He was struggling. I knew what it felt like to carry the weight of past decisions. “John is trying to renew Rocco’s contacts with MCs in Luca’s territory, but it is difficult.” If we were going to have any chance of getting our hands on Growl, we had to do it with the help of those erratic bikers. “It’s not really my dad’s kind of scene,” Val said. “He feels more comfortable talking to politicians than to bikers.” She and Ines were playing a board game with the children at the dining table while we men had settled down on the couches to discuss possible solutions. It was futile to try to keep everything hidden from the children. After weeks of living in a state of emergency, they had gotten used to it. The doorbell rang. Peter frowned, looking at his watch. “I ordered some clothes,” Ines said. Pietro had told her not to go shopping for the time being. I too had asked Val to stay home as much as possible. Once we were back in Chicago and new security measures were established, she could return to her usual routine.
Samuel rolled his eyes but stood up. The guards still would not let anyone near the door who had not passed their initial screening. “I want to ride my bike!” exclaimed Leonas. “It’s too dangerous,” said Val. “I’m going to be a Chief. It’s more dangerous!” A smile pulled at my mouth despite the situation, and Peter even laughed. Danilo, as usual, looked stern. He was lost in thought most of those days, probably imagining scenarios of Serafina’s current situation. Dividing his attention between Indianapolis and Minneapolis was becoming more difficult every day. I avoided at all costs thinking about what Serafina was going through. They led to nothing but despair and anger. Neither was helpful.
Samuel entered the living room, pale. He held a package in his hands. “This has just been delivered. A package from Remo Falcone.” His voice trembled, and when he looked up from the package, terror shone in his eyes. Ines let out a groan, covering her mouth with the palm of her hand. Danilo snapped to his feet and I stood up too, only Peter seemed paralyzed in the seat. “Do you think he sent us a piece of Serafina?” asked Leonas. I sneaked over to the table, grabbed his arm and pulled him upright. He grimaced. “Upstairs,” I growled. Leonas’s eyes flashed with shock. I let go of him and he rushed upstairs. “You too,” Valentina said to Anna and Sofia, who did not hesitate . “Open it,” whispered Ines, standing up and throwing the glass down. She launched herself at Samuel as if she wanted to rip open his package to see what was inside. I couldn’t let that happen. Not until I knew what was inside. Ines was a strong woman, but some things were simply beyond what she could bear. I threw my arm around her waist, stopping her. She struggled fiercely. “Let me go, Dante! Let me go!” I did not. “Ines, calm down,” I urged her. She gave me a glare of lightning. “Would you calm down if Anna were in Serafina’s place? If her finger or ear could be in it? Don’t you dare tell me to calm down ever again, do you understand?” Ines had always been a composed and calm woman. She had never yelled at me. Peter finally staggered up and walked around the table, hugging Ines to his body. “Ines, leave us…” “No!” hissed Ines and broke away from Peter. She staggered toward Samuel, who did not try to struggle as she snatched the package from his hands and opened it. A white sheet fell from the box. It spilled to the ground in soft waves, revealing a bloodstain. Ines made a choking sound. For a moment, we were all frozen. There was no doubt what that blood meant. Samuel bent down, picked up a piece of paper attached to the papers, and began to read in a low, trembling voice: Dear Dante, Danilo, Pietro, and Samuel, I am sure you have all come together at this difficult time to come together. This allows me to present my gift to all of you. Sharing is caring, right? I always thought that the tradition of the bloody sheets of the Family was a ridiculous relic of the past, but I must say that I consider myself reformed. There is something very satisfying about presenting evidence of your victory to your opponents. You will be happy to know that I let Luke know how I borrowed the tradition of his Family to send you a very graphic message. He sends you his greetings. In case your worry-ridden brains have trouble deciphering the sheets, let me explain.
