Bellissimo Lotta (Beautiful Struggle): Companion Novel to Bellissimo Fortuna (The Family Trilogy Book 2) (2 page)

As soon as I get to the locker area I grab my phone and dial my best friend. Our fathers are business associates. My dad is the head of a Mob family, and her dad is the Underboss. And a dick. He is one ruthless son of a bitch, and Callie seems to stay in his cross hairs.

“Callie, I’m ready to kill your future baby daddy.”

“What the hell, Binks? That isn’t how you start a conversation. Usually it’s ‘hello,’ or occasionally we humans throw in a ‘how are you?’ If I didn’t know your family, I would swear you were raised by wolves. What has your panties in a twist? And why are you calling me? We have rules.”

“Panties? Are we seven? I wear thongs; you know this. Anyway, Bronson just killed my game. He is sparring with some hot guy; his name is Dakota. If I had a dick, I would say he cockblocked me. And this constitutes an emergency because I don’t have time to type all of this. Time is of the essence.”

“Please tell me I’m not hearing this,” Callie whispers.

“Still here.”

“First, Bianca, you have no game. You’ve never been on a date, let alone kissed a boy. NO! Marcus from fifth grade doesn’t count. Cockblocked? So you were going to throw down right there in the gym?”

“Okay, smartass. I get it. And you know I would never fornicate on that smelly, sweat infested sparring cage. Do you know what kind of diseases are floating on that thing?”

“So, back up and tell me what your brother did. And quit calling him my baby daddy because he doesn’t even know I exist.”

“Today isn’t the day I boost your ego, but you know as well as I do that boy is smitten with you. I tried to talk to his friend, Dakota, and he went all ‘me big brother, you little sister.’ It was embarrassing.”

“How do you not know Dakota? They’ve been hanging out almost the entire year.”

“How do you know Dakota? And what kind of best friend are you that you didn’t tell me about him?” I say, shocked.

“Well, you do live with your brother, so I have no clue how you missed Dakota. He’s been over playing video games, they shoot hoops, and work out together.”

“Hmmm,” I say, wondering how I could have missed him.

“Maybe you should pay attention to your surroundings, Bianca.” I hear her cackling over the line.

“Whatever. Oh, almost forgot. We’ll be there in about twenty minutes to get your stank ass . . . ” I hear her shriek before she hangs up on me. Take that, you hold-off-on-informing-me-or-at-least-pointing-out-Dakota-little-twit. I’m going to make you run around trying to get ready to see the love of your life.

Callie and Bronson are destined to be together. They’ve been playing cat and mouse for almost nine years, and when they finally give in . . . it’s going to be epic. We all met when Callie and I were five, and Bronson was seven. One look at that girl and he was a goner. I’m just waiting for him to finally succumb. We can take Callie from her father, and I won’t have to worry so much.

I hurry up and change my clothes and meet Bronson at the front of the gym. He’s still chatting with Dakota, and I’m hanging on their every word.

“I’ll be home in an hour. Gotta pick up Callie and pizza. Just head over whenever.” Score. He’s coming to my house, and I will use Callie as a diversion so he won’t watch us like a hawk.

I type a quick text to Callie.

Me: Wear something slutty. I need you to distract my brother.

My phone quickly dings.

Callie: You’ve seriously lost your mind this time. I don’t own anything slutty and I’m not a pawn you can use.

She is such a pain in my ass.

Me: You’re not a pawn, but this is a win-win. You can work on getting Bronson to fall madly in love with you while helping me scope out Dakota. Just come naked. We’re getting pizza, that’s every guys dream.

Pizza. Naked chick. Golden.

We have an unspoken rule. Unless it’s an emergency, we don’t call one another. If you can text it, do it. Besides, we are together every day, so I don’t need to talk to her on the phone after face-to-face conversations. Plus, I’ve used my allotted phone call for the today. I check for her response:

Callie: I don’t know why we’re friends.

