Chapter 18 Gabriella
GAbrIELLA
I leave my father’s office to go upstairs and pack a few more things for my extended stay with Marco.
As I round the corner toward the stairs, Frank steps into my path.
"Frank!" I rush forward. "Are you okay? Marco told me about what happened at the warehouse."
He straightens his posture, but I can see the exhaustion in his eyes. "I'm fine. Nothing I haven't handled before. Don Calabresi is the one who took the brunt of the attack. Suffered losses.”
I shake my head. “He says it was an ambush targeting all of you.”
Frank’s expression tightens. "It was… unexpected. Professional. Not your typical turf war thugs." He glances down the hallway. "How's your father doing?"
“He’s having a good day. Clear. But he’s concerned, of course.” I study Frank's face. "You were there. Did you see anything unusual? Anything that might help us figure out who's behind this?"
Frank gives a curt shake of his head. "Nothing. It’s disconcerting." Frank rubs his temple. "Listen, Gabriella, be careful around Calabresi.”
"I trust him, Frank." The words come out without hesitation.
“I still have concerns. This situation is more dangerous than any of us anticipated.
" Frank moves closer, lowering his voice.
“The attackers last night only went after Calabresi and his men.
Staying with him puts you directly in the crosshairs of whoever is behind this.
These people want him dead. What happens if you're with him when they try again? "
His words send a chill through me, not because I fear Marco but because I fear for him. "All the more reason to help figure out who's doing this."
Frank sighs. "There's something else you should know. Some of your father's men are worried they'll be blamed for the ambush."
"What? That's ridiculous."
“Like I said, Calabresi was clearly the target, while Monti men were left untouched. If it were reversed, I’d be suspicious. After all, at one point, you were certain Calabresi was after your father’s territory. It wouldn’t be a stretch for him to think Monti men were protecting that territory.”
“Were they?” I ask, horrified that my accusations may have put Marco and his men in danger.
Frank arches a brow. “Now you suspect us?”
“No. Have you talked to my father about this?" I ask.
Frank nods. "I have. At length."
"And?"
"And despite everything, he trusts Marco completely." Frank's admission comes with a slight tightening around his eyes. "Antonio believes Marco would sooner die than betray La Corona or your family."
It’s how I see it too.
My father's judgment has been compromised in some areas lately, but his instincts about people have always been razor-sharp. "That should reassure you.”
"It would, except your father isn't seeing things clearly these days." Frank's voice softens with genuine concern. "You know that better than anyone, Gabriella."
"His memory fails him sometimes, yes. But his understanding of loyalty hasn't changed."
Frank studies me for a moment. "You've changed your tune about Calabresi. A week ago, you were convinced he was plotting against your father."
Heat rises to my cheeks. "I was wrong."
"Just like that?"
“Not just like that. But I see now what’s happening. I can assure you that Marco isn’t out to hurt my father and that he doesn’t believe my father’s men set him up," I insist.
“I hope you’re right. Whatever is going on has the potential to turn the families against each other, and right now, although I hate to say it, your father is the weakest link.”
I hate hearing it even as I know he’s right. “I appreciate your candor, Frank. We’re all trying to protect my father and his business.”
"Then be careful who you trust," Frank says, his eyes never leaving mine. "Even Don Calabresi."
“Like I said, Marco isn’t our concern.”
"You feel safe with him?" Frank asks, concern in his voice.
I think of Marco's arms around me this morning, of his vulnerability in the shower, of his fierce protectiveness. "Yes. I do."
"And if you're wrong about him?"
I meet his gaze steadily. "Then I'll deal with that myself. But I don't think I am."
Frank sighs in resignation. "Then I'll keep digging on my end. Someone's targeting both your families, and we need to find out who."
I nod, grateful for his support despite his reservations. "Thank you, Frank."
I leave him and go to my bedroom, packing up a few more clothes. I meet Marco in the foyer.
“Take care of my girl,” my father says to Marco.
Marco’s smile is tight. “You have my word, Antonio.”
The exchange feels loaded, and I wonder what they talked about once I left them alone.
Knowing Marco, I won’t get a straight answer.
I tuck my arm through Marco's as we walk down the front steps of my father's house, my suitcase in his other hand.
"Well, looks like you're stuck with me a bit longer," I tease, watching his profile for a reaction.
Marco gives me a sidelong glance, his expression unreadable to most, but I catch the slight twitch at the corner of his mouth. "Somehow, I’ll make do."
"Very funny." I bump his shoulder with mine. "Admit it. You're glad I'm staying."
