Chapter 39
Chapter
Thirty-Nine
Isabella
D iego pulled our car into a parking space next to Rafaele’s. Horace turned, looking at me in the back seat. “Lieutenant Ruiz instructed us to stay with you. We’ll wait outside your parents’ room.”
I nodded. “I’d like that.”
Rafaele opened the door as Diego and Horace were getting out of the car. “Miss Izzy,” he said offering me his hand as he’d done a million times in my life.
I laid my left hand in his.
His gaze immediately went to the ring on my fourth finger. Yet, as I stepped out, he didn’t offer me congratulations. Once I was standing on the parking lot, all three men were surrounding me.
Rafaele spoke, “Thank you for driving Miss Luciano. I can assure you she will be safe in my care as she has always been.”
Horace shook his head. “We told you back at the house. Mrs. Ruiz is our responsibility, and we won’t be leaving here without her.”
“Very well.” Rafaele gestured with his hand. “Enjoy the resort. You can even charge your drinks to Carmine Luciano. Miss Luciano may inform you when she’s ready to be taken back.”
I lifted my hands. “Honestly, you’re giving me a headache.” I had three sets of eyes on me. “Rafaele, take me to my family.” He smiled with a nod. I turned to Diego and Horace. “You two follow. I’d hate to lose you to this extravagant beach resort.”
“Gladly, Mrs. Ruiz,” Horace replied.
“It isn’t necessary—” Rafaele began.
“Which way?” I interrupted. “I’m anxious to see Noemi and Tony.”
Rafaele and I walked the paths, trailed by my new bodyguards. We seemed to be following the signs to a structure called The View. Once inside, all four of us awkwardly entered an elevator. Rafaele flashed a key and pushed the button for the seventh floor. I rolled my eyes. Of course, my father would have to be on the top floor.
The doors opened to an eerie silence. We stepped from the elevator bay into the hallway. Only the hum of the air conditioner could be heard. “It seems empty.”
“Your father rented the entire floor. Mr. Salvatore and his family haven’t yet arrived,” Rafaele said.
“They’re coming too?” My mind filled with thoughts of my cousins. Not only would I see my siblings, but also Marisa, Aria, and Cenzi.
We came to a stop in front of the door to suite 704. I turned to Diego and Horace. “Thank you. I’ll be fine inside.”
“If you need us, Mrs. Ruiz…”
I nodded with a smile “Thank you.”
When I turned, the door was open, and my father was standing within the doorframe. His gaze wasn’t on me but on Diego and Horace. “Leave or I’ll have you thrown off the property.”
“Papà, these are my bodyguards.”
“Rafaele is perfectly capable of watching over you.” He scanned the floor. “Where are your things—an overnight bag?”
“I’m not spending the night.” I lifted my left hand. “I’m married. I’ll spend the night with my husband.”
I didn’t see his hand, but Horace must have. I heard the swoosh of air as Horace pulled me backward against his hard chest, saving me from an open-handed slap. Before I could blink, Diego had a gun pointed at my father, and Rafaele had a gun pointed at Diego.
“Stop,” I demanded, moving away from Horace. I looked at my father. “Where are Mom, Noemi, and Tony?”
The darkness in his eyes intensified. “We need to clear up matters.” His scowl deepened as lines formed, spidering from the corners of his squinted eyes. His words came through clenched teeth. “I told you about Aldo Ricci with the Esposito famiglia in St. Louis.”
I lifted my chin. “I’m already married.” I tried to peer around him. “Mom,” I called out. The reality hit me. “They’re not here, are they?”
“Working with whores turned you into one.” He scanned me up and down. “Did he ruin you?”
I gasped. “I’m married, by a priest.”
“Isabella Luciano.” He used his father voice, the one that came out when he was upset about something. “Come into this suite right now. You and I are going to talk. Aurora and the kids are on their way with Sal and Giulia.”
I sucked in a breath, refusing to shed a tear. “I would like to see you tomorrow for the ceremony. I was hoping you’d walk me down the aisle.” A red hue filled his face as capillaries glistened in his complexion. “It’s all right if you don’t. Maybe I’ll ask el Patr?n .”
Papà cursed and reached for my arm. His grip tightened as he pulled me toward the suite. I was a wishing bone with Papà on one side and Horace on the other. The earlier silence was gone, replaced with shouting. Guns were raised. It was mayhem until I heard another voice I recognized.
“Get your fucking hands off my wife.”
My heart skipped a beat as I turned to see Em walking toward us with a weapon in his outstretched steady hand.
