Chapter Two
Leo
Idon’t tell Gabriel about Emma when we meet up to discuss her father, Alessandro.
Gabriel Romano sits in the very back booth of his restaurant, framed by two security guards. I’m welcomed in right away as his right hand man. The scar that runs across Gabriel’s face is prominent but it’s one that I don’t even notice anymore given how long we’ve been friends and co-workers.
“Leo, good to see you.”
“You too.” My mind flashes to Emma in my guest bedroom.
I haven’t seen her since last night when she showed up on my doorstep, crying for help.
A man had been chasing her. A man that I had hired to find Emma Greco for me.
How ironic. He led her straight to my home and framed me as the good guy.
I never asked Danilo to do that – he just did.
But it worked out in my favor. I have Emma in my house without having needed to kidnap her.
“You were right. Alessandro has made his mark back on the city,” Gabriel says, taking a sip of his water. It’s morning so he doesn’t drink. Always a stickler for things. I’ve always been a bit more reckless in my approach to life.
“I said he would. Anyone would be angry if their brother was murdered.”
“We’ll have to stop him before he comes for us. I don’t want Aurora getting hurt.”
“Of course.” Aurora, Gabriel’s wife. She had no connection to the mafia world when he married her but he did it anyway. I always thought it was idiotic of him to marry someone without connections but Gabriel didn’t care. I only ever do things that I think will benefit me and my career.
“Did you look into Alessandro’s family? We both know he has a daughter and a wife. Or did. Giovanni mentioned it to me years ago. Maybe they’re dead now. I don’t even know.”
“I did look into it but I couldn’t find anything,” I lie. Gabriel would not appreciate me kidnapping Emma.
“Good. I don’t need you going after his daughter or wife. We’ll handle Alessandro on our own. We killed Giovanni. Alessandro won’t be a problem.”
“Of course. But I still thought it was a good idea to have a hold over Alessandro. Taking his family would give us that hold.”
Gabriel sighs, leaning back in his seat. “I agree. It is a good idea but it’s one my wife would never approve of and I don’t want to bring more innocent people into this world.”
“How innocent can the family of Giovanni and Alessandro Greco be? Giovanni murdered your parents. You should want to hurt every one of his family members. I know I do.”
“I would have. In the past. Before Aurora came into my life. But she’s shown me I can lead without causing harm to innocent people. So, we’ll go after Alessandro. Find his location and kill him. His followers will scatter and we’ll be safe. If you do find anything on his family, leave them be.”
“But it would be the perfect leverage over him. Your wife would be safe.”
Gabriel hesitates. “All I want is Aurora safe but I can’t do it this way, Leo. Not this time. I’m your boss. Do as I say.”
“Of course,” I grit out. I love Gabriel like a brother but that doesn’t mean I always agree with him and this is one case where I don’t agree with him.
I had Danilo out looking for Alessandro’s family for months now.
He told me about a farm he found where a young woman and her mother were.
No sight of Alessandro. But he broke into the home and found evidence that they were Alessandro’s wife and daughter.
Danilo left without them knowing. I was supposed to go to the farm today and take Emma and Valentina myself but Emma showed up on my doorstep before I could. Call it a twist of fate.
But I am not letting her go. Not when I could use her to keep Alessandro from attacking. Gabriel can’t see it now but I know in time, it’s for the best.
Emma
I wake up in the warm bed in the soft robe I took from the bathroom last night. Never have I gotten such a restful night sleep before. Leo’s guest bedroom is like paradise on this planet.
But I know I can’t stay here forever. He showed me kindness and I’m grateful but I have to find a way to support myself without my mother finding me. I have to leave.
After changing back into my old clothes – and hating the smell of them – I go downstairs to find the house empty. It’s eerie but I have no reason to worry. Leo is a kind man. Who else would take someone into their own home like he did?
I should leave him a note, thanking him. It’s the least I can do.
I find a pad and pen in the kitchen and tell Leo that I’m grateful for him but I have to go now. I hesitate. I still don’t have any money. No ID. No way of making it in this world.
Well, I’ll have to figure that out on my own.
I leave the house, taking in a deep breath. The air here isn’t as clean as the farm but it smells better because it smells like freedom.
Before I can walk forward, I see Leo pull up in the driveway.
“What are you doing?” he asks, getting out and rushing towards me. There’s an intensity in his eyes that makes me step back. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. I was just wondering where you were going.”
