“Yes they are!” She slammed her fist on my chest, but it didn’t move me a single inch. She was losing control.
“What’s Chiara’s favorite food?” I asked her, my voice low. She froze, her eyes narrowing on me. “What’s Cardo’s favorite class in school?” I pushed closer to her, feeling a trickle of blood sliding down my cheek from her scratch. “What’s my wife’s name?”
She opened her mouth, her eyes clearing the longer I spoke. The real person inside her was coming to the forefront, taking over the monster who occupied her most of the time. She didn’t appear often, but when she did, I savored it.
“You’re not taking them away from me,” she said, her voice calmer now.
I lifted my arm, waving at the apartment. “I already have. We’ve been gone a month and you still don’t get it.” I let her arm go, but neither of us moved. “We’re not coming back.” Pulling in a breath again, I held the papers up. “Sign them. I’m taking your responsibilities off you. You’ll be free.”
Her throat bobbed as she swallowed, her attention moving to the papers between us. “Ten,” she murmured, the monster storming its way back to the front. “Ten grand and they’re yours.”
I jerked back, sure I wasn’t hearing her right. “What?”
“You heard me.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Ten grand and you can keep the little shits.” She laughed manically. “You think I want them?” Her lips pursed. “I never wanted them. I never wanted you.” She pointed her finger at my chest, the small move causing more harm than any of her other hits ever had. She’d locked me in a cupboard for hours at a time when I was Cardo’s age. She’d left me without food for days. She’d let strangers into the house. She’d acted like I didn’t exist. So it shouldn’t have been a surprise to me. “You’re just like him.” She spat the final word out, disgust clear across her face. “Always wanting to do the right thing.” She sneered. “I hate you. I hate all of you.”
“Then sign the damn papers!” I shouted.
“Not until you get me my money.” She twirled around, strolled around the sofa, and didn’t look back at me as she left the room.
She wanted ten grand. I scraped my hand down my face. Of course she wanted money. That was all she’d ever wanted from me. But if it meant we’d finally be free of her, then I’d do it without a second thought.
So I stormed out of the apartment, drove right to the bank, and to the manager who handled all of the organizations money. His eyes widened when he saw me. We always made appointments after hours, but today was an emergency.
“Ten thousand out of my personal account,” I told him, tapping his desk. “Make it quick.”
“Of course, Mr. Caputo.” He stood, knocking several items over with his jerky movements. “I’ll put that through for you now.” He clicked some buttons on his keyboard, and it was only then I realized I was still holding the papers in my hand. I opened them up as the manager practically ran behind the cashier’s counter, and read them over, like I hadn’t already done it a thousand times.
Once she’d signed these papers, she’d no longer have any parental rights. She was handing the kids over to me, making them officially mine. It was the final step. A step I wouldn’t fall down. A step that would end all of the turmoil we’d been through.
“Mr. Caputo?” I glanced up at the manager. He held a zipped up dark-gray bag. “I have your money.” He handed it to me, his hand shaking. “Is there anything else I can help you with?”
“No.” I nodded in thanks. “See you.”
I didn’t say another word as I walked out of there, trying not to go too fast. I was eager to get back to the apartment, but the last thing I needed was to be seen running out of a bank.
It took ten minutes to get back to the apartment, and when I barged inside, a man was sitting on the sofa. “Get out,” I barked, pulling my gun off my waistband. I wasn’t fuckin’ about any longer. I needed to get this over and done with, and this guy who was clearly drunk as a skunk wasn’t going to stand in my way.
“Who the hell are you?” he slurred, standing and using the back of the sofa to keep him upright.
“I’m your worst goddamn nightmare if you don’t get out within the next three seconds.” I jerked my hand, bringing his attention to the gun. “Now, get the fuck out.”
“Alright, alright, man. Calm down.” He raised his hands, stumbling along the wall as he left the apartment like his ass was on fire. It was amazing the power a gun had. But I never pulled it on anyone unless I had the intention of pulling the trigger, and the way I was feeling right then, the temptation was too fuckin’ strong. So I stowed it away, feeling eyes burning on my back.
