6. Family Chaos

SIX

Family Chaos

ALLEGRA

D ante beat us home and is waiting for us in the living room with Zano’s father, Dario. I can hear people bustling throughout the house, then I see Gina at the top of the stairs.

“Oh good, you’re here,” she exclaims happily. “I’m just making sure the spare room is ready.” She hurries down the steps. “Elena is in the kitchen. Come join us, Allegra.” Gina begins to guide me away.

“I’m not sure—” I begin, looking at my brother.

“Victorio is fine with us,” Dario says with a smile. “Go and get to know Elena. I’m sure she has a million questions.” He laughs.

Zano jerks his chin up and gives me a wink. “We have business to discuss. Victorio needs to hear this.” He puts his arm around my brother’s shoulders and guides him to the sofa.

I allow myself to be led away to find Elena at the stove, stirring a huge pot. I love the smell of tomato sauce. The delicious aroma fills the air.

“That smells heavenly,” I declare, taking in another whiff. My stomach picks the worst time to grumble, but it has a right to. The last time I ate was early morning, and we’re well into the evening.

“Mom and Dad own a restaurant. People come from all over for her sauce,” Elena says proudly.

“A restaurant? Wow, that’s a lot of work,” I reply.

“Yes, it is, but I love it,” Gina states with a wide smile. “The kitchen is my happy place. Do you cook, bella?”

“I can make simple foods. I make some awesome soups and chilis, but I never really had a chance to learn. Mom got sick, and I’ve been working since we were…ejected from the family,” I say.

“Your mama’s gone?” Gina asks, coming closer to me and taking my hand.

“Yes, she died a few years back. That’s when Victorio started acting out more. I guess that’s my fault. I should have made more time for him, but I was working and went to get my hairdresser certificate. I was hoping to put some money away so we could move to a better neighborhood, away from the gang that was getting their hooks in my brother.” I turn to Elena, then her mother. “I failed.”

“You cannot take that on. You were dealt a difficult hand. You were doing the best you could,” Elena says. “You’re a hairdresser, then. I should have guessed. Your hair is gorgeous. I love that style on you.”

I blush because no matter how many of my clients tell me they love what I’ve done with their hair, I always feel like I have so much yet to learn. I also know that my hair is my calling card, and if it doesn’t look nice, then clients won’t have confidence in me.

“Thank you. I had my best friend, another hairdresser, help me with the back,” I tell her. “Melissa is amazing, and she’s the one who gave me the confidence to do this for myself. I’m really going to miss her. I need to give her a call. She’s going to be worried.”

“You can call, but you can’t tell her where you are,” Zano says from the doorway. “If the Skulls knew where you worked, they might go there asking questions, and the best thing you can do for her is not get her involved.”

“Oh no, Melissa and her family might be in danger!” After all Melissa has done for me, the last thing I want landing on her doorstep is more problems.

“If she doesn’t know where you are, she has nothing to tell them,” Zano says.

“You’ve met Spike. Does it seem like he cares? He might not believe her. Melissa has two kids who need her, and her husband is overseas in the military. There’s no one there to protect her,” I tell him. “Melissa’s done nothing to warrant being sucked into this mess.”

Zano calls for Dante, who comes into the kitchen.

“What’s up?” he asks, looking around the room.

“How do you think Raffaele would react if we asked one more favor?” Zano lifts his brow.

“That depends on the favor.”

Zano gets right to the point. “The owner of the shop where Allegra worked might have trouble brewing. The Skulls know they were close.”

Dante lifts his gaze to the ceiling, probably wondering what new hell I’m bringing upon them. “I’ll make a call. What’s her name?”

“Melissa Robinson,” I say in a quiet voice. “She has two little girls.”

“I’ll take care of it,” Dante announces, then leaves the room.

Zano comes closer to stand in front of me. “That part of your life is gone. I’ll get word to your friend that you’re safe, but no contact. If you care about her like you say you do, then no calls.”

I swallow deeply and nod. I feel like another huge chunk of me is being lopped off. Melissa was my best friend. She gave me hope when I was despondent. But I won’t put her or her family in danger. “No calls,” I repeat.

“Elena, help me set the table,” Gina says softly, edging her daughter out of the room and leaving Zano and me alone.

I can feel the tear running down my cheek. I quickly wipe it away and turn my back to Zano, not wanting to show weakness. In our world, the weak become prey.

