I slanted a look at my sleeping wife. I didn’t want Val to get hurt emotionally. This move would at least guarantee her physical safety. She might not see it that way of course. I sat up and got out of bed. Sleep was out of the question. Picking up my phone from the nightstand, I headed into the corridor and sent Rocco a text.
Hold off with the photos for now. We need to discuss the consequences.
His reply came swiftly.
Already sent. Sorry, Dante. It’s a good move in this war.
I sighed. He was right. This trickery was good for the Outfit. It might not be good for my marriage, however, and even though it shouldn’t be, my family was more important to me than my vow.
It was too late now. Things had been set in motion.
Valentina
The pressure on my bladder combined with sciatic pain woke me before sunrise once again. Dante didn’t stir when I snuck into the bathroom, which meant he’d gone to bed so late again that he’d probably only reached his deep sleep phase. After I’d washed my face, I crept out of the bedroom and downstairs to make myself a tea. Light from the office caught my attention. I headed that way and found Anna curled up on Dante’s desk chair, staring down at his iPad.
I smiled at how cute she looked with her disheveled hair and sleep-puffy eyes. “You know Daddy doesn’t want you to go into his office without his permission.”
Anna’s head shot up in surprise. She grinned sheepishly. “I was bored.”
I shook my head and went to her. “You can’t touch Daddy’s things. They are important for his work.” And potentially traumatic for a young child. Anna didn’t understand what Dante did.
“But he’s got photos of Aunt Aria.”
Frowning, I took the iPad from her and looked at the photo Anna was referring to. I quickly clicked through a myriad of other photos, all of them of Aria and Dante, some of them disturbingly intimate. I tried to keep my shock hidden because Anna watched me curiously.
“Why don’t you go to your bedroom and draw a bit. Mommy’s still very tired. But we’ll do a puzzle together later, okay?”
Anna pouted but eventually she nodded and dashed off. I had a feeling she’d head to our bedroom and see if Dante would entertain her, or at least allow her to watch TV, which he wouldn’t.
I sank down on the edge of the desk and even though I knew Dante would be angry, I read his email to Rocco and to the photographer.
I should have known that Dante hadn’t allowed Aria to leave out of the goodness of his heart. He was a cold-hearted killer, a brutal leader of a crime organization, and while he loved Anna and me, his feelings toward the majority of humankind were indifferent at best.
I clicked through the photos once more, lingering on the ones that showed Dante and Aria in a car. He leaned over her, his arm reaching between her legs. I knew Dante didn’t have an affair, especially not with Aria. She was gorgeous and a woman every man desired, but Dante was faithful.
How had these photos come to be? It was obviously a show, a show I didn’t think Aria was involved in. Dante was vehemently against sexual violence in any form against women. He wouldn’t have made Aria believe he’d abuse her. I couldn’t believe it.
The door opened and Dante stepped in, only dressed in pajama bottoms. My eyes trailed over his muscled body. He kept himself fit. He was the epitome of discipline, getting up early most days to get in a workout, to stay in shape and look strong because outward appearances were an important part of being a respected leader nowadays. Many women desired my husband for his power, for his looks, for his unattainability.
Many people would eat up the lie eagerly if word got out about the photos. Especially the traditionalists had always wondered why Dante had chosen only a widow. This would prove them right, and while I tried not to give anything about the opinions of others, this irked me. I stared at the photo once more. This had to be Rocco Scuderi’s idea. He was ruthless and loved to play dirty.
Dante came closer, glancing at the photos then at me. A flicker of concern showed on his face, giving me strange satisfaction. “Val,” he said carefully. “I’ve had the photos taken…”
I glared. “So you could make Luca believe Aria had an affair with you.”
He considered me a moment before he nodded. I wasn’t clueless. Since Anna had been born, I rarely visited our underground casino anymore. I worked from home, doing event planning, calling high rollers and especially politicians, and most importantly dealing with complaints from the prostitutes working in the many brothels in Chicago. But I knew what was going on, knew how mob politics worked, especially when Scuderi had his fingers in the mix.
“Why?” I asked, even though I had a suspicion, one that was cruel and genius at once.
Dante stopped beside me. “Because Luca tends to lose control when Aria is concerned. He’ll act without thinking. It’ll make him vulnerable, an easy target.”
So calculating and emotionless. I searched his face but the concern in it was for me not Aria. “What about Aria? What if Luca hurts her? Kills her?”
I was starting to feel sick just thinking about it. Luca was brutal. Even if he loved Aria, he could still kill her. He wouldn’t be the first man to kill his wife in a jealous rage. Love, or what many people make of it, has been the reason for many depraved acts.
Dante touched my shoulder gently. “He won’t.”
“How can you be sure? Are you telling me Luca Vitiello, a man who crushed his cousin’s throat, is not capable of killing a woman in a jealous rage?”
Dante smiled strangely. “Luca could kill anyone for whatever reason he sees fit. He doesn’t even need a reason. But Aria is the one person in this world, he’ll never kill.”
I stared at my husband, wishing I shared his conviction, wishing I could understand why he could be this certain.
“How can you be sure?” I repeated angrily.
Dante stroked my cheek. “Because deep down Luca and I are the same, we share the same demons, the same cruel nature. A nature that allows us to do what must be done and prevents us from caring for others. Love doesn’t come easy to us but if we love, it consumes us.” Dante’s gaze seemed to caress my face. “I could never hurt you, never kill you, Val. My love for you will always stop me, and it’s the same for Luca where Aria is concerned.”
“I hope you are right.”
“I am.”
“But this might destroy their marriage, might unhinge Luca completely,” I said then nodded. “But that’s what you want, right? Take away Luca’s safe haven, make him lose control. This could toss the Famiglia into chaos.”
“Ultimately, Aria didn’t leave me a choice. I couldn’t let this opportunity pass. She walked into my territory, if I’d let her leave without using that to our advantage, I would have looked weak. Letting her go at all was a huge risk. I don’t owe Aria anything.”
I swallowed. “She’s Anna’s godmother.”
“They won’t ever see each other again, unless Luca surrenders or dies, then maybe there’ll be peace again.”
I touched my belly. Would Leonas grow up in a world of war? Would he rule over the Outfit still at war? It scared me.
Dante kissed my temple then caressed my belly. “How are you feeling?”