La Famiglia (19 page)

“Bonjour, Lorenzo!”
A man’s deep voice bellowed. The man walked out from around the counter. He greeted Lorenzo as if they were old friends. The two embraced. Marietta glanced to Carlo. He leaned against the door and his gaze never left her.

“Come here, Marie,” Lorenzo said. He extended his hand. “I want you to meet the man that will make it all happen for us.”

She stepped forward and took Lorenzo’s hand. The stranger arched a brow with approval. “
Enchantè mademoiselle Marietta
,” he took her hand and kissed it. Marietta nodded her hello but removed her hand from his. “She’s lovely, Lorenzo. I’d expect nothing less,” he said but kept staring at Marietta’s breasts. He raked her from head to toe with his leer. She knew that look. Lorenzo gave the man a shove to the shoulder and the stare off was broken. He said something in French that had the man both laughing and apologizing. Together they started to walk off. Marietta figured the meeting between the two would be the part of the deal where money exchanged hands.

“I won’t be long,
cara
.” Lorenzo called back over his shoulder. “Carlo, keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn’t try to escape,” he winked and entered the door to the office of the man. It closed.

Marietta gazed down at her ring. It was the most beautiful and valuable piece of jewelry she’d ever owned.  She thought of her adoptive mother and the talks they would have about her being a wife and mother when she was a little girl. She felt a pang of regret for how things were left between them. Though her adoptive mother never spared her the wrath of her abusive father, there was love between them. And she wished they weren’t so far apart now. What family did she have to share something this special with?

“Nice.”

Marietta jumped. Carlo peered over her shoulder at her ring. She turned and found herself closer to him than appropriate. Marietta took a step away. “It’s better than nice, it’s beautiful,” she said. She extended her hand so he could get a full view.

“I see you made him bend down to his knees to put it on your finger,” Carlo said.

“Oh you saw that? Yes. Lorenzo did it in front of everyone at the jewelry store. He’s very happy to be mine,” she smiled.

“Why are you doing this?” Carlo asked. “You don’t know him. You sure as hell don’t love him. So I have to wonder why do
you
want to marry him?”

“I don’t owe you an explanation,” Marietta said. The accusation cut her to the bone. She didn’t understand the hostility. Carlo’s gaze lowered and his dark eyes held a sinister challenge that made the hairs to the back of her nape stand on end. But she didn’t blink. Lorenzo would kill him if he touched her. Of course he wouldn’t have to because she’d rip his balls off first. 

“I think you should go back to America. Take the ring and go. I’ll give you money. Whatever you want. End it now,” Carlo said.

Stunned, her mouth dropped open. She never thought she and Carlo were friends, but never enemies. She saw how Carlo stared at her. She caught desire in his eyes several times and deep down inside his cool hardness enticed her. They had formed a friendly enough bond around Lorenzo to mask hostility. There was nothing flirtatious in his manner now. Now he looked deadly serious. “I do love him.” Her voice came across weak. She cleared her throat. “And I will marry him. And you know what else?”

Carlo’s left brow winged up with amusement.
“Dica?”

“The first thing I will do as his wife is break the bond between the two of you,” she finger poked his chest.

A flash of predatory rage passed over Carlo’s stony face. Marietta stepped forward to show her bravery. He was indeed dangerous, and something else. She couldn’t put her finger on it but there was something off about Carlo. Still she held her ground. “For you to come at me like this behind his back proves you aren’t his best friend. I won’t have you doing anything to hurt my man. And trust and believe, Carlo, taking me out of his life will hurt him, and before I go I
will
end you!”

Carlo let go a mocking laugh until it lowered to a soft chuckle. The women in the office were staring. Marietta could sense it. She didn’t dare break the stare off with him. He smiled and it was deceptive. “Trust and believe me, bella, I will be here for Lorenzo long after you are gone. And if I want to make you disappear I know many ways to do it.”

Marietta crossed her arms. “We’ll see, playboy.”

“We’re done!” Lorenzo announced behind her. But she and Carlo couldn’t take their eyes off one another. Lorenzo swept her up from behind and spun her around then planted her on her feet.

“
Ti amo, bella
. You have made me the happiest man in the world by agreeing to be my wife.”

“I love you too, Lorenzo. So much.”

To her surprise he picked her up again with a manly growl. Marietta laughed as the others watched. He kissed her and she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. She was the happiest woman in the world. Lorenzo ended the kiss and she slid down his tall frame. Grinning up at him she couldn’t look away from the man she loved. She loved him with all of her heart.

When given the chance she glared at Carlo.

Carlo winked and tipped his head to the challenge.

* B
*

Armando Mancini strolled toward the front of his family home a bit curious. He was summoned. The men said Dominic Battaglia had come to pay a visit. Once he saw the Battaglia runt standing there alone, the anger in his gut tightened. The fool had arrived with no entourage to protect his scrawny neck.

This intrigued and tempted Armando.

“Ciao, Dominic,”
Armando said.

Dominic nodded. Armando gave him the customary embrace and cheek kiss. “This is a surprise?
Come sta?
”

“
Molto bene, grazie.
I would have called first but I just arrived in Palermo and thought it would be okay to pay you a visit. Giovanni sends his hello.”

Armando chuckled. “Of course he does.”

He started off to his office. Dominic followed. Armando hadn’t expected any Battaglias after the last unannounced visit. But even if they were brave enough to visit his home they certainly wouldn’t do so alone. He glanced back at Dominic. He had always known this one had bigger balls than the others, considering the hellhole he escaped as a boy.