“Turn around, cuoricina.” He waits for me to face him before going on. “I get that this is a lot. If I can find a safe way for you to speak with Melissa directly, I will. This isn’t a punishment; it’s to keep you both safe.”

“I am being punished,” I murmur, my lower lip trembling. Zano gives me a curious look, urging me to continue. “If I had been more attentive to Victorio, maybe I could have prevented all this. I should have been around more. I should have been stricter.” I throw my hands up in frustration. “I’m his older sister, I should have seen this coming. He’s just a kid. It was my job to keep him out of trouble.”

“That’s bullshit!” he exclaims. “Victorio was on the fast track to financial greed. He got caught up with a bad crowd that was telling him everything he wanted to hear. Gangs do that shit all the time. They don’t care that most members don’t live past their twenties. Your brother was going to be another statistic. They had him hooked tight. But even Victorio started seeing the light when Drake began to sniff around his sister. He just finished telling me he was trying to find a way out. Unfortunately, he didn’t catch on fast enough.” He lets out a breath and pulls me in closer. My hands instinctively rest on his chest. “We can’t go back. We’ve got to look ahead. Tomorrow, we’re going to Reno’s, and we’ll take it from there.”

I pull in a steady breath. “I’m usually much more composed than this,” I assure him.

“Let’s eat, get some sleep, and sort the rest out tomorrow. Deal?” he asks with a grin.

I can’t help but grin too. “Deal.”

* * *

Zano

D ante and Elena leave right after dinner, which is fine by me because I’m zonked. In the midst of it all, the doctor arrives on Reno’s orders. By the time all is said and done, I’m ready for bed, and by the looks of it, I’d say that Allegra is more than ready.

“The spare room is made up for Allegra,” Mom says. “Victorio can have Elena’s old room.”

“He can stay with me, Mom,” Elio says.

“No, he can bunk with me,” I say. Victorio has made too many bad decisions to leave him alone for the night. Elio must be thinking the same.

“You need a good night’s sleep. Victorio is going to stay with me.” He turns to Victorio. “Say good night and come help me move the mattress into my room.”

Victorio doesn’t argue. He goes to his sister and kisses her on the cheek. “Night, Ally.” He then says good night to the rest of us and follows Elio up the stairs.

“I’ll show you to your room. I put out a pair of Elena’s old pajamas on the bed,” my mother tells Allegra. “Elena will be back tomorrow with fresh clothes for you and Victorio.”

“I’ll take her, Mom. I’m going up myself,” I say. I can’t explain why, but I wish Allegra could stay in my room tonight. I would be happier knowing that I’d be there if she woke up in the middle of the night. This isn’t about sex. Allegra’s whole future changed in one afternoon, and she’s scared. I imagine it wasn’t easy to approach Raffaele, not that she got that far. But it took courage to ask for help from the man who took your father’s life, only to be turned away and find yourself facing three thugs standing between you and your car. Still, the guest room is across the hall. If Allegra needs me, I’ll be close.

There’s not a chance in hell my parents would allow her to stay with me. Propriety is highly valued in our traditions. I find it strange that in Nostra Casa , we have no qualms about taking the life of an enemy, but it’s a sin to share a bed with your fiancée before the wedding.

Elio and I were born into chaos. Dad taught us our roles from the time we could walk. Family comes first. Dad served Reno’s father as a soldier, then Reno became capo, and my father’s respect and loyalty never wavered. Elio and I follow in Dad’s footsteps, and we do it proudly. When Dante and Elena married, it elevated our position in the family, but along with it came more responsibility and hard work.

Nostra Casa is our destiny and has been since birth. I knew one day I would marry, but not for a long time to come, and definitely not to a woman whose family was ousted from a former rival family. I’ve been told that the day I was born, my father told my mother that I was the child that would cause the most chaos.

I’ll admit, I’ve done my share, today included, but I’m not the only one. Elena and Dante started their relationship when our family’s restaurant was riddled with bullets and Elena tackled Reno to the ground. I think our family is destined to have dramatic marriage beginnings.

I open the door to Allegra’s room. “Here’s your room. I’m right across the hall, if you need anything.”

“Night, Zano,” she says quietly.

“See you in the morning, cuoricina.” I wait for her to close the door before moving to my own room and bed.

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