“Luisa loves piano, like you love art. You are the ‘artist and Luisa is the musician. Everyone is good at something. It’s wonderful, don’t you think?”
Anna tilted her head and smiled. “Yes.”
She rang the doorbell. “Wait here. I’ll get the door.”
Anna continued to ring as I walked out of the library and toward the front door. Gabby had already opened it and Luisa and Bibi had entered. I stroked Luisa’s head. “Why don’t you go to the library?”
She nodded excitedly and rushed out, her dark tresses swaying.
I smiled at Bibi. “You look radiant. Dario is a magician.”
Bibi turned red.
I laughed. “Does he already make you blush? He must be even better than I thought.”
“Val,” Bibi said with a giggle.
We didn’t have a chance to continue the conversation because the bell rang again. “Punctual as always,” I said as the piano teacher, Mrs. Gatti, wife of one of Dante’s soldiers . entered. After a little bow, which she refused to give up despite my pleas, she headed straight to the library to lecture Luisa and Anna. I led Bibi into the living room for our biweekly appointment with macarons . We dropped down on the couch. “Have you thought about parenting education?” Bibi nodded, “Yes.
I would like Luisa and Anna to learn together.” “Perfect. I’ll arrange it.” Dante wanted Anna to be homeschooled until she turned ten or twelve because the current situation worried him and I wanted Anna to have her friend by her side. Being around adults all the time was not good for a child her age. Bibi looked at me as if she was hiding something from me. I knew her reserved expression. She wasn’t really good at keeping things from me. “What is it? Are things not going well with Dario?” I couldn’t imagine that was the case. They looked happy on the outside , but I knew that sometimes appearances are deceiving .
However, Bibi would have told me if there was something wrong . “I wanted to wait a little longer to tell you, but…” “You’re pregnant!” I said. She opened her lips and nodded, “Only nine weeks .” I hugged her. “Oh, Bibi, I’m so happy for you and Dario.” Dario didn’t have any children yet and Bibi wanted more, so I expected Bibi to get pregnant. We chatted for more than an hour. Anna and Luisa had gone up to play after class and we used the time for ourselves. But when Dante walked into the living room with an expression of forced calm, the words died in my throat. Something in his eyes set off my alarm bells. “Good afternoon, Bibiana.” Bibi stood up and looked at her watch. “I should be going. It’s already late.” It was no later than usual, but I appreciated her consideration. I walked her to the door.
“Anna! Luisa!” Both girls came downstairs a few minutes later. After a brief greeting, Luisa and Bibi left. Dante held Anna in his arms, listening to her recount that day’s piano lesson. I could tell his mind was far away, although he tried to give Anna his full attention. I approached them. Leonas was still down for his nap, but he too would be up soon. I searched Dante’s eyes , wondering what was wrong, but he gave me a tugged smile. “Let’s go to dinner at our favorite place.” “Are you sure?” “Yes. I want us to spend an evening with family. We can talk later.” “Okay,” I said with a smile. “I’ll get dressed up. What about you, Anna? Do you want to get pretty?” “Yes!” she shouted. “Can you make Leonas presentable?” Dante cast me a glance as he put Anna down. “I’ll do my best. It bothered me today.” I laughed and took Anna’s hand. “The girls need to get ready now.” Anna and I ran up the stairs and into my walk-in closet where I also kept some of Anna’s nicest clothes. “I want to look like you!” said Anna. I bit my lip. Anna liked to wear matching outfits. Many people in the Outfit found it strange, but I tried to ignore their negative voices. “Okay. Let’s see what we can do.” I chose a plaid dress for Anna with cute black boots and a plaid costume for me. This way our outfits were similar but did not scream twins from afar. Then I braided Anna’s hair. I was not as good with French braids as Mom , but I tried. I let go of mine and put on some makeup , then we headed to Leonas’ room. To my surprise, Dante had managed to dress Leonas in chino pants and a cute button-down shirt, as well as sneakers. She spoke softly to him. Dante rarely raised his voice with our children and even then he never yelled . Anna had always been an obedient child, so we had never had reason to be strict, but Leonas was already testing our patience every day. I wondered how long Dante’s calm approach would work with our son. I leaned in the doorway, smiling as I held Anna’s hand. Dante caught me looking at him, then looked at Anna and me appreciatively. “We are going to dinner with two beautiful ladies, Leonas, we must behave.” Leonas paid no attention, too distracted by the task of fiddling with Dante’s handcuffs. Our favorite restaurant was an elegant but cozy place with the best steak in town. We sat at our usual table in a corner where we were protected from attention. Leonas and Anna behaved well, as they did most of the time when we were out. Even Leonas’ tantrums usually occurred in the safety of our home. I could tell that Dante was enjoying our family dinner despite the lingering tension in his expression. Later that evening, when we lay in each other’s arms after sex, I asked, “What happened today? You seemed shaken.” Dante let out a deep sigh that made his chest vibrate under my cheek. “It’s Fabiano. He’s gone.” I raised my head to look at Dante’s face in the dim light of the bedside lamp. “He left?” “He ran away. That’s what Rocco said at least.” “That’s ridiculous. Fabiano wanted nothing more than to become a Made Man. Why would he run away from that?”
