La Famiglia (Battaglia Mafia Series) Page 18

  “Giovanni! You can’t let her play with this!” Catalina rushed over to take the ashtray from her. Eve protested. “I also want to talk to you,” Catalina said. She put the toddler on her hip.

  “Is that so?” he glanced up at her. “Everything okay? How are things at Fabiana’s?” he asked. Catalina looked different. Mature. He wasn’t sure he liked the change. The more independent his sister became the more he worried. Maybe allowing Dominic and her to marry would settle them both and bring them back into the family? He’d been considering his disgust over their relationship and their future.

  Catalina laughed. “As if you don’t know how I am. I know you have your men keeping an eye on me. I can’t go to the bathroom and they aren’t at the door.”

  “That’s not me. Thank Domi for the surveillance.” Giovanni corrected her. Though he had to smile at the truth in the statement. He got regular updates on who Catalina kept time with, her schedule, and her bathroom breaks. He wasn’t a fool. Milano was `Ndrangheta territory. The friendly binds between them and his clan was fragile since he acquired more territory in the triangle.

  Rosetta strolled through the hall. She headed for the stairs, which meant she’d have to pass Giovanni’s office. She had hopes to run into Dominic. If she innocently inquired after him maybe Giovanni would tell her when he was expected. She slowed her steps when she heard Catalina’s laughter. Maybe Dominic had returned and they were all gathered in Giovanni’s office? She would stick her head in and say hi to him. So he could see how much she had changed. When she stopped outside of Giovanni’s office she found the door half open. From where she stood she could see in but they couldn’t see her.

  Before Giovanni stood Catalina with a fussy Eve on her hip. Rosetta turned to leave when she heard Catalina’s request. It gave her reason to pause.

  “That’s my sweetie. He’s always been my protector,” Catalina chuckled. “But he worries to much. You both are too overprotective.”

  “You’re my baby sister. I’m allowed to be overprotective,” Giovanni replied.

  “True.” Catalina said. She looked to Eve and gave her a kiss. “I wanted to talk to you. I have a request. You’re my Godfather right?”

  Giovanni rocked back in his chair and frowned. “What are you up to?”

  “Oh wow, so I want to talk to my brother and I’m up to something?”

  “You asked to speak to your Godfather, so you don’t want to talk to you brother.” Giovanni arched his left brow.

  Catalina purposefully pouted.

  He waved her off. She took a step forward. “It’s about Domi, Gio. We need to talk about him and me.”

  Her brother’s gaze lifted from the page he was reading. “Continue.”

  “He’s… well… he really wants to marry me. Dominic wants me to be his wife.” She sat in the chair before him and put Eve on her lap.

  “I told you both that you will have to wait a year,” Giovanni groaned. He dropped his head back and closed his eyes.

  “I know. And I agree. We should wait. I, uh,” she lowered her eyes and tone. Unable to look at her brother as she explained, she used Eve as a distraction by allowing the toddler free play with her bracelets. “Dominic’s going to ask you to let us marry sooner. I have to be honest. I love him, Gio. I want to be his wife, but… I’m not ready. I have so much to learn about Mira’s company. So many exciting opportunities. I can’t get him to understand, to let me have a little freedom to do this. I thought, well I thought maybe you could talk to him. No. My request is that you help him see that we should wait, a year or two.”

  “A year… or two?” Giovanni sat back dumbfounded.

  The look on her brother’s face sent her into panic. She was taking a huge risk appealing to him this way. And behind Dominic’s back. It could put Dominic in danger. She knew Giovanni, and those stupid oaths these men took.

  “Let me explain.” Catalina said.

  “Yes,” Giovanni smiled, but the sinister way in which he did so made the blood in her veins cool. He leaned forward on the desk. “Explain it to me, piccoletta,” he said. “Explain how you go from one day not being able to breathe if you don’t have Dominic to the next day wanting to be free of him?”

  “Have you seen what I’ve done with Fabiana’s?” she asked.

  Giovanni did not respond.

  Eve fought to get down out of Catalina’s lap. She struggled to hold on to the toddler and find the words. “I want to marry him, Gio. I do love him.”

  “Then why are you sitting here trying to make sure that doesn’t happen?” Giovanni asked.

