“Ricci?” Lorenzo’s stomach clenched. Isabella was real. The inspector confirmed it for him. But why had she attacked Mirabella? And did she really have anything to hang over his head still? “What did Rocco say? I don’t remember an Isabella Ricci. Is she related to Flavio’s people?”
“She was adopted into the Mancini family.” The news landed hard between them. Dominic went on. “When she was young, and then she ran off a few years later. No one ever speaks of her. Turns out she’s your sister.”
Lorenzo turned and looked at Dominic and laughed. “Seriously? Who the fuck is she?”
Dominic sighed. “She’s your sister.”
“I don’t have a fucking sister, you asshole.”
“She was named after your mother,” Dominic said.
“That doesn’t make her my fucking sister!” Lorenzo shouted.
“Your mother had a child, a little girl. She had her with Flavio.”
“This is bullshit! A lie!” Lorenzo collared Dominic. He threw him into the wall. Dominic shoved Lorenzo off him.
“I can’t believe it either, but the story comes from Rocco, and Armando Mancini confirmed it. It fits. She’s the one who has been working with Santo. Who helped the China man take Mirabella. She’s been plotting and waiting since Flavio’s death, to get revenge against Gio. It’s true. And if you know anything about her, Lorenzo, anything, you need to tell me now. Because she is using our secrets and our love for our family against us.” Dominic stepped forward. “Don’t think for a moment she didn’t set it all up. Even Mirabella’s escape. She’s been at this for awhile, and she’s fucking winning.”
Lorenzo stood there stunned. His brain couldn’t process the news. He flashed back to the tapes and what David Capriccio told him. If it was his sister from that wicked woman who gave birth to him, then it would explain why she would have so much hate in her to plot against him. He lowered to a chair.
“Do you know this woman, Lorenzo? I need the truth,” Dominic asked again.
“I don’t know her. Madre never mentioned a bastard daughter. You know how she was. If it’s true then I am just as clueless.”
“The clan bosses will be freed soon. The prosecutor is dismantling his own case because they have Carlo. Giovanni could not bargain for his release. They are going to hang him for this. Do you understand?”
“Yeah,” Lorenzo mumbled. “Give me a minute.”
**
There were voices in her head. She swallowed a metallic taste on her tongue, and her stomach clenched with nausea. Mirabella felt ill. She struggled to focus on the whispers. And then she heard one voice rise above the others and it gave her hope. The man sounded like her husband. She forced her lids to part. Giovanni stood at the foot of a bed with two men talking. It had to be a dream. She closed her eyes. The drug Kei gave her kept her numb and dreaming. She wanted more numbness. She wanted to escape, and the only way to do so was in her bed.
The whispers persisted. Confused by her inability to understand what was said, she opened her eyes again. This time one of the men looked directly at her. He said something. She saw his lips move and heard him, but her mind and thoughts were a haze. It was as if some part of her brain had been unplugged. Giovanni came forward. He sat on the edge of the bed and took her hand. He kissed it. He smiled. He hadn’t shaved. There were scratches and bruises to his face. This was no dream. Mirabella tried to smile but she barely felt her lips move.
“Bella, you’re okay now,” he said. And this time she was able to do more than read his lips. She could hear him.
“Where is he? Where am I?”
“Shhh,” he said. He kissed her brow. “You’re home. Relax.”
The joy she felt in that moment brought her to tears. “My children. Where are my children, Gio? Are they safe? Tell me please!”
Giovanni brought her up into his arms and he held her. He kept her in his arms until her tears lessened.
This was no dream!
How did she get there? When did she get home? She wanted to see her children. She tried to say so, but all she could do was cling to him and pray to God that this was no dream. She was so terrified she’d wake and Kei would be there. And the nightmares would start all over again.
“Kei?” she asked in fear. “Where is he?”
“He’s dead.”
“Oh my God! Thank you God!” she wept.
“He’ll never hurt you again, Bella,” Giovanni whispered in her ear. “I swear to you, he’ll never hurt you again.”
