4. Chapter Four
Chapter Four
NOTHING EVER GOES AS PLANNED
Antonio
Nothing went as planned when my mother was involved. After greeting everyone at the table, I clenched my teeth, trying to maintain a pleasant smile despite the circumstances.
My mother led me to believe this would be a family breakfast. To my astonishment, both Francesca and her father showed up. Why I continued to trust my mother was beyond me. The conniving bitch itched to control my life since she held no power over my father’s.
Why not control the life of the future Don instead?
With a vacant seat on Francesca’s right, I took my place at the round table. I tried to ignore the nauseating glee on my mother’s face.
“Isn’t Francesca beautiful, Antonio?” my mother asked. “You two make such a beautiful couple.”
While my father and Marco were engrossed in whatever they were discussing, I leveled a glare at my mother. I wanted to storm out, but I still had to maintain some sort of calm in this situation. I would not be bullied into something I didn’t want.
I ignored her comment. She knew good and damn well we were not a couple, no matter how much she pushed, and no matter how beautiful Francesca was.
“Thank you, Mrs. Rizzo,” Francesca said her face tinting pink when I looked at her. “I’m so happy you could join us this morning, Antonio. When your mother called last night and invited me and my father to breakfast, I was so excited. It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other. I’ve missed you.”
She was laying it on thick. How can you miss someone you never see, or you don’t know? Sure, we grew up together and hung around some of the same people because we had no other choice.
When we were younger, it was dangerous to associate with people who were not a part of our world. But as far as us being friends or anything past acquaintances was delusional on her part. Like I said she was beautiful, but I wasn’t mistaking her interest in me for anything more than what it was. She was raised to become a Donna by any means necessary. She was just as power hungry as my mother.
Francesca’s hand clasped mine, our fingers intertwining, as she leaned in to give me a gentle peck on the corner of my mouth. I was so pissed at my mother who set this whole meeting up. She must’ve already told Francesca she was my choice for my wife.
I played the part for the sake of the Famiglia despite wanting to get up and give my mother a piece of my mind before heading home to wait for the woman I really wanted. My woman. But it would be disrespectful to disregard Francesca’s feelings, especially in front of her father and in front of mine.
I squeezed our intertwined fingers and gave her the smile she clamored to receive from me. I could see the approval of my gesture in my mother’s eye.
Just a few more hours and I will be in the arms of the woman I love.
A familiar tingling feeling landed in the pit of my stomach. My hair stood on end. It was like the air had been sucked out of the room, but I tried to ignore it. It couldn’t be possible, anyway.
Our food had been placed on the table, chatter between my mother and Francesca increased and I pretended like I was interested in whatever they were planning then turned my attention to my father and Marco while they continued to discuss business and joined in when needed.
I just wanted to be in the arms of my woman, but right now I played along with this nonsense. I smiled and laughed when Francesca said something or placed a kiss to my cheek. I maintained conversation with both her and Marco for the sake of appearances. You never know when the enemy wanted to find a chink in the armor of a powerful family. And me not entertaining the idea of finding a Donna was seen as a weakness in the eyes of many in the criminal world. A fact neither of my parents forgot to tell me any time we discussed these potential matches and what could be gained or lost.
In the middle of the conversation with Francesca about the latest fashion show she attended, I felt that familiar tingling in the pit of my stomach, intensifying with each passing moment. Refusing to push the feeling away for a second time, I searched the packed dining room praying with everything in me I was wrong.
The same feeling always assaulted me when she was around, but this time I hoped it was just me being anxious to see her. But I was wrong. It wasn’t my anxiousness. My eyes settled on Aaliyah. Her eyes told me everything I needed to know, despite her rigid, cold exterior.
When she was with me, she was always an open book, and now was no different. First hurt flickered through her eyes when her gaze shifted to mine and Francesca’s hands clasped together. The crippling look on her face caused a sharp ache in my heart.
Doesn’t she know that this is all a bunch of bullshit? She’s the one I want.
I quickly pulled my hand away, and shook my head, pleading with my eyes for her to understand. Pleading with her to understand that it was all a show. A darkness settled in her eyes, their once warm gaze turning frigid.
“Shit! I’ve fucked up.”
