Betrayed (Chianti Kisses #3) (10 page)

The road is narrow, winding and sparsely occupied as we head out into the countryside. The main vineyards are left far behind, as we travel further off the beaten path.

I can see the advantages of the isolated location.

I’ve been in constant contact with the current visitors of the vineyard and know for certain that the business is closed down for the day. Both for convenience for the planned meeting, but also for everyone’s safety.

I’m not sure exactly how this is all going to play out, and the man I’m going to meet today may not be the same man, the mentor, I knew.

I follow the directions I was given to the one-lane dirt road that splinters off to the left.

“Uva Malvagio,” she recites the small vineyard’s name from the sign as we pass. “Wicked grape?” she asks me.

I nod. We may not speak our family’s native tongue often, but her translation is on point.

We pass the deep-colored grapes on either side and pull to a stop next to the tiny red rental car. Carmine and Theresa have been in town for three days now, splitting their time between here and the hotel I’ve set them up in, in two
separate
rooms I might add, although I’m positive they haven’t made use of the second reservation.

Turning the engine off, we ready ourselves to leave the car. V slips her little feet back into her sandals, takes hold of her purse and pulls the door handle. I get to her in time to help her stand and shut the door behind.

“It looks quiet,” she notes. “Are you sure it’s even open?”

I reach my hand around her waist and snuggle her in close. “I made arrangements for it to close for the day.”

The wooden door with tiny glass windows opens, Theresa runs out, arms outstretched.

“You finally got here!” she calls to V, who leaves me behind in the dust.

The two women embrace and laugh excitedly.

“What are you
doing
here?” my wife asks, surprised.

Theresa smiles to me from over V’s shoulder. “Dom sent us on a little vacation.”

“
Us
?” My girl doesn’t miss a beat. “Who else is here?”

Now it’s my turn to answer.

“Just Carmine. I had some business I needed him to see to, so he took Theresa along.” I reach the women.

“
You
? Sent
both
of them here?
Together
?” She’s astonished.

I wink at her. “What can I say? I’m a romantic at heart.”

Theresa rolls her eyes, knowing full well how I truly feel about their relationship.

“We’re waiting out back,” Tre invites us. “I set out some drinks. You should see it, it’s so beautiful.”

V nods and moves to follow, but I hold her back.

“We’ll be right there.” I signal for my sister to go on ahead.

“I can’t believe you’re OK with them being here together!” V wraps her arms around me. “I’m very impressed.”

“I need to tell you something,” I steer the conversation to a more serious place. “You told me a long time ago what you needed from me. Love. Honesty… no more secrets. It’s been hard for me to keep those vows sometimes. But, you’ve been patient. I want you to know I’m trying. That’s why you’re here. Because I love you, and I can’t bear to keep this from you.”

She eyes me suspiciously. “What’s going on?”

I kiss her on her perfectly smooth forehead. “Come on.”

She keeps pace behind me, letting me lead. We walk around the side of the white building, following a worn stone path to the back of the one-story dwelling. Two men, one in black, one in white, sit under the shade of the large trees in a patio area. They both stand as we approach.

Carmine steps aside to meet my sister. I growl under my breath as the two reunite. V catches me and tugs at my hand, discouraging my gut reaction. Carmine senses my distaste and is smart enough to maintain some composure, knowing he’s dangerously close to my bad side.

With only the older, grey-haired man left ahead, I can see him fidget nervously. The closer we get, the more details I’m able to make out. The loose, light, cream-colored lined shirt and matching trousers are clean but old—well-worn. His brown loafers lift and settle as he paces in place.

His hands move from settling in his pockets, to wringing anxiously. He blinks softly, eyes welling with tears as he watches us approach. He assesses me quickly but spends most of his time on V, taking in everything from the bounce of her hair, her height, her hand clasped in mine and finally… her bump.

That’s when he begins to cry. Silently, shoulders shuddering with emotion.

V stops short. I can tell things are starting to register as I turn to her. She stares at the man in disbelief. Then at me. Then back to him.

“Pappa?” she whispers.

I know he’s not nearly close enough to hear, but somehow he understands her.

He nods.

Somehow, I know what’s about to happen and my outstretched hands are able to reach under her just before she falls to the ground.

CHAPTER NINE

VINCENZA

This can’t be real.

I’ve fallen, hit my head, and now I’m delirious. That’s the only explanation.

“Dom?” I call out.

I feel my hand warm as it’s squeezed.

“Baby? I’m right here. You just fainted a little.” His voice is burdened.

I manage to laugh under my breath, “A little? Help me up.” I reach for his heavy arm to help steady me as I lift myself.  “I don’t know what happened. I-I thought I saw my father.”

“Well…” I pick up on the edge to his voice. “You did.”

My eyes fly open.

“What?” I yell louder than I planned.

“Now, V…” he helps me rise. “Relax, OK. If you can’t handle this then we’ll have to do it another time.”

