I feel so much more refreshed after my bath and a short nap. My stomach, though, is rumbling. The sandwich on the plane filled a void, but it’s been hours and I’m starved. Deciding on a simple pair of skinny black dress pants and a dressy, short-sleeved, wrap-around, purple blouse and black-and-cream wedge heels, I’m ready to go downstairs in the hope that dinner is ready.
As I get closer to the stairway, I hear voices, one of which sounds like Cara. I hurry my steps and see my best friend being greeted by Felicia, with Emiliano by her side.
“Cara.” She turns to look up. By this time, I’m rushing down the steps, both of us giggling with delight. “You’re here.”
“Felicia and Nero invited us for dinner, and I wasn’t going to miss out on seeing you and spending time with Felicia.” Cara turns to Felicia. “Thanks again for having us.”
“We’re happy to have you. And let’s face it, as soon as dinner is over, the guys will disappear into the den. This way, I’ll have fabulous company. Evangeline can fill us in on what she’s been up to since the wedding,” Felicia says. By this time, the men have come to meet us. Raffaele walks straight over to me, wrapping a possessive arm around my waist. I look up at his handsome face, but he gives nothing away about his meeting with the others.
Felicia is the perfect hostess. I’ve gotten to know her somewhat through the years, but being the future capo’s wife, she’s often busy. Felicia’s a very brave woman. I remember when Aris came home and was talking about Nero being engaged to Felicia and the story behind it. The Russians had attempted to kidnap Nero’s sister, Grazia, right from school. It was Felicia’s quick thinking that kept them alive until help arrived.
Marco was so grateful that he gave her the greatest gift of all by making her the wife of the future heir to La Famiglia. You would hope the fairy tale would end there, but unfortunately, it seems that a traitor among the family didn’t want Nero to become the next capo and kidnapped Felicia to make him look incompetent. Nero nearly lost his mind, but as they’re both sitting together enjoying dinner with us, I see that it all worked out. The way they look at each other, that’s love between them. My parents share the same smiles and gentle touches.
Emiliano doesn’t bother to hide his feeling for Cara. He’s told Aris that from the moment he saw her, he knew she was the one for him. Both Cara and Emiliano are more reserved and quiet people. It’s almost as if they have their own silent language, but each knows what the other is thinking.
Aris and Emiliano are going on about the new casino that’s going to be built. Nero, Ivo, and Raffaele listen, offering their own suggestions. Cara and I get to catch up on how things are with her mother and how she’s enjoying being a grandmother to Grazia and Luciano’s beautiful baby. Like a good zia, she shows me pictures on her phone.
Raffaele sits next to me through dinner, and every once in a while, I feel his touch. His hand brushes my shoulder, his fingers play with my hair, his leg brushes against mine. A gentle reminder that he’s by my side and I’m safe. I look at him too. He’s eloquent when he speaks, and it’s clear that Nero respects my husband. The two men have similarities, both being in high positions of power and with heavy responsibilities. Yet, they have their distinctive ways that make them unique.
Raffaele has a dragon inside him. He’s ready to unleash it upon the enemy and burn them all to the ground without mercy. I thought this would terrify me, but it doesn’t. Maybe it’s because I know it’s his way of showing Ultimo Morte he’s ready to fight for them at any cost, but ultimately because he is their leader and takes care of his own, especially me.
When did I fall in love with my husband? I don’t really know. But I feel it. When he makes love to me, I know it. When he holds me, I know it. When he loses his temper over a pair of shorts, I know it. It’s his way, and I love all those parts of him.
Raffaele feels something for me too. I’m not sure if it’s love, but that fact that he’s so angry about what happened gives me hope.
After dinner, the women sit in the living room hearing all about the details of Cara’s upcoming wedding. Felicia is the matron of honor and Nero is the best man.
“Are you sure I can’t convince you to walk down the aisle as my bridesmaid?” Cara attempts one more time to convince me.
“I just walked down the aisle,” I say. “Besides, this way, I don’t have to be nervous about falling flat on my face.”
“You didn’t trip at your own wedding,” Felicia comments with a bright smile.
I laugh. “You didn’t see me holding on to my father for dear life.”
“Your dress was gorgeous. You looked fabulous,” Cara says.
“Thank you,” I reply politely. “I can’t wait to see you on your special day.”
The guys walk back into the room, and Raffaele adds, “Evangeline and I are looking forward to being there.” Raffaele looks at Emiliano and says, “I highly recommend marriage.” He then turns to me and gives me a sly grin, making me blush profusely.
“Well, I’d better get Cara home,” Emiliano announces, breaking up the evening. “Thank you for letting us crash your dinner,” he jests.
