Chapter 20 #2
“What? Fuck! I’m leaving now. Sorry, ladies. I’ve gotta go,” he tells the others. “Who do you think did this?”
The noise is almost all gone.
“Raph thinks it’s the Irish as payback for not letting them open their casino in our turf.”
“Then I’ll kill Patrick,” Gio fires. “And his entire bloodline. With my bare hands. If they think they can come after our women, they’re gonna think again.”
“We don’t know if it’s them yet. We have to find out more first. If Bianca is alive, we get the information from her and then we kill him.”
“We are here today to give our love and support to the Marino and Ricci families, who have experienced great tragedy in the passing of Bianca Rose Ricci…”
The priest continues, but I tune the rest out, sitting beside my family with Sophia in my lap, her tears falling down her cheeks.
Raph said Bianca once told him she’d want a closed casket so her loved ones didn’t have to see her that way, so that was what he did. But he got to say his goodbyes in the morgue. He’s completely lost without her, and I don’t know if he’ll ever get over it.
Nicolette couldn’t even handle coming. She up and left, sending her parents a letter saying she needed time alone.
I get it. No one wants this kind of pain. The sisters weren’t close by any stretch of the imagination, but they’re still blood, and it still matters when your blood dies. Their parents aren’t doing any better. To lose a child…
I tighten my arms around my daughter. I’d rather die than lose her. This kind of heartache…I don’t ever want to feel it.
“Please don’t die, Daddy,” Sophia cries softly, her cheek against my chest.
“Hey, baby, I’m not going anywhere.” I kiss the top of her head. “Daddy’s going to stick around for a long time.”
“Promise?” she sniffles into my shirt.
I glide a hand up and down her back. “I promise, princess. I’m never letting you go.”
I press my fingers into my eyes, hating the remnants of that day. All those days, in fact. It’s what killed our family.
Patrick vehemently denied he was responsible for Bianca’s death, and we never found proof that he was lying. But Raph wasn’t convinced. He resented us for not fighting. He wanted payback. For Bianca. For her family. No matter what it cost. He thought he’d failed her. That our name caused her this.
He confessed to me in the hospital after she was pronounced dead that they were having a lot of problems and he was even considering divorcing her. But he never actually told her. I think it’s guilt that ate him up too. So he did something stupid.
He hired some men and went after the Quinn family himself, taking out some of their top men, including Patrick’s nephew.
Patrick wanted revenge. He may be ruthless, but he’s also a patient man.
He let Raph grieve because he knew what losing a mate felt like.
He lost his own wife to violence when his five children were young.
So he pitied my brother, enough to spare his life for a few months before word started that he was looking for Raph.
But my brother had gone into hiding, and I’d never give him up, even when Patrick asked.
He knew, though, that a war on my brother meant war with me. He’s done everything to find him and has come up empty.
But I came to him with an offer he couldn’t refuse. Something that will bridge the mending fences between the Mob and the Mafia and assure that Patrick gets the retribution he’s been seeking.
Gio won’t be too thrilled about it, but he’ll get over it. Eventually.
I don’t trust Patrick at all, and I didn’t want to make this deal, but at least this way our enemy becomes more of a friend. If one can call Patrick that.
He’s a smart man. Thrives on blood and war and loyalty. The Irish even have a covert academy to ready the next generation of killers. No one knows exactly who the members are or where the academy is. Everything is kept top secret.
I reach a hand into my pocket, taking out my cell. Gio should know by now if there’s been any other attempts on Elsie.
Michael
Any news?
Gio
Nothing. They’re too busy getting fucked by the Cavaleri boys. I think it’s time we introduced ourselves and thanked them for a job well done. So far, at least.
Michael
Let it play out. I don’t want the heat, not unless it benefits us. I need as many of our men alive as possible. We need them for the war that may be coming with our brother.
Gio
Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. I don’t want to believe he’s doing all this. It’s not like him.
Michael
We’ll find out the truth soon enough. For now, keep your eyes peeled and inform me if you hear anything.
Gio
Will do. Take care of that wife of yours.
I scoff. Knowing my brother, he’s laughing right now.
I slip the cell back into my pocket, watching Elsie and Sophia again. I could do it for hours. Sophia turns to me, a wide smile on her face.
“Daddy!” She holds out her hand for mine, her features bright and carefree. “Come dance with us.”
She has my damn heart squeezing. If she only knew what kind of father I truly am.
Elsie flings a piece of her dark hair away from her face, a smile forming over her pink lips, and slowly, her hand reaches for mine too.
“How can I say no to that?”
The soft, rhythmic melody drifts from somewhere on the beach as I tread over to them, circling an arm around both of my girls and swinging them off their feet. We spin around and around, my toes digging into the warm sand.
Sophia’s laughter flits all around us, filling me with magic.
And then Elsie’s eyes journey over to mine, and her smile…well, it’s got a whole lot of magic in it too, and I’m not sure what to do with that.