Chapter 2
Chapter Two
Marco
Ihaven’t seen my brother in years.
Not when he decided to leave the mafia world behind and settle in a mansion in the New York suburbs.
I’m not surprised he looks surprised when he opens the door and finds me on his front porch.
“Marco.”
“Antonio.” My brother still looks good for his age, despite being almost fifty. With our ten years between us, we were never close but it’s still good to see him after all this time.
“What are you doing here?”
“Can’t a baby brother come see his older brother?”
“I haven’t spoken to you in years.” His eyes flick down to my hand. “Are you ok?”
“I was injured. But I’m fine now.”
His lips sneer. “Injured by being a part of the mafia, I assume.”
“Yes. I know you don’t approve.”
“I don’t. I left that world behind to protect my daughter. Arianna doesn’t know anything about that and I want to keep it that way. So I will not let you inside.”
“She’s here? I haven’t seen my niece in a long time.”
“Not since she was a kid.”
“But she’s not a kid any longer,” I say. “Does she need protection like she once did?”
“Yes, she does,” he says in a hard tone. “I will protect my daughter no matter what. I will not let your mafia ways impact her life. She is safe here. No one knows about her. I want to keep it that way.”
“I just came here to tell you that I’ll be getting married.”
His hard expression doesn’t change. “Who’s the unfortunate girl?”
“I haven’t met her yet. An arranged marriage.”
“For power, I assume.” He shakes his head with a sigh. “You always wanted to gain more power than you needed. I did hear about your war with Enzo Bianchi. Going against your own people. Marco, what has gotten into you?”
“I’m fine. I’ll have more power than you could ever dream of. And when I do, you and Arianna will be safe. We can be brothers again.”
“Were we ever brothers?”
I clench my hands into fists but when Antonio’s eyes flick down to them, I force my hands open. “Who’s fault is that? I wanted to be a brother to you but you always pushed me away.”
“I was ten years older. I had my own life.”
“And it’s never included me. But I want to include you in mine, Antonio. I’ve always wanted that.”
“Not when you’re involved with the mafia. I have to protect my daughter.”
“Dad?” A soft female voice rings out and footsteps sound out behind him. “Who are you talking to?” A young woman appears over Antonio’s shoulder. Brown curly hair that makes her feel younger than she is. She’s tinier than I thought she’d be. My niece, Arianna.
“Uncle Marco?” she asks with a gasp when her eyes fall onto me.
“It’s nice to see you, Arianna.”
She takes a step towards me when her father stops her. “Go back inside,” he warns.
“What? I don’t understand.” She looks between me and Antonio for a long moment. “Dad?”
“Just do as I say.”
She gives me one last lingering look before walking away from me.
“You will not mess up mine or my daughter’s life,” he hisses. “Just leave.” He shuts the door in my face. Shut out once more.
Well, that will all change when I gain power. When I marry Ciara Sullivan and get the Irish behind me and I can finally take Enzo down. And Will for stealing Gianna away from me. I will prove to my brother that I’m worthy of his time. That I will not hurt his daughter.
Now I just have to meet the woman who will become my wife.
Ciara
My father hosts a party to invite my future husband over. I kept protesting it all week but my dad didn’t listen. He says I have to do this. That it’s time and I have to do as he says. But I know Cormac will help me.
I’m just not sure how yet.
The party takes place in the backyard. The sunny day would make me believe everything would go right but I know better. I am to meet the man I am being forced to marry and there’s nothing good about that.
Despite not wanting this, I still put on a cute summer dress. I am going to look my best no matter what.
Cormac approaches me, holding a cup in his hand. A few of my father’s other guests have arrived but the man in question hasn’t yet. Who is Marco Amato? What does he look like? Is he a jerk or a kind man? It doesn’t matter because my brother will make sure I never have to marry him.
He hands me the cup. “It’s just sparkling cider. Dad didn’t want anyone drunk today.”
“Probably for the best. I don’t need you getting shot.” I take a sip of the drink. “It’s not as good as champagne.”
“No it’s not. And I won’t be the one getting shot. I plan on getting rid of Marco the moment he shows up.”
“How?”
He quirks an eyebrow. “I have my ways.”
A sensation crosses my body as if I’m being watched. It makes me look in the direction of the back door and that’s when I see a man watching me. Tall with classic good looks. Dark hair and stubble on his chin. Broad shoulders. He looks like a model for any designer brand.
Who is this man? I’ve never seen him before.
And that’s when it hits me. Is this Marco?
