by Sienna Mynx
The call ended by Armando's hand with Mirabella still making her threats on the other end. Armando chuckled. He reclined in his chair, and his smile broadened. He was having so much fun.
Present -
"Careful, staring too long at that one could get a man killed."
Armando exhaled a long strand of smoke from his nose. Catalina danced to some raunchy rap song in the middle of the gyrating bodies of the young crowd. However, no one could steal her shine. She was the sexiest morsel in the entire place.
"Why are you here?" Mateo Benicia asked.
Armando cut his gaze over to his left. The Don, Mateo’s brother, now had to use a breathing mask to help him speak, courtesy of Giovanni. Like the unruly dogs of the Camorra, they still ate scraps from Giovanni's table after the show of disrespect to their individual clans.
"I could ask you the same thing," Armando said.
"I'm Camorra. You are not. That simple," he said.
"Nothing in our world is ever that simple. Hasn't Giovanni broken you into the rules yet?"
"Giovanni doesn't own me! Or make the rules. In fact, he isn't capo di tutti capi any longer. We gain more territory from day to day. He's in debt to half of the Campania for having us save his wife’s life."
Armando chuckled. "I may not be a fan of Giovanni's, but I'm not stupid enough to think that the freedom and gratitude he gives you today won't be the leash he hangs you with tomorrow. Good luck, Benicia," Armando said. He stepped away. Again his gaze cut across the party to where Giovanni sat with his Mirabella. Giovanni stared directly at him. Armando nodded out of respect and signaled to his men it was time to leave.
He'd seen enough.
***
The cake was taller than Eve, and it had sparklers for candles. Two people had to wheel it in. Catalina held Dominic's hand as she swayed to everyone once again singing the birthday song to her. Mirabella held Gianni, and Giovanni held Eve. Gino was in Nico's arms. The crowd applauded. The final part of the celebration occurred out on the terrace just as the night descended and covered the bay in darkness. The photographer snapped so many pictures Mirabella knew they would be perfect.
"Grazie! Thanks to everyone for coming!" Catalina said.
Mirabella accepted a large envelope from her event planner. She gave it to Catalina in front of the crowd. Catalina received it with a wide grin. She opened it to pull out a contract.
"What is this?"
"The deed to villa Claire. Giovanni and I bought it for you and Domi. As a birthday and early wedding gift. We'll decorate it however you want."
"Really? Really!" she screamed. She turned to Dominic. He nodded with a sly smile. “You knew didn’t you?”
“Happy birthday, beautiful,” he said.
"Oh, Domi!" Catalina attacked him with a hug and many kisses. She jumped up and down in her high heels. The fireworks exploded in the sky. The kids, all of them, began to scream at once. None of them seem impressed.
"Zia? Where is Cecilia?" Mirabella asked.
"I'm here, Donna," Cecilia said. She took a crying Gianni from her. "Poor Gianni, it's just the lights in the sky, honey,"
Mirabella smiled. Cecilia was so good with her children. Even better than Zia if possible. She knew them so well. Zia guided Eve away from her father by holding her hand. Gino didn't seem to be as distressed. In fact, his tears stopped, and he stared at the sky with frightened curiosity.
“Take them inside for some cake, Gio and I will be in shortly.”
“Maybe I should take them home, Mirabella. It’s getting late,” Zia said.
She smiled. She glanced over to Nico. She understood that Zia was exhausted. “Let them have some cake first, Zia. I promised the kids. And then the men can take you home.”
The kids were led away. Giovanni took hold of her wrist with gentle authority. He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it. She smiled as he drew her into his embrace and turned her so she could face the beautiful flashing light display in the sky. All of their guests were outside with their drinks in hand enjoying the fireworks. The DJ turned up the volume of the music that Catalina and Dominic loved. She glanced to Catalina. Her sister-in-law swayed in his arms as he held her from behind. They too stared up at the sky.
“This dress, you wore it for me?” Giovanni whispered in her ear.
"You noticed," she smiled.
