by Piper Stone
The esteemed Council seats had been upped to seven. Always an odd number. Always the most merciless, men and their firstborn sons who would continue to wield their wrath without conscience.
His grin widened. “You have been paying attention and you know I’m not opposed to altering rules if necessary.”
“Uh-huh, you only do so if there is a motive behind your decision. By the way, it’s my business to know everything that’s going on within the Sacred Sect.” The single twitch crossing my brother’s mouth drew my instant attention. He’d been keeping secrets from me. “What is the problem?”
“The unrest is regarding the disbanded use of the Box.”
Exhaling, I studied his eyes. My brother had never liked the old ways, the use of a cult-like religion in order to facilitate arranged marriages and merged corporations disgusting him. When the man who’d been responsible for maintaining the integrity of the ancient and barbaric tradition had been found altering the outcome for his own benefit, the community had almost crumbled to the ground.
Sadly, that had been my true father, a man of the cloth. I hadn’t wept a single tear at his passing, nor had I attended his funeral. His last dying words had damned me for life. I would never be free of the toxic stain of my true heritage. I’d never sought proof that what he’d told me was the truth, including talking to my mother. It would destroy her if she realized I’d been told.
At least the arbitrary rituals, including use of the Box, had been questioned, the majority tossed out.
Both Christian and I had been thrilled to throw out the ridiculous concept. Daughters within the community required to open a locked wooden box on their twenty-fourth birthday, the unknown contents placed inside on the day of their christening. While various promises had been made over the years, Christian and I had realized the entire process had been orchestrated. The Box contained whatever the Council had wanted. Whether money, land, stocks from an outside company or the hand in marriage of an eligible bachelor from within the sect or on rare occasion to an outsider, everything had been planned. The ritual was sacred, a beautiful hallowed experience that so many adored.
Fuck that shit. It was sick and twisted.
Thank God the ritual had been banned.
Or had it?
My instincts were kicking in, my brother’s attitude questionable. “Meaning?” I asked, studying him intently. The hesitation before he answered raised my hackles.
“Every one of the three remaining families refuses to take the honored position unless use of the Box is brought back,” he stated as if the concept was no big deal.
I snorted, waiting for the punchline. “You are kidding me.”
“I wish I were. As you might imagine, the unrest is getting difficult to manage. The Council had to make difficult changes. You know what’s at stake.”
If I had to read between the lines, I’d say my brother meant there’d been recent threats to expose the community for what we really were, including the lengths that had been used in order to secure positions in the upper echelon of society. That couldn’t happen. We would all be ruined.
“Who is making the threats? The Don of the Taglionis?” I asked casually, studying him as I took a swig of my scotch.
“Maybe the question is who hasn’t threatened our way of life, although there is some pressure being placed on certain government officials by the Taglionis. I am concerned they are prepared to make a move. Let me worry about that.” He lifted a single eyebrow, obviously not predisposed to discussing at this point; however, I could tell he’d lost sleep over whatever duress he’d been placed under.
“All right. Have it your way. Then what are you going to do?” I asked, another instinct kicking in. He didn’t come here looking for my advice. This was nothing more than a formality. Decisions had already been made. Anger swelled from deep within me, the kind that hadn’t surfaced in months.
“The Council approved returning to the ritual. That won’t solve every concern, but it will certainly go a long way in advancing our future.”
I allowed the information to sink in. While the decision must have been hard on my brother, I thought he was stronger than to fall prey to the old ways. I also didn’t think the remaining two Council members had a set of balls. I guess I was wrong.
“Wait a minute. I thought the Boxes had been destroyed.” Although they could have easily been recreated, the thought sickened me. When he didn’t say anything, I slammed my glass on the table, the fury erupting. He’d been keeping this secret from me for some time. “You lied to me, Christian.”
“It’s my duty to maintain our way of life. You know as well as I do what’s at stake for two hundred and twenty-two families. I made a choice to secure the Boxes in a secret location, but yes, I kept them. I had to.”
“Had to? That’s bullshit and you know it. You wanted them burned. You.”
Christian looked uncomfortable, which told me that he was hiding more than just an ugly lie. I was finished with being kept in the dark.
“My God. More secrets, Christian. You’re a fucking bastard. I didn’t realize during this last few months that you turned into one of them.” Like father, like son. The thought left a bad taste in my mouth. Was I any better?
“We are two of a kind, brother. Don’t kid yourself. You have no issue enjoying the fruits of our father’s labor. Cars. Boats. That expensive house you live in. Where the fuck do you think they came from?” He lifted his glass, daring me to say otherwise.
“You’re right. We are alike, dear brother. Damned.” To his credit, after the pact made between Christian, his wife, and me on the day of Father McGivney’s deathbed announcement, he’d never brought it up again. It was our secret, a blood oath between family.
I felt the noose tightening.
He clenched his jaw, his gaze falling from my face to my chest. I’d never seen him frazzled but he was damn close. “Then so be it, but I refuse to allow outsiders to undermine our hard work. The only way is to keep the chains firmly locked around the proverbial doors of our community.”