My dad approaches the man and shakes his hand before leading him over to me. “Ciara, this is Marco Amato.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Marco says in a rich voice that sends a tingle through my body. For being forty years old, he’s in great shape. This is not like the boys I tried to date in high school. This is a man through and through and I’m not sure I’m ready for that.
“You too,” I say without even thinking about it.
Cormac shoots me an incredulous look before turning to Marco. “Unlike my sister, I don’t think it’s nice to meet you.”
“And this is my son, Cormac,” Patrick says in a tight voice. “Cormac, be nice.”
“Why would I be nice to the man who wants to marry my sister? He’s too old for her and I don’t trust his intentions. He’s part of the Mafia. He will hurt Ciara.”
“It was your father’s idea that I marry her,” Marco cuts in. “It wasn’t mine.”
“But you agreed to it.”
Marco sighs. “I did agree to it and I can’t understand why you’re angry with me. I’m angry too… at my previous boss, Enzo Bianchi. He teamed up with the Bratva and I didn’t agree with it.”
“And yet, you’re willing to team up with us Irish people to get what you want?” Cormac asks, crossing his arms. “How does that make sense?”
“I have to do what I have to do to get what I want in this world. I promised your father more power than he could even imagine. I will make the Irish mob stronger than ever before. We will work to take down Enzo.”
“How can we trust you? You’re Italian.” The way my brother says the word ‘Italian’ you’d think it was the worst word on the planet.
“Your father trusts me. And that’s why this marriage alliance is happening.”
“I am trusting him with Ciara,” Patrick explains. “It will keep Marco in line by being married to my daughter. He knows if he tries to hurt her, I will kill him. This is the best way to make a deal.”
“By giving me away like I’m chattel?” I ask, finding my voice again. Marco’s good looks threw me for a moment but I’m back.
“You are not chattel,” Dad says. “But you are my daughter and you will do your duty. Now, why don’t you and Marco talk? I’m giving you two a chance to know each other before you get married. That’s more than what a lot of couples get in our world. Cormac, come along.”
Cormac stands in front of me. “I am not leaving my sister alone with him.”
“Cormac. You will come with me. Now.” Dad gives Cormac a hard look until my brother finally relents. He shoots daggers at Marco as he walks away.
Marco takes a step closer to me and I take a step back. “I get it. You don’t want to marry me.”
“No, I do not. I don’t even know you.”
“That can be changed. What do you want to know?”
I blink, shocked that he’s even giving me this. “How do I know you won’t hurt me? My brother looked into you. Apparently, you kidnapped a girl around the same age as me. Enzo Bianchi’s sister. You’re not a good man.”
“No. I’m not. I am a man who’s willing to do whatever it takes to get what I want in this world.”
“And that includes me.”
“If it means getting what I want, yes.”
“And what exactly do you want?”
“To take down Enzo Bianchi and his right hand man, Will Taylor.” A sneer crosses Marco’s face when he mentions Will’s name.
“You don’t like Will Taylor. I don’t even know who he is but it’s obvious to me that you hate him.”
“How can you tell?”
“The look on your face when you said his name. What did this man do to you?”
“He works for Enzo. No other reason.”
I stare at Marco hard. I can tell he’s lying to me. I may not know him at all but I’ve always had a good bullshit detector and right now, Marco is not telling me the full truth.
What secrets is he keeping?
“I don’t want to marry you,” I state point blank.
“I didn’t plan on marrying you either but after your father offered you up, I couldn’t refuse. And you will be mine, Ciara. I will not lose another woman.”
“Another woman? What does that mean?”
He looks away and composes his expression. “A slip of the tongue. You will be mine and that will be final. Now, I should talk with your father some more. He’s the one who will help me in this war.”
“And I can’t?”
“You’re just the woman I agreed to marry to get what I want.”
“You’re an asshole,” I spit out.
“And that’s no way to talk to your future husband.” Marco walks away before I can get another word in.
Cormac rushes to my side. “What did that fucker say to you?”
“Language, Cormac. What will our dad think?”
“Fuck Dad for making you marry that man.”
“You need to get rid of him for me,” I state without taking my eyes off Marco. I will not marry a man who insists on trying to control my life.
“I have a plan.”
“Make it happen faster. Dad told me earlier that he wants the wedding to happen by the end of the month.”
“I will get rid of him, I promise. I already put the plan in motion.” He nods towards Marco. “See?” I watch as Marco takes a sip of the drink in his hand.
“You didn’t,” I say.
Cormac smiles, looking proud of himself. “I did.”
At that very moment, Marco stumbles backwards, clutching at his throat as he falls to the ground. The other guests scream and swarm around him but I can only smile. Cormac poisoned Marco for me. Good riddance. I was never going to marry a man like him. Over my own dead body.