“But he would gain nothing by marrying her.” I hear the suspicion in Mamma’s tone.
“Stephan is different. He isn’t interested in marrying for money or power.” He and Gemma are very much alike in that aspect.
“That’s unfortunate for Stephan because money and power is all that his father is interested in.”
Money and power. Is it not what most of the men of the five families are interested in?
“Stephan would like to have your permission to spend time with her.”
“Is he asking for a date?”
I shrug. “I guess you could call it that.”
“That’s not going to happen. I’m in the middle of negotiating a betrothal for her.”
“Gemma hasn’t said a word about a betrothal.”
“Because she doesn’t know yet.”
“Who?”
“The eldest Gaspari grandson.”
Ah, this is making sense now. “I wondered why I was seeing you with the Gaspari grandfather at all of the Rossini functions.”
“His grandson will be turning twenty-one soon. His betrothal fell through, and he’s eager to make a good match for him.”
I love my sister, but she would bring nothing to the Gasparis. “Why is he considering Gemma?”
“That’s what I’m wanting to talk to you about. The Gasparis want to join us in our mission.”
“Our mission?”
“To kill off the Rossini men and take possession of the entire empire.”
Gaspari doesn’t want to help us out of the goodness of his heart. If that were the case, he would’ve stepped in when we were at our weakest and pleading for help after our men were killed.
“He must want something in return?”
“Just a fair share.”
“What does he consider a fair share?”
“Half.”
“Half of the entire empire? Bellini and Rossini?”
“Yes.”
I’ve always heard that the Gasparis are a greedy lot. Looks like the hearsay is true.
“For half, what will be his role in the takeover?”
“After you kill Luca and Marco, they will step in and provide us with manpower.”
“I’m the one who kills the two most dangerous people in the family, and they’ll sweep in for cleanup and take home half the prize plus my sister?”
I don’t fucking think so.
“We need allies, Emilia. I’d be a fool to turn down their offer.”
“Mamma! Their offer is shit. They’re cowards. If they really wanted to help us, they would have before. At the very least, they would now offer to handle the dirty work instead of leaving it for me to do.”
My son is entitled to the entire empire, and she wants to give half of it to the Gasparis because they’re willing to step in after the leaders are dead? No. If I agreed to this, I’d be robbing my son of his inheritance, and I won’t do that.
“No. Absolutely not. We are not doing this.”
“I’m head of the Bellini family. I make the decisions and we are doing this.”
My mother made me a piece in her game, and now she’s surprised because I’ve decided to show up and fucking play? “Then it’s a good thing I’m Rossini now.”
“Emilia!”
“Being betrothed to Luca wasn’t my decision. Marrying him wasn’t my decision. Getting pregnant by him wasn’t my decision. But by God, this will be my decision and I say no, Mamma. We are not doing this.”
“That son of a bitch has gotten to you.”
“This has nothing to do with Luca getting to me. We’re talking about two legacies created by two powerful families, and the Gasparis are neither of those families.”
“Half is better than nothing.”
“How do you know they won’t take everything? How do you know they’ll stop with the men and not kill my son?”
“They won’t.”
“Any threat against the Rossinis is a threat against my child.”
“So you’re truly Rossini now?”
“My baby is Rossini. That makes me Rossini whether I want to be or not because I will never rise up against my child.”
My mother’s eyes widen. “My God. You’re in love with him.”
It’s useless to try and deny it. “What did you think would happen when I was put with him?”
“What about Nicolò?”
“I loved Nic. He was a wonderful man, but I never felt about him the way I feel about Luca. The two loves are entirely different.”
“I saw this happening right before my eyes, but I told myself that I was wrong because I didn’t want to believe it.”
“I’m sorry, Mamma. I know you don’t want to hear this.”
“I lost my husband and son for nothing, and now you are in love with their killer.”
My mother isn’t wrong. The Bellini and Moretti men died in vain for decisions I made. The guilt I feel is a worm squirming its way into my core. It’s a remorse I’ll have to live with for the rest of my life.
“You have become the devil’s whore by choice, and your child is his spawn.”
I stare at her, stunned, because I can’t believe she’d say such a horrible thing to me about my child.
“Oh, Emilia. You stupid girl. You should have stuck to the plan because now a battle is coming. And with the help of the Gasparis, the Bellinis won’t lose the next war.”
Cold. Numb. Empty. That’s what I feel inside as I watch my mother walk away from me.
All of this was my parents’ and grandparents’ doing. They made a pact to give me to the Rossinis. Put me on a throne next to him. And now she means to take that from me after everything I’ve done?
How can she be so cruel to me? To the grandchild she’s yet to meet?
She throws us away the minute we are of no use to her. I’m not sure why I’m surprised. That’s what you do with pawns when they can no longer advance your Mafia game play.
“What’s wrong, baby? Why do you look like someone just kicked your puppy?”
