Revenge (12 page)

Enrico burned as he continued down the hall.
Maybe it had been a mistake to bring her here. Maybe she wasn’t who
he thought she was…. He took a deep breath. Actually, she was
exactly
who he thought she was. Intelligent, direct, and
assertive. Her question had hurt because it was so on the mark.
He’d been acting like Toni had an impossible to break hold on him
when it was the other way around. He didn’t want to let go of her.
If she were still here, she’d have told him to quit wallowing and
move on with his life. Hadn’t she said as much at the end? That he
had to let her go?

He reached the end of the hall and stepped
inside his suite, closing the door behind him, shutting Kate out,
shutting all of it out. He leaned against the heavy wood for a
moment, absorbing the hush of his room. Then, before his nerve
failed him, he crossed over to the double walk-in closets and
opened the one that had been Antonella’s.

All her clothes were still in their places.
The dresses, the slacks, the satiny blouses she liked to wear. The
rows of designer shoes and handbags. He inhaled deeply, picking up
the scent of finely tanned leather, and underneath it, the freesia
and jasmine of her perfume. The carefully sealed hole in his chest
burst open, piercing him with an ache that reached up into his
throat and threatened to strangle him.
Toni
. He closed his
eyes, reaching out and burying his hand in the deep brown fur of
her sable coat. When had she worn it last? Winter, two years ago,
in the garden. Before they knew she was ill. She’d kissed him in
that coat, her lush body pressed against his, buried under that
softness, that warmth. How he’d wanted her.

He opened his eyes and let go of the coat,
then released a shuddering breath. Clothes for Kate. He had to
focus. He picked out a black flowing skirt, a pair of charcoal
trousers, and a couple blouses. A swimsuit. Things he didn’t
particularly remember Antonella wearing. He added a red slip, one
that still had a tag on it, to the pile. Something Kate could sleep
in. He opened drawers, found an unopened package of lacy black
underwear to add to the stack. That was enough for now. He’d get
Kate her own clothes in a few days.

He closed the closet behind him, then marched
back down the hall and knocked on her door. She opened it and
looked at him bashfully. “Enrico, I didn’t mean—”

“You did mean it.” He stared at her for a
second. “And you are right, it is time to let her go. Here,” he
said, thrusting the clothes at her. “We will get you something else
soon.”

She gathered the clothes from his arms. “I’m
sorry.”

“Do not be.” He rubbed his chin, letting out
his breath on a sigh. “I am not a child. I cannot keep doing
this.”

“Doing what?” she asked softly.

He took a steadying breath. “Acting like she
is coming back.”

“Oh.” Kate looked down at the clothes, then
up at him. “Do you need help going through her things?”

He wasn’t ready for that. “No. I will take
care of it myself.”

“How long were you married?”

“Twenty-six years.”

He could see the wheels spinning in her head
as she calculated his age. He helped her. “I am forty-four.”

“You don’t look it. I thought you were about
thirty-five.”

He smiled. “I do not smoke. That helps.”

After a brief silence, she said, “May I
ask—how long has it been since your wife died?”

“A year ago today.” Pain stabbed through him,
but he forced himself not to let it show. He didn’t want to break
down in front of her. Or anyone.

Jesus
!
A year ago
today?
She
was the Queen Bitch of Bitchdom.
“Oh God, I was so awful to
you—”

“You were right.”

“But rude.” She could barely look at him. He
said nothing. “Forgive me?” She raised her eyebrows in a silent
plea.

“I already have.”

Relief flooded her body. “It’s a good thing
you don’t hold a grudge.”

“I have a long memory.” His tone softened.
“But only when I want to.”

“I’ll strive to remain on your good side
then.”

He leaned against the doorjamb and looked
down at her. “I doubt you could ever fall out of my favor.” When
she met his eyes, he looked away, a rush of blood darkening his
cheeks.

“Enrico, I don’t want to seem… ungrateful,
but….” She let her voice trail off.

“I expect nothing from you. Nothing at all.”
He paused. “I enjoy your company. There is no harm in showing my
appreciation, yes?”

She smiled. “I enjoy yours as well.”

“Then I hope this whole situation shall not
be such an ordeal.”

She sighed at the reminder. “What if you
can’t persuade Vince to leave me be? What am I going to do?”

He looked at her, his eyes heavy with
meaning. “I
will
resolve this for you. If it is the last
thing I do, I
will
see you safe.”

The certainty on his face was heartening. “I
believe you.”

“Good. Now freshen up and we will meet for
dinner in an hour, yes?”

She nodded, feeling better than she had all
day. If Vince was the villain in disguise, maybe Enrico was the
knight in shining armor. Even if that armor had a touch of
tarnish.

Of course, that would make her the damsel in
distress. Kate gritted her teeth. She hated being dependent. But
she was in way over her head.

She was in so deep, she’d be lucky if she
didn’t drown.

Enrico and Kate had just sat down to dinner
when the house phone rang. Maddalena came in and told him it was
urgent. “I will be back soon,” he assured Kate.

He walked down to his study and picked up the
phone. “What the hell are you thinking?” Dom shouted.

“
Ciao
to you, too.”

“You know why I’m upset.”

Enrico sighed. “I didn’t have any
choice.”

“You always have a choice.”

“He was going to cut her up, maybe even kill
her. I repeat, I had no choice.”

“
Basta
!” Dom took a breath. “It was
just an excuse to have what you wanted.”

Enrico flushed.
Where had he gotten that
idea
? He couldn’t let Dom’s disrespect pass unchallenged. “You
dare speak to me this way. Shall I replace you?”

“Shall
I
replace
you
? It is my
right.”