The man wanted something else, not just my approval of his actions. I took a deep breath, calming my anger. There was more going on here than simple threats. “Why are you here?”
He took a sip of his drink, inching closer to my desk. “I need your support. The first ritual may be... difficult.”
“Difficult. That means the woman selected is clueless. Who is the poor girl required to face her destiny?”
“Winter O’Brien.”
The name didn’t register at first, but I already felt sorry for her. If the collection of Boxes had been left untouched from before, her entire life was about to change, everything she’d cherished up to this point gone. Then I realized who her father was in relation to the community and the very reason the O’Briens had been allowed to join the sect.
The O’Briens not only had strong family ties to the New York police and fire departments, senators and judges, they were also connected to the Irish mafia, at least according to certain speculation. How fucking astute. If the Taglionis had threatened people who were under the care and protection of the sect, what better way to defuse the issue?
Or have it explode?
Either way, this would be just another calculated layer of protection for the sect and the community as a whole. I wasn’t in the mood to take this big of a gamble.
“What do you need from me, a jolly good fellow pat on the back? While a brilliant tactic, that’s not going to happen.”
He walked closer, the coldness of his eyes almost startling. “I need you at the party tomorrow night, Matteo. We must show a force of solidarity. Everyone in the sect looks up to the Capodanno family.”
I laughed. My God. The man was more power hungry than I’d realized. “Not a chance in hell. I’m not going to sit by and pretend this ridiculous cult-like sacrament is anything but what it is, a fucking lie. I don’t give a shit if you coerce another arranged marriage, but I want no part of it.”
“You once bel
ieved in that fucking lie, Matteo. You even encouraged me to follow through with our father’s wishes in marrying Stephanie. You called it our legacy.”
“That was before the discovery of Father McGivney’s hidden regime, his cover-up and betrayal only equal to the blood that’s been shed over the years given he was responsible for several deaths. The secrets and lies that had involved several members of our prominent group left a permanent bitter taste in my mouth. I accepted your job offer, Christian, and I am restoring the finances of the sect, but I will never participate in the bullshit again.” I’d always been known as the level-headed brother, kind and forgiving. That part of me was gone, finished.
“Whether or not Joseph McGivney almost fucked up our regime can no longer matter. He’s dead and buried. We have new difficulties to face, enemies who will stop at nothing to crush us.”
I remained concerned that Christian had taken the patriarch position within the Council, but without his leadership, the entire Sacred Sect would have imploded. While I’d pushed the ugliness aside, the truth always surfaced, claws ready to drag us into purgatory. All the wealth and power couldn’t have protected a single member of the community if the Council hadn’t resumed its power. They’d been lucky to do so given the death of one member, the resignation of two others, including our... father. Hissing, I knew he was right. There were far too many on both sides of the law who would stop at nothing to cut off our source of power.
“This is such bullshit,” I managed.
“You are required to come, Matteo,” he countered. “You will follow the rules as mandated by the Council.”
I put the drink on my desk, studying him intently. “I have no problem backing you on various decisions, but I’m not playing this game, Christian.”
“You will because it’s your duty!” he snapped, immediately sucking in his breath, the tension between us palpable. “Family honor. That is still important no matter what happened in the past. We must carry on as Capodannos. We are powerful. We must control.”
“We? Don’t you mean you are? You’re calling the shots, changing the rules to suit your needs, not mine.”
He snarled, fisting his hand. “Don’t you dare pretend you don’t enjoy the spoils of the sect. I knew better, brother. You revel in the money and the clout, the influence you couldn’t have if you weren’t a Capodanno.”
“Fuck. You. Get the hell out of my office.” I glared at him, angrier than I’d been in a long time. “Now!” Maybe the past creeping back in was still far too difficult, the ghosts yet to be exorcised. I turned away on purpose, dismissing him.
I heard the hard slam of his glass on my desk, the angry growl Christian emitted as he stormed toward the door. I also heard his heavy breathing as he attempted to regain control of his emotions.
“I’ve done some horrible things in my life, Matteo. Every member of this community has, including you, but in order to continue on with our way of life, we have to heal. We must regain control. There are too many others who are attempting to break us. I refuse to allow that to happen. Stand with me. Work by my side as you have all these months. We all must do our part, or not only will the sect be destroyed, a significant number of us will end up in prison. Or dead.”
I shifted in order to see him.
He turned to face me, an anguished look on his face.
“And that includes you, brother.”
“You’re a bastard, Christian.”
“You knew that all along. I have no choice and neither do you. The secrets must remain intact.”
“What aren’t you telling me?”
I’d seen many emotions in my brother before, his contempt for rules and hypocrisy well known in our family. He’d been the black sheep while I’d played by the regulations as set forth by the Council. He’d been the one dispelling the old traditions, the dangerous methods used in order to keep our way of life. I’d understood the requirements, even touting them to anyone in our community who would listen.