Oh God. I can’t tell Luca about my mother and the Gasparis without going back to the beginning. I’m going to have to tell him everything.
How I planned on killing his father.
How I planned on killing his brothers.
How I planned on killing him.
I’m not ready to have that conversation. I’m terrified Luca will hate me.
And so I stall.
“It’s a no-go on Stephan and Gemma. My mother is in discussion with the Gasparis about a betrothal to the eldest grandson.”
“A connection with the Gasparis would be beneficial for your family. It’s a good move on your mother’s part. So why do you look so sad?”
“I don’t want my sister to get stuck with someone she didn’t choose.”
He pulls me against his chest and squeezes me tightly. “You didn’t choose me, and I think we’re doing pretty great.”
“Yeah, we are.”
“Don’t worry. It’ll work out for both of them, maybe with other people, but they’ll be okay.”
It’s two days until Christmas. I don’t want to ruin our first holiday together by confessing all of this shit to Luca, but I’m afraid to wait. The Gasparis could be making plans right now. They could strike at any time, and we must be prepared for what’s coming. I can’t allow anyone to be hurt because I chose to have the perfect first Christmas rather than address the problem at hand.
“We need to talk.”
“Sounds serious. Everything okay?”
“No.” My eyes fill with tears. “Everything’s not okay. We have a problem.”
“Hey, baby. Has someone done something to you?”
“Where can we go talk privately?”
“Mom’s parlor. Dad’s office. Your choice.”
“Viv’s parlor.”
Every step I take brings me closer to telling Luca the truth. I feel like I may throw up. Or pass out. I’m not sure which. Maybe both and possibly in that order.
/>
“You’re trembling. What’s going on?”
“I have some things to tell you. Terrible things. And I don’t know how you’re going to feel about me after I do.”
“Calm down. Everything’s going to be okay.”
“You are not going to be okay with this.”
“Have you fucked someone else?”
“No.”
“Do you want to fuck someone else?”
“No.”
“Is this baby mine?”
“Yes.”
“Are you leaving me?”
“No.”
“Those are the only things I wouldn’t be okay with so calm down. I don’t want you to be upset. It’s not good for you or the baby.”
“You know how much I hated you in the beginning.”
“You were loud and clear about it.”
“I didn’t want to marry you. I didn’t want to have sex with you. I didn’t want to have your baby.”
“I was aware.”
“What you aren’t aware of is the plan that my mother and I hatched before she turned me over to you.”
“I do love a good plan.”
He won’t love this one. “As you know, there was no getting around marrying you and giving you a child.”
“Ah, my favorite part of the plan.”
“This is serious, Luca.”
“I know it is, but I’m trying to put you at ease.”
“It’s not possible for me to be at ease while I tell you this.”
“You can’t tell me anything that is going to change the way I feel about you.”
I’m not so sure about that.
“I was planning to kill you after I had your son. I was going to take back my family’s legacy by plucking off each of the Rossini men until my son was the last surviving heir of the Bellini-Rossini empire.”
“You’re a Bellini, Emilia. I’d be sadly disappointed in you if you hadn’t formulated some kind of plan to kill me and take back your family’s empire.”
“You aren’t mad?”
“No, and I’m not at all surprised by your ambition. You have that very special Bellini steel pumping through your veins. With you as his mother and me as his father, can you imagine what kind of cojones this kid is going to have?”
Why am I not surprised by this?
“You haven’t asked, but no, I’m not still planning to kill you.”
“Oh, I know. You like the orgasms I give you way too much to take me out.”
“That’s very accurate. But all joking aside, there’s more, and you aren’t going to be happy about it.”
“Let me have it.”
“I am no longer my mother’s puppet because I’m not Bellini anymore. I am Rossini. You and this baby make me so, and I am joined to you now and forever.”
I am a creature who has turned on her creator; therefore, I am a true Frankenstein.
“And your mother isn’t happy about it?”
“She is joining forces with the Gaspari family. They say they’re coming to take the Rossini-Bellini empire for her.”
“In exchange for what?”
“Half.”
“Life has been good. There hasn’t been a war among the five families in ten years and now those stupid motherfuckers want to step in and rise up against us over a matter that has nothing to do with them?”
“Their threats against this family are also threats against our baby.” I place my hands on my round stomach. “You have to protect him, Luca.”
“Nothing is going to happen to him. I won’t let it.”
“You’re all I have now. I can’t lose you.”
“You’re not going to lose me or him. The three of us are a family.”
Love is a volatile thing.
It begins. It grows. It changes. Sometimes it ends.
It can be easy. It can be hard.
Love can be damaged. It can be mended.
Love can sneak up on you when you least expect it, and it can also disappear without any warning.
Love.
It’s what you make it.
And I decide to make it with Luca and our child.
30
Luca Rossini
The Gaspari family is foolish and weak. A bunch of greedy, lazy motherfuckers. Their wealth was accumulated by the great-grandfather. The three living Gasparis have done nothing but piss it away. And now they’re trying to jump aboard a ship that they believe is being relieved of its captain and crew. They think they’re going to sit back and let someone else do the hard work and then reap the reward in the end.