"Every man here noticed," he said.
"And that upsets you?" she asked.
"You trying to upset me?" he asked.
She turned and lifted her arms up to his neck. She brought his head down to her lips and kissed him. Giovanni's embrace tightened. He didn't care that others saw them. In fact, she knew he wanted them to. Mirabella knew so many speculated on their marriage since the kidnapping. It was an important message to send. Within that kiss, a deep feeling of peace entered her being. After all she'd been through Mirabella should fear a man being obsessive or possessive about their love. With Giovanni it was the opposite. His killer nature made her feel safe.
Her lips parted his and she stared up into his eyes. “Where have you been? Last night you left, and this morning you barely had time for breakfast.”
“I’m here now,” he told her.
“Are you still worried about me?” she asked.
He frowned. “Why would you ask that?”
“The nightmares, the...”
The last of her words were smothered on his lips. He kissed her again. She couldn’t hide her body’s reaction much longer. So she pushed back from him. “Gio, people are staring.”
“I can kiss my wife,” he touched her face. His finger trailed down her temple and then slid sensually down her arm. Another explosion erupted behind her. The loudest and brightest of them all. It was as if cannons were fired toward the sky. Mirabella glanced back and laughed. The guests applauded.
“We have to get the kids out of here. They aren’t going to like this.”
Before she could object, he pulled her away from the celebration. She came with him and walked at his side holding his hand. He glanced over to her and winked. He kept going through the guests that were dining. Though several called to him to have a moment to speak, he ignored them. Earlier when he arrived his eyes were on her. She didn't miss his obvious examination and approval. The dress, the haircut, all of it was her attempt to draw his attention. Her motives were not as pure as she would like them to be. She carried the shame and scars from dreams of him being compared to Kei. She wished she could tell him about the dreams. Maybe she should.
“How do you feel?” he asked when they entered a hall that separated them from the guests.
“I’m fine. I am.”
“You sure? You know you can talk to me, Bella. We can see the doctors. They say..."
“No more doctors. The headaches and vomiting are over. I barely feel the muscle spasms anymore. They said that I’m healthy. I am. Or didn’t you notice last night?” she answered quickly over her beating heart.
He paused. She crossed her arms over her breasts and stared up at him. She could only see the rich outlines of his muscular physique in the dark hall. His black suit blended in with the shadows. The diamond tie-pin gleamed as did the diamond watch on his wrist. His ruggedly handsome face was vaguely clear.
Giovanni spoke in an odd yet gentle tone. “What I notice is every time you wake screaming and in pain, you’d rather have sex than tell me what frightens you.”
Shocked her mouth gaped. “I do not.”
“You do, Bella. You’re trying too hard to convince me that you’re perfect. I know you’re perfect,” he reached and touched her face. “The perfect wife, the perfect mother, the perfect Donna. But you’re human, too.”
His voice was calm and his gaze steady. She could not hide from him.
“The haircut. The dress. The party. You want to give us everything, but you need something. And I don’t know what it is.”
"Okay! I give up! You caught me. I'm a mess. And I'm a fraud. I need to get back to my guest
s." She turned to leave, but he caught her arm and stopped her.
“Why are you mad at me?”
“Because it’s a beautiful night. The first night in a long time where we can just have fun and relax. And you’re a hypocrite!”
“I’m what?” he let her arm go.
“You heard me. Those people out there. Those guests all know what he did to me. That I was kidnapped and drugged. It's the first time I'm out in public, and I need to make a good impression for you, not for me. I have to show them I'm still the confident woman you married.”
“How does that make me a hypocrite?”
"You want me to be vulnerable, and you expect me to be strong. You want me to open up about the deepest pain I carry right now, and you can barely tell me where you disappear to in the middle of the night. Yes, I get it, there are rules in this life and our marriage, but you can’t have secrets and expect me not to!”
“Bella? I want to help you. I love you.”
“So making love is a problem? I thought last night was fun," she wiped her tears.
He shook his head.