“Here.” I turned to face her, holding the bag of money in the air. I pulled the zip open, letting her see all of the cash. “Now sign them.” I slapped the papers on the table where me, Cardo, and Chiara had eaten all of our meals. I placed a pen on top of them, waiting for her to step forward, but her gaze was latched to the money. “You get it when you’ve signed,” I told her.
She jumped forward, grasping the pen, and signed on the dotted line without a word, not a single emotion flickering across her face. She was right, she really didn’t care about us.
I picked the papers up, making sure she’d signed everywhere she needed to. “It’s all yours.” I dropped the bag on the table, sneering at her as she dived for it. She’d waste it within months, but I wouldn’t be here to see it. To watch her destroy herself more than she already had.
She greedily pulled the money out, licking her lips at the sight of it. I shook my head, feeling sick to my stomach. She’d just sold her kids. Fuck. My anger rolled through me like a living breathing thing, and I knew I had to get out of here. I couldn’t stay in this apartment for a second longer.
I opened my mouth to say bye, but watching her sigh as she placed the cash next to her face had me leaving silently. My feet carried me to the door, I pulled it open, took one final look at the apartment, knowing I would never be back here, and left.
Stowing the documents in my inside pocket of my jacket, I walked over to my SUV, stopping at the sight of a man pacing in front of it. I halted, my hand moving toward my gun. People around here knew exactly who I was, but that didn’t mean people didn’t take chances. For all I knew, my mom had told someone that I was bringing her money.
“What do you want?” I ground out. It wasn’t even 11 a.m. yet and I was already done for the day.
He jerked, his foot slipping from beneath him, but he caught himself at the last second. His murky eyes met mine and I pulled in a breath. I’d know those eyes anywhere.
“I…” He held his hands up, taking a step toward me. “I just wanted to talk.” His gaze flicked around the lot and up to the apartments. “I saw you.” I raised a brow, my hand not moving from near my gun. I had no idea if he was going to pull something. “I saw you take her away.” He gulped, his fear clear to see, but so was his determination. “You have my daughter.”
“Luna,” I whispered, my hand dropping.
“I…Is she okay?” His voice broke. “Stan said that you’re in the mafia.” His eyes widened. “Is she safe? Is she—”
“She’s safe,” I told him, tilting my head to the side. He wasn’t strung out, if anything, it looked like he was clean. “You’re worried about her?” I asked.
“Yeah.” He pushed his hand through his too long hair. “I never wanted this. I never…” He blew out an audible breath. “I just wanted us to stay a family.”
I wasn’t sure what he was trying to tell me, but it was clear he cared about Luna. Addiction was a disease, I knew that better than anyone. But after just having walked away from someone who hadn’t given a flying fuck what happened to her kids, this was…refreshing.
“Are you clean?” I asked, not beating around the bush.
“I haven’t used since last night,” he said, wincing at the fact. “But I want to be clean.”
He wanted to be clean. I’d offered a woman help w
ho’d never tried to get sober, but here Luna’s dad was, telling me he wanted it.
“And your wife?” I asked, my gaze moving to their apartment door. I’d seen the state it had been in the day I’d gone in there to get Luna’s things. It was bare, the only thing of any worth the drugs they’d left lying around.
“She…” He licked his lips, his attention moving to the apartment door too. “She…I can’t do it anymore.” His face dropped, his anguish clear for me to see. “I just want to make sure my daughter is okay.”
“She’s okay.” I took a slow step toward him. “I married her.”
His head snapped around, his wide eyes focusing on me. “You married her?”
“Yeah.” I shrugged. “She needed me.” It was only three words, but I knew they’d impact him, and I was right. His shoulders drooped, his body swaying to the left. “I can help you.”
“Help me?”
