We have a staff of fourteen who live on the premises with us in small cottages on different parts of the two hundred acres we own. We have a small building next to ours where our security team lives. The maids and chefs live on the other side of the property near the pond, with the only exception being Maeve. She might not be blood, but she is a Mackenzie in every right. Instead of staying in the home near the pond, she has a bedroom on the first level of our house. This way she doesn’t have to go up those damn stairs she hates.
“Why do I have an inkling I’m about to meet your father,” Caprice whispers, putting her hand on my leg. It’s odd how she finds comfort in touching me considering we’re still strangers, but I don’t mind it. Honestly, it’s comforting to me as well.
I place my arm around her shoulder, preparing her for the worst. “You’re about to meet everyone in my household. I hope you’re ready for this.”
I know we can wait until tomorrow for the questions to begin, however, I’m itching to figure out how Sergei figured out where they were. I thought at first it could’ve been Alessandra, but given the look of fear she wore all night long, I don’t think it was her. Time will reveal all truths, though.
13
“Nothing kills you like your mind.”
~ Unknown
Caprice
Luca parks the vehicle on the side of the Mackenzie estate. To say it’s massive is an extreme understatement. It’s dark, but there are lights surrounding the home showing its vast size. Our home in Sicily is a bit smaller than this from the looks of it.
Liam removes his arm from around me and opens the door, hopping out. I follow his lead and walk out onto some sort of stone gravel. From the corner of my eye, I see prying eyes peer from the window downstairs. There’s an older woman staring out at us. I wonder if she’s Liam’s grandmother or something.
“We’d better get this over with,” Liam mutters, turning around as he speaks to Luca. “You take Alessandra to the security house. Caprice and I will deal with my father.”
“Whoa. What?” Alessandra whisper-yells out, charging up to Liam and me.
I know she’s uncomfortable, but she has to go with Luca. I don’t even want to think about what would happen if she comes with us. I imagine it’ll take Desmond a while to process I’ve married his son. There’s no telling what will happen if he discovers Alessandra and Luca are married. Hell, he’d probably see all of this for what it is— a sham.
“You need to go with him, Al,” I urge, calling her by the childhood nickname I gave her. My hope is she’ll understand how dire our situation is. She looks at me with confused eyes, but I have an inkling she doesn’t want to be left alone with Luca. “Trust me, okay? Liam and I have to handle whatever is going to happen with Mr. Mackenzie. You go with Luca and get some sleep. We’ll chat in the morning.”
Alessandra shakes her head from side to side, obviously showing me she’s had it. “No, I don’t like this. Please don’t make me be separated from you right now. Not after I . . . ”
Luca gets out of the SUV and does something which shocks me beyond measure. He puts a hand on Alessandra’s shoulder and tugs her over to him. “It’s evident you’re afraid, cailín. Don’t be. We’ve got you now.” I don’t know the word he calls her, but it isn’t English. My assumption is he’s speaking Irish, although I don’t think it’s called that.
“We can trust the Mackenzie family to keep us safe,” I assure my sister, whole-heartedly believing everything I’m saying. I don’t know why I believe the Mackenzies will keep us safe, but I do. If they wanted to harm us, then we wouldn’t be here. We would’ve been handed over to Sergei on a golden platter.
“I hope you’re right, Caprice,” she mutters. Luca takes the opportunity to escort her to wherever his house is. I’m sure I’ll find it when daylight comes.
I peer up at Liam. “In the morning, will you take me to where she is? We need to have a heart-to-heart after everything that’s happened.”
“Of course.” Liam nods, taking a step back as he urges me to walk forward with a motion of his hand.
I walk onto a stone path that leads up to a back door. Even though it’s dark, I can see how thick and vibrant the grass is here. I almost want to bend down and touch it because in Italy and New York we don’t have grass that looks like this. It makes me feel like I’m in some sort of fantasy film. Redirecting my attention to the door, I see the same older woman who was staring out at us a few minutes ago.