“You misunderstood me. I only want to make sure I’m the kind of husband that you deserve.” He took her hand and pulled her over. “Making love is never a problem. I just want you to know that I’m here for you. And I can feel when something is wrong.”
She put on a brave smile. “I’m fine. I swear it.”
“Va bene,” he kissed her hand. “Let’s go back to your party.”
“Are you going to stay? All night? See the last guest leave?” she asked.
He nodded.
Mirabella sighed with relief. She eased her arm around his waist. “Then let’s go find the children and show them that Mama and Daddy are fine.”
Chapter Six
Danny Boy – Two Days Later
Sorrento, Italy –
It had been forty-eight hours since he returned home. The last time he saw his wife and kids was the birthday celebration for his sister. Mirabella was so beautiful to him that night it hurt to look at her. Several times he noticed the things only a husband can see. She wasn't well. No matter what she said. And then he had to leave her side, disappointing her once again.
Regret assailed him. Giovanni eased open the door to his bedroom. He stepped into the quiet as his vision adjusted to the shadows. His gaze fell upon the shapes covered by a quilt on his bed. He approached with his hands in his pockets. Bella slept with their children all around her. The kids wanted Mama more and more these days.
"Papa?" Eve said. "Papa!" His little girl gasped. "Where have you been?"
"Shhh," Giovanni put his finger to his lips to keep her from waking the family. The little girl with so much curly hair on her head that it nearly covered her face, sat up and grinned at him. She rubbed her eyes with her fists, and then lowered them to stare at him in the dark. Before he could suggest she go back to sleep, his lucciola scooted to the edge of the bed and dropped down to her feet. She hurried to him. Giovanni knelt and swept her up into his arms. Eve hugged his neck and rubbed the side of her face against his scruffy jaw. It was something she often did when she was a baby.
"Mama was crying today. In the bathroom. I hear her so I bring Gino and Gianni here. And we cheer her up," she said in a loud whisper. "Where have you been? We missed you."
"That was very good. Taking care of Mama for me." He kissed her brow and her nose.
"Is Mama okay?" Eve asked and moved her blondish-brown locks from her face to peer into her daddy's eyes. His daughter was quite wise for four years old. She often shocked him with her beauty and smarts.
"She's perfect. She's Mama." He walked around the bed. They stopped at Mirabella's side of the bed so they could both stare down at her.
"Look at her. Does she look okay to you?" he asked.
Eve nodded. "Yes. The best mommy in the whole wide world."
A soft chuckle escaped Giovanni.
"Can you do me a favor, lucciola?" he asked.
"Yes, Papa," she said.
"Stay here with Mama and make sure she is okay for me. And in the morning I will come for you. We will make her breakfast. Can you do that for Papa?"
Eve hugged his neck. "Don't go. Come to bed with us. Pleassseee."
"Another time. I promise." He squeezed her tighter to him and inhaled the lavender smell of the lotion her mother rubbed over her body after a bath. He drew so much strength from her tiny embrace.
"I'll take care of her, don't you worry," she said.
He set her down, and she took his hand. He walked her around the bed and helped her climb back on top before tucking her in. He moved Gino who lay horizontal instead of vertical and made all of his bambini comfortable. The final act of fatherly love was a kiss to each of their brows. Eve smiled and squeezed her doll to her as she closed her eyes. Giovanni stepped back. Bella didn't typically sleep this hard. His gaze switched to her. He sensed that she was awake but unwilling to interrupt their moment. Or maybe she just didn't want to talk to him after his absence. She had been pretty abrupt with him when he called home to check in. Giovanni walked around the bed to get closer to his wife. He leaned in and kissed her on the lips. She didn't stir. He touched her hair. He resisted forcing her to acknowledge him. Instead, he went to his closet. He located a suit and found some fresh things to change into. He left the room as quietly as he arrived.
Downstairs Umberto and two of his men greeted him. The men were riled with tension to have the boss home again. Some wanted attention. Others wanted a promotion. Every one of them wanted to be someone Giovanni saw and remembered, to advance their own career goals within the family.