I laugh and catch the attention of Bronson and Dakota. “What’s so funny?”

So damn nosy. “Callie.” I watch his face and see his eyes flare at the mention of her name. Time to fuck with him. “She’s complaining because she doesn’t have any clean clothes, so I assured her coming over naked was fine. I explained our clothing optional rule.” I stare at Dakota while speaking the last part. I see him swallow, and he isn’t sure how to take me.

“Bianca,” Bronson growls.

I bat my eyelashes at him and give him the angelic smile I reserve for my dad when I want something. “I figured you’d be thrilled.”

“Get in the fucking car.” Maybe I’ve pushed him a bit too far.

“See you later Dakota,” I sing-song as I skip to Bronson’s car.

“Later, Bianca,” I get with a chin nod. I hate that.

I make sure to buckle up before Bronson reminds me, trying to make him less tense. I know I’m going to get a lecture, and any little thing can help. “We getting Callie before pizza?”

“Yes, why?”

“Didn’t know if you’d want the entire pizza place to see her naked. Told you she doesn’t have any clean clothes.”

He sighs and gulps in a big breath. It’s his calming technique. We are the only people who make him crazy enough to
need
calming techniques. Callie and I do it well and often. “Please quit talking about Callie naked. Quit trying to hit on my friends. Y’all are fifteen years old, and you’re not allowed to date yet.”

“We are almost sixteen.”

“Six and eight months. That’s not
almost
. Dakota and I will be seventeen by then. Just for once, stop.”

“Okay. But at no time, not even in the future, can you date, pick up, hook up, nothing, with Callie.”

His mouth opens and shuts, not eliciting a sound. Squinting his eyes, taking in an exasperated breath, he levels me with his gaze. “You’ve got to be shitting me?”

“Nope, fair is fair. She’s my friend, and as you pointed out, much too young for you.”

“She’s not just
your
friend, and that is just ridiculous.”

“I met her first.”

“By five damn minutes. Bianca, why in the hell are you so difficult?”

“Just showing you how asinine you sound. Do you want to date Callie?”

“I can’t keep up with you. You need a full-time handler.”

“Hmmm. I know just the guy I’ll offer that job to.”

“Bianca, knock it off.” I just giggle at him.

“Seriously, does Callie need to bring her clothes over to be washed? Or do we need to go to the mall and pick her up some things?” His concern for her, his love for her, is so fucking obvious I have no idea how she doesn’t see it.

“Nah, I was teasing.”

“You never know with her parents.” He’s right. I hate the hand she was dealt. A drugged up, booze-drinking mother who pays no attention to her daughter. I’m not sure she knows what millennium we’re in. And her dad, there isn’t a word to describe him. If Bronson knew half the shit she keeps from him, he’d lose his shit.

I give him a sympathetic smile, “I know. I hate it. It’s getting worse.”

“Shit. Okay, I’ll talk to her tonight, and you try to get her to stay over a few more times a week.”

“I will. But remember, no copping a feel. Hands off my merchandise.” He just shakes his head at me and starts the car. I know in time he’ll admit his feelings for Callie; once he does he can’t say anything about who I’m interested in. The thing I’m worried about is the time frame. I’m not like them; I don’t want forever at such a young age. I question Callie all the time about how she can be sure. I want to explore my options, nothing serious for a long time.

Our entire existence involves some sort of danger or a pressing issue that lingers around us because of what my father does. I want to throw caution to the wind, for once. I get it; I just don’t like it and can’t wait to break free from it. So until the day comes that I can be free, I will keep all my possibilities open and play the field.

Without a struggle, there can be no progress.

~
Frederick Douglass

Chapter 2

Dakota

Damn, Bronson’s sister is gorgeous. I’d seen her in passing at their house but never paid much attention. What a mistake that was. Her long caramel-colored hair against her deep tan coloring is stunning. But her eyes . . . their gold color and sparkle are so unusual. She knows she’s beautiful, and I can tell she likes to play games. Ones I don’t have time for. Anymore.