I quickly rose ignoring the confused looks of my parents, and their guests at my outburst. Aaliyah turned her attention back to the unfamiliar men sitting around the table. After speaking for only a few moments, she stood up and forced a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. She politely acknowledged each man, shook their hands, and walked away from their table with her guards surrounding her.
As they approached our table, she averted her gaze, refusing to make eye contact with me. “Aaliyah, baby. Please,” I said, pleading with her to understand that it was all a show. “Let me explain.”
Abel, the head of her security detail wouldn’t let me pass when I tried to reach out for her.
“Sir, step back,” he said, placing his palm against my chest.
“Get out of my way, Abel! Goddamn it!”
When he touched me, my security and my father’s approached, causing a standoff in the middle of a restaurant full of diners. Not something I wanted, especially since my personal life was always a news story in this city.
Over the past few months our security details had become well acquainted with one another. But I also knew my guards would not hesitate to put a bullet in anyone when it came to my safety, and Abel and her other guards would do the same for her.
I held up my hand to keep my security back. Abel was doing his job by keeping anyone from approaching her, including me. When all this shit got straightened out, I wouldn’t hold it against him. But I also knew we’d have a long conversation about it.
Although Abel and Aaliyah had a romantic relationship a long time ago, I trusted Abel with her life. He genuinely loved her and wanted what was best for her. It was a hard acknowledgement to come to, but I did.
We’d already had a knockout drag out fight about his feelings for her. After we finished beating the shit out of each other, and having Aaliyah bust our balls for acting like children, we sat down, had a few beers and he explained his feelings would never change regardless of who was in her life. And I explained nothing would ever come between Aaliyah and me, including him. I informed him I would kill him first before I let that happen. That night we came to an understanding. Even though we were two men who cared deeply for her, he was Aaliyah’s past, and I was her future.
“Tony, what the hell is wrong with you?” my mother hissed while she looked around at the onlookers gawking, some snapping pictures, others’ eyes widening in shock. “You’re making a scene.”
I didn’t give a fuck who was looking or if I was making a scene. I was trying to get to my woman before she shut me out.
“Aaliyah, please. Let me explain,” I pleaded again, ignoring my mother and all the onlookers surrounding us. But she kept her head held high and didn’t acknowledge me. “It’s not what it looks like.”
Furiously, she wiped away a tear that slid down her face, refusing to even look at me.
“I hope you have a very damn good explanation,” Abel whispered in my ear, the threat clear in his voice before he pushed away from me and followed her out of the restaurant.
“Son?” My father’s hand on my shoulder stopped me from following her out the door. “Are you alright?”
“No. I’ve got to go Papa. I’ve got to fix this,” I said, panic in my voice and sadness in my eyes.
His hard stare softened, and he gave a slight nod giving me permission to handle my business, even though at this moment if he said no, I wouldn’t give a damn. But I also hadn’t missed the command in his gaze. When I got everything squared away with Aaliyah, I would need to explain my actions today. Especially actions that had been done in front of a member of the Scuderi organization.
“Thanks, Papa.”
“What is the meaning of this!” Marianna shouted. “How can you allow him to leave Antonio? We have guests.”
I heard my mother shriek in her usual dramatic flair and my father’s command for her to sit down and finish her fucking meal in silence, while I rushed out of the restaurant, praying I wasn’t too late.
Despite the cool morning air against my skin, the panic surging through me intensified as I dashed out of the front door of the busy restaurant. The look of hurt and disappointment in her eyes was seared in my mind. A look I would never put there again if I could help it.
I looked in all directions, hoping I had caught up with her, but she was nowhere in sight.
I flung my hands in the air. “Goddamn it!”
The short time explaining to my father gave her enough time to disappear before I could reach the outside. I pulled out my phone and called my guard, Jackpot Joey. In less than five minutes, I slid into the backseat of my town car. I called Aaliyah praying she’d pick up. When her voicemail answered, I left her a message, hung up and tried again.
“Take me home and try to get there as soon as possible, Joey.”
“You got it, boss,” he responded.
I continued to dial her number, but when it no longer rung and went straight to voicemail, I knew I had to do whatever needed to be done to find her. “Shit!” I shouted, punching the black leather seat, then settled on sending her a text message although I was sure it would go unanswered too.
Joey’s gaze flicked up to the rearview mirror, and I saw the questions in his eyes. He had been by my side since we were kids, but at this moment I couldn’t explain my fuck up, so I focused on the passing traffic, and people going on about their day like nothing or no one else existed.
