La Sposa (61 page)

“
Again, Isabella, why are you here?
You said at his funeral you’d never speak to me again.”

“
Justice,” she said. “I so like
that word. Every time I say it I feel like it’s the Holy Grail,
just beyond my reach.” She turned her gaze to him. Her voice went
from wistful to perky and upbeat. “I hear Giovanni Battaglia knows
about your black bastard daughter. He came to Sicily. Don’t you
think you should be honest with Armando?”

“
It’s not your affair!” Mancini
snapped and started coughing. Isabella laughed.

Her laughter made him want to ring her neck.
She was truly her mother’s daughter.

“
What happened to you was unjust.”
Mancini confessed. “But your parents had no choice. Isabella
Battaglia was only seventeen years old when she was pregnant with
you. She came to me for help to cover the secret. My family was the
only one more powerful than her own capable to do so. Tomosino
trusted Flavio. If he learned about the truth of their affair, he’d
have killed him.”

“
And so the cycle continues,”
Isabella grinned. “Rumor has it that Dominic, Giovanni’s
consigliere
is now fucking his baby sister. Those Battaglia
men can’t control their
consigliere’s
dicks!”

“
Get to the point of your visit!”
Mancini snapped.

“
Oh yes, the lovers. Isabella and
Flavio. A true Romeo and Juliet. Except, instead of taking the
poison, they did away with the bastard. You were so generous to
help them. Offering up one of your men and branding him Isabella’s
rapist; to be slaughtered by Tomosino and his brothers, was pretty
ingenious. No one ever suspected. Ever! How could anyone really
believe that hateful bitch would let a man rape her?”

“
That is your mother you speak of!
Show respect.”

Isabella waved off the comment. “You saved the
day. Tomosino was so grateful. Thought of you as a brother. Guess
that’s why he had such issue with you running away to
America.”

“
How do you know this twisted
version of our history?”

“
How do you think?” she shouted at
him. “You covered Flavio’s crimes so he could continue to be
consigliere
to Tomosino. Did you know my father told me what
he had to pay to you all these years for that generosity? He was
your spy! How delicious!” Isabella snickered. “You were spying on
Tomosino and he was conspiring against you!” she laughed again.
“Flavio was in the middle, playing you both!”

Mancini was chilled by that laughter.
Isabella’s madness was almost as purely evil as that of her
mother’s. “What do you mean, Tomosino was conspiring against
me?”

“
It is strange that you would be
such a feared Don in Bagheria. They say you were the man who could
rip another man’s throat open with his bare hands if disrespected.
Parents still whisper stories of your wrath to their children to
warn them to be good. And yet all this time you are so clueless. My
father was right about you. Underneath all that murderous contempt,
you are nothing but a coward.”

“
I’ve tolerated all I intend to
from you, Isabella. Leave.”

“
Did you ever know who your enemy
was?”

“
Many men hate me.”

“
But Flavio really hated you,” she
hissed, her voice sounded like that of a serpent. “You kept me here
and pretended I was your daughter, until my mother took ill. Then
your wife told me the truth of who my parents were.”

“
I protected you.” Mancini said. “I
cared for you like my own child.”

She laughed bitterly. “And look at what that
care has gotten your true daughters!”

“
Don’t speak of them to me! You
know nothing of them!”

“
It was Flavio who put the idea in
Tomosino’s head after you did away with me!”

Mancini frowned. “What idea?” He sat upright.
“What are you talking about?”

“
He convinced Tomosino to kill that
black bitch in America. The breed horse you left behind with those
twin mutts. Flavio got his revenge on you and you didn’t even know
it. And there’s more! He also worked with Capriccio to hide your
daughter Marietta from you. Let you believe she was dead. All of
this with Tomosino’s blessing and funding. He wanted you to suffer,
and Tomosino wanted his true friend to return to the
Mafiosi.”

“
Are you saying Flavio told you
this?” Mancini asked, his voice shaky with fury.

“
Yes. He told me. He knew about you
sending for Mirabella. He returned to Italy from visiting me too
late. Giovanni had already been bitten by the same lovebug that bit
you in America. He fell in love with the pathetic wench! Flavio
tried to separate them. And Giovanni murdered my father for his
loyalty.”

Mancini remembered the conversation. He was
certain that Giovanni held back on him, but not with this truth. It
was too toxic to swallow. A blood thirst for revenge gripped him by
the soul. Black- layered hatred filled him to the rim. “Tomosino
and Flavio killed my Lisa?” he said in an empty, hollow
voice.

“
Yes!” Isabella smiled. “Now you
get it! Finally! Saints be praised, he has seen the light. All
these years you bartered a fake truce. You had Flavio telling you
about the moves of the
Camorra
. Staying ahead of Tomosino in
many important deals. And while you did this, my father helped
Tomosino destroy that woman and her daughters.” Isabella rose. She
straightened her suit.

Mancini remained frozen with rage, anger,
disappointment, sorrow and shame. He couldn’t speak.

“
Enough about the past. I came here
today to tell you what Giovanni thinks you don’t need to know.
Isn’t it time the Battaglias lose everything. And my brother
too.”

“
Your brother?” Mancini
mumbled.

“
Lorenzo. He’s with your daughter
Marietta. The Battaglia men are fucking both your daughters…
well.”

Mancini lunged for her but she easily stepped
back and he fell to his knees. His oxygen tank fell over. The
excruciating pain that shot through his joints made him
wheeze.

“
I did it!” Isabella announced. “I
brought Marietta here. Almost had Lorenzo kill the bitch, but he’s
weak like most men. Now he keeps her with him like his puppy,”
Isabella said with disgust.

“
I will stop you.”