There was business, scores to settle, debts to be paid to and from the Battaglias. Everyone wanted to collect. Some whispered that he was losing his grip as the powerful boss of the Camorra. He heard those whispers. Politicians and clan bosses had all parted the Red Sea to help him dodge the inspector’s noose, and find his Bella when she was taken. He had to settle many favors.
When he entered villa Rosso, he was surprised to find that Dominic waited for him in his office.
"What are you doing here?" he asked. "Shouldn't you be with your fiancée?"
"We need to speak. I knew you'd return eventually, so I waited."
"For two days? Here?" Giovanni gave a bitter chuckle.
"You know what I mean, Gio."
"Go to bed. We'll meet when I want to meet," Giovanni grumbled and tossed his clothes and shoes to the desk in his office.
"No. We'll meet now, Gio. And you will listen to me!"
"Don't push me," Giovanni paced.
"You are the one doing all of the pushing, Gio. You've pushed us all away. Lorenzo can barely get ten minutes of your time. I'm your consigliere, and I get even less than your wife!" Dominic shouted at him.
Giovanni pulled his gun from his waist and sat at the coffee table. Dominic sounded like a jilted lover rather than a concerned consigliere.
"I'm not your father, Domi. I don't owe you any fucking thing. If I'm away, it's because I have to be."
“Away? Away where? It's me. Your brother. You can't keep me out.”
“I’m doing what I have to do.”
“What does that mean? You take meetings without the cover of your men. You leave here in the middle of the night, and no one knows where you go. You are putting yourself, this family, and our business at risk. I am out there trying to clean up the messy trail you and Armando left behind after the kidnapping. I need you, Gio," Dominic took a step. "But guess what? You need me too!"
“I need you?” Giovanni sat forward. His gaze narrowed on Dominic. “What the fuck do I need you for? To question me? To complain more than my fucking wife and kids!”
Dominic puffed out his chest a little and held his ground.
"Do you understand what she’s been through? None of you know the toll it’s taken on her and me. He poisoned her. He pumped her with fucking poison! She could have died."
"She's not dead," Dominic said. He ap
proached. “You saved her.”
“I know. I saved her. I did it alone. Remember?”
“That’s not true.”
“Get out, I came here to be alone.”
“No! Have me thrown out or listen to what I have to say.”
Giovanni dropped back on the sofa seat and slumped down. A headache he carried most of the day now throbbed in his temples. Bella had her nightmares, and so did he. He’d felt alone in this war to save his wife from the dark events of the past since the day he found her on the bathroom floor suffering one of her many seizures. Every bone in him felt broken. Every tendon in him felt ripped. He bled internally with such grief he choked on the invisible sob clogging his throat. He squeezed his eyes and tears formed, but none of them were brave enough to drop. Not because he was above crying. He didn't cry for her because that would be the final sign of defeat, and he would not allow himself to give up.
"Listen to me. Listen, Gio," Dominic said. "I've met with her doctors. I had her medical file sent off to Sweden to get a third opinion. She isn't dying. Do you hear me? She isn't dying. The problem is far simpler than you realize."
Giovanni gaze shifted from the ceiling to his consigliere.
"What is it?"
"The seizures, the muscle spasms, the uncontrollable vomiting are concerning. I know, Catalina tells me these things. But the doctors believe the symptoms will stop. It's something she must endure."
"Endure? Is that what you think she's doing? Enduring? She’s doing what I do. She wears a mask. The one for the family and then the one you don’t see. The one she keeps even from me. She pretends to be okay, but I can see through it. Not the physical, the mental strain. She can only let me hold her after a fight. She doesn’t let me in like she used too. She pretends with me! Me! Her fucking husband."
"She's in a lot of pain because she misses the confident woman she was. She told Zia that she is your wife. She can’t be weak. Her words. She thinks the nights you disappear and these business trips are an excuse for you to get away from her.”
