armani’s home. My family, the Don, and his sons are all there as well, and we have our best soldiers with us to ensure it, along with Nico’s own men. Your father, uncle, and cousin won’t try to get past us because they know it’s suicide. Our Don, Pietro Caruso, is one of the most feared and respected Dons in the world.”
“Oh sure, that’s just what I want to hear,” she mutters, though I still catch it. “How the hell am I supposed to just trust that you’re not bringing me back there to force me to marry someone so you can make your own alliances, hmm? You already mentioned that my cousin, Sienna, is in a relationship with the Don’s son. A bit suspicious, don’t you think?”
One thing about the De Luca men, they make damn smart women, considering Sienna made the same connection almost immediately when Alessio and I met her in her apartment in LA.
“You can’t fight attraction and chemistry, Amara, and those two have it in spades. She keeps him on his toes, and he enjoys the fuck out of it. Them being together isn’t contingent on her being offered protection, just like yours isn’t either. The only thing anyone is concerned about is making sure you’re safe.” Though she and I will definitely be having a relationship of our own. No fucking way am I going to let anyone else near her. “But there will be no marriage contracts. Pietro will never allow it. He’s big on choice, and made sure Gia and Sienna both knew that. He was ready to break his alliance with Nico and risk a war with him to ensure that Gia was with him by choice and not force. And he gave his son the same warning, that Sienna was to make the decision herself too.”
“You make him sound like some kind of saint, and considering your choice of profession, that’s not easy to believe.”
I shrug. “Until you’re there and see it for yourself, I know that’s how you’ll choose to see it. However, I will say that Pietro is a second father to me and my brothers. He’s never once treated us any differently than his own sons, who are technically our bosses as well, considering they all work for the business and stand to inherit it. My father was his Underboss until Alessio came of age and could take over the role, and they were the best of friends long before as well. Is he powerful and ruthless? When he needs to be. But to those he counts as important, as family, then as far as I’m concerned, he is one of the best men I know.”
Amara stares at me, eyes wide. “You really care about him, huh?”
I nod. “Pietro was there for us when our mother died. He was always kind and good to us before then, but that was when he truly won my loyalty. He wasn’t a Don then. He was a friend to my father, and a father to us while my father grieved. That will never be forgotten by any of us, so we work for him of our own choice, not because we’re ordered to.”
“I’m sorry you lost your mother,” she says softly. “I can imagine that was hard.” I give her a quick nod of thanks. Even now, discussing my mother too deeply can be painful, especially knowing that she’d love Amara. But that’s a thought for another time. “Damn it, Lazaro, you’re making it really hard to stay mad,” she grumbles, glaring up at me.
I smirk. “Then why waste the energy? Neither of us can change how things are going.”
“What was your plan when you came to the salon? Were you just going to tell me all this and expect me to go with you?”
“One can hope, but in all honesty, I was prepared to gag you and carry you out of there kicking screaming if I had to.” Why bother trying to hide now?
She scowls at me. “So, what, I was never going to get a choice in this?”
“And what choice would you have liked, Amara?” I demand bluntly. “None of them ends in whatever idea you have cooked up in your head. If I didn’t get there when I did, you’d either be on your way back to New York with them, beaten, bruised, and about to be forced into a marriage you don’t want, or you’d have run and ended up there anyway.”
“Why couldn’t you have told me and helped me escape? Why do I have to go back with you? You have money and connections, clearly, so hiding me shouldn’t be that hard, right? Maybe instead of dragging me back to New York, you could ask me what I want and we figure something else out.”
“What, you think we’ll be able to hide you forever?” I scoff. “Even you’re not that naive, Amara. This isn’t witness protection, or whatever your government calls it. This is the fucking mafia. La famiglia . Once they find you, there is no escape. Can we hide you, sure, but the minute this war is done, another is going to start, because without the allies, they’re trying to align themselves with now, they all have others that will work to avenge them, or find you, once they become aware of you. It would be a waste of time, money, and resources, and there is no guarantee that you’ll be as protected as you are with us. Information leaks, men are bought, and you’ll be sold back to them before any of us can intervene. It’s not a risk we’re willing to take. Especially when all of us can keep that from happening.”
“And just who is ‘all of us’? You make it sound like you have a whole army there.”
“We do. Two of them, to be exact. We have our men, including my father, the Don, the Caruso brothers, my own brothers, and all of our best men. Then there are Nico and his men. Out of the four leaders in New York, Nico is by far the strongest, and largest when it comes to man power and territory. So, no, Amara, I’m afraid you’re not going to get to ride off into the sunset and pretend none of this is happening. You’ve been found, and your life is in more danger than ever.”