It was true. The
capo di società
could
call for a special election at any time. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Force me, and you’ll see what I will dare to
do.”

Fuck
. Why was the whole world coming
down around his ears today? “We need to talk. Now.”

“I’ll be there shortly.”

Enrico hung up and rested his hands on the
desk, his head hanging down. He’d known Dom wouldn’t like what he’d
done. He hadn’t expected a direct challenge to his authority,
however. What had Ruggero told Dom about the fight? Had he implied
that this was all about Enrico’s libido?

Enrico stared at the phone, his anger rising.
Dom had never spoken to him that way before. True, he’d always
treated Dom as his equal, but Dom’s behavior was verging on
disrespect. Which Enrico could not tolerate and live long.

He walked back to the dining room, trying to
wipe his face clean of worry. But Kate saw through him. “What
happened?”

“Nothing. It is a business matter.” He took a
bite of his risotto, then said, “I am going to have to take a
meeting soon with my cousin Dom. I am sorry, but it will interrupt
our meal.”

“It’s about what happened today, isn’t
it?”

He was careful to keep his face neutral.
“Kate, do not concern yourself.”

She didn’t say anything. No doubt that wasn’t
the end of it though. He’d have to think of something to tell her
later.

It didn’t take long for Dom to arrive. Enrico
heard his car pull up and excused himself from the table, going
into the front hall and opening the door.

Dom stalked toward him, his face hard and
set. Every muscle in Enrico’s body tensed.

“Don Lucchesi,” Dom said, inclining his head
in a stiff bow. His sarcasm was not lost on Enrico.

“
Buona sera
.” He stepped aside to let
Dom into the house.

They proceeded to the study in silence,
Enrico closing the door behind them. He walked over to the liquor
cabinet and poured two glasses of sambuca. He wanted a civilized
discussion, if nothing else.

Dom took a seat on the sofa, and Enrico sat
across from him in one of the chairs. He leaned forward and handed
him a glass and clinked his own against it. “
Salute
.”

His cousin tossed back the drink and slammed
the glass down on the wooden coffee table.

“So thirsty, Dom. Would you care for
another?”

Dom crossed his arms. “What I would care for
is an explanation. What the hell is going through your mind?”

Enrico studied his cousin. They had been
through so much together, first as boys, then later as partners in
the business of running the family. But Dom had never understood
Enrico’s decision to stick by Antonella. And he would not
understand his decision to stick by Kate. Enrico took a sip from
his glass. “What’s going through my mind actually, is Toni.”

“What?”

“I’ve never loved another woman the way I
loved her.” He looked at his glass, at how the cut crystal caught
and reflected the light.

“I’m aware of that. Fool that you are.”

Enrico cast him a sharp look. “I am your
capo
. Remember that when you talk to me.” His eyes held
Dom’s.

Dom inclined his head the barest bit. “I
apologize—for the insult. But not for the question.”

“And you have every right to ask it.” Enrico
took another sip of the sweet liquor, then set his glass down and
leaned forward, clasping his hands between his knees. “I’ve been
miserable since Toni died. I’d begun to think I would never be
happy again. That I would die alone. But I’ve felt more alive in
the last few hours with Kate than I have in the last year. I
finally want something again.”

Dom raked a hand through his hair.
“
Dio
, Rico. You’ve jeopardized everything for a woman.
A
woman you cannot have
.”

“How could I stand by and let Andretti kill
her?”

Dom sighed. “You must make this right. Carlo
already wants your head. Now that you’ve insulted Vincenzo, I’m not
sure there’s any way out of a war with the Andrettis.”

“Carlo cares about money more than he cares
about Vincenzo’s pride. We can fix this.”

“At what cost?”

Enrico shrugged. “Perhaps we give him the
meat-packing business in Milan.”

“You will give him
millions
over this
woman?”

“If I have to.”

Dom went red, his voice taking on an ugly
tone. “You say that like it’s
nothing
. And maybe it’s not to
you. But that’s taking food off
my
table.”

Enrico snorted. “Your family is hardly
starving.”

“I have four children, and I’ll soon have
grandchildren. Not to mention my staff, my men. All of that costs
money.”

“You mean
my
staff,
my
men.”

Dom uncrossed his arms, pointing a thumb at
his own chest as he spoke. “
I
give them their orders, don’t
I?
I
run the business day to day, while you fritter away
your time mooning over your dead wife. And now this American.” He
threw his hands up in the air. “You are out of control. Your father
would never be so cavalier about chopping up the business. And all
of this just to satisfy your lust.”

Enrico’s face flamed. “That’s not true.”

“It
is
true. And it’s my job to make
you see sense. Or take over.” He held Enrico’s eyes, his jaw set
like a pit bull’s.

A cool tingle of adrenaline ran down Enrico’s
back, cranking up his pulse. The threat was real. Although Enrico’s
father had been the
capo di famiglia
of the Lucchesi
cosca
, Dom was a Lucchesi too, and he had several sons to
carry on, a clear line of succession. He had proven himself a
strong and competent
capo di società
, and his management of
daily operations was unquestioned.

Time to switch tacks. “Dom, do you love me,
as your cousin, as your brother?”

“Of course.”

“Then why deny me my happiness?”

Dom stared at him. “You can be happy with
Delfina Andretti or some other girl of your choosing. Perhaps my
Bianca. You haven’t even tried to find another.”

“And if I do try and I am not happy?”

Dom crossed his arms again. “This is
foolishness. So much sentiment over a woman.”

“I’ve never understood, cousin, how your
heart can be so cold on the matter.”

“Remember how you felt when Antonella died?
Why go through that again?”A strained note ran through Dom’s
voice.