“I can’t stay here but I thank you for how much you helped me last night. Saving me from that man. Giving me a place to rest. I didn’t eat anything. I didn’t want to take advantage of your generosity.”
“My generosity,” he murmurs more to himself than to me. “You don’t have to go. I can help take care of you until you’re back on your feet.”
“I don’t want to put you out.”
“Nonsense. It’s fine. You should at least eat breakfast before you go.” He guides me back into the house with a warm smile. I can’t deny the blush on my face. Leo is an extraordinarily handsome man. “I should buy you some new clothes. These old ones are… Where did you get them anyway?”
I run my hands over my shirt self-consciously. “My mother gave them to me. They were all I had.”
“What about your father? Surely he helped provide for you.” Once we reach the kitchen, he opens the refrigerator and pulls out scones. “Eat.”
I nibble at one of them. My stomach is grateful for the food. “I’ve never met my father.”
“You’ve never met your father?” He sounds more shocked than I would have expected.
“Yes. That’s what I said.”
“So it was just you and your mother?”
I frown. “Yes.” The last thing I want is to talk about my mother and the way she kept me locked up my entire life.
“And you don’t know who I am,” he says softly. “You’re an enigma, Emma. You’re not at all what I expected.”
“I don’t understand. We just met last night.”
He smirks. “You’re innocent. That much is obvious. But is anyone truly this innocent?”
“I’m sorry?” My face is on fire. I don’t want Leo finding out how sheltered I was my entire life. It’s a source of shame for me.
He waves a dismissive hand. “Never mind. You’re just surprising.”
“Thank you for the food but I should get going. I need to find a way to make money.”
“You don’t have a job? No money?”
“None. I… I don’t even have an ID,” I admit.
His eyebrows raise high, somehow making him look even more handsome. “You don’t even have an ID. What kind of life did you live?”
“That’s personal.”
“Fair enough.” He sighs, staring at the floor before he nods and looks me in the eye.
I try to hold his gaze but I’m not strong enough.
He’s just too handsome. “I can help you, Emma. Help you make money. You can stay here. I’ll let you live here for free.
Nothing in exchange. I’m just being generous. ”
“You would really do that?” To think that I found such a kind man my first night in the city. It’s like a dream.
“I would,” he says, smiling. It’s an easy smile like he does it often. “I can get you a job. And you can stay here. No running away.”
I awkwardly laugh. “Why would I run away?” I already did that.
Leo shrugs. “No reason.”
“Why are you so kind to me?”
My question seems to startle him because he goes still. “Call it fate, I guess. I don’t need to be mean to you to get what I want. I can be kind.”
“What do you want?”
Leo leans in closer to me, making me catch my breath. He smells like peaches and pine. “I want you to stay here. Let me help you. It’s the least I can do. You were in desperate need last night.”
“Thank you,” I breathe out.
“First, let’s go buy you some new clothes. You could use them.”
“They smell bad, don’t they?” I flush. “I used to live on a farm. The animals… that smell gets on everything.”
“A farm. With just you and your mother. No father. How interesting.”
“I guess?” I don’t understand Leo sometimes. He has a funny way of speaking.
He pulls away from me, giving me the chance to breathe. “Let’s go get you some new clothes.”
Leo
Now that Emma has had a chance to take a bath and wash her hair, I can tell that she’s a beautiful woman. Younger than my thirty years but not too young. Clearly innocent.
Or she’s lying.
I know she’s the daughter of Alessandro Greco.
Either she truly doesn’t know or she’s trying to make me think she doesn’t know.
No one can be that innocent. I refuse to believe it.
Not in the world of the mafia and Emma is a mafia man’s daughter through and through.
Hell, she even looks like Alessandro and Giovanni.
It makes my stomach twist, knowing how evil those two men were.
Emma surely has to have the same kind of darkness in her. It’s a stain from family.
I know that well.
My father was a mafia man who killed himself. That stain has followed me for years. A lot of the men I work with are worried I’ll do the same to myself but dying is the last thing I want. What I want is to live. Truly live.
But I can’t do that when I know Alessandro is coming for us and I can stop him… by using Emma.
She is pretty though, I have to admit to myself as we arrive at a clothing shop. A simple, pure beauty. Nothing flashy. A girl-next door type.
It’s all a deception though. More than likely Alessandro sent her to act like a victim and get me to care for her so he can use her against me and take me and Gabriel down.
Emma is quiet as she looks at the clothes. There’s something she’s not telling me, that much is obvious. So I know she’s a liar. It’s just a matter of how much.
