La Dolce Vita: Romantic Suspense (Battaglia Mafia Series Book 7)

by Sienna Mynx

  The doctor nodded, and they started out toward the fields.

  ***

  Lorenzo had another headache. And he couldn't find his wife. He checked her bags and found her aspirin and prayed two or three would work. He went to the kitchen to get a glass of water. And then he heard voices. In particular, he heard Giovanni's voice. His cousin sounded his usual irritated self.

  After filling his glass with water from the pitcher in the refrigerator, Lorenzo walked over to the window. He tossed back three pills and looked out of the window. And then he choked.

  The glass dropped from his hand into the sink and splintered into large shards. He coughed up the pills and spit them into the sink.

  "Fabiana," Lorenzo said. He stepped back from the sink as if the basin he gripped was hot. He struggled to capture his breath. "Fuck, what the fuck?"

  He took a step forward. His brows creased and his vision narrowed on her. She wore a white blouse and dark slacks. Her legs were crossed. Her long scarlet red hair fell about her face in the same way Fabiana's did. She tossed it behind her left shoulder, and he could see more of her lovely face. It was her. It couldn't be her. Lorenzo’s chest felt as if someone set an anvil on it. It took him years to forget how deeply it hurt to have lost Fabiana. And even longer to keep her out of his dreams.

  ***

  Marietta grew tired of waiting for Catalina to return from Rocco and Zia's villa. She marched out into the sun and down the hill. She would drag Catalina out of the villa if she had to. Zia, who told her Catalina was sleeping, stopped Marietta. How could she object? The old woman was fiercely protective of anyone in the family she sensed needed it. With no other choice, Marietta had to return home. If Catalina didn't see their plan through, they were doomed. Marietta had no influence with Armando after she cut him off. There was no other way.

  When she returned to her villa, she found Lorenzo standing near a kitchen window. He stared out at something, transfixed. She watched him for a minute. Marietta approached, and his head turned. He saw her. The look in his eyes hurt her feelings. It was the same look she saw in his eyes when she busted him in the whore house. Why would he be looking so guilty?

  She marched toward the window, and Lorenzo caught her arm.

  "Wait a second. We need to talk," he said.

  "Who's out there?" she demanded.

  "No one. The doctor that came to visit Mirabella." He pulled her away from the window and put his arm around her waist. "Carlo called. We think that we need to pay Alek Baldamenti a visit. Might be the best way to track down Isabella."

  "Cancel that. We have to go to America," she said.

  "Just this morning you said..."

  "Forget what I said. We need to do this, together. It'll give me a chance to see the family I don't know, and take a breather from all of this stress. Gio and Mira want to go. It'll be good for all of us."

  Lorenzo sighed. "I know what's best for us. And it’s finding Isabella."

  "Then make Carlo do it. You know he can. I need you with me, Lo. First, you promise me Bellagio, and we both know we aren't going. Now my sister finally wants to take me back home to see where my mother is from. I need your support. Please!"

  "I don't understand you, Marie. It changes by the hour with you. To hell with this." Lorenzo walked off. Marietta reached to stop him, but he kept going. She could barely think straight. She had to find Catalina and convince her to stick to the plan.

  ***

  "Your husband loves you very much," Sera said.

  "He does, maybe more than he should," Mirabella smiled.

  "Strange for you to say that."

  "Not really. My husband is a good man, but it takes a while for him to warm up to people. Don't get me wrong; my marriage is solid; I don't need any advice on how to manage it. But Giovanni has a blind spot when it comes to me, and everyone knows it. He puts me on a pedestal, and that's not healthy for either of us."

  "Then why do you let him do it?" Sera asked.

  Mirabella smiled. "Because it's addictive. I have never been so in love with a man. Never felt so safe and happy with a man like him. To me his irrational protective nature is normal."

  "So you keep your imperfections hidden?" Sera asked.

  Mirabella glanced back at the villa and then to the doctor. She nodded her answer, unable to confess.

  "Is that why you never told him how your grandfather died?" the doctor asked.