  “I’m asking for your help. Look at what happened with Franco and me. Look at all that Dominic did to protect and hide our love. He put his life at risk, his brotherhood with you and Lorenzo at risk. I don’t want to mess this up with him, Gio. He’s my heart. But you know him. He’s like you. He doesn’t want a wife that’s a fashion designer, he wants a wife, and a mother of his children.”

  Giovanni snorted.

  “I am not saying I won’t be ready to marry him next year. Hell maybe even six months. I just want the chance to see what being Mirabella is all about.”

  “What does Bella have to do with this?” Giovanni asked.

  “I envy her. Not your wife. The fashion designer and business woman she is. She was so different than us. Her and Fabiana were both so different. Mira was the first woman I knew personally that was her own person. Mama never was, Zia never was. Name anyone else who is like Mira?” Catalina could see him processing her explanation. So she continued. “You’re the leader of this family. Dominic worships you. He’d do anything for you. Loving me is something he did for him. And he’s never done anything selfish in all of his life. Right, Gio? Help us. We’re struggling here. Help us have what you and Mira have.”

  “Sure, Catalina.” Giovanni’s cold hard look was softened by his smile. “I’ll help you.”

  “Don’t tell him that I asked you to step in. Please? Just make him see that we aren’t ready to marry. Not yet. Okay?”

  Giovanni gave her a single nod. She tried to read the look in his twilight blue eyes. Was he agreeing to help her because he believed in them? Or had she made a big mistake by sharing with him her hesitation? “Gio, I love him. I swear it. I just… well you understand. You and Mira figured it out. Right? I do want to be his wife. Just not right now.”

  Giovanni didn’t answer.

  Eve said something to her father in her baby voice. He cut his eyes to his daughter and the smile on his face looked genuine. He sang a chorus of her firefly lullaby. And Eve kicked her feet laughing.

  “Blow Papa a kiss. Like I taught you!” Catalina said. She made the gesture. Eve blew him a kiss.

  Giovanni chuckled. Catalina relaxed. Her brother understood.

  Rosetta backed away from the door. She turned and nearly collided with Cecilia in the hall. The young girl stared at her frozen. Rosetta knew she was caught. She glared at Cecilia and prepared to ring her neck if she said a word to alert Giovanni to her snooping.

  “The Donna sent me to collect Eve. She sent Catalina but—well she needs me to collect her now.”

  “Oh who cares,” Rosetta said. She pushed past Cecilia and started off. “Watch where you’re going next time.”

  Rosetta had no worries that Cecilia would tell of her eavesdropping. If the stupid wench did she’d do far worse than push her down a flight of stairs. Rosetta smiled over the information she’d learned. Just as she suspected, Catalina didn’t appreciate Dominic. She wondered what Dominic would think of this news?

  * B *

  “Something smells good?”

  Marietta glanced back over her shoulder to the man who spoke. “Oh it’s you,” she said and rolled her eyes. Carlo stood at the entrance of the cramped kitchen on the ship. He wore swim shorts and no shirt. The sun had baked his skin to a deep olive tan. The man had more muscles, scars and tattoos on his chest than Lorenzo. The whole sordid story of his life could probably be told by the mean cuts and
slashes she saw on his chest and side. Carlo stared at the frying pan with a wolfish grin to his face.

  Earlier she told them both if they cleaned and gutted the fish she’d fry them up southern style. Lorenzo loved her fried fish. It was hard as hell to find anything equivalent to fishfry on the boat so she made her own batter, which turned out to be a good compromise.

  “It’ll be done soon,” she said under her breath and wished he’d leave.

  “It does smell good. Can I help?” he asked. From behind her she could feel him move in closer.

  “Hell no.” She turned and stopped his advance with a glare. “In fact why don’t you go back up on deck and smoke your cigars or scratch your balls while my man keeps catching the fish for you to eat,” Marietta snickered. She turned down the heat on the simmering oil and then used the spatula to pick up the fish and drop it on a napkined plate with four others.

  “I wanted to apologize, beautiful,” Carlo said. “I was a mean bastard earlier.”

  “Don’t want, or need your apology, honey. We understand each other perfectly,” she answered.