“Cad atá á dhéanamh agat leis an cailín seo?” the older lady asks Liam. I recognize one of the words from what Luca called Alessandra a couple minutes ago.
Liam stops, chuckles, and glances at me. “Caprice, this is Maeve. Maeve wants to know what I’m doing with you.”
I remain silent, not quite sure how to respond.
“Maeve, this is Caprice, my wife. I’m bringing her to the house to meet Father. What’re you doing up anyway? Shouldn’t you be in bed?” Liam retorts, moving toward the door.
“You’re damn right, I should be! Tell your bloody father to be quiet. His moaning and complaining woke me up. I could hear him on the other side of the house! A Dhia, táim tuirseach traochta!” Maeve goes from English to Irish again, and Liam explains that she cursed in a way and said she was tired. I do like how he’s translating instead of leaving me in the dark.
Liam and I step through the back door, walking into a massive living room. All the lights are on and I can fully take in the beautiful architecture of the home. The walls are a light cream color where the floors are a deep chocolate brown. The windows are huge and span almost the entire wall. I estimate they’re around twenty feet high. Light yellow curtains fall from the very top, being pulled on both sides in the middle. The room is big enough that there are two seating areas with carpets underneath the couches and armchairs. The rugs have a combination of creams, reds, and taupes throughout.
The ceiling is just as grand, molding spanning over the entire thing with three long chandeliers extending down the length of the room. I feel like I’m in an episode of Outlander. “Wow,” I mutter, taking in all of the beauty.
“I know. It’s a lot.”
“It’s . . . beautiful.”
“Yes, yes, now get going to your father’s study so I can get back to bed!” Maeve orders grumpily. Liam places his hand in mine and leads me down a hallway to a room near the front door of the Mackenzie house. The stairwell leading up to the second floor is across the room. I imagine it must be another living room, or maybe the dining room.
Liam puts his hand on the door and pushes it open, revealing his father’s study. “About time you arrived,” Desmond Mackenzie grumbles under his breath, glaring at his only son. Considering the tone of his voice, I close the door behind us.
“I left after we got off the phone,” Liam explains.
I make my way next to Liam, getting a good view of his father. It’s evident where Liam gets his good looks. Desmond has to be near my father’s age but you wouldn’t think that at first glance. It’s a little past three in the morning at this point and the man’s wearing a full suit. His salt and pepper hair is styled back in a James Bond sort of way. The man embodies authority. Even from twenty feet away, the same emerald green eyes Liam has burn through me.
“You must be Caprice. I apologize for greeting you with haste. Please have a seat. There is much we need to discuss.”
14
“May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun warm up your face. And rains fall soft upon your fields.”
~ Irish Proverb
Liam
The old cat has already done damage control. I can tell in the way he’s talking to Caprice. Shite, I should’ve known. My father looks over to me as I stand, hands planted on one of the armchairs he has in his study. Caprice has already taken a seat on the elegant red couch my father had put in here last week.
I suck in a breath, thinking about what I’ll say to him, but he cuts to the chase.
“Do you think I’m an eejit?” he shoots out, looking at me and then to Caprice. “I mean no disrespect to you, of course, dear. Only to my foolish son who is only now starting to play the game. You’d best remember I wrote the rules in the book, boy.”
“It’s alright. I’m not taking any offense. I’d ask you to elaborate if you’re willing, though,” Caprice asks my father.
“My son must think I’m stupid, lass. He’s been denying marriage for almost two years. I bet he forgets I tried to arrange a marriage between the two of you about fourteen months ago and he said no.”
Caprice raises her brows, glaring at me. “Is that true, honey?” There’s a certain aspect of coldness to the way she’s asking.
“It is. Look where I ended up. Appears you did some matchmaking of your own, Dad,” I say, taking a seat next to Caprice. I wrap my arm around her and hold her tight against my chest. We need to appear like two lovebirds so the slight change in her voice shouldn’t be too suspicious.