Cara gets to her feet. “Oh yes, thank you.”
“I’ll call you when we’re ready,” Nero tells Emiliano.
It’s not until we’ve said our goodbyes that the tiredness of the day hits me. I cover my yawn, but Felicia sees everything. “Get some rest,” she says. “We’ll have plenty of time to chat more tomorrow.”
Happy to get a reprieve, I gladly say good night to all. I stop next to Raffaele, tugging on his arm. He bends down, and I kiss his cheek. “Good night, big guy,” I whisper.
“I’ll be up soon,” he replies softly and lets me go.
* * *
Raffaele
Evangeline is fast asleep when I come into the dark bedroom. The silhouette of her body is illuminated by the moonlight. It’s been a long day, and as much as I would like to wake my wife with my mouth between her legs, we both need to get some rest.
I strip and slide beneath the covers and pull Evangeline into my arms. She lets out a small sigh and settles with a hand on my chest. Her face is turned upward. Her expression of calm and serenity makes me envious.
Between the danger that threatens Evangeline and thoughts of Fuego Demonios coming for my wife, sleep eludes me. I run through everything that we discussed in Nero’s office over and over. We’re missing something. Aris tried to call his father, but hasn’t gotten hold of him yet.
Eventually, my eyes close, and while listening to the soft puffs of breath coming from Evangeline, I fall asleep.
* * *
I don’t like leaving Evangeline without one of my men guarding her, but Ivo needs to be involved in the meeting with Marco and the others. Francesco isn’t due to arrive for another couple of hours, since I left him in charge of handling the details of our men and getting a unit together and in New York.
“She’ll be safe. I have double the guards than usual, and we’re not ten minutes from here. If there’s a problem, I’ll get an alert and we’ll rush back,” Nero says when he sees my reluctance to leave.
“Right. Okay.” I exhale a heavy breath.
“Reno and Dante are waiting, and Dante seems pretty pumped about what he’s discovered. Alessio and Niccolo are there as well,” he adds. We take our leave, but not before I advise Evangeline to keep her phone close and to make sure to respond if I call or text.
When we get to Marco’s place, the men have already assembled in Marco’s office and are waiting for us. Dante’s chomping at the bit to tell us what he’s found out.
“Whatcha got, Dante?” I ask after all the pleasantries are done.
“Aris needs to go before me. That way, it will all make sense,” Dante tells us, and swings his head to Aris. We do the same.
“Go ahead,” Marco says, jerking his chin upward.
“I spoke with Dad late last night,” Aris says. “I asked him to tell me every detail of his trip to Texas. He told me that he and Frankie Polone saw to business and headed to the airport the same day. Nothing was out of the ordinary. When they got to the airport, Frankie went to the men’s room and Dad said this young woman was pleading with the counter person to let her on the plane. She was crying and carrying on. Dad called her over, and she said some men were coming for her and she needed to get out of town. When she heard people running toward them, she hid in the corner whimpering. Dad figured she was really in trouble and got her a ticket to the first plane out. Never got her name, and she was long gone. He told Mom all about it when he got home, and that was the end of that.”
Dante says, “That young woman was Carmen Cortez. She was trying to get away from her father and the criminal life her father had built. Our contacts from Satan’s Pride did some digging. The girl was supposed to be married to an old man, a prominent drug lord, and her father was going to establish himself alongside him. It seems that the girl ran away and disappeared.”
“That’s why Cortez set their sights on Cosimo and his family. It was he who helped her get away. In retaliation, they planned to make him pay by taking his wife. What happened to Carla was all because a good man did the right thing for a girl in trouble,” Reno says.
“Why didn’t they keep her or kill her?” I ask. If they wanted revenge, it makes no sense that they would send her back.
Aris says, “They wanted Dad to feel the pain. They thought Mom would fall apart, and then their marriage would fall apart. They didn’t realize how much my father was willing to do to heal his wife.”
“It seems that after Evangeline was born, people started talking about her legitimacy as a Lanzia,” Dante explains. “Dad claimed Evangeline as his, but people talk. Tongues wag and it got out on the streets. They want Evangeline because, although La Famiglia killed Hector Cortez, Evangeline’s assumed father, Hernandez Cortez, is coming for his niece.”
“She’s my sister!” Aris declares. “That’s it. That’s all. She’s a Lanzia.” He’s riled, his face red with rage.
“Evangeline is a Di Morte now,” I counter. “Either way, no one is getting near her.”
