Betrayed (Chianti Kisses #3) (11 page)
Read Betrayed (Chianti Kisses #3) Online
Authors: Tara Oakes
“Papa. I’m back,” she calls again.
It takes a moment before she exits, hugging the perimeter of the building to follow the path back to the patio area where she had met him yesterday. Another drop falls, this time on my neck. I look up to the sky and see the clouds rolling in, darkening the horizon.
“Dad?” she calls louder. “Are you back here?”
She moves quickly to the shaded area, now dark and foreboding. Turning to me, she looks frantic.
“Where is he?” she asks.
I don’t have the heart to tell her. I shake my head that I don’t know.
“No,” she exclaims. “You talked to him. It was going to be OK. You were going to figure something out, remember? Where is he? Where did you send him?”
I pull her close and hold her tight while she releases her demons. I feel the dampness on my chest and hear her sobbing.
“Shh….” I try to calm her.
She balls her hands into small fists and beats against my chest, pushing me back. I lose my footing but continue to hold her.
“What did you do to him? What did you say to him?” She’s angry.
“V. Baby, you have to listen to me.”
She shakes her head. “No. I don’t have to listen to anything.”
“He did what he had to do, V. He had a choice. I couldn’t make it for him. He needed to make sure his family would still be safe. He couldn’t risk it.”
Her frail shoulders quake and convulse violently as she finally gives in and lets me hold her the way I want to. The way she needs me to.
“When will he be back?” she asks, muffled into my collar.
I exhale. “I don’t know, baby. I don’t know if he’s coming back.”
The raindrops begin to fall faster, rustling through the leaves above on their descent.
“I’ll wait,” she says firmly.
I kiss her forehead. “We’ll do whatever you want, V. But, he won’t be returning while you’re here. I know him well enough to know that.”
I shield her with my body as much as I can from the quickening rain. Tiny puddles form near our feet and the new droplets make small splashes.
It’s not cold, but she begins to shiver in my arms. I can hear her teeth chattering, and know it’s not from chill. It’s her body releasing the mixture of conflicting emotions.
“Take me home,” she gives in, defeated.
~*~
“How is she?” Theresa asks.
I shake my head, not knowing how to answer.
“We’ll be ready in twenty minutes. I’ll go let Carmine know.” She makes a move to walk past me.
I stop her.
“No. Not Carmine. He’s staying. I’ll arrange for another flight to take him to Miami. They can use a man like that down at the new shipyard.”
She shakes my hand loose from her wrist harshly.
“Hell no, Dom. Not this time. I’m not doing it. Doing what you want, what
anyone
else wants. For once…I’m going to do what
I
want.”
I don’t have the energy for this after the morning we’ve just had.
“Go. Go without me, then. Because where
he
goes,
I
go.” She’s firm.
I bite my lip. “He’s a thug, Tre.”
“Oh, yeah?” she’s quick to answer. “Well, some would say
you’re
a thug. But
V
still loves
you
.”
She’s being irrational.
“I can’t do this, Theresa. I can’t fight
you
, too.” I’m tired and my voice reflects it.
“Then don’t,” she offers a solution. “Love me the way I love you, big brother. Unconditionally. Let me live my life. Let me
be
who I want to be, let me
love
who I want to love.”
“He’ll break your heart,” I tell her.
She smiles. “Maybe. And I might break his. Nothing’s for certain in life, Dom. But I’m not going to let that scare me from living it.”
I listen to what she’s saying and I roll my eyes at her. “When did you become so wise all of a sudden?”
She playfully jabs me in the stomach. “I grew up. You’ve just been too busy to notice.”
“You know I can’t just
condone
this, right?”
She smirks. “I know. You don’t have to. Just don’t interfere is all I ask.”
She has no idea what she’s asking of me.
“Oh, I’m going to interfere all right. I’m going to interfere all over his ass if he hurts you.”
My baby sister reaches up to peck me on the cheek. “Go get your wife. Take her home. We’re going to stay behind a few days and catch a flight back by the weekend.”
“Don’t you have a job to get back to?” I ask her.
She smirks. “Don’t sweat it. I know the boss.”
~*~
THREE WEEKS LATER
“So how was your trip? You find what you were looking for?” Joe asks me, sitting behind his desk, his embroidered work shirt showing tiny speckles of motor oil stain.
“You could say that,” I fumble and play with the letter opener in my hand. “I brought you back some wine as a souvenier.”
He sits back, reclining in the old chair. “Oh yeah?”
I nod and reach down into my bag, withdrawing the bottle by the neck and placing it down on his desk with a heavy thud. He eyes the brand and smiles knowingly.