“Gio, I’m so sorry. It’s my fault. I’m so sorry!” She said repeatedly.
“No. Bella, no, it’s not. Bella? Look at me?” he held her face and looked into her eyes. “This is my fault. And I’m going to fix it. I’m going to make it up to you. I’m going to protect you. I promise. You’ll never be hurt again. I promise,” he said and his voice went hoarse with emotion. His eyes glazed over with tears. “I love you. From the bottom of my heart. From here to forever, Bella. I love you so much.”
She was exhausted. She fought against the drug pulling down on her consciousness. Giovanni laid her back on the pillows and made sure she was comfortable. He smiled at her and then turned to stand. She grabbed his sleeve. “Don’t leave me!” she whimpered. “Stay!”
“I’m not going anywhere.” He assured her. He said something to the men gathered and she didn’t care. She was resting on clouds. Her bed felt so good. She actually smiled as she turned over on her pillows and smelled his cologne and shampoo in the sheets. Giovanni eased into bed with her. His body curved around hers, and the warmth and love she felt in his embrace chased away the nightmare, for the moment.
“I’ll bring the children in when you are stronger,” he promised as he stroked her hair.
“Stay with me,” she said softly. “Never leave me.”
“Always,” he said. He kissed the back of her head and held her. “Always, my sweet Bella.”
**
“I have to tell you something,” Lorenzo said. He took Marietta by the hand and pulled her from the room. They returned to theirs.
“I was waiting to see Mirabella,” Marietta said. “He is she?”
“I’m not sure. The doctors told Giovanni they will have to send her blood to the lab to find out what he gave her. They couldn’t give her anything until they know. She doesn’t have any broken bones except her ankle.”
“He was a fucking madman!” Marietta said.
“He’s dead. He won’t hurt her ever again.”
Marietta walked away from Lorenzo. She felt like she’d been on a rollercoaster for seventy-two hours straight, and now she was forced to stand still. She was weak and dizzy with exhaustion. Making up with Lorenzo was only a small part of her relief. Their family was in trouble. Her sister was hurt. All of it scared her.
“Lorenzo, when you were in jail, Giovanni called me to his office. He… he asked me about Isabella,” she said. “I told him that she contacted me once and said that you knew about my mother. It’s all I said. I had to tell him something. Mirabella was missing.”
Lorenzo nodded. “I’m not angry. I understand.”
“Who is she?” Marietta asked.
“My sister.” Lorenzo said. “That’s what I brought you in here to tell you.”
“Sister? You have a sister?” Marietta asked. “But that makes no sense.”
“I guess my mother had her when she was young and they sent her away. She’s angry because she thinks Giovanni killed her father.”
“Who is her father?” Marietta asked.
Lorenzo sat on the edge of the bed. “Flavio. You remember what I told you about him. What he did to separate Giovanni and Mirabella.”
“What are you going to do? If she’s out there she has those tapes,” Marietta said in a whisper.
“I’m going to find her before Giovanni does. And kill her.” Lorenzo said.
“Are you sure? She’s your sister!” Marietta said.
“And she tried to kill Mirabella, she tried to have me kill you. Or have you forgotten? When I find her I will put an end to it.” Lorenzo said.
“That’s not what I mean. If she’s your sister you need to know why she never told you. Why she would do all of this. You need to understand her. Right?”
“I don’t give a fuck. She’s as rotten and dangerous as my mother was. Be grateful you never met her. And trust me, you’ll never meet Isabella. Because when I do find her, I’ll send her to hell with Mama.”
Marietta walked over to Lorenz and combed her fingers through his hair. She pulled his face to her breasts and held him. “Tell me everything will be alright and I will believe you.”
“Everything will be alright.” He hugged her waist and kissed her belly. She stroked his head. “Will you be okay? I have to leave. There’s so much I have to do, I’m not sure when I will come back. I promise to come home as soon as I can.”
“I’ll pack you some things. Okay?” she asked.
He looked up at her. “Give me a kiss.”