I shake my head and stand to my feet. I can feel the spectators all hovering over me. “No. No, I’m fine. Really. I just need to sit down. And water, maybe some water, too.”

“I’ll get it!” an unfamiliar voice from over my right ear calls out.

I see him scurry off. Once he’s out of earshot, I turn to my husband.

“What is going on here?” I whisper loudly to the three people left in my protective little circle.

I’m half-carried over to the nearest lawn chair before I get a response.

“V, it’s best that your dad answer that.”

That’s the first time Dom’s sounded as if he doesn’t have an answer for me. And it scares me. No matter what, Dom
always
has the answer.

“Here.” A glass of cool water is placed in my hand. I keep my eyes low, unable to lift them to his.

“Thank you,” I reply politely.

“Let’s give them some privacy,” Dom suggests to his sister and Carmine.

The strange man clears his throat nervously. Once we’re left to ourselves he takes a seat across from me. I sip the water and use it to occupy myself.

“I can’t believe how beautiful you are,” he says in astonishment.

I close my eyes and listen to the sounds, picturing the man who used to sit by my bedside at night, tucking me in. Sometimes he’d tell me a story of when he was a young boy in Italy. Sometimes he’d tell me a fairytale. But he’d always manage to lull me to sleep with his velvet-like voice.

“You look just like momma.”

“D-does she know?” I open my eyes to gauge his reaction to this question. “Does she know that all these years, while she’s been crying her eyes out at night missing you, raising your children alone, that… that you’ve been here?”

I hear the anger rise in my voice and do my best to keep it in check, although I find that it’s a struggle.

“And John?” I add to the list of questions. “Does he know that the family he’s been heading, handling the burdens for, giving up his youth for to become man of the house… does he know how you just left it?”

I don’t give him a chance to answer.

“How about Tony? Does he know? Does he know that his daughter’s grandfather is here, too busy picking grapes to attend his own granddaughter’s Christening?”

“Then there’s Mike. He and I used to band together and keep each other busy on Father’s Day when all of our friends were giving their dads cards or ties. We would make up little games to keep our minds off the fact that you weren’t there. We were the youngest. We didn’t have as much time with you as John and Tony did. Does he know?”

I’m on a roll, why stop now.

“Dom,” I suddenly come to an uncomfortable possibility. “Did he know? All those nightmares I would have of people being blown up! Did he know that it was all for nothing? That it never really happened? That you were here every single one of those nights?”

“No,” his once velvety-smooth voice now sounds feeble. “No one knew. Not until a few days ago.”

I don’t believe him. I have no reason to trust him.

“Why?” I lean forward and throw my glass into the nearest tree, letting it break into a million little pieces, just like my faith in him.

Dom runs out of the building, having heard the commotion but stops far enough away to assess the severity of things before intervening.

The man sitting before me hangs his head, accepting blow for blow.

“Because it would have cost you all your lives.”

I jump back in surprise at his answer.

~*~

I still don’t understand all of this. It’s like some crazy movie. I mean, things like this don’t happen in real life… do they?

“What do we do now?” I ask him.

Two hours have passed, and I’m no closer to the answer to that question than I was in the beginning.

He holds my hand delicately, as if I were a porcelain doll at risk of breaking.

“We don’t do anything, my sweet little girl. You go home, back to your life and I stay here. You’ve given me something I never thought I’d be able to feel again, Vincenza.”

My eyes watch him in question.

“Family. The love of family. I made my choices. I have to live with the consequences. But… now I know just how right I was in doing what I did. I wanted so much for all of you. And everything you’ve told me… you all seem so very….”

“We are dad, we are,” I assure him. “But, surely there has to be a way---”

He shakes his head. “There isn’t, Baby V. Trust me. There’s nothing more that I want than to get back everything that I lost. But, the cost is too high. More than I’m willing to pay. I love you all too much to put you at risk.”

I refuse to accept his answer. “But, Dom. He has power. He can help. He’s… he’s… a boss now.”

My dad smiles. “I know. I know. You look tired, V. We’ve talked about so much, I know it’s a lot to take in. Let me talk to Dom and see what we can figure out.”

Yes. That’s it! Dom can help figure this all out.

“Baby!” I call over to where he’s been watching like a hawk. He leaves his sister and comes to me.

“Things look much better over here,” he takes a seat next to me.

I nod. “They are. My dad was just saying how you two can figure something out.”

~*~

DOM

Her eyes are so full of hope. I don’t have the heart let her down, so I say nothing instead. I take her hand and hold tightly.

Guiseppe and I share a look of understanding.

“Let’s see what we can do. How about you let Theresa and Carmine take you back to the hotel, and I’ll stay here and talk to your dad some more.”

I can see the circles growing under her eyes. I know this day has taken a toll on her, and the best thing for her right now would be some rest so she can process everything.

I can see the hesitation as she doesn’t want to leave either of us.

“For the baby,” I pull out all the stops.

She exhales. “Fine. But Papa,” she turns her attention back to her long lost father. “I’ll be back first thing in the morning.”