“Rocco thinks he might have followed in his sisters’ footsteps and fled to New York to join the Family.” I shook my head slowly, but part of me thought maybe Rocco was right. Fabiano loved his sisters, even though their relationship had broken down because of the war. His feelings toward his father, on the other hand, were probably less affectionate. The man had treated him even worse since Rocco Jr. was born. “What do you think?” Dante ran his fingers through my hair, then along my arm and waist. “I’m afraid Rocco is right. Luca would welcome Fabiano if Aria asked him.” Dante’s lips twitched as they always did when he talked about it. Despite the photos, Luca and Aria still seemed to be in good shape. For a while I had feared that Luca had hurt Aria because she had completely disappeared from public view, but then we had found out that she had given birth to a daughter and had been hiding to protect herself. I leaned against Dante’s chest. “He’s only fourteen years old, Dante. Did you send someone after him?” “Rocco did. He’s his son.” “And what would happen if they caught him?” Dante let his head fall back against the pillow and stared at the ceiling. “By our standards, he’s an initiate, Val. He’s not a child anymore.” I closed my eyes. Since I had a son, the rules of our world often worried me. Leonas was a little rebel and I sincerely hoped that he would choose his battles wisely once he grew up . “It is strange, however, that Fabiano now chooses to run away. Why did he not follow his sisters when they took Liliana? He could have gone with them. But he tried to stop them.” “Maybe he didn’t. Maybe it was all a set-up.
Do you know how I suspected there was a mole in the Outfit?” I opened my eyes wide. “You think Fabiano was the mole? But he’s not even a Made Man yet. His knowledge is limited.” “His direct knowledge, yes. But he might have heard many things in the Scuderi mansion.” “Do you really think Luca would use a boy as a spy?” “If you think Luca would have qualms about endangering a teenager, then I can assure you that he has none. And as for Fabiano’s value, I suppose his information was better than nothing.” “But how can we be sure? What if something happened to the boy?” “Rocco has some contacts with local biker gangs in Luca’s territory. Hopefully they can find out something and share information with us in exchange for goods.” “Don’t you think it’s horrible how Rocco has driven all his children away? The thought of losing Anna and Leonas like that? It breaks my heart.” Dante grabbed my head, his eyes conveying absolute certainty. “We are not losing either Anna or Leonas. We are trying to give them everything they need. I know they will always be bound by certain rules and limited by certain restrictions, but I will make sure they can have all the freedom our way of life allows. And your love will give them the roots they need.” “Your love, too. Leonas and Anna are always so happy when they can spend time with you. They love you so much.” Tenderness flashed in Dante’s eyes. “I’m trying to be a better father than mine. I don’t know if I always succeed .” “Yes,” I said firmly. “How can you even think of comparing yourself to your father? He and you are nothing alike.” Dante chuckled darkly, his eyes searching my face almost reverently. “Trust me, Val, I have a lot of my father. But it’s a side of me that you and our children will never get to see.” I lowered my head forward, nibbling his lower lip playfully. “You are everything I want.” He rolled us over, pushing me into the bed. I threw one leg over his side. “You can’t let me stay on top, can you?” I teased him. Dante pressed his growing erection against me in response and lightly bit my shoulder. “Don’t be shy, Val. You get wet the moment I force you to surrender.” God, he was right. I had tried riding him a couple of times out of curiosity, but it wasn’t for me. I loved Dante’s dominant side in bed, the way he took absolute control. After all, I always got my reward. The next day, the weather was nice and warm, the first hint of spring after a too-long winter. Anna and I sat on our bench, dressed in our coats and with a blanket draped over our legs because it was still cold despite