“So, you
did
find everything you were looking for.”
I knew it. I knew my father wouldn’t have been able to have carried out his plan by himself. He would’ve needed someone he could trust, someone loyal to help him, but, someone who wasn’t too close to be watched by the feds.
The only person who would have fit that bill, who stayed loyal to our family, is the man sitting before me.
If it were anyone else, my father-in-law would have been turned into the commission long ago.
“You’ve been loyal to my family for a very long time,” I compliment and thank Joe.
“I took an oath long ago,” he replies.
I nod. “You did, “ I acknowledge. “And you kept that oath for a long time when many others abandoned it. And that’s why I’m promoting you.”
He sits up. “What are you talking about, boss?”
I shake my head and smile. “I’m not the boss anymore.
You
are. I’m stepping down. The commission’s already given their approval. You’re heading the family and I’m going back to what I do best. Taking care of my family.”
He’s speechless.
“There’s only one condition,” I add.
“Name it.”
He’s going to be sorry he asked that. I laugh.
“Carmine,” I state my terms. “I gave him a choice. He can come with me and go on the straight and narrow, head up the security for ATH. Or… he can work for you. You won’t find a more loyal man. Just like my dad had you.”
I’ve had to learn my way first hand. Carmine will have to learn his. I gave him a choice but he’s got to make it on his own terms. If he chooses to stay in this life, then I want to know he’s working for a stand-up guy like Joe, here.
Joe reaches forward and picks up the bottle, inspecting it. “Did I ever tell you that your dad used to bust my balls like crazy when I was new on the scene?”
“And look how that turned out. I’m telling you. He’s a good man. He’ll have your back.”
Joe weighs my words silently. “I guess it couldn’t hurt to have someone around to fetch my coffee.”
CHAPTER TEN
“V!” I call into the depths of the house. “You’ve got mail.”
I separate our piles and begin to work on the white envelopes that bear my name.
“Anything good?” She takes the papers and sifts through them.
I hear the crumpled shuffling before it comes to an abrupt stop. She freezes in her place. I smile and watch her as she turns to face me.
“I got a postcard,” she waves the small rectangular parchment around. “From Sicily. It doesn’t have a name on it… but it’s got to be from him. I know it.”
The excitement in her voice is like music to my ears. It’s been weeks and I’ve been waiting patiently for my old baby to return. These last few days she’s started to show signs of accepting everything that’s happened.
“It’s his way of letting me know he’s OK. I’m- I’m going to start a scrapbook for them.” She stares at all the little details of the printed card.
“That’s a good idea.” I hug her tight. “It’ll give you something to work on.”
“Trying to find hobbies for me?” she asks playfully.
I arch my eyebrow. “Well, we could always find some
other
hobbies to keep us busy. Now that I’m
retired
.”
I begin to unbutton her shirt slowly.
“You’re not retired, Dom.”
I catch her eye. “What do you mean? I told you. I’m out. You come first. I’m not going to do anything that could jeopardize that. You’re all I need. All I’ve ever needed.”
She laughs, and helps with the remaining buttons of her top.
“I mean… you’re not retired because you’ve only been on vacation. John’s just been holding your spot.”
“V,” I correct her. “I signed over my shares. You signed the papers yourself, took ownership of my stock. I’m not a part of ATH anymore.”
She wiggles her arms seductively out of her sleeves and drops the fabric to the floor.
“You know, for a businessman, you really should pay closer attention to details, Dom.”
She sees my confusion and quickly clears it up.
“Because if you had looked closely, you would have seen that I didn’t sign my name. I signed Vincenza Lombardi. I’m not a Lombardi anymore. I’m a DiBenedetto. So, it wasn’t legal. You never lost your shares, you never lost your job. You’ve just been on hiatus.”
“How--?” I’m dumbfounded.
“I knew you’d come to your senses and figure out where you belong.”
She amazes me. I caress her cheek and ask, “And where do I belong?”
“With me,” she states matter-of-factly.
Never have truer words been spoken.
“Then we’d better make the most of my last day off, huh?” I ask suggestively.
V licks her lips. “Yes,
boss
.”
FINITO
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tara is a thirty-something newbie author from Long Island, New York. She's a voracious reader, a passionate writer and an obsessive junk T.V. aficionado. When she's not doing one of those three things she is attempting to garden, hanging with her hubby or partaking in some retail therapy. She enjoys connecting with her readers and is having a blast entering into this new world of publishing.
Tara loves any and all interaction with her fans. Follow her through;
@Lil_Oakes
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