Bronson and I have been friends for a few years, but the last few months our friendship has solidified. After being absent from school for two weeks, he approached me the day I returned. Never asked me what happened, just invited me to the gym to spar. It’s like he knew I needed the outlet, and I found out later that he’d heard the gossip at school.

My sister was murdered. No leads. No developments. Dana was my best friend. Even though seventeen years separated us, she was with me in every life choice I made. My parents were so much older, both in their fifties, when I came along, so having Dana made my life easier. They waited before having Dana and referred to me as a miracle, an unexpected surprise. More like a mistake. I wasn’t made to feel that way, but with them both at retirement age, I felt like I was holding them back.

Dana’s death rocked us all to the core. The help she offered my parents, to step in and support me at activities, and give me an outlet to speculate about my typical teenage tribulations was sorely missed. My mom retreated into a zone, drew into herself instead of offering me strength, and my dad was lashing out over every little infraction. Both had reservations with Bronson and I hanging out, but they couldn’t give me a valid reason, and since I was seventeen they could only oppose it for less than a year. They stopped caring. They seemed to give up when Dana was taken from us.

The housekeeper greets me as she opens the door. “They are all in the media room,” she tells me. The staff is always at the house, but it’s not formal or stiff. Just like extra help, because God knows his dad doesn’t keep normal hours, and I’m sure Mrs. Agosto could use another pair of hands.

“What’s up, man?” I watch Bronson stuffing pizza in his mouth.

“About time you got here. Those two are driving me crazy.”

“Who?”

“Bianca and Callie. They’re bored. They don’t like my choice of pizza. They don’t like video games. They want to watch a movie. They want to go for ice cream. Name it, it’s been suggested.”

I can’t help but chuckle. “They keep your ass on a short leash, huh?”

He just glares at me. “It’s not like that. I’ve got to keep an eye on Bianca; she’s my sister. Callie, well . . .” His voice is longing but full of conviction.

“Your sister’s best friend. Like two for the price of one. Or in your case, a bigger headache.”

“Nah. Callie isn’t like that for me. She’s not just Binks’s best friend. She’s mine, too. We all grew up together.”

“You interested?” He’s closed off when talking about relationships, but the shift in his stance, the far off sound of his voice, makes me think there is something more.

“For as long as I can remember, I’ve been interested. It’s complicated.”

“Most relationships are, especially when you add a female to the mix.”

“Nah, she isn’t like that. A lot of shit happens at her house, not my story to tell, but it’s not good, man.”

“You hoping to be the white knight?”

“Something like that.” He shakes his head.

I won’t pry, but I want him to know I’ll be here as a friend. “Well, if you need help, I’m here, man.”

“Thanks.” He presses the button on the wall. “Dakota’s here.” He turns back and flashes me a shit-eating grin. “Five. Four. Three. Two.”

I hear trampling on the stairs, followed by laughter and shrieking. “You’ve made quite the impression on Bianca. I’m warning you, she’s fifteen and my sister. And Callie is off limits.” I just nod my head at him.

They both come through the door breathless and laughing. “Hey, Dakota.” Callie waves at me.

“Well, it’s about time. Let’s go,” Bianca addresses the room.

“I told you, Bianca, we aren’t going anywhere. Did you even ask Dad?”

“As long as you are with me, he doesn’t care.” Bronson’s face says it all. She has him over a barrel. She nudges Callie with her foot.

“I’m craving some strawberry ice cream.” As soon as the words are out of her mouth, Bronson is dropping his slice back in the box and reaching for his keys. There is a definite story there . . . one I’ll do my best to pry from her later.

“I’m parked behind you, want me to drive?” Bronson nods.

“SHOTGUN!” Bianca is quick on the uptake. Callie’s face turns beet red, and if looks could kill, Bianca would be six feet under.