  “I don’t think we do.” Carlo touched her shoulder. She flinched and he dropped his hand. She glanced back at him. He was as tall as Lorenzo but even more muscular in the shoulders and arms. She didn’t like him standing so close. It made her feel funny. A strange mix of arousal and apprehension often overcame her. And his attention when they were alone, be it threatening or seductive, was unhealthy for her and Lorenzo. This she felt in her core.

  “I was wrong to insult you,” he said in Italian. “To tell you that you shouldn’t marry him. He does love you. We’ve been friends since kids. He’s a brother to me.”

  Marietta picked up the frying pan and moved it off the gas flame. “Alright that’s enough!” she turned and faced off with him. “I don’t give a fuck about your brotherhood. Lorenzo is my man. Mine! You have no say in what goes down between us. You got that?”

  Carlo smiled. “I got it, bambina.”

  “Then go away. Leave us alone. Go back to wherever it is you came from. And don’t ever touch me again or I’ll kick you in the nuts.”

  “Cara,” Carlo chuckled. He leaned in and his face was close. “Lorenzo didn’t tell you?”

  “Tell me what?”

  “I’ll never go away. You marry Lorenzo, you marry me,” he kissed her forehead and she slapped him. Carlo chuckled. Marietta didn’t know what else to do. Her instinct said to hit him again, because the other instinctive nature in her, the one that was much more reckless said to do something else. He winked and then walked out. She exhaled deeply. After a few minutes she smiled. Carlo was a bastard. He was just messing with her head. No harm done. She shook her head and went to the fridge to make a salad. Carlo wasn’t a threat. And he wasn’t as smart as he thought he was. Marietta knew the secret that could blow Lorenzo and Carlo’s friendship apart.

  “You’ll go away if I say so,” she said with a smile.

  * B *

  “Gio?”

  Dominic found him. He was in the zen garden, sitting and smoking his cigar. It looked like he waited for someone. The sun had nearly set and Dominic made it just before dinner. He walked straight in.

  “Sorry I’m late. Had a few stops to make,” Dominic said.

  “Where?” Giovanni exhaled a thick stream of smoke.

  “Mancini’s for one. I met with Armando.” Dominic took a seat. “He’s the same arrogant bastard.”

  Giovanni nodded. “And what did the brat Mancini have to say?”

  “He’s delusional. I informed him of our stay. He wasn’t pleased that you didn’t call him personally.”

  “So?” Giovanni asked.

  “He mentioned Mirabella.”

  Giovanni looked over. “Did he? What did he say about my wife?”

  “You do know bringing her here was a risk. I’ve advised against it. This isn’t our territory. The Mancinis could pose a problem.”

  “What did he say about my Bella?” Giovanni asked.

  “He asked if she was well. I don’t think he knows their connection. The inquiry was possibly to push my buttons.”

  “He’s of no threat to her or us. Not even in Sicily. To be sure of it call in a favor with the Casalesi clan, I hear they have unresolved issues with Armando. The distraction should keep Mancini busy while my Bella relaxes and delivers our children.” Giovanni pushed up in the chair and stood. “I wanted to see you. We have real problems. Chiaiano is gone—the entire territory is now under Mottola’s control. Santo’s fuck up.”

  “Mottola would never claim that region. I don’t believe it.” Dominic said.

  “It’s true. Giuliani informed me by phone. I’ve summoned him to Italy with Santo. It appears Mottola believes I have gone soft. That our attempt to legitimize Battaglia makes us weak.” Giovanni looked at him. “And maybe he has a point.”

  “A point?” Dominic stood. “What you are doing is more than making a point. You’re changing—”

  “I’m losing sight of who we are. I’ve gone too far to forget what our legacy in the Camorra means.”

  “You have not, Gio. No one has ever betrayed you in our clan. You’ve taken the Neapolitan clans further than any other leader. You’ve brought in the discipline of the Mafioso. The rest of the clans are animals, tearing at each other’s throats. You’re a leader.” Dominic began to pace. “Since Tomosino died we have acquired 1200 properties in the Campania, 23 companies in Italy excluding Mirabella’s, and over 200 bank accounts.”

  Giovanni exhaled. “That’s not the point.”