“You can pick out anything,” I tell her.
“Anything?” she squeaks. “This dress is so much money.” She holds up a simple, lavender dress that would look pretty with her skin tone and hair.
“I can afford it. Everything is on me today. Trust me. You don’t have to pay me back.
Pick out as many clothes as you want.” Why am I buying clothes for the enemy?
I’m not quite sure. It beats having to smell Emma’s old clothes and frankly, she’s too pretty to not wear something nice.
I can kidnap her with kindness instead of brute strength. I always did like charming women.
“Are you sure?” she asks, biting her lip. My eyes flick down to them. Her cheeks turn red. How cute. She’s shy.
“I’m sure. Buy whatever you want.” I snap my fingers and the nearest sale associate comes running over. “Get a changing room ready for my friend. She’ll be trying on a lot of different outfits.”
“Of course, Mr. Detti,” she breathes out before running off.
“She knows who you are?” Emma asks.
“I’ve come here before. Many times.”
“You have power. I can tell.”
“I do.” I don’t mention how being the right hand to the biggest mafia boss in the city has its advantages.
“Who exactly are you?” she asks. “You’re a kind man who’s helping me out but… are people truly this kind?”
No. “They can be,” I say instead. “I want to help you, Emma. Just trust me.”
She frowns but nods before turning away from me.
Emma picks out four dresses to try on. I settle on the couch before the changing rooms and check my watch.
It’s only been an hour but it feels like forever.
Emma almost walked right out of my house this morning and then I would have lost her.
I can’t risk that happening. I need to keep her at my home without her getting suspicious.
The moment Alessandro makes himself known, I’ll tell him that I have his daughter and he better comply or I’ll hurt her.
Emma steps out of the changing room in the lavender silk dress. It hugs her body perfectly, ending around her knees and showcasing her breasts. She has a good body, I’ll give her that.
She also looks… stunning. Like a model, even though she’s too short to be one.
Can I really hurt her if I have to?
None of this is going to plan. I was supposed to show up at Emma’s farm, kidnap her, lock her up in my cage in my basement and laugh in her face at her pain. Alessandro will know the pain of revenge.
But I haven’t done any of that. Instead, I’m buying Emma clothes. I’m letting her stay in my guest bedroom. All because she’s pretty and innocent. If she’s being honest about her innocence that is.
I have to keep a clear head around her or this is going to get messy fast.
“Do you like it?” she asks, wringing her hands together.
“You look… beautiful,” I say honestly.
Emma blushes harder. “Truly?”
“Has no one told you that you’re beautiful?”
“Never.” There’s too much honesty in her voice for me to not believe her.
I clear my throat and shift around in my seat. I can’t get lost in her. “You should get that one. Buy all of them. I’m sure you’ll look good in every one. Now, we should go back to the house.” The longer I keep Emma out, the easier it will be for Alessandro to take her back.
Even though Emma doesn’t know her father. So she claims. If she is telling the truth about that, then where was Alessandro? Why was Emma not living with him?
“Thank you for the clothes,” Emma says once we’re back at my house.
“You’re welcome. Now, Emma. There’s something I need to tell you. You shouldn’t just leave. It could be dangerous. Look at what happened last night. You were almost attacked. If it weren’t for me, you would have been hurt. The safer thing to do is to stay here.”
“In your house?” she asks, gazing around the foyer. “But what about a job?”
“I’ll pay you. To clean my house.”
“You don’t already have a maid?”
I do but I can fire her. “I don’t,” I lie. “I’ll pay you to keep my house clean and you’ll stay here. Problem solved. You’ll be safe and paid and given food. And I won’t ask anything of you. Like sex in case you were worried about that.”
She flushes, which is cute. “I wasn’t even thinking that.”
“Well… good.” I clear my throat. “So, we’re in agreement. You’ll stay here where it’s safe and work for me?”
Emma studies my eyes for a long moment – what is she looking for? – before nodding. “I can do that. Thank you, Leo. I really appreciate this.”
“Of course. Now, let me show you where the cleaning supplies are.” After doing that, Emma goes back to her room and I head straight to my office.
I’m giving the girl a job now? What the fuck is wrong with me?
She should be locked up in my cage. Emma could easily leave whenever she wants and I have to prevent that.
And yet… I can’t get myself to go upstairs, grab her, and throw her away in my dungeon.
I’ll use her against Alessandro but she doesn’t need to be a prisoner just yet. We both have time before that needs to happen.