She leaned in and gave him a kiss. He pinched her on the butt and she laughed. He tickled her and tossed her on top of the bed. She laughed and bucked beneath him. He kept tickling her until she was slobbering with laughter. Lorenzo then held her on the bed. They lay there in silence.
Marietta summoned enough bravery to ask the question burning in her heart. “How is Carlo? When will they release him?”
“He’s not well, Marie. I don’t know what we can do to help.”
“You have to try, Lorenzo. He has nobody but you to care,” she said and buried her pains and regrets over Carlo’s suffering.
“He’s my brother, my best friend. I’m not giving up on him. I never do,” Lorenzo said. Marietta sighed. She closed her eyes and said a silent prayer for them all.
Later –
Giovanni waited a full two hours before he left her side. She slept peacefully. Zia insisted on sitting in the room to watch her while he was gone. The business meeting could not be put off any longer. He showered, changed, and checked the wraps to his broken hand. When he returned to Villa Rosso he found Dominic and his men waiting. Only Dominic and Lorenzo joined him in his office.
“How is she, Gio?” Dominic asked.
“I don’t know. She’s still terrified of the bastard. It’ll take time.”
“I’m going to pay Santo a visit tonight,” Lorenzo said.
“Not yet. The inspector knows we will make another attempt. Delay it. We’ll strike when the time is right,” said Giovanni. He stared at his cousin for a moment. “Have you heard? About this woman? Isabella?”
“My long lost sister? Yes. I heard. It’s bullshit if you ask me.”
“Rocco said it’s true. I believe him,” Dominic said.
“Rocco keeps secrets. Believing what he says now is stupid. We believe what we see and know. I’ve seen what this bitch can do, and I know why she is doing it. So yes, Lo, she’s real. And we will find her,” Giovanni said.
“Gio, we need to understand the state of things,” Dominic said.
He nodded in agreement. “Some things are changing, I’ve made some deals. Some territory splits. Payments to officials. We have to keep a low profile for the next few months.”
“How low?” Lorenzo asked.
“Invisible,” Giovanni said.
“Our enemies will circle, we can’t disappear. And we have unfinished business, Gio!” Lorenzo said. Giovanni didn’t respond. He kept thinking of Bella. Wondering if he should return to her side.
“What about Carlo?” Lorenzo asked.
“He faces a tribunal. They will pin the murder on him. I had to agree to step aside,” Giovanni told them. Dominic and Lorenzo exchanged looks.
“Agree? What does that mean, Gio?” Dominic asked.
“It means I had to make a choice. The inspector was going to raid Melanzana. You were going to be charged with conspiracy. Mirabella was missing. My enemy was at my side offering help. I had to act.”
“By sacrificing Carlo? Gio! You can’t make that deal! Carlo will get life in prison. He doesn’t deserve that!”
“It’s done!” Giovanni shouted.
Lorenzo glared and held his tongue. Dominic looked as if he didn’t agree as well. Giovanni almost told them of Armando’s bargain with him to assist. But another show of gratitude toward the
Mafiosi
would turn his men on him. He’d strained every relationship, including the ones in his own family.
“I finally spoke to Kyra,” Dominic said. “She’s distraught. No change for Renaldo. The doctors say it’s not a good sign.”
“What can we do?” Giovanni asked. He watched his cousin pace with caged rage. He could tell it was consuming him. Lorenzo would not heed his warning and be restrained. And he’d hate to have to take his cousin’s balls to keep him in line. But he’d do it if necessary.
“I’m getting the doctors to tell us if we need to fly in more specialists. It’s a waiting game for Renaldo to wake up now. He lost so much blood they aren’t sure if it will mean brain damage.”
“What is it you want us to do now, Giovanni?” Lorenzo asked. “Hold our dicks and wait for our throats to be slit? We need to do something now!”
“The only thing, the most important thing, for all of you, is to find Isabella Ricci and bring her to me.” Giovanni told them. Dominic and Lorenzo agreed.
**