  “Listen to reason. We shouldn’t go backwards. We can’t go on as just the Camorra. We are bigger than that now.” Dominic pleaded. “La Polizi di Stato has started investigating us ever since the Kei Hyogo and Fabiana incidents. I’m hearing that they have a new inspector who has an agenda. He works with the Americans. The next few years we need to remain above reproach.” Dominic stepped closer and lowered his voice. “We deal with Mottola. Yes. Swift and decisively we put him down. But we don’t stop moving toward legitimization of our assets. We don’t become the dogs of society because we fear walking upright on two legs. Your actions make you a different leader from Patri.”

  Giovanni grabbed Dominic by the back of the neck and pulled him close. He patted his cheek. “You have always been a smart boy, like a son to me. But don’t tell me what to do. I don’t need a lecture.”

  “I’m a man now, Giovanni. I’m your consigliere. And I will never let them bring you down. Trust me. Let me do my job.”

  After a pause Dominic wasn’t sure what Giovanni would decide. He then pulled him into a fraternal hug. Maybe the time of dissention between them was over. They let each other go. The hug was only brief and the words between them thoughtful, Dominic paused waiting for Giovanni’s decision.

  Giovanni had come close to acting on his impulses. Dominic was a good voice of reason. And to think he had every intention of ending the life of his brother over loyalty. Who in his life had ever been more loyal than Dominic? His Bella knew this, and saved them both from the curse of their fathers. And now Giovanni understood why compassion and forgiveness is needed in their family. He released Dominic who rubbed the soreness form his neck.

  “We do it your way, Domi. Let Francesco continue his exploits. Send word to Carlo and bring him back from France. We will decide how we remind the clans that I have not softened. So we can continue to be the dogs who walk on two legs!” Giovanni roared with laughter.

  “Hi!” Mira said

  Giovanni and Dominic both looked back to the door. His Bella stood there grinning at them both. In Sorrento they conducted business at Villa Rosso and never worried over an unannounced interruption.

  He would have to be careful.

  “Ciao, Donna.” Dominic walked over to Mira and kissed her.

  “We’ve been waiting for you to come home. It’s time to eat. You too, baby,” Mira said. “Domi, can you come with me. I want a word.”

  Giovann
i nodded and she turned and walked out. Dominic followed her. Giovanni stepped into the garden. Everything was manageable. And if it wasn’t, he knew how to make it so.

  * B *

  Dominic found Mira in the billiard room down the hall. She stood there with her arms crossed waiting for him. He approached her and greeted her properly with a cheek kiss. “How are you?”

  “I’m good.” Mira sighed. “And don’t worry I don’t want to hammer you with questions about the company.”

  He chuckled. There was a chair close to her. He insisted she sit in it. He drew a chair over and sat before her. “Tell me what it is you want to talk to me about?”

  Mira stared at him for a moment. She looked worried and that gave him pause. Did she learn the truth about her condition? A truth he told Giovanni he’d eventually have to share.

  “He took me to see Esta and Fiona today,” she said.

  “Oh?” Dominic sat back.

  “I saw how they’re living. What Giovanni is doing to them. He pretends he’s honoring Esta’s wishes by locking her away in that village but I saw their meager existence. And… and the look in his eyes Dominic. He’s torturing those women. Esta is sick. She should have round the clock care.”

  Dominic sat back with a deep sigh. He could give a shit about Esta. He remembered how cruel that bitch was to his madre Eve. But he masked his hatred for the sake of the conversation. “Esta is well cared for. You misread what you saw. She’s a stubborn old woman. She doesn’t want for anything.”

  “Bullshit, Domi,” Mira chuckled. “I’m new to running a family like this but I’m not crazy. My fear is that this is unhealthy for him and you to treat her like this. My main goal is to protect my husband, even from himself if I have to.”

  “Don’t worry about Esta, I’ll handle it,” Dominic made to rise.

  “No.” Mira stopped him. “I’ll handle it. I want her moved to Bagheria. Where she has family, a better place for her. I want a nurse to tend to her round the clock. I want…”

  “I have to advise against this, Mira,” Dominic warned. He glanced back over his shoulder and lowered his voice. “You need to discuss the matter with Gio. He would not be happy if you stepped in and did things this way.”