Papà cursed and released my arm, pulling his own gun.
Em pushed me back toward Horace. My bodyguard tried to make me walk away, but I couldn’t. My father and lifelong bodyguard were in a showdown with my husband and a cartel guard.
“Mrs. Ruiz, I need to get you to safety.”
“Papà, this isn’t right,” I called. “I love Emiliano Ruiz. We’re married. I want you to accept it.”
Finally, he lowered his gun and told Rafaele to do the same. Ignoring Em, he turned my way. “How? How could you embarrass the family like this?” He motioned to Em. “With him. I told you what the cartel does. You married a criminal—a murderer.”
Before my husband could respond, I stepped up to Em, held tight to his arm, and lifted my chin. “I married a man who tells me the truth. When I first got here, Emiliano was honest with me about what he does and about the cartel.” I looked my father in the eye. “In eighteen years, you were never honest about what you do, about what the Luciano famiglia does.”
“You were always too young to understand.”
“I’m not too young to marry. The ceremony is tomorrow at one o’clock. I still want you to be there.” I turned my attention to the gun in his grasp at his side. “Just don’t bring the gun.” Em and Diego lowered their weapons. “Tell Mom and everyone that I’ll see them tomorrow. I don’t care what she wears, but I’d like Noemi to stand up with me.” With that, Emiliano and I turned and walked toward the elevators.
Diego and Horace watched Papà and Rafaele until we turned the corner into the elevator bay. Em wrapped his arm around me, and I leaned against his chest.
“He couldn’t take me,” I said, “because you did what you promised to do.”
He squeezed me tighter. “Wrap you in my arms.” He lifted my chin. “I’m so sorry, Isabella.”
I shook my head. “Don’t be. I’m where I want to be and with the man I want to be with.” Looking at the elevators, I asked, “How did you get up here without a key?”
My husband just grinned.
That evening, Viviana cooked a delicious rehearsal dinner even though we didn’t need to rehearse. Em and I were already married. El Patr?n and Mia’s home was filled with people who a month earlier I would never have spoken to but who welcomed me and showed me the true meaning of family.
I stood back against the dining room wall and stared at the room. Em and Rei were talking. El Patr?n seemed more relaxed than I’d ever seen him. He had Jorge in his arms as he talked with Andrés and Nick’s father, Nicolas. Mia was helping Viviana prepare dessert in the kitchen. Valentina and Nicolas’s wife, Maria, were sitting at the kitchen island with glasses of wine. Liliana was deep in conversation with Sofia and Sofia’s cousin Mireya.
I hoped they’d work things out.
When I turned to the pool deck, I saw Jasmine sitting by herself in one of the outdoor chairs. I walked toward her. “Do you mind if I sit out here?”
Her blue eyes met mine. “I don’t mind.”
“Are you all right? I mean, you’re by yourself.”
“I’m good,” she said. “I’m processing news about someone and…” She inhaled. “I’m sorry if I’m not festive.”
I tried a different subject. “Is it true? Em told me that you and Rei are expecting.”
Her cheeks turned as red as her hair and her smile grew. “We are. I’m just out of the first trimester. Catalina tells me the nausea will get better.”
I scrunched my nose. “That doesn’t sound fun.” I took a breath. “You know, coming out here—to San Diego—has opened my eyes to a lot of things.”
She looked out over the ocean. “Yeah, it’s beautiful out here.”
“I’m sorry for the way I’ve treated you,” I blurted out.
Jasmine turned to me. “Don’t be.”
“I am. I’ve learned that not everything I was told was true.” I leaned back. “Honestly, I feel like my whole life has been a lie.” I turned to her. “You don’t have to forgive me. You probably shouldn’t. I just wanted to tell you that we were mean.” I inhaled. “I was mean. It was wrong.”
She smiled as Rei came and stood beside her chair.
“Is everything all right out here?” he asked.
Jasmine nodded and looked up at him. The love I saw in both their gazes made me hope that was how Em and I appeared.
“Catching up is all,” she said.
He leaned down and kissed her lips. “Mia is getting the dessert ready. It’s flan.”
“Flan,” I said. “Liliana told me about that.”
Jasmine stood. “It’s the best. I don’t even care if the sugar gives me heartburn.”
“Does sugar give heartburn?”
She laughed. “Everything gives me heartburn.”
Em reached for my hand as we entered the living room. Tugging me toward him, he leaned down and kissed my lips. “I can do that anytime I want,” he whispered.
“ Sí, jefe , anytime.”
His eyes sparkled as he curled his lips into a menacing smile.