  "The only person I ever told about how my grandfather died was Fabiana. But my ex-lover knew. Kei."

  "How?"

  "He wasn't trusting. And he was jealous. A different kind of jealous. The kind you should run from." Mirabella sighed. "He investigated my background behind my back. When he confronted me, I almost ended the relationship. But Fabiana and I decided that a little of his crazy was okay if we could launch my company with his money. So I convinced myself, again, that he was a man I should want. That he did it out of love. I knew it was a lie. He wanted to control me. Sometimes, if a person knows the deepest, darkest part of you they can control you. I like my life with Giovanni, the woman he sees in me. But when I was kidnapped I realized that Kei was right."

  "Right about what?" the doctor asked.

  Mirabella stopped. She glanced to the physician. The wind blew her hair from her face. The resemblance was eerie. "I have to ask. Is it possible you are related to... my friend, Fabiana?"

  The doctor smiled. "I look that much like her?"

  "It's weird. You even sound like her."

  "I've researched her and you. Since her death, there have been many stories on you both. I'm sorry, but we aren't connected, related, not that I know of."

  "I wanted to show you something. Look there." Mirabella pointed. The doctor's gaze followed her point. Her children were laughing. Eve was in a small bucket. The twins stood in little tin tubs. They had their pants legs rolled up to their knees. Under Rocco's instruction, they stomped on the grapes.

  "Those are my babies," Mirabella said with pride.

  "Are they stomping grapes?" the doctor chuckled.

  "One of their favorite things to do in the vineyard. They'll be at it until they drop."

  "They are so adorable," Sera said.

  Mirabella nodded.

  "What are their names?" the doctor asked.

  "Eve is my baby girl. She's named after Giovanni's mother. The little boy with hair in a ponytail is Gianni, and the other boy with the curly afro is Gino. They were named after their father."

  "They're adorable," the doctor said.

  "I never thought I wanted to be a mother. Motherhood just happened. Now I feel like my sole purpose on this earth is to raise and care for them."

  "Do you plan to have more children?" the doctor asked.

  "The doctors say it's not in the cards for me. I had a pretty bad delivery with the twins. But you never know. Maybe." Mirabella turned and faced her. "I wanted to speak to you alone because I have a proposition."

  The doctor nodded that she was listening.

  "In two or three days I, my husband, and my children will be traveling to visit America. I am taking them to meet my family. I am bringing my sister and her husband."

  "Okay," the doctor said.

  "I intend to tell Giovanni and my sister everything about my past. Show them where I came from and who I was. And it's going to be difficult. Especially for my husband."

  "May I ask why?"

  "He wants to defend me, even from my demons. He has to learn to accept that there are dragons he can't slay. And I need to be brave enough to show my family that I'm not perfect."

  "How can I help?"

  "I want you to come work with my family. Not just me," she said. "As a family doctor."

  "They have to want therapy."

  "There are so many ghosts waiting for us in Virginia; I think you can be of help when we return. Plus, I have concerns about my sister. I want you to observe her, too."

  "Well... I really would like to focus on developing a relationship for ther
apy with you."

  "To get to me you have to know them," Mirabella said.

  The doctor looked at the kids laughing and jumping on the grapes with grape juice covering their legs. She then looked back to the villa where Giovanni had reappeared with two of his men. He was watching them. He didn't look happy. "Is your husband okay with therapy? This kind of treatment?"

  "No. He will fight me on it. But I can handle my husband. I need a commitment before I tell him. And unfortunately, I need it now. Dominic will draw up a confidentiality agreement..."

  "That won't be necessary..."

  Mirabella put her hand up and silenced the doctor. "You aren't stupid, doctor. You know who my husband is. You know who we are. If you agree to this, I need more than your doctor’s oath of confidentiality. For your safety and ours. I will give you twenty-four hours. You decide."

  The doctor nodded.

  "Goodbye, Sera," Mirabella said and extended her hand. "It was nice meeting you."

  "Goodbye, Mirabella."