I cracked my neck. I’d offered my own worthless mother something, and now I was about to do the same with Luna’s dad. It was only fair. “Rehab.” I paused, taking in his expression. “I’ll pay for the best rehab facility you could ever ask for.” His chest heaved, his hope washing over him. “But there’s one condition.” I waited for him to stare back in my eyes. “You do it alone. It’s the only way it’ll work.”
“But…” He turned his entire body to face the apartment building now, and when I looked up, I saw the singular woman standing in front of their door, staring down at us. Luna’s mom. This was where her dad would turn me down and walk up there, turning his back on Luna yet again.
The lure was too much, I’d solidified that fact as I moved around him, heading to the driver’s side. I’d offered, and that was all I could do. But there had to come a time when you stopped.
“Okay,” he croaked out as I pulled my door open. He didn’t look away from Luna’s mom. “I’ll get clean,” he told me. “Alone.” His breath stuttered out of him, his shoulders pushing back, and then he turned to face me. “I want my daughter back.”
“Get in,” I told him. “And I’ll take you there right now.” It was the truth, but it was also a test. Addicts always wanted one last hit, one more time before they told themselves they’d give it up forever. I didn’t know what to expect from him, but when he opened the passenger door and slid inside, I hoped this would be the final time he’d have to make this decision, not just for Luna, but for himself too.
I pushed into the SUV, staring up at the apartment as Luna’s mom stared down at us. She shook her head, turned, and walked into the apartment.
“Can we go?” Luna’s dad asked. “I want to get the hell out of here.”
“You ain’t gotta tell me twice,” I said, trying to keep my voice light. I started the engine, pulled away from the building, and prayed that this wouldn’t backfire on me.
CHAPTER 15
LUNA
I lined up all of the boxes on the countertop in front of the breakfast bar stools. I’d chosen all the high sugar ones, knowing it was exactly what Cardo would want. I’d hung banners saying Happy Birthday around the house and blew up at least forty balloons. New bowls and spoons stood in front of the cereal boxes, and now all I had to do was wait for everyone to wake up.
Chewing down on my bottom lip, I wondered if I’d done the right thing. I hadn’t asked Mateo if he had anything planned, but I knew what he’d gotten him for his birthday, and I couldn’t wait to see Cardo’s face when he saw it.
“Luna?” I turned, my heart racing at the sight of Mateo in the kitchen doorway wearing only a pair of sweatpants low on his hips. “What are you doing?”
“Setting up my surprise,” I told him, glancing back at the cereals. It was a small thing, I just hoped he liked them.
“Cereals?” he asked, frowning as he padded over to me. He didn’t hesitate in wrapping his arms around me, and those butterflies that were always there when Mateo was around took flight. “Is this for Cardo, or you?”
I chuckled. “Both of us?” I shrugged.
“He’s gonna love it.” He pressed a kiss to the side of my jaw, trailing down my neck and to my collarbone. “Do you think?”
“I know,” he murmured, kissing under my ear then pulling back to look at my face.
“I hope so—”
“The birthday boy is awake!” Cardo shouted from upstairs. “Chiara, come on, wake up!” Footsteps banged over us as he ran into Chiara’s room.
“I’m sleeping!” Chiara shouted back.
“No time for sleeping, little sister.” We both listened intently, grins spreading over our faces. “Let’s go, I’m eight now, you have to listen to me.”
I couldn’t hear what she said back, but a few seconds later, two sets of footsteps echoed down the stairs, and then they appeared. Cardo already bouncing off the walls, but Chiara was still half asleep.
“Happy birthday!” I shouted, pulling out of Mateo’s hold. Any other time I would have stayed between his arms for as long as possible, but today was about Cardo. It was about making sure he had the best birthday.
He gasped as I moved to the side. “Is that cereals?” He ran toward me but veered to the left to see them all. He climbed on one of the breakfast bar stools, staring at them with wide eyes. “There’s so many.”