He smiles. “I know you will, Vincenza.”

He reaches forward to hug her and she accepts his fatherly affection without hesitation. It warms my heart to see her like this, to see this dream come true for her.”

They both hold tight, tears falling freely.

He finally pulls back as she’s unwilling to let go herself. “I am so, so proud of you, my Baby V.”

She sniffles her tears. “I know, dad.”

I let the two of them take their time in saying their goodbyes, knowing that it’s a lifetime’s worth of farewells rolled into one.

Guiseppe stands next to me as we watch the small red car head off down the drive. I can see V turn in the back seat and watch through the windshield until we’re out of sight.

We’re both quiet. There’s no rush to say what has to be said. So, instead… we avoid it.

“You a bourbon man like your dad?” he finally breaks the silence.

I raise my eyebrow. “From time to time.”

He has a quiet determination to him. “I’ll get the bottle. We’re gonna need it.”

~*~

We both laugh heartily.

“She must be going out of her mind!” Guiseppe slaps his knee. “She swore she would never retire. Ever.”

I take a sip of the iced water I’m using to sober up.

“She didn’t really have much of a choice. I made her an
offer she couldn’t refuse.”

The mob quote causes us to laugh even louder, harder. We’ve moved our little meeting inside once the sun had set.

“She was the best secretary. Hands down,” Guiseppe fondly remembers Ellen.

I nod in agreement. “That she was. I couldn’t have done it without her.”

He swirls the brown liquid around in his glass. “So tell me, son. You sure about all this? This isn’t what your dad… or I… wanted for you.”

He has no idea how complicated that question is.

“What can I say? It was meant to be, I guess. Kind of like a family legacy.” I try to make light of the situation.

A serious tone settles between us.

“Take a look around, Dom. This is what that family legacy gets you.” He lifts his chin to either side, indicating what he’s referring to. “My daughter deserves better than this. She couldn’t help who her father was… but she’s too strong of a woman to sit back and let it happen to her child, too. You know that. You must. I’ve only spent a few hours alone with her and I can tell she’s got a strong will. You stay in this life and it’s going to cost you. One way or another it’s going to cost you.”

He speaks the truth. It’s something I’ve know for a while, but have been too afraid to face.

“I know. I just couldn’t find a way out. Something else would come up and it wouldn’t be a good time. First Rizzo, then Moretti. Someone threatening V, finding out the commission was behind your murder---”

He interrupts me. “It’s never going to be a good time, Dom. Trust me. Every day you’ll think tomorrow will be when you can get out. And tomorrow will never come. You’ll either be six feet deep or alone in hiding before that day ever comes if you keep waiting for it.”

He gives me some more cold hard truths. “There’ll always be some new threat, some new thug on the rise. It’ll never stop. There’s no happy ending here, Dom. Your dad tried to tell me the same thing. I was too stubborn, too determined to listen, to believe him.

“You’ve stepped in and taken care of my baby girl. I need to know she’s in good hands. That she’ll never have to go through what I put my wife through… mourning at an empty gravesite. Get out while you can. The day may come where it’s not an option, and you’ll be sitting there… a lonely old man having to live with your mistakes and willing to give
anything
,” his voice cracks, “to go back and do it differently.”

I listen to every word he says and I can’t help but notice the sorrow, the deep regret lacing through every syllable.

“Tomorr-” he begins, but I hold my hand up to stop him.

“Don’t.” We both know what’s got to happen. I can’t let him actually tell me though. I won’t be able to look V in the eyes ever again, knowing I held it back

from her.

He nods, understanding my objection.

“You’re a good man, Dom. You’re a good husband. You’ll be a great father. And I know you’ll make your dad and me both very proud.” He holds his glass. “To family.”

“To family,” I toast him.

~*~

“Come on, slow poke!” she eggs me on. “I could ride a bike faster than this.”

I object. “I’m going the speed limit.”

She laughs.

“Since when do you go the speed limit?”

She’s got a point. I press a little on the accelerator. The morning is nowhere as nice as yesterday’s weather was so the top is up. We left the rest of our party behind at the hotel to finish up breakfast. I made sure to get up extra early and check that they were each in their own respective rooms.

It’s one thing to do something behind my back. It’s another all together to try something while under the same hotel roof as me. Carmine is too smart to try something like that.

His body would be left behind in Italy and we’d leave without it.

“I can’t wait till momma sees him,” V speaks while looking out the window as the small white building comes into focus in the distance.

I don’t say anything. She doesn’t notice, though, thankfully, as she’s too wrapped up in her plans.

We barely make it to a complete stop in the empty lot. The old car that yesterday was in the corner spot is gone, but she hasn’t noticed yet. She leaves her sweater and bag behind, anxiously running on ahead.

I follow but keep a little bit behind, letting her enter the building under my watchful eye.

“Papa?” she calls from inside.

I feel a raindrop settle on my arm but I remain in place.