He opens the car door for me. "I'm glad you're safe.”
I roll my eyes. “Careful, I might figure out how you really feel.” I slide into the passenger seat.
Marco rounds the car and gets into the driver’s seat. “Your father says he’ll be talking to Luca about staying when he’s home for Christmas. You should talk to Luca too.”
The amusement I was feeling quickly dissipates. “Did something happen?”
“No. Your father was lucid today, but you know as well as I do that -with everything going on, we need all hands on deck. I think your father is as resistant to turning the reins over to Luca as Luca is about coming home, but it needs to happen, Gabriella. Surely, you see that.”
I nod, sadness filling my chest. “Yes. I’ll talk to him.”
Marco’s hand covers mine, the show of comfort surprising me. “I’ll help too. Who knows? Maybe we’ll get this sorted before Christmas.”
Considering Christmas is just a few weeks away, it seems unlikely, but I nod.
When we arrive back at Marco’s, Roman is waiting.
“Join us for a minute,” Marco says to me. If it surprises Roman, he doesn’t show it as he settles into a chair in Marco’s office.
Marco recounts the meeting with my father, including our plan to ferret out information from Agent Blackwood.
“I’d like to set that up sooner rather than later,” I say.
“I wonder if we should wait for him to call you again?” Marco says, more like he’s thinking out loud. “Don’t want to appear too eager. He might get suspicious. Plus, we need to meet with Dom and Leo first. Get them on board.”
I hate the idea of waiting. Not with hitmen after Marco and saboteurs after my father.
But I nod slowly, recognizing the wisdom in his caution. "Fine. But we don't wait too long. Every day gives whoever's behind this more time to plan their next move."
“I imagine it won’t be long before he calls,” Roman says. “Not after last night’s incident. You need to know what info you’re going to feed him.”
“He’ll want something that he thinks will be usable for an arrest and conviction,” I say.
“But it can’t be obvious. Marco isn’t stupid. There’s a reason he’s avoided legal hassles,” Roman reminds me.
“We can brainstorm that later.” Marco picks up his phone. “I need to call Dom and Leo and set up a meeting.”
That’s my cue to leave, but before I do, I need to let them know what Frank told me. “Frank mentioned that some of my father's men are worried they'll be blamed for the warehouse ambush."
Marco's expression darkens. "Blamed? By whom?"
"You or your men. He says you and your men appear to have been the target.”
Marco’s eyes narrow as he sits back in thought. I swear I can see the wheels turning in his brain.
Roman curses under his breath. “Another situation to create distrust between the families.”
“Did Frank say anyone in particular was blaming them?” Marco asks.
I shake my head. "No. He said his men were worried you might blame them, not that anyone had actually blamed them.”
Marco glances at Roman, a knowing look passing between them.
“What?”
“Find out if that’s true,” Marco tells Roman, who nods.
“What’s going on?” I ask, my gaze bouncing back and forth between them. “Why wouldn’t it be true that some of my father’s men are worried you’d blame them?”
Marco gives me a look like I should know why. “Someone is trying to sow distrust between our families.”
“Yes, I know,” I say, feeling like I’m missing something.
“What happens if I believe Antonio or someone in his business set me up? Maybe because they think I’m trying to take over his business and they want to stop me.”
I glare at Marco for bringing up my past accusation of him. “I understand now that it’s not the case.”
“I’m glad to hear it, but that doesn’t mean someone else doesn’t believe it and tried to get rid of me.”
Okay, I can see that reasoning. “But why question whether my father’s men are really concerned about what happened last night? Unless…” When I realize what they’re suggesting, I’m shocked. “You think Frank is just saying that knowing I’ll tell you and then you’ll question my father?”
He shrugs. “There’s a traitor in our midst and it’s not a soldier. It’s someone with access and knowledge.”
“Frank? No.” I shake my head. “That would be like saying Roman was a traitor.”
“No one seemed worried about it last night,” Roman says. “I worked the cleanup with Bianchi and Aiello, both Monti men. Neither of them seemed concerned.”
Frank? No.
“That said, Frank did take out at least one of the men,” Roman finishes.
Marco shrugs. “Makes for a good cover. We don’t suspect him now.”
“This is crazy.” I stand. “Frank is loyal to my father. He might want to hurt you, but he wouldn’t do anything that could come back and hurt my father, and what you’re suggesting would. He doesn’t want to bring La Corona down. He wants to protect my father.”
Marco arches a brow. “From me?”