Chapter One #3
"Let him talk, Marco," Raisa purred, her thick Russian accent curling beautifully around the syllables as she leaned comfortably into her husband's side.
She fixed her sea-green eyes on the youngest Falco.
"Enzo is brave now. But one of these days, Enzo...
one of these days, you are gonna fall. And you are gonna fall so hard it will shatter the earth. "
"And we cannot wait to see that happen," Roselia added smoothly, her eyes dancing with merciless amusement as she looked at her brother-in-law. "I am going to personally purchase a front-row seat to watch you beg. It will be the highlight of my entire year."
Enzo barked a loud laugh, tossing the apple core into a nearby bin.
"Yeah, yeah, of course, of course. You guys agree, obviously, to defend your husbands.
But I know what I am. I am the last bastion of freedom in this family.
No woman is going to tie me up in knots or make me pace the floors. Never."
Marco snorted, shaking his head. "We will engrave those exact words on your tombstone, little brother."
The room was filled with warm, booming laughter. Despite the blood, the syndicates, and the violence that dictated their external lives, inside these walls, the family was anchored in a profound, unbreakable joy.
Salvatore let the banter die down before clapping his large hands together, his face turning serious as he looked at his mother.
"Jokes aside," Salvatore began, walking over to kneel beside Valentina's chair, resting a hand on her arm.
"Ana is right. The city air is oppressive right now.
The heat is trapped against the cliffs. Why don't we go to the coast?
We have the big villa in the northern coastal town.
It has been empty for months. The sea breeze would do you some good, Mama.
We can spend some time there, away from the business, just to rest for a while. "
Valentina considered this, her eyes softening slightly at her son's concern. "The coastal air... yes. That does sound pleasant, Salvatore. It has been a long time since I looked at the Ligurian Sea. A change of scenery might clear this fog from my head."
"It's settled, then," Ana beamed, already mentally drafting packing lists and menus. "Salvatore, Valentina, and I will go for a few days. Maybe a couple of weekends, just to ensure you are fully rested."
Lorenzo immediately straightened up, the protective aura of the Don flaring to life.
His jaw tightened. "You are not traveling to an unfortified villa without a security detail, Papa.
I will send two tactical units ahead to sweep the perimeter, and Casimir will assign personal guards to shadow you at all times. "
"Oh, Lorenzo, relax," Salvatore groaned, waving a dismissive hand at his eldest son.
"We are going to a sleepy coastal town filled with fishermen and tourists eating gelato.
We are not launching a ground war in Palermo.
A handful of guards will be fine. I do not want an entire army marching through the piazza while your grandmother is trying to relax. "
"I am not sending my mother and grandmother to an empty house without family oversight," Lorenzo insisted, his tone brooking zero arguments. He turned and looked directly at Marco.
"Do not look at me," Marco said instantly, wrapping his arm tighter around Raisa. "We just got back from the freezing misery of Russia. Raisa and I have business here. We are staying in Naples."
Roselia leaned her head against Lorenzo's shoulder. "And you cannot leave, Lorenzo. The negotiations with the Calabrians are entering their final phase. They require you to remain in Naples."
"Okay, fine. I can go with them," Enzo volunteered, stepping away from the archway and walking toward the center of the room.
He rolled his shoulders, a cocky grin returning to his face.
"I am perfectly capable of managing a handful of security guards and ensuring Nonna gets her sea breeze.
Plus, it gets me out of this house and away from the romance of you four.
I consider it a rescue mission for my own sanity. "
Lorenzo studied his youngest brother. Enzo was fully healed, his reflexes sharp, and his tactical mind was brilliant despite his constant joking. The Don gave a slow, decisive nod.
"Agreed," Lorenzo commanded. "Salvatore, Ana, Valentina, and Enzo will travel to the coastal town. Take Casimir's Beta team. Keep a low profile. Enjoy the peace and quiet."
"We will," Ana smiled, reaching out to pat Enzo's cheek. "It will be a wonderful, quiet trip for all of us."
Plans were set into motion with the ruthless efficiency of the syndicate.
As the Falco family prepared to pack their bags for a sleepy, quaint coastal town, they had absolutely no idea that their quest for peace was about to lead them directly into the path of a ghost, a shadow ninja trying desperately to balance her ledgers, and a collision that would alter the course of their lives forever.