“Satan’s Pride knows a club in Mexico, and they would be more than happy to eliminate Fuego Demonios for their own selfish reasons, for a price,” Reno says. “They know where to find the gang members. But Hernandez is in the States. He’s poised to strike. I’ve tracked him from the airport to a hotel. Marco sent a couple of guys to scout it out. If he’s there, we’ll soon know.”
“Shit!” Nero looks down at his phone. He starts racing out of the room. “My house has been breached.”
“Fuck!” I shout. “I think we found Hernandez.” I run out after Nero to the car. Luciano and Ivo jump in the back seat. I vaguely see Alessio and Reno coming out after us.
A ten-minute drive turns into five, but that’s still too long. With every second that ticks by, they’re getting closer to Evangeline. The gate opens to let us in. The enemy tries to come through at the same time, but Nero’s firepower has most of them dropping like flies. The car screeches to a halt, and we race through the front door.
“Felicia,” Nero shouts.
His man shouts, “Safe room.”
“Evangeline?”
“She was in the garden. When she heard the ruckus, she ran. She was headed for the back shed. Our men ran after her, but they cut us off firing automatic rifles,” he says. “We’re going around to the back through the trees.”
I take off like a shot, Ivo covering my back. Nero and Luciano follow. I see Alessio and Niccolo taking position and firing their guns, picking off the enemies coming over the stone wall, one by one. Reno is gaining ground on the other side, doing the same with Dante and Aris, creating an opportunity for me to get through.
A bullet hits my arm. I’m thrown to the ground, where Ivo shields me. He helps me up and moves me behind the shed structure.
“You’re hit. Stay here. I’ll go in after Evangeline,” Ivo says.
Like that’s going to happen. “Not a chance.” I pull my jacket off to take a look. “It’s a graze. I’ve been through worse. I have to find her before Cortez does.”
I must find my wife.
* * *
Evangeline
I make myself very small, hiding in the shed behind the riding lawn mower’s wheel. The black tarp over it helps to conceal me, but I know this man isn’t going to give up. He’s tearing the place apart. He has another guy with him who begins at the other end of the building. The first man must be the leader. He calls my name like he knows me. His voice booms through the building, making my heart race and my knees shake even more than they already were.
“Evangeline. I’m not here to hurt you. I’m going to take you home where you belong.” His words slither out. He’s like a serpent with a forked tongue that will sweep at its prey and reel it in. “I’m your family. Your uncle. Your real family.”
I inhale sharply, covering my mouth to stop any sound from emitting. These are the same people who took my mother and nearly killed her. They’re animals. Disgusting human beings who hurt a sweet woman like my mother and subjected her to rape and beatings until she was hardly breathing.
I hate them! I hate them for what they put my mother through. I hate that they tried to kill my parents’ love for one another. But most of all, I hate that they think they can do this all again using me to destroy my parents.
“Come out, Evangeline. This is for all of Fuego Demonios. You’re one of us. We’ve come to take you home where you belong.”
No way, jackass, I think. I’m staying right where I am until Raffaele comes for me, and I know he will. I hear gunshots outside, and voices getting louder.
* * *
Raffaele
I stealthily slip through the door, wanting the element of surprise. Hernandez is at the back of the shed, but the man has keen senses and turns immediately to see me. He ducks behind a pile of wood and fires off a shot.
At the same time, one of his goons jumps from the rafters above and throws me to the ground, knocking the wind out of me. Ivo hauls him off me, and the two of them go at it. Ivo has the upper hand, but before I can get to my feet, Hernandez is pointing a gun at Ivo, ready to shoot. I lost my gun when I fell, but there’s no way I’m going to let him kill the only man I consider family. I jump to my feet and tackle him to the floor. He grunts, but recovers fast. My arm is useless, with blood pouring from the wound.
Hernandez is on me, pulling a knife from his ankle. I grab his wrist with my good hand, but I won’t be able to hold him off for long from this position.
Then suddenly, there’s a shot fired. Hernandez screams in pain. Blood trickles from his mouth. He goes limp in my arms and slumps on top of me. I roll him off and see Evangeline, holding a gun with shaky hands, tears streaming down her face, before she crumples to the floor.
I scramble to my feet and rush to her, gathering her in my arms as best as I can. She sobs and sobs, chanting over and over, “I killed him,” until her voice is hoarse. I’m not sure how long we’re huddled together, but when I raise my head, we’re surrounded by Nero, Luciano, Reno, Dante, Alessio, and Niccolo with Ivo and Aris standing over us. They help us to our feet. I vaguely hear Nero saying the doctor is on his way.
It’s the agony of listening to Evangeline calling herself a killer that tears me open inside. Revenge isn’t tasting sweet. Not this time.