“Righty-oh,” she replies flippantly.
“Hmm, really?”
“Sorry, yes, sir.” She sits up straighter, but her continued attitude tells me she doesn’t appreciate me telling her what to do.
People like her are disciplined and respond best to their trainers who they respect above all others. Does this mean she respects me or not? I shrug it off to her anger issues and head upstairs. I may never figure her out and the sheer thought of that turns me on and my neck turns warm, and my chest is tight. I need air. And I need to get laid tonight otherwise I’m going to go crazy if Francesca doesn’t give me an in to get closer. The subtle smiles and the physical closeness while training together every day is driving me insane.
15
Francesca
Ilay in bed and stare out the window, watching the white clouds float by through the tree limbs of an old birch behind the house.
At night, it looks eerie as the light of the moon is broken up by the swaying branches, but I find it comforting. Is it the darkness in me or the fact that it’s unique? I look for patterns in nature just like I look for patterns in people.
Who is this Carla and why is he meeting her? Is she the one who left stuff in the bathroom I’m using? Is she pretty? Wealthy? Of Florentine breeding? That seems to be a checkbox that has to be ticked here, and I have no idea why. I don’t understand this thing about Florentines.
However, it’s a big deal among Italians here who have money or prestigious backgrounds. All my questions will be answered in time I suppose. Maybe Sal has pressure on him to marry Carla. She could be one of the clans in their organization.
Just the same, I’d rather skip tonight’s tête-à-tête. Witnessing the two of them is not my idea of fun. And yet at the same time I can’t stop thinking about what it would be like to be on a date with him.
A real date, one where I’d get to dress up and enjoy the scent of his cologne that mingles with mine. Maybe an incredible wine that compliments copious amounts of food and conversation that isn’t about work.
But it’s not me he’s with and I only glance at the reacquainted lovers sharing and evening drink just to make sure he’s safe.
Sal mentioned that they are implementing a plan to check into my family and the Calabrese’s involvement in human trafficking. They agree something is amiss and the Micheli family doesn’t take lightly to false accusations. I overheard something about my dad killing his own men years ago when the families were at war just to cover up a double cross.
The Michelis have plenty of reasons to hate us. I’m surprised they have taken me in, but I’m anxious to head south. We can pick up with the Albanians later.
Turf wars happen all the time. In all honesty, it’s been a while since things sparked this far north so I know we’re all deluding ourselves if we expect this calm to last indefinitely. It’s just not the nature of our ‘business’.
I can’t figure out what skin Fausto has in the game with Calabrese unless he’s being paid well to deliver me to the enemy, or he’s got another trick up his sleeve. He counted on me coming here to avenge my father’s death and I fell right into the trap.
I am tough but my weakness is loyalty and empathy for the girls. My brothers knew this and exploited my weakness. And I fell for his lies. I know better but I’m human after all.
His world is much larger with a wider swath of personalities. Personalities he’s known for years through Dad, the same with Mario. I’m not savvy with all the games they play.
I bolt upright in my bed of crisp sheets that remind me of spring with the freshness of daisies when I realize they might be in this together. They both mastered manipulation a long time ago, I just didn’t expect either of them to use it on me. I should have known better.
I should have known that Dad’s death changed everything for all of us as well and that they have their reasons for getting me out of town. I wish I knew what they were.
The only proof of human trafficking was paperwork showing money exchanged between bank accounts, and he could have easily forged it. Now that I can put the pieces together, I realize he hung me out to dry.
Whether he wanted me to die attacking Dante or not, the potential was very high I wouldn’t return from that mission no matter how good I am. And he wanted me to go after Sal, not Dante.
I run my hand through my hair and lift it off my neck and shoulders as I’m hot. Damn. I have so many questions. With me out the way, meaning I wouldn’t be making waves and making my brothers look bad, Mario is lined up to be don if Calabrese didn’t take over. Or, if he takes out Calabrese which might be easier after Calabrese thinks he’s safely in as don.
Maybe he went along with Calabrese because he wasn’t set up to be successful in his bid to take over.
This is making more sense to me. I’ve been duped as have the Michelis.
Fausto and Mario would need help to solidify their bid within the new regime and eliminate others without getting their hands any dirtier than they already are.
Plus, my brothers would inherit more of Dad’s estate. Everyone I know is all about the money and I had to fight for what I received.
Remorse takes over. Maybe I’m partly responsible for Sofia’s disappearance. Maybe the family just wanted to erase Sofia to distract me in an elaborate plot. In the process I became a loose end. And is Guido in on this as well? Could the three of them be this tight?
Financial gain is not the only factor that motivates my brothers. Their need for more power and more money is never satisfied. In the mafia world, one must be ambitious, ruthless, and devious . . . willing to go to extremes to obtain more spoils of war. There is no vacation from the pursuit of more, more, more.