“
How is Don Mancini
?”
Dominic asked of Armando’s father when they entered the office. Armando went to his bar and reached for the crystal decanter of freshly poured wine. “He’s doing quite well. He’s in the garden. Is that why you came to visit? To see Papa?” Armando turned with glasses. He walked over and handed one to Dominic and then returned to his desk to take a seat. “Please sit. I’m curious about this visit.”

Dominic sat. He let the wine swirl in the bottom of the glass but didn’t take a sip. “As you know Giovanni has returned to Villa Mare Blu. He’s brought his wife and baby daughter. It’s a holiday for them.”

“I’ve heard,” Armando said. “I am disappointed that he didn’t call to inform us of this holiday.”

“That’s why I’m here.” Dominic grinned. “I came to let you know of our intention to stay, until the babies are born.”

“Babies? Twins?” Armando asked.

“Yes. We are blessed. Twin boys.”

Armando glared at Dominic from over the rim of his wine as he took a sip. “So you are
consigliere
again?” When Dominic didn’t answer Armando chuckled. He knew that Dominic killed Catalina’s husband Franco. They all did. He also knew that he was stripped of the title
consigliere
for the dastardly deed. Though it appeared the punishment was brief. Another weakness of Giovanni’s was this dirt rat who they adopted into the family. Armando sat his glass down on the coaster. “Forgive me. I find it funny how you
Camorra
pretend at understanding
Cosa Nostra
. One day a
consigliere
, the next day an errand boy, the next day
consigliere
again,” Armando chuckled.

“We are no pretenders, I assure you,” Dominic replied. His unfazed manner set Armando’s teeth on edge.

“Of course you are pretenders. The
Camorra
is the lap dog of the Mafia. We Sicilians own the traditions you play with in Italia.”

Dominic sighed. “We are just as Sicilian as you. Our fathers took the same oath of
omertá
, instilled the same values. The
Camorra
is stronger because of our mutual Sicilian blood.”

“Is that what Giovanni teaches you?” Armando asked, with a sardonic smile.

“I’m not here to debate you, Armando. We exist. And that will never change. I’m here to pay respect to your family and inform you that we will be in Sicily for some time. If that is a problem, you should tell me now.”

Armando sat forward. “You’ve got some fucking nerve arriving here without my blessing. If I do have a problem you were foolish enough to make it easy for me to rectify it.”

Dominic stood. He put the glass of wine down on the table without having a sip. Another insult. “But you won’t, Armando. Will you? Until the old man dies you play at being the mafia
Don
. And my guess is Mancini doesn’t want a Battaglia war, he never has.”

Armando smiled. “You’d be surprised by what my Papa wants these days.”

Dominic started for the door.

“Come sta Mirabellá?”
Armando asked, slouching back in his large wing back chair.

Dominic stopped.

He turned his gaze back over his shoulder. Armando rocked back in his chair. The cold congested look of rage on Dominic’s face was the first show of emotion since his arrival. Armando was pleased he had pushed the right button. “Tell her that my Papa sends his love and blessings for the twins.”

Dominic gave a single nod of his head and then walked out. Armando stroked his chin. The Battaglias had a secret and it was the same secret his father carried. Armando guessed that if he uncovered why those bitches mattered he’d finally have the means to destroy Giovanni Battaglia. He smiled. That indeed would be gratifying.

“Dominic Battaglia?” Ignazio entered his office and spat the words with distaste. “What the fuck is Dominic Battaglia doing showing his face around here? Did you invite him?”

Ignazio was Armando’s left hand. And when Armando took the crown from his father, Ignazio would be his
consigliere
. Armando picked up his wine and sipped it. Ignazio stood there with his hands in his pockets.

He lowered the glass of wine back to the table. “He came to say that Giovanni Battaglia will be staying in
Sicilia
for the next couple of months. He and his black wife.”

“Let me deal with him, a nice little accident on his drive back to Mondello.”

“No,” Armando said. “The old man wouldn’t like it. Besides, I have a better plan.”

Ignazio’s brows lowered with interest. Armando leaned forward on his desk. “Giovanni’s wife. She’s here to give birth to twins. That means they have a doctor in mind. Find out who it is. I’d like to meet him.”

Ignazio nodded his head and walked out.

Armando smiled. Giovanni was home. It felt like old times.

* B
*

Mira sat up on the exam table. She was helped down to her feet. Giovanni insisted on being the one to put on her underwear and then shorts. The gesture was so sweet but a little oppresive. Mira was still able to manage the effort, however, she knew allowing her husband the priveledge appeased him. They were always both so tense when making a doctors visit. And of course he took the liberty to touch her intimately. He pulled up her shorts and kissed her nose.

“I can’t believe you had him come to Sicily.” Mira smiled.

“I told you I would have the best doctors for you. Besides he’s part of a team here in Palermo that will be seeing to you. I made sure they were the very best,” Giovanni winked.

“You’re a wonderful husband. Thank you, sweetie,” Mira said.

The doctor knocked and returned. His name was Abdul Buhari and he was African. He was a tall handsome dark black man with a bright white smile that matched his cool bedside manner. At first Mira thought Giovanni would be uncomfortable with this doctor, unfazed by the man’s natural charm. The doctor spoke fluent Italian, Spanish, French and English. She first met him weeks ago when she bled so heavily she thought she was miscarrying. He said that it was her cervix expanding and nothing to worry about. The bleeding stopped as suddenly as it started and she began to feel better. 

“I’m happy to report everything looks well
Signora
Battaglia.
Molta brava!
”

“That’s great. Will I be able to carry them full term? You were worried about my blood pressure. And look at my feet.”

The doctor and Giovanni glanced down to her swollen ankles and feet. After walking around today they were so puffy she feared if a needle poked them they’d explode.