I slowly turned to look at her. “There’s the question of your father’s involvement and your trust.”
Snorting, she pushed her fingers hard against the glass until her knuckles were white. “I’ve made a decision. I don’t want the tainted money, Michael. Haven’t you already figured that out about me? I just want a life. Is that too much to ask for?”
I moved behind her, placing my hand on top of hers. “Not at all. I want more than anything to give you that life.” I expected her to pull away, fearful of the man I’d become. Instead, she shifted her other arm back until she could grasp my fingers.
“I met Franco in a coffee shop. It seemed like an accident. He literally ran into me, dumping coffee all over a new dress. We laughed but he was mortified, promising to rectify the situation. I had a little apartment away from my father’s residence at that point. I wasn’t hiding, which is how he was able to find my address. The next day, four of the most beautiful and expensive dresses arrived. I was flabbergasted and called him. He asked me out to dinner.”
“He was dating your sister?”
“Yes, but I had no idea. Up to that point she’d refused to tell me his name, although I knew something was terribly wrong.” Francesca squeezed my hand and rested her face against the glass. “It’s funny, he really was amazing for about three months. Then he became possessive. I’d been taught well by my father, so I started to look into who he was. He’d given me a fake last name, but I was able to put the pieces together. He denied who he was at first, of course. Such a bastard.”
I remained quiet, although my anger level was increasing.
“Guilt consumed me, and I finally said something to Sasha and while she never admitted that he was the same man she’s been seeing, I could tell in her eyes. She must have confronted him and that’s why he killed her.”
“Her body was never found?”
“No. No trace of her and my father tried, paying off people, promising hundreds of thousands of dollars for information alone. She disappeared without a trace. He was devastated, falling into such a depression. That’s why I waited to go to school. I took care of him until he could get on his feet.”
I kissed the top of her head, my heart aching. Karma was a bitch. “I’m so sorry for everything, including the fact I abducted you.”
She pushed away from the glass, slowly turning in my arms and caressing my cheek. “If you hadn’t, I would have been forced into a loveless marriage or worse, taken by Franco. You derailed Franco’s plans. He wanted you dead.”
I lowered my head until I could whisper, “Better men have wanted me dead and there will be others.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
The ache in my heart would never go away. I knew what had to be done. I’d make certain that she was protected in every manner.
Then I’d walk away.
Unable to resist, I captured her mouth, pulling her up onto her tiptoes as I pressed our lips together. She felt so good in my arms, her body molding perfectly with mine. I wanted so many things for her, for us, but most of all, I wanted her to have the life she deserved.
She slid her arms around my neck, tangling her long fingers in my hair, yielding to me as she had before. This was her will, her desire. The kiss became passionate as the electricity soared, my hunger racing off the charts. She was everything to me; the sun, the moon and stars, the very woman who’d managed to cut through all my defenses.
As the kiss continued, I fought every barbaric need to sweep her in my arms, taking her to bed as I’d done before.
But I refused, controlling my emotions.
Even as our tongues entwined, our body heat increasing, I began to pull away. When I finally broke the hold, I immediately backed up a few steps. “I’m going to see my father then we’ll make plans to confront yours. I think you need closure, no matter the decision you make about your trust fund.”
Francesca exhaled, folding her arms. “That’s fine but let me make this very clear. After we do, I never want to see him again.”
I gave her a nod of respect, although I hoped she would change her mind. Family was indeed everything.
I did admit to myself that seeing my father sitting up in the bed, his color returned, at least gave me a moment of peace. I might not see eye to eye with Ricardo Cappalini, but I’d learned during the last few days that he’d certainly been well respected.
“I’ve heard you’ve been doing a very good job in my absence, son,” Ricardo said with pride in his voice.
I hadn’t heard that level of pride in years. Even when I’d been a capo years before, he’d ridden my ass hard. “I had certain issues to deal with, but they’ve been handled.”
“And Louis?” I could see a twinkle in his eyes as if this were a test.
“He’ll be allowed to live. In fact, I’ll keep him on, as long as he follows the rules.”
He laughed, wincing as he did so. “You learned. You keep your enemies close.”
“You knew he’d eventually make a move on you.”
“Absolutely. I wouldn’t have allowed him to stay on if I thought otherwise.”
I walked closer, sitting down in the single chair in the room. “You were grooming him to take over.”
He shrugged and reached for his cup of water, taking a sip before answering. “I felt I had no choice. My son, my only son and the one I love so dearly wanted nothing to do with following in his old man’s footsteps.”
Perhaps for the first time since I’d been a kid, I could admit I admired the man. “You’re a wise man.”
“Evidently not as much as my son, Kelan.”
“Michael. My name is Michael.”
His eyes opened wide and he reached out. I grabbed his hand, scooting the chair closer. “I’m so damn proud of you, son.”
“Pops, this isn’t just a social call. I need to ask you a difficult question.”
He pulled away, shoving back the water. “Okay. You want to know about why Dante Massimo had it in for me, why he attempted to assassinate me all those years ago. And why he killed your mother.” Sadness enshrouded his entire face, beads of perspiration trickled down from his forehead.
It was my turn to nod, my throat tightening.