“I wouldn’t say that. If you want a good man, you have to look outside the Outfit.
“Remember when we were young and dreamed of finding our Prince Charming and marrying him? I was obsessed with Disney princes. They were all so gallant and good.
I smiled at the memory. “We were young and silly. I would give anything to be in the dark like that again, even for a few hours.
“Yes.”
It was almost ten o’clock when we finally entered my house.
“Do you want to get something to eat or try to get some sleep?”
“I’m not very hungry,” Bibi said hesitantly. “But I don’t think I can fall asleep right now.”
“We could sit in the library and talk for a while. Or I could draw you a bath so you can relax.
“I think I’d rather talk. I don’t want to be alone.”
“Okay, I-” I interrupted myself when I saw Dante heading toward us.
Bibi stiffened beside me, giving me a terrified look. I didn’t know why, but I positioned myself between Dante and Bibi. Of course she noticed and cast me an inquiring look.
“Good evening Bibiana,” he said politely.
“Evening,” he said softly. Dante’s cold blue eyes briefly scanned his injured face and arms before fixing themselves on me.
“Thomas called me to ask if your wife was here. He said you had gone to pick her up at their house without her permission.”
“His permission?” I hissed. “He’s not a dog. I don’t need to ask his permission for anything.”
“That’s what I told him,” Dante said calmly, surprising me.
“Really?”
Bibi watched us with wide eyes.
“Of course you are my wife. If you want to have a word with one of my soldiers’ wives, you have every right to do so.
We both knew that was not why Bibi was there.
Dante was not blind. I hoped he could see how grateful I was for his support. “So he’s okay with you staying here for the night?”
“I didn’t know that was what you planned because you didn’t inform me,” he said simply. I could hear a hint of reproach in his tone. She knew that I had left unguarded
again.
“I didn’t have the time,” I said. “But I think Bibi should stay here so Thomas can calm down.”
“If he came here and asked for her, it would be against our traditions to deny him. She is his wife.
Bibi nodded, “He’s right. I shouldn’t have come.” The defeat in her eyes and voice almost made me fall to my knees. I cast Dante a pleading look.
Dante pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and pressed it against his ear. After two rings, I could hear a deep voice on the other end but could not hear the words.
“Yes, Tommaso. I want you to accompany Raphael when he checks the new merchandise. I trust your judgment and the Palermo Club could use some fresh blood. I want your report tomorrow.” Dante listened to something Tommaso said.
“My wife and Bibiana have plans. Don’t worry. She is safe here. I will have my driver take her home tomorrow.” Dante lowered the phone and put it back in his pocket.
“Thank you,” Bibi said in a trembling voice. I remained silent, overwhelmed by Dante’s kindness.
“You realize I sent your husband to sleep with our new prostitutes, but I guess you don’t mind.”
“No, I don’t. I’m waiting for the day when he finally finds a lover he will prefer to me.”
Dante tilted his head to show that he understood. Then his eyes found mine. I tried to convey to him all the gratitude I was capable of with that look. I was pretty sure he could see it . “I will go back to my work. I’m sure you and Bibiana will have a lot to talk about.”
He turned and went back to his office, disappearing from our sight. I took Bibi by the arm, who looked at me open-mouthed. “I can’t believe she did that for you. He must really care about you.”
“She tried to help you. He saw your bruises.” Bibi laughed. “He did it for you. It was written all over his face.” He paused, then quickly added. “Not that I mind.
I’m just glad he got rid of Thomas for now.”
“Come on, let’s go to the living room. I’ll put on a movie and we’ll have a glass of wine. You deserve it. Do you need some Tylenol along with this?”
Bibi grimaced. “Yes, thank you. I feel sore. I think Thomas hurt my ribs.
That was the last mention of what happened today with Tommaso. We spent the rest of the night reminiscing about our childhood and adolescence, laughing and getting drunk.
*** The next day I regretted the wine of the night before when a throbbing headache woke me from sleep. I sat up, groaning. Pressing a palm to my forehead, I took a deep breath, hoping it would help with the nausea. Something red caught my attention. A small package lay on the side of Dante’s bed. I grabbed the paper resting on the package.
“I would have given you this last night but I didn’t want to wake you up,” was written plainly on the card.