“Stop fucking with me, Liam. If you were honestly in love with Caprice, you would’ve told me the other day when I mentioned she and her sister were missing.”
I don’t want him to think he’s right, so I interject, but I’m cut off by Caprice. “I asked him not to say anything. To be fair, Mr. Mackenzie, I didn’t think you’d be supportive of our relationship and I was fearful you’d run to my father and tell him where I was.” Holy shite. Caprice is an amazing liar. It’s obvious she was born and bred to be a mobster’s wife.
My father chuckles, coming out from behind his desk. He approaches us and sits on the small coffee table in front of the couch, staring intently at Caprice. “I only put up with your father because I have to, lass. If it were up to me, he’d be in the ground next to my brother-in-law Rafael, but I doubt either of them will die anytime soon. I apologize if I’m being crass, however, considering we’re family, it means you’ll keep my secrets and I’ll do the same for you. Now, since we’re being honest here, I’m telling you both I don’t buy your bullshit story. I’m not who you need to worry about, though. We Mackenzies, well, we stick together through the brunt of every war. Now, were you two actually married yesterday?” I notice Caprice stiffens next to me after what my father has just said.
I start to speak but again Caprice answers. “That is what our marriage certificate will state.”
Father nods, running his hand along his jaw. “At least she’s smart enough to be honest with me, but you . . . ” He leans forward and slaps me across the face. “You’re a bloody gobshite. Why not be honest with me?”
“If you’ve ever taught me anything in life, it’s not to trust the person who’s supposed to have your back,” I state, clear of any emotion, staring into his eyes.
He smirks for a moment. “You’re not honest but at least you’re a good listener. Even now, you still follow my silent lessons.”
“I know better than to think I’ve outgrown them.” My father always tricked me as a boy, judging my character by how I would react. Obviously, I’ve passed this test.
Father looks to Caprice with her big doe eyes, finally realizing she is in a safe place. “You’re a Mackenzie now, which means you’ll always be protected, no matter what. You understand this, yeah?”
“Yes, I do,” Caprice replies.
“Good. Your father called me stating your fiancé went to retrieve you and was told you were married to Liam. You’d better thank God I’m a great liar. I went along with it and said you were married by our family priest. At least tell me you both did that. You went to Father O’Sullivan, right?”
I nod, telling him a half-truth. “Yes, he’s the one signing the certificate tomorrow.”
“Good. Lord knows he’d be furious if we didn’t go to him. Now, I told your father you were married here on the property. Make sure to remember that when he asks you.”
“What do you mean?” I ask him.
“Gabriele was very insistent on coming here next week. Especially since you went and became married while she was promised to another. You’ve both ruffled a few feathers if I do say so myself. Now, is there anything else I need to know?”
“No, I don’t believe so. Caprice, do you have anything to add?” I ask, looking down at her. She seems to be frozen in place, so much that it’s causing me to worry about whatever is going on in her head.
“No, thank you,” she says in a hushed whisper.
“Oh, there is one other thing. Luca married Alessandra DiGiovanni because Sergei stated he was going to take her instead. Father O’Sullivan conducted their marriage this morning at the chapel on his property.”
“Fuck. Are you serious?”
“Why would I be joking right now?” I ask him as he rises from the coffee table and heads toward the door.
“I’ll talk to you both tomorrow. Get some rest until then,” he says, opening the door and walking away from us. Well, now I guess it’s time to take the bride to bed.
15
“Never feel guilty doing what’s best for you.”
~ Unknown
Caprice
Liam snags my hand and brings me up the grand stairwell I saw before we entered his father’s study. We venture down the hallway and he opens the second to last doorway on the left, flicks on a light switch, and walks inside. I follow him closely and shut the door behind us, locking it.
He cocks a brow. “Afraid someone’s going to break in?”
“I . . . I’m so sorry. It’s habit.”