the sunshine. Leonas obviously did not feel cold. He tore off his coat again and threw himself into the sandbox. Anna giggled, looking at me. She had never been so bold and wild. She preferred to observe and carefully consider her actions. She snuggled closer to me and hummed the new song she had learned in her last lesson. My phone vibrated in my coat pocket and seeing Horace’s name, I accepted the video call. I wondered if it was an accident because we had never made a video call before and even his calls were few and far between. I smiled at the target. “Hi Horace.” “Uncle Horace?” Anna intervened, scanning the screen. Since Anna and Leonas had been born, I had seen my brother often. My children adored him, but his relationship with our father had not yet improved. “Hey Val,” he said, looking and sounding exhausted. His hair was tousled and dark circles under his eyes. I had never seen him like that. Horace always took care of his appearance, which was why so many girls admired him and would have liked to become his wife. “I wanted to call to see Leonas and Anna.” “Hello!” shouted Anna and waved wildly, almost knocking the phone out of my hand. Horace smiled slightly, but it was off. What made things even stranger was that he was in the car. “Where are you?” He cast a glance at the passenger side, then shook his head. “It’s not important anywhere. How are you? How is Leonas?”
I pointed the phone’s camera toward the sandbox where Leonas was building what looked like a pyramid. “He has bees in his butt as usual,” I said, then turned the camera back to me and Anna practically pressing her face against mine. “When are you coming to visit?” she asked. Horace’s eyes shifted to the right again, then his smile became even more strained. He did not answer.
“Did you fight with Dad again? I don’t understand why you two dickheads can’t get along.” Horace had managed to wriggle out of his promise to settle down with a wife so far, but Dad was close to exploding over this. “It’s too late,” he said. I frowned. “Is it really so bad to marry someone Dad suggests? It can work.” “I’m getting married in a few weeks.” I wasn’t sure I had heard correctly. Again his gaze sought out whoever was sitting next to him in the passenger seat.
“You want to blow this off to our parents?” I whispered. If he had married a girl from a family of soldiers that our parents did not approve of, this would not have improved his relationship with Dad in the slightest . “I’m not going to tell them. They will find out, of course, and they will not approve . Father has made his point of view very clear .” “Does he know?” Horace laughed darkly . “He doesn’t know that I’m getting married , or that Lucy and I are together, but he knows about Lucy.” The bitter, furious note in his voice made me wince. Anna sank back down, obviously bored with the topic when my insides practically burned with curiosity and terror. “Lucy?” I repeated. Maybe it was short for Lucilla? Or another Italian name, but deep down I knew it wasn’t. I swallowed. “Are you in love with an Outsider?” Horace grimaced.
Suddenly I realized that that call was meant as a farewell. I felt it deep inside. If Horace had married an Outsider, Father would have disinherited him. Unless I could get Dante to talk to him, although family matters were off limits for a Chief, but he could do it as a son-in-law. “Maybe…” “No,” Horace said. “I have to leave, Val. There’s no other way.” The truth I didn’t want to believe. I lowered my voice. “Horatio, you know what the consequences of running away are. It is a betrayal.” Dante might not send many men after Horatio as a favor to me, so perhaps my brother might go unnoticed. But what could he do? He had never done anything but be a Made Man. “Let me talk to Father and Dante. You know there were exemptions in the past where Made Men were allowed to marry outsiders.” “Low-ranking soldiers, not the heir to Chicago,” Horace corrected. “And trust me, there will be no exemption for Lucy.” He looked to the side, then nodded, and a wonderful girl appeared into view with pitch-black hair … and an exotic face. An Asian girl. No, Dad would never have accepted her, nor the Outfit still very traditional.