Happy, I took the gift and unwrapped it. Inside the small velvet box was a delicate white gold necklace with an emerald pendant. I staggered off the bed and hurried to my vanity, holding it against my eyes. The emerald was almost exactly the same color. It could not have been a coincidence. I dropped into the chair and fastened the necklace around my neck with trembling hands.
*** I probably wouldn’t have gone to work that day – Leo could have taken care of everything without me – if I hadn’t told Frank to meet me there.
After dropping Bibiana off at her house and making her promise to call me as soon as Tommaso returned, Enzo drove us to the casino and as usual we went inside . Luckily for me Raphael was yelling at one of the girls, again not something that used to happen, but today it was the distraction I needed. I turned to Enzo. “Could you please talk privately with Raphael and make it clear that I don’t appreciate you mistreating our girls?” Enzo seemed all too eager to obey.
He headed straight for Raffaele and pushed him into one of the private rooms. Leo was coming straight at me, but I shook my head and told him I was busy. He looked confused but did not try to stop me when I entered the elevator . Guilt almost stopped me a couple of times. My secret meeting with Frank could be interpreted as a betrayal of Dante’s trust. After this morning’s thoughtful gift , the idea of confronting him like that made me feel even worse. He seemed willing to try, and I was risking everything because of Frank.
Three minutes later, I hurried to leave the warehouse.
I looked around nervously; not only because I was afraid of being followed but also because that was a deserted and eerie area. It was already getting dark, which did not alleviate my anxiety at all. At least I was wearing ballet flats so I could escape if someone attacked me. In the distance, leaning against the wall of another empty warehouse, I could make out a tall figure. I hurried toward it, then slowed down because it was hard to make out much. “Franco?” I whispered. “Is that you?”
He took a step back from the wall, looking as nervous as I was . “Hello Valentina.”
I bridged the remaining distance between us. “What’s going on? Why do you keep showing up in front of my house? Do you want the Outfit to find out about you?”
Frank rubbed his hair, looking around. “Of course not.” His obvious nervousness was unnerving me in turn. “I need to talk to you.”
“Then talk. I don’t have much time. Don’t you realize the risk we are taking by talking right now?”
“I think it is dangerous that you have agreed to marry Dante Cavallaro.”
I was surprised. This was not what I had expected when he had told me he wanted to talk. “Why do you care? Your connection with the Organization died with Antonio.” I realized a moment too late how insensitive that sounded, but Frank didn’t seem to notice. He was busy checking out our surroundings, especially the darkness that was spreading behind us.
“Can you stop it?” I asked impatiently. “You’re making me nervous.”
“Sorry. I’m not used to sneaking through dark alleys.
This is Antonio’s thing.
Hadn’t she gotten over him yet? His words made me think so.
Maybe that was why he was here. Maybe he couldn’t let go of his previous life and I was the only connection he had to it.
“It was not my decision to marry Dante. You should know that marriages are often decided by other people for reasons of power or strategy.”
“You do not love him.”
“I will not discuss my feelings with you, Frank. What do you want?”
“Did you tell Cavallaro about me and Antonio?”
“I told him Antonio was gay.”
“Why did you do that?” asked Frank angrily, taking a few steps in my direction, surprising me with his outburst, but not enough to back down. I was used to other kinds of men.
Frank really wasn’t scary enough.
“It’s none of your business.”
“But you promised Antony you would keep his secret!”
“I know, but he’s dead, Frank, and I’m trying to move on. If Antony were still alive, I’d take his secret to the grave, but the truth can’t hurt him anymore. And Dante won’t tell anyone in the Outfit anyway.”
“He won’t?” asked Frank hopefully. “What about me? Didn’t you tell him my name?” Anxiety returned to his face with full force.
“NO. I won’t. You are safe, but for you to continue like this, you must stop loitering in our street. It’s just dumb luck that none of Dante’s men have noticed you yet. And when they do, you will be in big trouble. So do us both a favor and move on.”
“I can’t,” Frank said quietly. “Don’t you miss him? Don’t you want him back? Wouldn’t you do anything to get him back?”
“You really should leave. This is getting us nowhere. I promise you’re safe.”
Frank grabbed my arm, preventing me from walking away.
“Valentina…”
“Hands off,” a cold voice came out of the shadows and I let out a scream. Frank turned and tried to run away but Enzo was there and pulled him into a headlock.