He smiles, and the way he does truly convinces me everything is going to be okay. “I’ll tell you however many times you need to hear it, Caprice, but you’re safe now. You’re on Mackenzie property and we have an entire team of security who lives here with us. If anything bad was going to happen, it wouldn’t be in this house.”
“Yeah, you’re right. I’m just a bit unsettled at hearing my father will be paying us a visit next week,” I confess, but it’s not the only reason I’m feeling anxious. I didn’t put two-and-two together. I feel so stupid right now, not figuring out that Liam’s step-mother is the sister of the man who raped me. The man who stole my child.
There aren’t many things I need in life— but I need to see my Piper again. If not now, then someday.
I think about staying quiet, about not saying a damn thing to Liam, however, I don’t have that luxury. He’s going to be my husband in the legal sense, and even more than that, one day we will be married in the eyes of God. I need to trust this man now. “What is your relationship like with your uncle?” I ask, needing to know.
“Uncle?” he questions.
“Sofia’s brother,” I state, unable to bear saying his name.
“Rafael isn’t my uncle. He’s my sisters’ uncle,” he corrects me, getting the same bit of annoyance in his eyes as his father did when he talked about not liking Rafael.
“You don’t like him,” I say, getting a curt nod in response before Liam speaks again.
“No, I don’t. While he’s . . . sort of classified as family, I get a bad feeling about him. My father has an MC that works for us over in the States and their Prez, Boss, gives us intel every now and again. Supposedly, he’s stirring up shite with another club.”
“Oh? Do you know why?” Getting a little information on Rafael can’t hurt.
“I have theories. All of them point to human trafficking. My father had asked him not long ago if he was still in the business and Rafael told him ‘no’. I think he lied to my father.”
“Sergei is in the trafficking business too,” I state, now realizing the type of man my father was okay pawning me off to.
“Yes, amongst other things,” Liam comments, looking irritated.
“I have something I need to tell you, considering you’re my husband,” I mutter, looking over to a corner of the bedroom. I can’t fathom staring into Liam’s eyes as I tell him the gruesome story of what Rafael did. Liam already knows my father’s character, so what he did won’t be much of a shock.
�
�Alright, so get on with it.” Damn, he doesn’t like to wait.
I keep my eyes focused on the painting hanging against the wall right next to an old fashioned dresser. The painting is old. If I had to guess, I’d say it was done in the early nineteen-hundreds. The woman has long, curly red hair with an alabaster skin tone and glowing green eyes like the rest of the Mackenzies. I’m betting she’s probably related.
I take in a deep breath and unleash everything. “Considering the comment you’ve made to me before about my father, you know not only who he is but what he is. A behemoth in his truest form. My life has never been butterflies and ponies. I’ll keep this as simple as I can. You’re getting damaged goods, Liam. You know, because my father offered me to your own father as a consolation prize. Now that we’re moving on in this . . . charade, I need to confess something. Rafael was one of the men who . . . used me.” I say used because it’s the only accurate description of how I feel. Used, like a gum wrapper. I should say violated, however, the term used is what I’ve come to accept over the years.
For some reason, bravery swarms over me and I glance up at Liam, who’s looking at me with such compassion. While his jawline is stern like he’s clenching his teeth, his kindness pours out of him. I’ve met lots of people, but I can honestly say I’ve never met anyone whose soul is so apparent. Sometimes people keep you wondering if they’re good or bad. With Liam, I don’t have to guess.
Keeping my eyes on his own, I continue, “Rafael used me, and I had a child. One that my father ripped from my arms only a little while after she was born. I haven’t seen her since that day.”
Liam’s irises expand. “Rafael fathered your daughter . . . and you were treated like one of those women from The Handmaid’s Tale?” I don’t know what he’s referring to, so I can’t confirm or deny. “Fuck. I knew he was a despicable snake.”
Forbidden Love: Book 1 in the Mackenzie Series (Leave Me Breathless World) Page 6
