ARIA
I arrived at the Santa Fe thirty minutes early and chose a booth at the window so I could keep an eye on the street. I trusted Val but I wasn’t stupid. She was my friend, but more than that she was Dante’s wife. I didn’t think she’d tell him about our meeting, but I preferred to be extra cautious.
The waiter brought me a tea. I could tell he thought it strange that I was drinking peppermint tea for dinner, but it was the only thing I could stomach at the moment. I’d been half tempted to head into a pharmacy and buy a pregnancy test as I’d waited for the meeting but had decided against it.
A pregnant woman in a long black coat caught my attention as she got out of a taxi. She hurried toward the restaurant and a moment later Val appeared inside without Fabiano, but I had feared that would be the case. She spotted me and gestured to the waiter that she would join me.
Val slid into the booth across from me. “Aria,” she said with a soft smile, but I could tell that she was tense.
She hadn’t brought her daughter. Of course not. This wasn’t our war but we were part of it. The waiter came over and took her order before he left again.
“Anna is so beautiful, Val. I will miss her terribly,” I told her. “When will your son be due?”
“In about three weeks if he decides to be on time,” she said with a smile. “What about you and Luca, do you want children?”
I looked away and without thinking about it, my hand went to my stomach. “I do. But Luca won’t bring children into a war.”
She nodded but there was a knowing look in her eyes. “That’s why Dante didn’t want a second child, but there is never a good time to bring children into our world. Our men are sometimes so wrapped up in drug wars and power plays that they forget what really matters.”
“Family,” I finished, and she nodded. We looked at each other. This was already more information than our husbands probably wanted us to share. Val was supposed to be my enemy.
As if she remembered that too, her expression tightened. “Why are you here, Aria?”
“I told you, because of Fabi. I’m worried about him. It’s Christmas and he’s alone.”
Val didn’t contradict me, because she knew my father.
“How is he doing?” I asked worriedly, remembering my last call with him, which still tore at my heart.
Val gave a small shrug. “He’s still in the induction process. He seems fine, physically, from what I can tell.”
Clothes could cover a lot of things—we both knew that.
“Do you think there’s any way I can see him?”
Her eyes flickered with uncertainty. “He’s part of the Outfit. I’m not sure it’s a good idea.”
Her loyalties lay with Dante and yet she was here, but her friendship to me had limits. “But he’s also my brother, my blood, Val. I practically raised him until I had to leave for New York. I want to protect him like a mother would her child.” I wasn’t sure if that was true, since I didn’t have children yet, but I knew Val would understand. She touched her round belly, her dark brows pulled together.
“This war is so unnecessary,” she murmured.
“Our husbands would disagree. Or is there any way you could convince Dante to return to the truce?”
Val sighed. “Pride and honor. They will stop both Luca and Dante from forging another truce. We both know they never liked each other much.”
“I wish that weren’t true,” I said quietly. My eyes were drawn to the entrance because the door opened.
I froze when I registered the tall man who entered the restaurant. Blond hair, cold eyes, dressed in a gray three-piece suit.
Val followed my gaze and she paled. “I didn’t tell him anything, Aria. I would never—”
He stopped beside our booth. Dante Cavallaro.
“She didn’t,” he confirmed in a dangerous voice that sent a shiver down my spine. He leveled his cold blue eyes on Val. “But in a time like this, I won’t let you go anywhere without my knowledge.”
“You tracked me,” she said, staring down at her mobile lying flat on the table.
“That, yes, and Enzo recognized a familiar face this morning during your brunch with Bibiana but he wasn’t sure, and when he sent me a photo of Aria and I told him to grab her, she had already disappeared.”
Enzo had managed to take a photo of me? God, I was an idiot. Dante startled me when he slid into my booth, not Val’s. I was forced to scoot to the side to give him room to sit down. That way he was barring my escape route. My heart rate doubled.
Val’s eyes widened, and worry filled her face. Worry for me.
“Dante,” she said in a placating voice.
“Go outside. Two of my men are waiting for you. They will take you home.”
“Dante,” she tried again.
“Valentina,” he said sharply, and the look he sent her made me shiver. I rested my shaking hands in my lap.
She rose slowly, eyes apologetic as they settled on me.
“Thank you, Val, for coming here,” I said, trying to keep my voice calm but failing miserably.
She nodded, then turned and left.
Dante angled his body toward me. I met his gaze, trying to hide that he scared me but despite how good of an actress I had become, I knew he could see right through me. His own face gave nothing away. Could I hope for mercy? For compassion? But I knew the answer to that question. Dante ruled over the Outfit. He was like Luca in so many regards.