The tide had turned one hundred and eighty degrees. What I witnessed in his face was something I’d never seen before and it had nothing to do with money.
He was afraid of losing his life with his beloved bride. He was also afraid of dying. What in the fuck was going on? Whether or not he had intentions of sharing his deep concerns I couldn’t be certain, but that wasn’t going to happen today.
“Please be at the ceremony tomorrow night. If all goes well, use of the Box will never happen again,” Christian stated with authority, the blip of fear completely gone.
A promise made in a world full of lies.
A cold chill shifted through me, a knowing that would haunt me for the rest of my life. I was being used as a pawn; my happiness traded for helping to keep the sect’s secrets. There would be nothing I could do.
For now.
But I would hunt down the person or group responsible for jeopardizing our world.
And they would pay.
Chapter Three
Winter
Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday, stupid girl...
I laughed as I glared out the window of the plane, almost able to catch a glimpse of the choppy ocean waters below.
Florida.
I missed the wonderful location already. The sun. The beaches. The gorgeous men. Sighing, I leaned back in my seat, the splash of sun on my face creating an actual shiver coursing down my spine. It happened on the few occasions I neared the shores of New York. I could be basking on the sandy white beaches of Tampa, drinking a frothy beverage, searching for my own private pool boy.
Instead, I was on my way to see my parents. Not my idea of a good time for my birthday. While I hadn’t seen them in almost three years, their insistence that I come for a special celebration created a wave of uncertainty dancing throughout my mind. The nagging remained, creating nightmares. My stomach was sick from the thought.
A ritual.
A requirement.
The Sacred Sect.
The words had remained in the forefront of my brain, keeping me on edge. I didn’t want to believe their urgent request had anything to do with the old ways. The ridiculous rules hadn’t been mentioned in years. Maybe it was time I embraced the fact I was their only child and they were getting older. Even missing me.
Maybe you’re out of your mind.
Don’t go. Don’t do it.
The little voice had been screaming the words since leaving Tampa International Airport.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we are on our final approach to Long Island MacArthur Airport. Please make certain your tray tables are back in position and your seats upright. As always, thank you for flying Southwest Airlines.”
The rumbling deep baritone of the pilot was the voice of fantasies; a gorgeous buff man strolling down a pristine white beach, his long blond hair flowing in the warm summer sun. Sighing, I adjusted my seatbelt, realizing that not having a boyfriend for almost two years hadn’t done my libido any good.
At least I had a few days off after a grueling few months. I loved my job as a nurse, my career more important than dating or even spending time with my girlfriends, but a break was in order. I would keep my cool with my parents and if they had something up their sleeve, I’d simply leave and head back to my real world.
Not the fakeness that I’d grown up in.
I closed my eyes as the plane began its final descent. At least I could share news of my recent promotion with my parents. Hopefully, they’d be happy for a change instead of arguing with me about staying in New York. I grimaced as I remembered the last nasty conversation, including my proclamation that I’d never return home under any circumstances.
Never say never.
When the plane touched down, I held my breath, my hands white-knuckled on the armrests. I could only imagine what tonight would be like. Had they planned a stuffy event with their influential friends, perhaps attempting to entice me with introductions to various men? Or would they honor my request with a quiet dinner at h
ome?
If I knew my mother, a combination of both. She always did enjoy a frivolous party, as long as she wasn’t responsible for anything but the lavish plans. One night I could handle.
The worst part? The rain delay. The plane had been almost two hours late. I could just imagine the kind of wrath I’d receive.
I’d expected to see one or both of my parents waiting in the airport, not the arrogant and stuffy man in a staunch suit, his expression one of disdain. Roberto had never been one of my fans, his cold and indifferent attitude sparking more than a few words with my father. The choice of chauffeurs pissed me off. My mouth was dry, my head already aching and I’d yet to reach the house.
What troubled me even more was the short call Roberto made the moment he’d pulled away from the curb, the few words sending a chill down my spine.
“I have her secured.”
Secured. Images from the past flooded my mind, yanking me into the same darkness I’d experienced before. No. Roberto was their employee and had been for years. My parents were just too busy.
There were no weird turns, no strange cars flanking the SUV during the ride. Just silence.
As he pulled the car into my parents’ driveway, I leaned forward, glaring at the large white tent positioned on the side of the house filled with dozens of chairs and tables. There was also a huge catering truck near the front door, flowers positioned on either side. My parents knew how much I loathed parties and always had.
They’re lying to you. Leave. Get out now.
Breathe. You can do it, girl.
I didn’t bother asking Roberto what the hell was going on. Somehow, I knew he wouldn’t answer. Perhaps he’d been forbidden to share anything about the ugly festivities for the night.
This was another attempt at changing my mind, returning to the fold like a good little girl. Had they fallen back into the ways of the sect? They’d said almost nothing since the death of Father McGivney, although I knew my father had never considered him a man of the cloth. I’d asked my father why only once, the hard slap across my face my answer. There were so many ugly secrets hiding in dark corners. Another reason I’d left town as soon as possible.