Dante appeared beside me and grabbed my arm in a steel grip.
He nodded toward the warehouse door. Enzo dragged Frank toward it, despite his struggle.
Dante looked at me grimly. “So this is what you do when I’m gone ? Meeting with other men?”
“NO!” I protested, horrified that he could think that. “It’s not what you think.”
“He’s been around the house twice already, Boss,” Enzo said, then grunted when Frank’s knee hit him in the groin .
“Explain,” Dante growled. Enzo was still trying to stop Frank from kicking him. Frank was fighting surprisingly well.
“It’s Frank,” I said quickly, self-preservation overriding my desire to protect Frank.
Dante’s grip on my arm loosened. “Antonio’s lover.”
This caught Enzo’s attention. He knew Antonio. The Outfit was not such a large organization that the Made Men did not know each other.
Suddenly shots rang out from somewhere. Enzo shouted and grabbed his arm, releasing Frank in the process. More shots rang out. One hit the wall half a meter above my head.
Dante pushed me to the ground and crouched in front of me, his weapon drawn and fired in the direction from which the shots came. Enzo pulled out his gun but his right hand was unserviceable and it was obvious that he was not used to shooting with his left. Frank ran as fast as his legs could carry him away from us toward the shadows. Dante pointed his gun at him. I pulled his hand away when he pulled the trigger and the bullet hit the ground instead of Frank. “Valentina,” Dante growled, taking aim again, but Frank had disappeared into the darkness . Dante looked at Enzo, who was holding his bleeding arm, muttering under his breath.
“What the fuck was that?” asked Dante, his eyes blazing with fury as he held mine.
“I don’t know! I thought he was alone. Frank doesn’t even know anyone who can shoot a gun.
“You should have let me shoot. Don’t ever interfere like that again.”
“He’s innocent. He doesn’t deserve death.”
“Bullshit. That guy set a trap and you walked into it , shit,” Enzo muttered.
“What do you mean?” I asked carefully. Dante shook his head. “Didn’t you wonder why he wanted to meet you?
Maybe he was approached by the Russians and agreed to help them. They would love to kill you.”
“Frank wouldn’t.”
“Are you sure?” No, I wasn’t. “Bratva can be very convincing. Or maybe they offered him a substantial amount of money. Money makes sinners out of most saints.”
Enzo lifted the phone. “Called for backup.”
“Let’s go,” Dante said, straightening up and holding out his hand to me. I took it and let him pull me to my feet.
“Do you really think it was a trap? I had a feeling that Frank was alone and wanted to talk to someone about Antonio.
“Someone shot at us,” Dante said simply. I could not discuss it . And Frank had definitely run in the direction of the killers. Slowly I was beginning to understand why Dante trusted no one.
“I’m sorry,” I said softly, but Dante was not looking in my direction. More of his men were running toward us from the direction of the casino. He barked orders at them, and they scattered around the area looking for our attackers.
“Take Enzo to see our doctor,” Dante said to another man, despite Enzo’s protests. Then Dante turned to me. “Now let’s go home.”
I trembled with anger in his voice. Dante pushed me forward by resting a hand on my lower back. He did not speak as he led me toward the car or during the ride home. I kept looking in his direction, trying to decide how much trouble I was in. “I’m really sorry.”
He ignored me, but a muscle in his jaw twitched. I turned toward the passenger window. Dante parked the car in our garage and immediately got out. I followed him into the house. I could practically feel his fury burning my back as he walked behind me. I walked into the bedroom.
“I’m really sorry,” I tried again, then gasped when Dante closed the door and pushed me against it. I was crushed between his muscular body and the door. I was surprised and confused but not frightened. Dante was obviously careful not to hurt me.
“Why do you keep disobeying me, Valentina?” He lifted my skirt and pulled my butt violently against his crotch and his rock-hard erection. Moisture formed between my legs. “I don’t know,” I said, trying to hide my excitement.
“That’s the wrong answer.” Dante pushed aside my panties – I was not wearing pantyhose, only garters – and slipped two fingers into me. Before I had time to articulate another response, Dante replaced his fingers with his cock, slamming me in with a fierce thrust before starting to fuck me against the door. I was pretty sure he realized that this was the furthest thing from a punishment.