“
Oh no, no, no, no.” Isabella
knelt. “You will not stop me. If you say anything to Giovanni or
Lorenzo about me, I will play the last card my father gave me. And
you will lose, Armando.” She glanced up to the sprawling estate
behind him. “And three hundred years of Mancini legacy. I promise
you.”

Mancini struggled but managed to rise.
Isabella stayed close, yet distant.

“
What do you want?”

“
What every daughter wants. To make
her father proud.” Isabella smiled. She looked up to the sun. “Do
you think daddy is proud of me now?”

Panting, he stood straight; but it took effort
to remain that way.

Isabella stared at him. “Keep silent and away
from your daughters and I will destroy Giovanni Battaglia and his
precious
Camorra
from the inside. They will return to you,
for your obedience. And you will have revenge without lifting a
finger. Tell me that doesn’t taste sweet.”

“
Your threat means nothing. It’s
not enough to stop me from telling Giovanni. I’m a dead man on
borrowed time. I don’t intend to play anyone’s game.”

“
Mirabella is your favorite, isn’t
she?”

Mancini frowned.

Isabella nodded. “Do you know she has a
Chinaman rotting in a jail cell thirsting for revenge against her
now? He and I have become quite close. In a month he is returning
to China. To the Triad.”

Mancini’s eyes narrowed on her. He knew full
well how powerful the Triad was. They were more ruthless than the
Russians and more disciplined than the Mafiosi.

“
If you warn Giovanni, I will
unleash the Dragon on Mirabella. He’ll send you what’s left of her
when he’s done.”

“
Patri!”
Armando called out.
“Oh, Isabella. They told me you came to visit.” He walked over and
kissed her cheek.

“
Ciao,
Armando. How are
you?” She kissed both his cheeks in return.

“
Good now that you are here. Say
you will stay for dinner.” Mancini looked away, to keep Armando
from seeing his anger. He set up his oxygen tank and lowered back
into the chair, exhausted.

“
No. I just wanted to come see
uncle.” She smiled at him. “I’ve missed him and you. Whenever you
come to Rome, you have to look me up.”

“
Will do.”

“
Ciao,
uncle. I’ll be in
touch.”

She walked off. Armando stood next to his
chair, watching her go back through the gardens. “She is still
beautiful. Isn’t she?”

“
Like a cobra.” Mancini said
bitterly.

Buon Compleanno
–

“
My goodness. How old is she?”
Marietta asked, walking hand in hand with Lorenzo. She had shopped
in Bellagio and bought a handmade doll of porcelain for the little
princess, when Lorenzo announced they’d be returning to the
Campania
for the party.

“
She’s two,” he chuckled. “A little
angel. Wait until you meet her.”

Marietta couldn’t believe the extravagance of
the celebration. The entire compound had been transformed into a
cheerful display of flowers, balloons, and lanterns on the inside
and out. The party color theme was pink, white, and yellow. Large,
stuffed animals as tall as people, were propped against the walls
in each room. And the people gathered had to be in the hundreds.
There were also men with weapons mixed in, watching and managing
the crowds.

“
Who are all these people?”
Marietta asked.

“
Most are families who have someone
who works for my brother. There are a few local celebrities and
politicians as well.”

“
You have got to be shitting me.
For a two year old?”

“
For the daughter of Don Giovanni
Battaglia.” Lorenzo tipped his head at her. He dropped his arm
around her shoulder and she eased hers around his waist. “Come
on.”

She had to remain close to Lorenzo to avoid
being separated. The beautiful solitude of Bellagio was gone. How
she wished they could have remained.

“
How long do we have to stay?” She
asked in a loud voice over the noise of others as they forced their
way out to the back terrace that wrapped around the south end of
the estate. Lorenzo didn’t answer. She looked back and saw Carlo
trailing behind them. He wore the same sullen scowl and not many
people spoke to him when he passed. He looked better, though she
knew some wounds a person carried never healed.

Once they walked outside, she felt less
confined. People casually gathered in clusters, laughing over
glasses of wine. Inside of tents, celebrating partygoers danced to
a live band. Kids enjoyed an inflatable beast and jumped merrily in
its belly.

“
Let me introduce you to
la
famiglia
.”

“
Sure. Sounds like fun!” Marietta
rolled her eyes behind his back, already bored with the
prospect.

“
Lorenzo.” A man stepped to him. He
wasn’t as tall as Lorenzo or Carlo but he was strikingly handsome,
with his dark curly hair and dreamy brown eyes. He nodded at
Marietta with a smile that could easily be mistaken as a
flirt.

“
Forgive me. This is Marietta
Leone.”

“
Buongiorno.
Mi chiamo
Dominic Battaglia.
Many people call me Domi.” He took her hand
and kissed it.

Marietta smiled.
“Piacere.”

The spell he cast over her was broken when he
switched his gaze back to Lorenzo. Marietta had to wonder if a
requirement for the Battaglia men was that they all be sexy and
mysterious. Even grumpy Carlo exuded masculinity, with his battle-
scarred face.

“
Giovanni expects you.”

“
Now?”

“
Adesso.”
Dominic turned and
walked away. Lorenzo’s arm slipped from around her
shoulders.

Marietta sighed. “Don’t tell me you are
leaving me alone, again.”

“
Not like before.
Torno
.
This business will conclude shortly and I will find you.” He
pinched her chin and kissed her lips. “Behave, Marietta, this is my
family so I want you to be nice.”

She blinked up at him and smiled innocently. A
smooth smile slipped over his lips. “There’s plenty to eat and
drink. I won’t be long. I promise.”

“
And my surprise?” She put her
hands to his waist. “When do I get it?”‘

“
Looks like you might be receiving
it really soon.” He kissed her softly. Marietta watched him walk
away. Carlo appeared at her side.

“
Don’t say anything that will make
me want to hit you.”

He chuckled. “I was going to offer to get you
a drink. Step in for my brother.”