“I will call the waiter over now and pay for dinner. We will get up together, you will stay at my side, and we will go to my car and you will get in,” he said in an emotionless voice, his eyes holding a clear warning.
I swallowed, and nodded. Because it was all I could do. It wasn’t as if I really had a choice. I forced a smile when the waiter came over. Dante paid and got up. He picked up my coat that I had thrown over the backrest and held it out for me, his face a mask of politeness. His eyes told a different story.
I stood and let him help me into my coat. I trembled when his hands touched my shoulders and he leaned closer, his mouth next to my ear. “Don’t try to run or do anything stupid, Aria. I’d hate having to hurt you.”
I gave another jerky nod and he let go of my shoulders, then he grabbed my hand. I tensed even more but followed him outside and toward his Mercedes. He opened the passenger door for me, his gaze searching our surroundings as I slipped in. When he shut the door, I drew in a shaky breath. My heart was beating frantically in my chest. We were at war. War.
And I was the wife of the Capo, and had let myself get captured by the Outfit.
Don’t panic.
Chicago was my home once. Dante’s known me all my life.
Dante wasn’t known for hurting women, but what if he used me as leverage? A strong wave of nausea washed over me, and it took all of my willpower to force it down.
Dante got behind the steering wheel and pulled the car onto the street. “I assume you are alone.” He was focused on traffic but I knew he was aware of my every move.
“I am,” I said.
“You shouldn’t have come to Chicago,” he said as he checked the rearview mirror as if he expected someone to follow us. I feared he was right. Luca had been right. I acted without thinking when my siblings were concerned.
Eventually, Dante swerved the car to the side, startling me, and hit the brakes. We were in a deserted area near tracks. He didn’t say anything. I closed my eyes. This was a place where nobody would hear me scream, a place where bodies could be disposed of.
My fingers on my knees tightened as I remembered the knife, which I’d bought this afternoon, in my bag. A bag that was between my feet in the legroom. But for me to get to it I would have to lean down and unzip the purse. And for me to get out of this car alive after pulling a knife on Dante, I’d need a miracle.
I opened my eyes, glancing down at my bag. Luca and I had practiced self-defense over the years and against an inexperienced man I could have defended myself, but Dante was the Boss. He could kill without breaking a sweat.
And then Dante was leaning over me, tall and terrifying, and his arm brushed my thigh and I flinched away from him, my head colliding with the window. “No,” I gasped.
Dante’s blue eyes met mine, understanding reflecting on his face but he didn’t immediately pull away, still too close as if he was waiting for something. Then he straightened, holding my purse in his hand. He’d reached for it between my legs. I released a breath and quickly wiped a traitorous tear from my face, hoping my emotional reaction wasn’t because I was pregnant. What if I was risking this baby? God, what had I done?
Dante opened my bag, took out the knife and put it into the side compartment, then put the bag back down into the legroom.
I was still pressed against the window, my pulse racing.
“Aria,” Dante said firmly, drawing my gaze up to his eyes. They weren’t exactly soft, but at least they had lost some of the menace. “You are Luca’s wife; a war won’t change that. And even if you weren’t his wife, you wouldn’t have to fear that from me, or from anyone else in Chicago. I swear it.”
“Thank you, Dante,” I whispered. I straightened in my seat, embarrassed by my actions.
“There’s no need to thank me for respecting your body,” he said.
“What will you do with me then?”
He regarded me without a flicker of emotion. “That is the question, I suppose. I should use you to punish Luca and the Famiglia.”
I shivered.
“Or at the very least use you as leverage to blackmail him.”
That was what I feared. “Luca is Capo. He won’t risk the Famiglia.”
Dante smiled coldly. “But you are his wife, and I saw the way he looks at you. There’s only one thing Luca would risk his position as Capo over, and that’s you.”
Oh God, if Luca lost his territory or the trust of his men because of me, he’d never forgive me.
“I think you are overestimating my worth. Luca’s first choice will always be the Famiglia.”
Dante tilted his head, regarding me like an asset. “And I think you are underestimating your worth for good reason.”
“I’m not. Luca won’t risk his territory. You don’t know him as well as I do.”
“And that’s the problem,” he said. “If Luca didn’t comply with our requests, I’d have to try to convince him.”
“By hurting me,” I said.
He nodded. “By hurting you. I’m not very fond of inflicting pain on women.” But he would have to. “Yet, the Outfit is where my concern lies.” He said it like he had made his choice.
“There’s still Matteo, and the rest of the Famiglia. Luca has to consider their wishes.”