“You did say you wanted to watch cartoons and eat cereal to celebrate.” I shrugged, remembering one of the first conversations I’d had with him. I never would have guessed that we’d be here now though. So much had changed since I’d first met Cardo, and even though some of it was bad, I couldn’t deny how happy I was surrounded by the kids and Mateo.
“Can we eat it all day?” Cardo asked.
I turned to face Mateo, nearly melting at the sight of him hold Chiara, her head on his chest, her sleepy eyes begging to close again. “Can we?” I asked him.
His lips lifted into a small smile. “It’s up to you, darlin’.” He placed a kiss on my lips. “You decide.”
My heart hammered in my chest at his words. He was telling me more than just what he’d spoken, and the way his eyes twinkled at me, he knew what he was doing. He was giving me power in our relationship, securing my place within the family.
“Yes,” I said, turning around to face Cardo. “All. Day. Long.”
His eyes widened, his mouth fully open in shock. It only took him two seconds to snap out of it though and grab as many cereal boxes as he could. “Let’s go!” He ran out of the kitchen and I scooped up the rest of the cereal boxes as Mateo got the bowls and milk, balancing all of it while still holding Chiara expertly against his chest. She’d woken up fully now though, so was watching us with eager eyes.
“Can I eat cereals all day too?” she asked, her sweet voice melting my heart.
“Of course you can.” I winked at her. “This is gonna be the best day ever.”
“No way!” Cardo shouted from the living room. Crashing boxes echoed toward us, and two seconds later he reappeared in the hallway, whizzing toward us on his new bike. “You got me a bike!”
His excitement may have been too much for anyone else to handle, but we all knew the significance of today. It was the first birthday in this house. The first birthday where we were all free from our parents. The first birthday we could celebrate in the way we’d always wanted to.
He peddled around the kitchen, knocking one of the chairs at the dining table over, but that didn’t stop him riding as fast as he could out of the kitchen and down the hallway to the front door.
“This is the best birthday, ever!” He fist bumped the air as his front tire hit the door, his laughter filling the house. “Chiara, come look at my bike.”
She wiggled out of Mateo’s hold, and he placed her on the floor. Her little feet pitter pattered down the hallway, her excitement mixing with Cardo’s.
“I think we did good,” Mateo said, coming to stand next to me. All of the cereal supplies were still in our arms, the grins on our faces showing how happy we both were.
I turned to face him, feeling
the dip in my stomach at the sight of his side profile. I didn’t think he knew how amazing he was. He was the glue that held us altogether, and I knew we would never be able to survive without him.
He’d looked after his brother and sister, taking on the responsibility of them from a young age.
He’d stepped in to save me from his boss—the man who was like family to him.
He’d married me to keep me from harm.
And in that moment, I knew.
I knew how I felt.
If it had been anyone else that did what he did, I would have run far away. I would have escaped and lived a life constantly looking over my shoulder.
But it hadn’t been anyone else. It was him. Mateo. The man who had made me fall in love with him the moment he stepped out of his SUV on that first day at the apartment building.
“I love you,” I confessed.
The grin on his face wavered and he turned slowly, looking at me head one. I didn’t expect to hear it back. I didn’t want him to say it just because I had. I just needed him to know how I felt.
“Luna…” He placed the milk and bowls back on the counter.
“You don’t have to say it back.” I glanced away. Cardo and Chiara were riding up and down the hallway, wrapped up in their own little bubble. “I just...” I bit down on my bottom lip, letting the cereal boxes go as he took them from my arms. “I just needed you to know how I felt.”
“Darlin’.” He stretched the word out, making me shiver as he clasped my chin with his thumb and finger. “Say it again.”
I swallowed, counting to three before I met his gaze. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” He pressed his chest against mine. “So fuckin’ much.” His eyes darkened, swirling with emotions. “I kept trying to hold myself back. I pushed you away and pulled you closer, only to push you away again.” He shook his head. “But it was because deep down, I knew.” He placed his forehead against mine. “I knew I loved you the moment I saw you sitting on that damn curb with my brother and sister.”
Mateo Caputo: Unseen Underground Page 17