These beautiful snow-white sheets witnessed Serafina’s deflowering. I must say, Pietro, you raised a firecracker. You fought me tooth and nail to defend your honor. It made my vindication of your beautiful daughter all the more entertaining. Samuel’s voice died a hoarse death. Ines fell to her knees, crying. Tears streamed down Val’s face, her fingers trembling against her mouth, her horrified eyes on me. Danilo stared at the sheets, his face frozen, his arms dangling beside him. Peter had turned his back to us, his shoulders shaking. My muscles had stiffened in a state of shock and anger so deep it threatened to tear down the walls I had built for decades. Samuel continued reading, his voice broken and anguished. I wonder how you feel now, Danilo, knowing that I took what was promised to you? What about you, Samuel, knowing that I defiled your twin sister? That she suffered cruelly because you dared to set foot on my territory. Lesson learned, I hope? What about you, Dante? How do you feel now that you failed to protect one of your own because you were too proud to admit defeat? I hope your pride is worth seeing proof of how much Serafina suffered at my hands, or should I say fuck? Maybe your pride is not your downfall, but it is certainly the downfall of your family, Cold Fish. Sincerely, Remo (P . S. once doesn’t count, right? Maybe I can send you a second set of sheets.) Danilo rushed to the sheets and tore a lighter from his pants, trying to set it on fire. I grabbed his arms but he flailed around like a madman. Finally he broke free and staggered away toward Peter’s office. Carla had mentioned purgatory from time to time when we had discussed her faith. I had always considered the idea of hell ridiculous. But today I experienced my own personal purgatory and had dragged my family into the flames with me. Ines stood up. Her movements were jerky, almost as if she was drunk and unable to control her limbs. She was drunk only with fear. She was shaking and crying as she ran toward Dante. “Give him whatever he wants, Dante. Whatever he wants!””Ines,” she said with a strained note. I could see the ‘anguish in her eyes. Dante had no problem making the tough, difficult decisions, but this one was beyond anything he had ever expected. He fell to his knees, clinging to Dante’s calves. She looked at him. “Please, Dante. I’m on my knees, please save my daughter, save Fina. Please.” Peter trembled then staggered forward, grabbing her shoulders. “Ines, stop. Ines.” She struggled against him, clinging to Dante’s legs as if they offered him salvation: Fina’s salvation. I couldn’t breathe. The room was saturated with so much despair and fear that it blocked my throat. I had always feared that war would reach our family, but never like this. Dante was paralyzed as he stared at his sister. “Ines,” he said softly. I pressed a hand to my mouth, trying not to cry. I could see myself in Ines’s place; I could imagine her despair, her anguish. If Anna had been in Remo’s hands … I too would have begged whoever was able to save her on my knees, I would have thrown my pride out the window and crawled if I had to. But I wasn’t sure if Dante could save Fina, and he wasn’t sure either. Because Remus was playing a devilish game that he liked too much . Samuel helped his father pull Ines to her feet, and she fell into Peter’s arms, clinging to him, sobbing. I had never seen Ines in that state, and the tears I had tried to hold back were now flowing freely down my cheeks. The sound of glass breaking and furniture falling to the floor reached us followed by Danilo’s roar full of anger, despair and even guilt. Pietro and Samuel half carried Ines out of the room. Dante and I remained in the living room, many steps away, motionless in place. A sense of desperate helplessness hovered between us. Our gazes met. Dante’s face was a hard mask, his eyes tumultuous. I wanted to say something reassuring to ease the weight of responsibility on his shoulders, but my mind was blank. My gaze settled back on the sheets and I inhaled softly . I did not want to imagine what Serafina had gone through, how Remo had imposed himself on her. Imagining her fear, her shame, her pain, brought more tears out of my eyes. Dante walked over to the sheets, picked them up and folded them neatly, then put them back in the package. “What are you doing?” I asked in an atonal voice. “I’m sending them to a lab.” “Do you think it might not be Serafina’s blood?” Dante’s lips tightened. “No. But I need absolute certainty.” Blood and DNA samples were taken from everyone in our circle to facilitate identification in case of a brutal death . Anna and Leona had also had samples taken soon after their birth. I tried not to dwell on that thought. Dante picked up the phone and a minute later Enzo entered the villa. He and several other men took turns guarding the villa and the surrounding streets. Dante calmly explained to him what he was supposed to do and, as usual, Enzo listened calmly, without his face revealing anything. His calmness was something I appreciated in a bodyguard. He cast me a brief glance before walking out with the package. “I’m going to check on the children,” I said. Although I longed to be held by Dante, I could see that he needed a few moments to himself. He nodded, already turning his back on me. I went out. The house was strangely quiet now. Danilo had stopped raging behind the closed door of Peter’s office, and somehow the silence bothered me more. I quickly went upstairs. Stifled sobs came from down the hall where Ines and Pietro’s bedroom was located. My heart clenched violently and I had to lean against the wall to compose myself before I dared to enter Sofia’s room. Anna and Sofia sat cross-legged on the bed, their faces confused and frightened. They looked at me for answers, and for a moment I knew how Dante felt when all his men always turned to him for solutions. My face stiffened. I could not smile, even to console those girls. Leonas was sitting on the couch in the corner, playing with his Gameboy and had a frown on his face, with blond locks covering most of his eyes. I could tell he was upset even though he pretended to be absorbed in his game. “Mom, what’s wrong?” asked Anna. Sofia jumped out of bed and took a step forward. “There was … there was a piece of Fina … inside … inside …” Her face contorted in horror. I quickly shook my head, even if there had been a piece of Fina inside, even if only blood. I would not have been the one to say anything to Sofia. If Peter or Ines had decided to let her know , they would have had to tell her, but I doubted they would. I walked over to them and let myself fall on the bed. Sofia’s room was a dream in pink with frills and stuffed pillows.