“Luca knows how to make people see things how he wants them to see them. Luca is the strongest Capo New York has seen in a long time. His men look up to him, but they don’t know his weakness.”
I was his weakness.
Tears burned my eyes. I had never meant to turn Luca weak, and I had to make sure he didn’t appear that way in front of his enemies, because that’s what Dante was. I took a deep breath. “Luca will do anything to stay Capo. It’s in his blood. Ultimately if he has to choose between me and power, he will choose power, believe me.” I met Dante’s cold gaze and hoped he couldn’t see that my words were a lie.
Dante didn’t say anything for a while, only stared at me. “Perhaps. But perhaps you are only trying to save yourself and Luca. Perhaps you realize that you being here could mean the end of the Famiglia.”
“No matter what you do to me, Luca won’t give up his territory. Luca won’t bow down to anyone.”
“But he won’t stand back and have you tortured.”
I jerked in my seat, shock widening my eyes before I could mask it, and Dante’s lips curled into a knowing smile.
Damn the mafia. Damn Dante and his manipulation. I forced down my panic and said firmly, “He won’t. He will attack Chicago and kill every man. He will show strength, not weakness. Luca is the most ruthless man I know, Dante, and I’ve grown up knowing you. Don’t mistake his possessiveness for anything else. I’m his possession, and he will tear down your city and your home to get it back.” I had to force out every word past the lump in my throat, through my fear. I had to be strong for Luca, couldn’t allow Dante to use me against him. I would do anything for Luca.
Dante leaned forward, his eyes hard. “And I will do the same with New York. You grew up seeing my civilized mask, Aria. Don’t mistake it for my true nature. Luca carries his monster on the outside; I keep mine buried until I need it.”
I didn’t doubt it. Luca would attack and Dante would retaliate. People would die. Maybe my sisters, maybe Fabi. Maybe Luca. And I could not allow it. I went through my options. I could try to kill myself, but then Luca would definitely burn down Chicago. I could try to beg Dante to spare me because I was a woman, but his unrelenting expression gave me little hope. Trying to seduce him was completely out of the question, not that he struck me as a man who would let his base instincts overrule logic, and there was Val. Not that I would ever kiss anyone but Luca. God, I was starting to lose my mind. My stomach twisted and my nausea crashed down on me so hard I reached for the door to get out but it was locked, of course.
“Aria,” Dante said in warning.
“I’m going to be sick,” I gasped out, and one look at my face and he unlocked the car. I stumbled out and ran to the back of the car, then bent over and threw up my tea and the muffin I’d had in the afternoon. I supported myself on the trunk of the Mercedes, trying to catch my breath. Dante’s gray trouser legs appeared in my peripheral vision, but I wasn’t even embarrassed. I was past that point. Tears slid down my cheeks as I clung to the car.
“Here,” Dante said quietly, holding out a tissue.
I took it with a mumbled “thanks,” then wiped my mouth. Bracing myself, I raised my head and met Dante’s gaze. He was frowning. “Is this fear or something else?” he asked.
I stared into his blue eyes. Dante was a father and Val was pregnant again. I had to trust that it would save me. I decided to go for the unflinching truth. “Both. I’ve never been more scared of you than I am today.”
Dante’s expression didn’t change, but that didn’t mean my words didn’t have a tiny effect on him. I needed to hope they did.
“But that’s not it,” I said, then hesitated. Either admitting to a pregnancy would save Luca and me, or condemn him and the Famiglia. “I am pregnant.”
Dante’s eyes flew down to my stomach. “You are pregnant with Luca’s child?”
I wasn’t sure, but everything pointed toward it. I straightened despite my nausea and dizziness. “Yes.”
“I hope you understand that I can’t take your word on the matter,” Dante said in a hard voice.
I blinked. “What do you mean?”
“I want proof.”
“Proof?” I echoed. “And what if my words are proven true?”
“That’s for me to decide then.” Dante’s face was an impenetrable mask. “Get back into the car, Aria.”
Dante took me to a pharmacy but I had to stay in the locked car as he bought a pregnancy test. I was starting to think that I’d had made a huge mistake by telling Dante I was pregnant. If the test proved I was pregnant, he’d have even more leverage against Luca, and if the test proved I’d lied, he’d be less inclined to spare me in any way. Sometimes I thought I could play these power games because I’d seen Luca and Matteo play them, but our men had years of experience on us.
I closed my eyes and pressed my palm against my still flat stomach, not sure what I should hope for. I opened my eyes when the door opened and Dante got in. His eyes went down to my hand on my stomach and I pulled it away.
He held out the packet and closed the door.
