“Well,” Nonna went on, “being the son of the renowned and most powerful mafia boss in Boston is not exactly a crime, now is it? And he is clean. He left the family when he was nineteen.”
My brain scrambled to a halt. What?
“Let this be a lesson to you,” Nonna continued. “You’re too impatient and too quick to come to conclusions, which I’ve warned you about. Also, whoever did the check for you probably wasn’t capable enough to make the connection. Anyway, there you have it. He’s not just a bodyguard. You’ve had the direct offspring of the capo del capo of the Messana house under your roof for the last two years, and you didn’t even realize it.”
“Loosen up on the criticism mother,” my father said, starting to recover from his shock. “This was one mistake. “
“Well, it could have been a deadly one if this young man’s intentions over here had been evil.”
My father turned and glared at Angelo. “And what makes you think they aren’t? He’s hid himself too well over the years has he not?”
“Is he acting like he’s guilty of anything?” she asked.
“Well, with this moron daughter of mine standing right next to him and fighting all his battles for him what has he got to worry about when he could use her as a shield? Get the hell away from him!” My father pulled out a gun from his drawer and in a flash pointed it directly at Angelo.
“Papa!” I screamed and moved to stand directly in front of Angelo.
“Marco, what are you doing?” Nonna asked tiredly.
“Sienna, step away from him,” my father ordered.
“Are you seriously considering hurting Messana’s youngest son?” Nonna asked him. “I believe he is the apple of his mother’s eye. You want a war on your head?”
“Well, I have a damn good excuse. He invaded my turf. Do you know how much information about us he has been able to obtain over the last two years? Such behavior is unacceptable.”
Nonna’s sigh was heavy. “Young man, why aren’t you saying anything?”
Angelo turned to my grandmother and bowed his head slightly at her. “Sienna,” he said “Go to your grandmother’s side.”
“No!” I refused, and turned around to face him, but at the sternness in his gaze, my mouth sealed shut. I understood that he meant what he was saying. Earlier, he had implored me several times to trust him … to have a little faith and yet, I had defied him at every turn. Now, it was time for me to trust him. I conceded and begrudgingly went over to my grandmother’s side.
“Wow,” she said. “He can obtain your daughter’s obedience with just a stare? Marco, don’t you usually have to nearly threaten Sienna with her life for her to even pay attention to you?”
“Don’t you think you’re enjoying yourself a bit too much?” my papa asked, his pride hurt, and he looked clearly irritated. He was starting to look less and less dangerous even with the gun in his hand.
She laughed softly. “I am enjoying myself immensely. Now, let the young man talk.”
We all turned to Angelo.
He wore the same stoic, and fearless expression he usually wore. “My father or my brother do not need your secrets. They are very successful on their own, perhaps even more successful than you. I am not a plant. I didn’t come here to steal your secrets. It was one of your associates who connected us, and as strange as it sounds, I came to work for you because you had a pool I could use in the middle of the night and plenty of time to perfect my fighting skills.”
“So why did you hide the fact that you are a Messana?”
“I changed my name because I did not want to be connected to that name. I wanted to make my own way in the world. When I became a champion fighter. I didn’t want anyone to say my opponents threw the fights and let me win because of who I was. Even now, I would have preferred to have won Sienna’s hand on my own merit not because of whose son I was, but now that you know, you will understand I am more than capable of taking care of Sienna. I have a vast fortune put away in offshore banks for me and I can, at a moment’s notice, call upon an army of protection for your daughter. In fact, just knowing who I am will instantly keep your daughter safe. I will give my life for her.”
Nonna clapped. “Nicely said, young man. You’re great for my Sienna. I approve of you, but you better not make the mistake of hurting her, I don’t give a rat’s ass whose son you are, I will put out the order to send you to the grave myself.”