I had heard enough superficial comments at social gatherings to know the persistent racism in our circles. I made an effort to smile. “Hi Lucy.” She smiled shyly, then looked up at my brother, and the look they exchanged made me realize that nothing could stop Horace. Nor would I have wanted to come between them. “Nice to meet you, Valentina,” Lucy said in a soft voice. Could love ever be a crime? Could wanting to be with your love, no matter what, be considered a betrayal? “I will put in a good word for you with Dante. If you run away to Europe, maybe England, you might be safe.” Lucy bit her lip, giving my brother a pained look. “I wish we could have met in person.” With that said, she disappeared from view. Horace’s expression grew tense. “Valentina, I’m sorry I blamed you for my problems with Dad. You did your duty to remarry and somehow that made me even angrier for a while. I’m glad I got to see Anna and Leonas one more time.” “What is going on, Horatio? I don’t understand.” “I’m in a safe place, so you can tell Dante what I just told you. You don’t have to think you have to protect me. Bye.” “Hi, Uncle Horace!” called Anna. I couldn’t say anything, just watched the screen go black, feeling completely confused. Leonas came running toward me, smiling, but his good humor did not reach me. I got up and grabbed him as he threw himself into my arms, happy for the distraction and the much-needed time he was giving me to get my thoughts in order. I didn’t understand what Horace meant by a safe place. Was he already out of the United States? For some reason, I didn’t think he was. The small part of the car I had seen looked like Horace’s BMW. Anna ran after me as I walked back into the house. Leonas dropped sand everywhere. “Mom, I’m hungry,” he exclaimed . “First we have to change your diaper.” Leonas shook his head wildly, but I took him to his room anyway. “Who was that girl with Uncle Horace?” blurted Anna as she followed close behind me. I put Leonas on the changing table despite his protests. My clothes and the table were covered with sand, and I cursed myself inwardly for being so lost in my thoughts that I had not cleaned him first in the bathroom. “Mom?” asked Anna, rising on tiptoe and holding onto the edge of the table. I smiled shakily. “He was her friend.” “Like Luisa and Sofia are my friends?””Yes, like that,” I said. After changing Leonas’ diaper, we went down to the kitchen. Zita was in the laundry room ironing Dante’s shirts and it was Gabby’s day off, so I had the kitchen to myself. To distract myself and because Anna and Leonas loved them, I made French toast with a mascarpone and vanilla cream on top. Anna helped me beat the eggs while Leonas dipped his fingers in sugar and licked them clean. They loved their learning tower and I loved that it gave them a chance to feel involved when I was cooking. We sat down at the table and both Leonas and Anna eagerly dove in. They looked completely content, their faces dusted with sugar and cream. I tried to hold on to the sense of peace I felt as I watched them, but my concern for Horace soon took over. On the one hand, I was happy for him, happy that he had found someone he loved , but on the other hand, I was worried about his future, his life. What if this was sudden? How long had he known Lucy? Was it really worth leaving everything behind? He could not simply change his mind in a few months when things were not going well. He would be considered a traitor and…. God, was Dante really going to kill my brother? What about Dad? I closed my eyes, terrified for my brother, for my family. A hand on my shoulder shook me out of my reverie and my eyes widened. Dante towered over me, his blond eyebrows furrowed in obvious concern. “Are you okay?” “Mom made us French toast!” said Anna cheerfully. Dante stroked her hair but her eyes remained fixed on me. Leonas lifted his arms and after a moment Dante bent down and took him in his arms. For a second, I let myself enjoy the moving scene of Dante carefully holding our son in his arms. I had not eaten a piece of my French toast, I was not hungry. “Would you like some?” I nodded to my plate.