“Where am I supposed to take the test?”
“I can’t take you anywhere public. I’d loathe encountering someone who recognizes you.”
Because it would force his hand.
He pulled away from the curb and drove us back to an abandoned parking lot near the water.
“Here?” I asked.
“Here. I can’t take your modesty into consideration.” He left the car and I followed. I looked around, shivering.
“Hide behind the trunk; I will wait here. If you do anything to raise my suspicions, I will watch you, understood?” Dante narrowed his eyes at me and I gave a terse nod, then I walked around to the back and unzipped my jeans. Dante turned his back to me and I pulled down my jeans and panties before I crouched down and awkwardly held the test stick between my legs. It took a while before I could relax enough to let go, but Dante didn’t say anything.
I straightened and set the test down on the trunk then got dressed. “Done,” I said.
Dante turned, reached into his car, then walked toward me, and held out wipes.
“You are prepared,” I said with a bitter laugh.
“Usually it’s blood I’m cleaning off with them.”
I searched his face. Was he trying to intimidate me or only being honest? I couldn’t tell, didn’t know him well enough for that.
We waited the remaining time in silence until Dante nodded. I reached for the test with trembling fingers and opened the cap.
I stared down at the test and began crying.
Pregnant.
Dante watched me silently. I showed the test to him, but he knew. More silence followed.
“Luca doesn’t know,” Dante said.
I nodded in confirmation. I gripped the edge of the car. I was pregnant with Luca’s child. A baby. I stared down at myself, and terror unlike anything I’d ever known took hold of me. I had come to Chicago, to enemy territory, with Luca’s baby in me. I was so stupid, so very stupid.
“Aria.” Dante’s voice was softer than it had been all evening and I looked back up at him, and for several moments neither of us moved. I wasn’t sure what to do.
“I know you must think of the Outfit,” I whispered, but he silenced me with his raised palm.
“I will let you go. Luca is my enemy. I don’t think that will change anytime soon, but you are an innocent woman, and you carry his child. I hope he’d do the same if Valentina ever fell into his hands, which she won’t.” Fierceness flashed in his eyes. Protective like Luca. Valentina was Dante’s weakness like I was Luca’s.
I wasn’t sure what Luca would have done if he were in Dante’s position. I wanted to believe that he would have made the same choice.
“But Aria make no mistake: if I ever run across Luca, I will kill him, and it won’t be quick.”
I shuddered because I believed him.
“You won’t tell Luca about this,” he said, an order.
“I won’t, believe me.” If Luca found out about this, he’d lose his mind.
He gave a terse nod.
I took a small step toward him. “Thank you, Dante. Thank you so much.”
Another sharp nod. “Do you have a plane ticket?”
“Yeah, my plane leaves in three hours.”
“I’ll take you to the airport.”
We got back into the car and again my hand found my stomach, still not able to believe that there was a small human growing inside of me. The result of Luca’s and my love.
Dante was tense beside me as he drove me toward the airport. He stopped in front of the departure terminal then turned to me, and a predatory expression took over his face. “Don’t ever return to Chicago, Aria. This once I’m doing this, but next time I will do what’s necessary to ensure the Outfit wins this war.”
“Can’t there be peace again? For your children and ours. For Fabi and all the others who will suffer in this war.”
Dante smiled coldly. “If Luca hands over Romero and Liliana, and if Luca apologizes, then perhaps there can be peace.”
Luca would do neither and we both knew it. Two men who hated each other, and more men eager to tear into each other pulled us all into darkness, children and women alike, and my child would be born into this dark world.
Born in Blood. Sworn in Blood. I enter alive and leave dead.
“Leave,” Dante said, and I did. I never looked back as I headed into the airport. I would never see Chicago again, never see Fabi again. I pressed my palm against my stomach, seeking consolation. I had to trust that Fabi was strong enough to survive in the Outfit. I could not risk anything again, not with a baby growing inside of me, not if I wanted to protect Luca and our family.
As I boarded the plane I wondered again if Luca would have done the same. Would he have let Val walk away?
LUCA
My control was hanging on a thread as I listened to my men. Matteo, too, looked like he had every intention of relieving our uncles of the burden of life.
Uncle Gottardo and Uncle Ermano seemed to be in a silent argument but I bet they were making plans to overthrow me behind closed doors. Ermano was a coward, and Gottardo was only marginally better, but eventually they would act. Perhaps Gottardo would send his remaining legitimate son to kill me.
“War was inevitable,” I growled. “You know that as well as I do. Don’t pretend you haven’t all been waiting for a chance to spill Outfit blood again.” My Underbosses nodded and so did most of my Captains. Not Gottardo and Ermano though.