It’s fucking pathetic. But we’d be the fools to give them the advantage by underestimating them. We must be ready if and when they come. Above all else, Emilia and our child must be protected.
“Look at it this way. We get a bigger bedroom.”
Emilia walks over to the bed and runs her hand over the silky bedspread. “A very gorgeous bigger bedroom that I’m sure your mother spent a ton of money on when it was decorated by a top interior designer.” She looks up at me. “But it’s not our bedroom.”
“I’m sorry. I know how badly you want to stay at our house.”
“I do, but I understand why it’s safer for us to be here.”
Our safety is dependent upon the entire family being in one place, and that place is the Rossini compound. Things become precarious when we’re scattered about and splitting our soldiers between two households.
“We obviously don’t know how long we’ll be here. What will we do about a nursery if we’re still living here when the baby comes?”
“The room across the hall is empty.”
Emilia laughs. “God, Viv would love that.”
“She’s over the moon about us living under her roof. I’m not certain that she wouldn’t implode if her grandchild got to live here too.”
Emilia rests her hand on top of her stomach. “It’s nice to have one grandmother who is excited about the baby.”
“I’m sorry things have gone the way they have with your mom.”
“Me too.”
“And I’m sorry that our first Christmas Eve together is being spent moving.”
“We’re together. That’s all that matters. But I do have a few concerns about living here.”
“Such as?”
“Our bedroom is on the same hall as your brothers’ and sister’s.” One of her brows lifts. “Sound travels.”
“They’re going to hear us fucking.”
“Luca—”
“I’m sorry. We’re not going to stop because they can hear us.”
“We’ll have to be quieter.”
“No, we won’t.”
“The thought of them hearing us is embarrassing. I don’t want them to hear me when I… you know.”
“You’re sooo loud when you come.”
“I am, I know.”
“Then I guess you don’t get to come while we live here.”
“If I don’t get to come, then neither do you.”
“We’ll bring the stereo from the house. The subwoofers too.”
“That’s what I thought.”
Everyone sleeping in this part of the house will know we’re doing it every time they hear loud music coming from our bedroom. Great. Stephan and Dante won’t rag on me about that at all.
Fuck it. Who cares? I’m getting laid and they’re not.
My mother lightly taps her knuckles against the door. “Getting settled in okay?”
“Yeah, I think so.”
It’s weird being back in my old bedroom, this time with a pregnant wife.
“Do you need anything?”
Emilia shrugs. “I’m sure we’ll come up with some things after we unpack. I feel like we left everything at home.”
“Anything you need, just ask. If we don’t have it, we’ll get it for you.”
“That’s really sweet, Viv. Thank you.”
“Dinner is at six.”
“Do you need me to help?”
“Honey, I wouldn’t dream of asking you to help cook dinner after the day you’ve had.”
“Another time then?”
“There will be plenty of time for you to help.”
My mother leaves, and I close the door behind her. “People popping into my space is going to take some getting used to after living on my own.”
“How long has it been since you moved out of here?”
“Four years. Long enough to get used to doing things the way I like them.”
“And then I came along and wrecked all of that.”
“You didn’t wreck anything. But this baby? He’s going to flip shit upside down.”
“Do you know anything about babies?”
“I’m the oldest of five and I… don’t… know… shit… about babies.”
“Nothing about that shocks me.”
“Do you know anything about babies?”
“I was a girl born into a Catholic Italian family. I know everything about babies. I practically raised Isabella and Giovanni. They were like my own children.”
Giovanni Bellini, a boy far too young to die. “I’ve never told you this, but it wasn’t my intention to kill your brother. He was trying to be a hero. It all happened so fast. I didn’t mean to. It was an accident.”
She nods and a tear rolls down her cheek. “That was my brave boy. He thought he was invincible because Papà had taught him to believe that he was.”
“It haunts me, Emilia. Every day. I wish I could take it back.”
Emilia grimaces, and a quiet sob is unleashed from her chest. I wrap my arms around her, and she clings to me, her face buried against my chest as she cries.
“I’m so sorry for taking that boy from you. And your father. Even Nicolò. He didn’t deserve to die for loving you.”
She shakes her head. “Stop. I can’t. I can’t.”
I have to say these things to her. “I was selfish and greedy and pompous. I didn’t have a clue about what it was to love someone. But I know now because I love you, Emilia, and I will never hurt you again.”
She lifts her head, and her eyes meet mine. “I wanted to hate you. I tried. I tried so damn hard, but I couldn’t hate my way out of being in love with you. I love you, Luca. So much.”
Embracing her face with my hands, I press a kiss to her lips. “I’ve been so afraid that you could never love me because of what I did to you and your family.”
Waiting for my Queen: A Dark Mafia Romance Page 20
