28. Alessia
Chapter twenty-eight
Alessia
“ H ey, Mamma. Let’s get you looking more like yourself,” I say as I brush the dry shampoo through her hair. I set the hairbrush down to pull out the makeup bag. “A little too thin and pale, but still beautiful,” I mutter as I begin to sweep some powder on her life-lacking skin.
The door to her room creaks open as I apply some blush to her cheekbones. We have guards outside her room twenty-four seven, so I’m not concerned and continue catering to Mamma. Sleeping beauty, we like to call her.
“She looks good,” a dry but feminine voice comes behind me.
Turning around, I come face to face with Vita. The youngest De Luca, also known as the family’s recluse, is always disappearing or finding herself in some trouble. Someone I always thought I would get along with, but she does her damnedest to be unreachable. However, her desperation for attention is quite apparent.
“Hey, Vita. How are you?”
“Better than you.” She comes further into the room and makes herself at home on the sleeper couch. She’d be stunning if it weren’t for the permanent sour look on her face. Her hair is lighter than Massimo’s, but her eyes are dark. She’s not as tall as her sister, but she’s still taller than average height for a woman.
“Most people are.” I sigh and focus on pampering Mamma. “So, to what do I owe this great pleasure of an impromptu visit from the infamous Vita De Luca?”
“Just bored.”
I glance over at her and find her inspecting her nails, feigning boredom. “So, you thought you’d take a trip over to the hospital to visit a woman you could give two shits about that is still in an induced coma?” I arch an eyebrow at her, and her eyes roll up to meet mine.
“Yup,” she pops. A giggle bubbles out as I shake my head and turn back to Mamma. “So. Do you…know what’s going on with my father?”
Keeping a phlegmatic front going, I don’t flinch or falter. “He’s getting exactly what he deserves.” Meaning a lifelong sentence of torture and pain.
“And what is that exactly?”
“Punishment for killing my father and almost killing my mother.”
“It wasn’t right, you know.” She pauses. “Massimo turning in our father was treachery.” Now, I falter and still, unable to keep my serenity. “Whatever the reasons for him doing what he did, it was his call to make. Massimo wouldn’t have turned over our father if it weren’t for you.”
“Your father was unhinged, and like a rabid dog, he needed to be put down.”
“They’re all psychotic assholes. My father was no different.”
My head whips around as I itch to grab for one of my knives tucked in a holster under my dress. “My father was not . Yes, he was a capo and did things to get to where he was, like his father before that, but he was not psychotic. He was fair and treated everyone who worked for him fairly. Ask anyone who knew him. Your father? He couldn’t even be good to his children. He would have turned any of you in if it suited his ambitions. He went after my parents for some ancient vendetta he probably doesn’t fully understand himself. It was a needless murder, and he’s paying for it and will continue to pay for it until he dies of old age.”
We sit there locking horns, and the air thickens. “My father may have been a shitty one and an even shittier man, but he deserved respect.” She stands to her feet, and my basic instincts also have me on my feet.
“As did mine,” I sneer.
“That was between the two capos.”
“You know nothing, Vita. Attacking my parents was starting a war between both families. If you knew anything, you would know that. Yes, Massimo may have turned in your father because of me, but because of me, you and the rest of your family are pardoned. You’re blaming me for what happened to him when you should be thanking me. You’re alive and will remain alive because of my love for Massimo. Any other family would have been obliterated as a whole for sharing blood with the enemy.”
She begins prowling forward. She’s half a foot taller than me, but I could take her down in two seconds flat. “I’ll never accept you as a De Luca. You’re going to get my brother killed, I’m sure of it.”
“Like I said, I am what is keeping him alive. Now, get out of my mother’s hospital room and never come back. You are officially blacklisted.”
“You’ll pay for it someday.”
I step forward out of reaction. “Do not fucking threaten me, Vita. I am not afraid to cut a bitch.”
“Neither am I,” she says confidently, sneering down at me.
“Leave now, or I will make you. Do not make me do that, Vita.” I’m not sure if I could stop myself from actually killing her if I end up having to put my hands on her. To threaten me, to say that it was Angelo’s right to take us out…She’s practically begging for a beatdown.
“I just got my nails done, so…” She cocks her head to one side with a fake smile. “I’ll take my leave. It was great chatting with you, Alessia. We should do this more often.”
My fists are literally shaking at my sides as she turns and nearly skips out of the room. Giving it a few moments to collect myself, I charge to the door and rip it open.
“Vita De Luca is not allowed here ever again. Do you hear me?” I say with venom to one of the guys on duty.
He nods his head. “Yes, Miss Bonetti.”
“Call Jino right now and let him know. I swear, if Vita even gets past the hospital entrance, heads will fucking roll.” I slam the door shut and take a deep and soothing breath.
How fucking dare she come in here and make threats! How dare she try to justify Angelo’s actions! How fucking dare she try and make me her enemy!
I jump a little when my phone starts going off from across the room. Walking swiftly, I pick it up. “Hey.”
“Hey, I heard Vita was just there,” Massimo says, and I smile.
“Yes, it was definitely a surprise to see her here.” I sit in the chair beside Mamma and place my hand over hers.
“Is everything okay? Do I need to—”
“Everything is fine, Massimo. You know I can handle Vita.”
“Of course, you can, but she’s my responsibility, so if I need to set her straight, I will.”
“I banned her from visiting again. Told the crew not even to let her step a foot inside the building. It’s handled.”
“What happened?”
“It’s nothing. Just petty drama, that’s all.” I don’t need Massimo to fight my battles for me. Vita isn’t a threat. She’s all bark and no bite.
“Alessia,” He growls.
“Massimo,” I mock him.
He sighs heavily through the phone. “I know you can handle her, but I’m beginning to think she’s more than just audacious these days. I’ve ignored the problem for too long.”
“She’s just a little girl inside a woman’s body who never got the attention she craved. I almost feel bad for her,” I mutter.
“Don’t feel sorry for the overprivileged rich girl,” he muses, making me smile.
I chuckle. “You’re right about that. So, you have daddy issues. Boohoo.”
“Well, now you’re just being mean.” His voice dips down low. “That’s still my sister you’re talking about. You might have to pay for that last comment.”
“I look forward to it.” I grin.
“Little psycho,” he mutters. “You coming home soon?”
“I am. Leaving in probably ten minutes or so.”
“Might as well head right upstairs when you do.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I love you. Be safe.”
“Always. I love you too.”
I hang up the phone smiling from ear to ear like a dumbass. “Alright, Mamma.” I pack up my stuff and lean down to kiss her cheeks. “I love you, and I can’t wait till you come back to us. We need you. Now, more than ever.”