  "The men will see you out." Mirabella turned and walked away. She glanced back at the doctor who looked like her dead friend. She smiled. Maybe this was a sign or an omen for what was to come in America. Either way, she had to be strong to help her family. And right now she needed strength. The doctor was her only hope.

  Chapter Twenty

  La Camorra

  Firenze Italy

  Agent Adara Costello was nervous. She waited outside of the Chief Inspector’s office biting her nails. All morning she'd rehearsed what she would say to the Inspector. What could she say? That she went in deep cover to Senator Banfi's home, engaged in sex-play, let a woman die on her watch, only to find out it was all a lie. And then spent the night in the bed with the most ruthless of men in the Camorra holding him as if he were a little boy. None of it was useful or productive.

  "Agent Costello," A uniformed officer of the Carabinieri approached. Adara glanced up in surprise. From the star ranking on his sleeve she knew he was a Divisional General. She stood immediately when he stepped to her.

  "You are to come with me," he informed her.

  "I was to meet with the Chief Inspector," she said. Her highest achievement would be to advance as a woman into the Italian military. But that was far off. She wasn't even recognized as a true agent now, by the polizia which she served.

  "You are to meet with the General. Andiamo," he said and turned on his heel. She was quick to follow. They left one building for another. However, it was through halls and tunnels that would not expose her to average citizens. Her cover was protected. She was then brought into the commanding offices of the Carabinieri. An office she had heard and read about, but never seen. The Divisional General took her to a door and then threw it open for her to pass through. She stepped inside. On the wall was the intricate layout of the Neapolitan Camorra clans. And at the top of the pyramid was the picture of Don Giovanni Battaglia. The boss of all bosses.

  "Wait here," the Divisional General said and closed the door.

  Adara stepped to the wall. She gazed upon the clan families. The Carabinieri had the faces of so many she couldn't believe it. Their intelligence was far greater than the Chief Inspector’s. And then her eyes scaled upward to the Battaglias. She saw Carlo's picture and his level of ranking. And she also saw the notation of him being best friends with a capu by the name of Lorenzo Battaglia.

  Adara paused.

  She stepped closer.

  The image next to Lorenzo was of a woman. The sister of the black Donna. She was shade or two fairer than Mirabella Battaglia. And she had a lot of curly hair. In fact her hair was very similar to Adara's. It didn't have the pink stripes that Carlo seem to be interested in. After studying her for a moment Adara realized they did look somewhat alike, but not much.

  It was strange.

  The door opened.

  "Costello!" Generale di corpo d'armata stepped in with two lower ranked generals at his side. She stood at attention and gave him a respectful salute. He looked her over. He approached. Adara froze, unable to swallow her breath. The man towered in stature, and had piercing black eyes. He stopped before her and she could smell the cigar he smoked on his breath. "Are you Adara Costello, or should I call you Adara Calderone?"

  Adara slowly lowered her hand from her brow. Her heart seized in her chest, and she looked up into the General's eyes with a mixture of guilt and surprise.

  "That is who you are? Correct? Granddaughter of Don Calderone?" the General asked.

  "I'm Adara Costello," she said.

  "You lie again to me, girl, and I will chain you so far beneath the jails you will grow fungus for hair and your skin will turn to mold."

  Adara glanced to the others. What was she to do or say but the truth she needed him to believe? He evidently thought he had the proof of her true identity. "How did you know?"

  The General smiled, proud of himself. "I know everything. I know that Giovanni’s enemies hid several of you Calderones in Turkey. That you entered the special corps program with the polizia out of Bologna to help them go after Giovanni Battaglia in particular. And my guess is, it's personal, eh?"

  Adara didn't answer.

  "So here you are, working undercover, while concealing your true agenda. Very crafty of you to do so well so fast. Four years. Look at what you have accomplished."

  The General went to the wall where the family bosses and their loved ones were posted. "Tell me this, if your family hadn't been killed because of the Battaglias, would you have turned to legal justice as a career?"

  "I loved my family. Before they were taken from me I wanted to be a teacher."