When we pulled into the private garage of my condo after a short drive from the restaurant, I jumped out of the car, and raced towards the private elevator that opened directly into my home.
I paced inside like a caged animal. My neatly cropped hair was now disheveled from my hands running through it in desperation while I waited to reach my condo, hoping, and praying she was at home, so I could explain what she thought she saw.
As soon as the metal door slid open, I wasted no time. I needed to find her.
“Aaliyah! Baby!”
Normally stepping foot into my home, which had an impressive view of the city, peace settled within me. It was the place where I was just Tony Rizzo. Not the CEO and not the Underboss, just me. The stresses of the outside world disappeared, and it was just me and her. Me and my future. But now the place seemed empty, cold.
I knew she wasn’t here.
Every time she returned home before me from a business trip, she would rush into my arms as soon as I stepped off the elevator.
After I searched everywhere, my heart breaking with every step, I stalked over to my mini bar, poured me a drink, and tried calling her phone one last time. To my dismay the voice over the receiver informed me that the number was longer in service.
“Goddamn it! She got rid of the phone.” I tossed my cell on the couch when I sat down. “Where would you go? Who would you call?”
As I picked up my phone to call my sister, who happened to be good friends with Aaliyah, an alert flashed on my screen notifying me that my private elevator had been accessed. Only three people other than me had the code. My father, who I was sure wouldn’t come here. He never did. My brother, and the one person I longed to see. As I walked up to the elevator, my heart pounded in anticipation, and when the doors slid open, a sinking feeling washed over me.
“What the fuck did you do!” Alessandro pushed me when he stepped out of the elevator causing me to stumble. I caught my balance and lowered my head.
“I fucked up, bro. She’s gone, and she’s not answering any of my calls or texts.”
“What happened?” he asked as he stalked over to the bar, and poured two drinks, handing me one when I walked over to him. “Papa called and said I needed to find your ass pronto. He had no idea what the hell was going on, just that you freaked out at the restaurant. So, what did you do?”
“It was all an act, but she saw me with Francesca. I wanted to explain, but fucking Abel stopped me.”
“Stupido! I told you, Tony.” His finger pointed directly at me, accusingly. “I told you some shit like this would happen!”
“I planned to tell them about us at breakfast, but mama blindsided me with Francesca.”
I wiped my hand roughly down my face in frustration.
“You should have already told them!” He tossed his hands in the air. “I told you that playing along with this arranged marriage bullshit was going to blow up in your goddamn face. Don’t put it on mama, this was all on you.”
He was right. I wanted to blame my mother, but I had opportunities to put an end to all of it but kept putting it off. I kept telling myself I had to play along with whatever my parents wanted because of my family’s legacy. I kept telling Aaliyah over and over that I would choose her when I really hadn’t. I chose to put her through all this bullshit. For what?
The realization of what I had done hit me like a sudden blow to the stomach. If I were in her position, I would have just left and never put up with such an idiotic thing. But she loved me unconditionally and believed I would choose her if it came down to it.
I understood my brother’s anger. Aaliyah was like a sister to him and over the past few months he had become very protective of her. They had become so close I became jealous and questioned their relationship. They both gave me hell for it but forgave me for my momentary lapse in judgement. My girl loved me, just as much as my brother loved me and neither would hurt me like that.
“I know,” I said. “I fucked up. But I’ve got to find her to make it right.”
The chime of an incoming text sent a jolt of adrenaline through me, quickening my heartbeat. I rushed over and grabbed my phone and read the text. Relief hit me instantly.
“Is that her?” Alessandro asked while he paced.
“No, but I know where she’s going.”
He stopped in his tracks and placed the glass on the coffee table. “How?”
“Abel.”
“Thank fuck,” he said relief lacing his voice.
“I’m going to New York. Can you handle things here, while I go get my girl?”
“Yeah, I got you. But Tony, make this shit right.” He pointed his finger at me. “No more stringing her along. She’s too good of a woman for that shit.”
“I intend on it.” I embraced my brother. “Thanks, bro.”
“No need to thank me,” he said while he made his way to the elevator. “Keep in touch.”
I raced up the stairs to pack for a long weekend. I would keep her locked up as long as possible, at least until she understood how much I loved her, and only her.
“I’m coming, Bella .”