My eyes went up to the high ceiling of the power station. I’d chosen it for every meeting of my Captains and Underbosses in the last three years to remind them of my bloody statement. I had a feeling their memory needed refreshing.
Gottardo rammed his fist down on the table, bringing my gaze back down to him, and shoved Ermano’s pacifying hand away. “Enough,” he muttered. “You risked too much bringing the youngest Scuderi girl here and making him Captain.” Gottardo nodded toward Romero with a condescending snort.
Romero tensed in his chair but Gottardo turned back to me.
“All because you let the blonde Scuderi whore lead you around by your dick.”
I shoved the massive table away and grabbed my uncle by the throat, lifting him from his chair and throwing it over. I thrust him against the wall and clamped both my hands down on his neck and squeezed as hard as I could. His head turned red, eyes bulging. He clawed at me, beat and scratched, but I didn’t loosen my grip. Nobody dared coming to his aid as he fought for his life.
I stared into his eyes as I had done many years ago when I’d killed his son. His bones gave in, pierced his carotid and esophagus. He choked, blood spurting out of his lips. He coughed, choked on his own fucking blood. Blood hit my face and shirt as he wheezed. I didn’t ease up until the light left his fucking eyes, then I unfastened my grip and let his corpse drop to the ground at my feet. It had become dead quiet around me. I faced my men. My hands, face and shirt were covered in blood, and from the look on Matteo’s face—shock and sick fascination—I knew I was a sight straight out of Hell.
“I am your Capo. I rule over the East Coast. I rule over you. If someone’s got a problem with me, then step up and tell me to my fucking face, and I’ll grant you a fucking quick death. But I swear by Heaven and Hell that crushing my uncle’s throat will look like a merciful end to the next fucker who dares to insult my wife. I won’t stand any kind of disrespect.”
Many men nodded in agreement; others looked like they had shit their pants. I didn’t give a fuck. “This meeting is over.”
I waved toward my uncle’s men then pointed at his remaining son, who didn’t look particularly sad about his father’s demise. “Take his corpse back home with you. I hope you won’t share your brother’s and father’s fate one day.”
I turned, fucking done with this meeting. Matteo was close behind me as I stalked out of the power plant and toward my Aston Martin.
Matteo stepped in front of me before I could get behind the wheel. “I think I should drive. You aren’t quite sane right now.”
I shoved the keys at him. “You think?” I muttered.
He headed back to the trunk, returned a moment later and held out a clean white shirt. “Perhaps you should change. I don’t want to have to explain this to the police if they catch us. Not all of them are on our payroll, remember?”
I pulled off my shirt and wiped my face and hands clean with it, but the pink tinge remained. Romero came out after us and I handed him the shirt. “Can you burn this?”
He nodded, eyes worried as he took my shirt. I didn’t need their fucking worry. I was fine.
I got into the car and Matteo got behind the wheel. We drove in silence but he kept looking my way. “You okay?”
I scowled. “I’ve killed so many people. You think I still care?”
“The last time you crushed a throat, you were a bit unhinged afterwards. You’ve been on edge anyway considering everything that’s been going on.”
On edge was a strange way to put it. Ever since war had broken out, the voices in the Famiglia that wanted me gone had grown louder. They were still a small minority but it made my life difficult. Perhaps tonight had silenced a few enemies, or perhaps I’d earned myself new ones. It was difficult to say yet. I’d have to replace my uncles with more trustworthy, younger Underbosses. I had tolerated them for long enough. It was time for them to retire before I had to kill another one.
“Back to our wives? Or do you need additional time to cool off?” Matteo asked.
“I don’t need time to cool off. I’m fine. All I want is to have Aria’s naked body beneath me.”
Matteo slanted me another look. I hardly ever mentioned sex with Aria. I hated to share even that tiny bit of Aria with anyone. We spent the rest of the drive in silence. Usually my pulse slowed quickly after the kill, but this time it didn’t. When we pulled up in the driveway of the mansion, I was still wired. Romero arrived shortly after and together we entered our home. It was quiet as we moved into the living room. The women had put up the remaining Christmas decorations. The Christmas tree glowed in red and silver. I needed a peaceful Christmas, couldn’t wait for a few days of quiet with my true family.
My mobile beeped, announcing an email. I took it out of my back pocket. It was from a journalist contact and the subject line read “Urgent” followed by about a dozen exclamation marks. I paused and clicked on the email.
I got this from a colleague in Chicago and stopped it from making the rounds or worse, headline.
I clicked on the three attached photos.