  "And now you're a specially trained instrument of vengeance?" he asked. "Willing to do anything to get your own justice?

  "What is it you will do to me? For lying?"

  The General’s gaze slipped up to Don Battaglia's brooding picture. He stared at the Don while he spoke. "Did you know that most men in the Carabinieri are from the Campania?"

  "No," she said.

  "Did you know that I too was from the Campania? Grew up fishing along the Amalfi, poor, poorer than anyone."

  Adara shook her head no.

  "There is a reason why men give their lives over to the Carabinieri. It is not for fortune. It is not for power. It is for justice. Because most of us have lived under the brutal laws and injustices of la Camorra. Tyranny by men like Giovanni Battaglia, who thinks he should decide who has the right to liberty and freedom. Italians are good and honest people. Men like Giovanni pollute our children, destroy our women, take whatever they want with impunity. And together we right that justice." The General’s gaze swung back over to Adara "Your lying to join us, to seek revenge, makes you useful to me. Because I understand vengeance. It is a powerful motivator. Especially in a woman. See that woman!" The inspector pointed to another picture. Adara stepped closer.

  "She is Isabella Mancini. And she is the only one on this board powerful enough to bring down capo di tutti capi. I need to find her before Giovanni Battaglia does. And you are going to help me."

  "How?" Adara asked.

  The General chuckled. "Last night you got closer to the family than any agent. You spent the night with The Butcher."

  "You were following me?"

  "We were following him. That little scene with Senator Banfi. We know the set up. It's classic tactics from la Camorra to corrupt our lawmakers."

  "Then arrest him!" she said.

  "For what?" The General laughed. "Extorting the man who is extorting his boss? No. We have a bigger purpose. Carlo and his men will be on the hunt for Isabella. The Battaglias have submitted a travel visa and will be vacationing in the United States. There is something brewing and it’s big. The Butcher is going to be taking the lead and you will be at his side. Do you understand? This is your purpose now. Not only vengeance, but justice."

  Adara nodded. "I understand."

  ***

  "Catalina?"

  "Come in," Catalina said as softly as she
could.

  The door opened. Zia peeked in at her. "Is he sleep?"

  "Yes," Catalina smiled at Gianni who had resorted to sucking his two middle fingers after the pacifier was taken from him. She kissed his brow. Zia crept over and peeked down at the toddler who lay against Catalina's breast.

  "Only you and Mira can settle him after one of his fusses," Zia chuckled. Catalina stared down at her nephew. Earlier she had put his unruly hair into a ponytail. She had to remember to take it out before Giovanni saw it. The boys were in desperate need of a haircut.

  Zia lifted Gianni from Catalina's breast and carried him over to the bed in the room. "Gino and Eve are downstairs eating lunch. Come join them."

  "I think I might lie down with Gianni," Catalina said.

  "What?" Zia frowned. She stared at Catalina with concern. "You have been in this room all day sleeping. You made me turn Marietta away. What is going on with you? Do you not feel good?"

  "Tired," Catalina shrugged. She went and stretched out on the bed next to Gianni. She rubbed his back.

  "There is something more. Tell me what it is, now." Zia demanded.

  "Sometimes I miss Mama. I miss her so much," Catalina said. "It's like having her die and leave me all over again."

  Zia sat on the edge of the bed. She didn't say anything, just rubbed Catalina's ankle.

  "Don't get me wrong, Zia. I love my life. I have everything. But when things are bad... I feel, it seems like at times I have no one. Does that make sense?"

  "Life is hard, no matter what card is dealt to you. But there are more good days than bad, no?"

  "Yes," Catalina agreed.

  They sat in silence. Both of them staring down at Gianni. Catalina broke the silence first. "Have you ever lied to Rocco? Have you ever kept a secret from him?" Growing up in Sorrento Catalina was shielded by her aunt and mother, and spoiled by her father and brother. No one ever talked straight to her. No one but Dominic. And now she couldn't go to him with her concerns.

  "Your uncle Rocco was a difficult man. Very difficult when he was younger. He was not my first love. He was my first hate."