“Maybe I should check on Ines,” I said quietly. Dante nodded. His eyes held mine for a moment, and I wanted nothing more than to throw myself into his arms like Leonas and Anna had done. Instead I turned and went in search for Ines.
I found her scrubbing a cutting board furiously. It was stained from use and impossible to return to its previous state but Ines cleaned it vigorously, tears streaming down her face, her blonde hair half fallen out of her ponytail. I walked toward her and took the scrub brush from her. Her hands were red. She looked into my eyes, and I had to blink to hold back my own tears.
I hugged her and she buried her face in my neck, sobbing. After a few minutes of crying, she swallowed audibly. “Fina’s got his marks on her throat… she wore her wedding dress and it was ripped and bloody, and she just looked so… broken. He broke her, Val. He… he raped her.”
I bit my lip. “Have you sent for a doctor?”
“Fina doesn’t want to be checked.”
I nodded. Wasn’t that how many rape victims reacted? Their shame was too strong. “Fina is strong like you Ines. She’ll get past this.”
“I hope so. God, I hope so.”
Dante
Pietro and I left the office to give Serafina a moment to talk to Danilo. Samuel leaned against the wall across from the door but he straightened with a frown when I closed the door.
“You let her alone with Danilo?”
Pietro rubbed his forehead. “She insisted.”
“Danilo and Serafina need to talk,” I said.
Samuel stared. “She can’t marry him. She’s not the girl she used to be.”
I didn’t say anything but I feared he was right. Danilo still wanted Serafina and by our rules he had a right to her, but a wedding seemed unlikely given Serafina’s emotional state.
“She’ll recover,” Pietro said. “They can still marry next year when she’s healed.”
I wasn’t sure if Serafina would get over what happened anytime soon. We didn’t even know exactly what she had to endure. Maybe we never would.
Ines hurried our way. “Is Fina with you?”
“In my office talking to Danilo,” Pietro said. Ines stopped beside him, looking anxious to go inside to check on her daughter.
A few minutes later, Danilo emerged, a dark look on his face and Serafina’s engagement ring in his flat palm, like a memorial of what used to be. He looked up. “Serafina, won’t marry me.” His eyes met mine. “I need to talk to my father.” He stalked away, already pulling out his phone.
“I need a word with her,” I said.
“Let me talk to her first. I need to make sure she’s okay after her talk to Danilo.”
I nodded and Ines slipped inside the office.
“The Mancinis won’t like this,” Pietro said quietly. “Our families were meant to become one to strengthen the Outfit. Indianapolis is the most important city in the Outfit.”
“Let’s not worry about it now.”
Ines finally stepped back out, her lips sorrowfully tightened.
“Please be careful, Dante,” she said softly. “She’s gone through enough.”
“I know. But if we want to have a chance to get revenge on Remo for what he did to her, I need to gather information.”
Ines nodded then stepped back and finally let me enter the room.
Serafina stood near the window, looking young and lost. I closed the door quietly. She looked up. My eyes darted to her throat and she pressed her hand over the spot, blushing in shame.
“Don’t.” My voice came out sharper than intended. I moved closer to my niece, watching her closely to see if she was comfortable having me near her. She’d shied away from Danilo and I wasn’t sure how strong her trauma was. “Don’t be ashamed for something forced upon you,” I added in a softer voice, even if it cost me a lot to make it that way because seeing Serafina like this stirred up fury inside of me. “I don’t want to open up painful wounds, Serafina, but as the Boss of the Outfit, I need to know everything you know about the Camorra so I can bring them down and kill Remo Falcone.”
Serafina avoided my eyes. “I don’t think I know anything that will help you.”
“Every small detail helps. Habits. The dynamic between the brothers. Remo’s weaknesses. The layout of the mansion.”
“Remo doesn’t trust anyone but his brothers and Fabiano. He would die for them,” she whispered.
I’d suspected this. Remo wasn’t as invincible as he thought. If he cared about his brothers in whatever twisted way he was capable of, that meant he was open for attack.
Serafina continued, still not looking my way. “Apart from the family, only Fabiano and Leona are allowed inside the mansion, and occasionally cleaners. Remo keeps a knife and a gun close at all times. He’s a light sleeper…”
She cringed at what she’d revealed. I’d suspected Remo had taken her into his bed. Captors often played with their victims by alternating between treating them like dirt and then showing them hints of kindness to gain their trust. Stockholm Syndrome based on this tactic. The victims ultimately blamed themselves for their rape and even tried to tell themselves they wanted it or gave their captor signals that indicated consent, when neither was the case.
Serafina began to shake, her face torn with guilt and shame.
I moved closer and gently touched her shoulder. “Serafina.”
She surprised me when she leaned against me. I cupped her head, trying to console her.
“What am I going to do? How will I belong again? Everyone will look at me with disgust.”
Blaming the victim was always easy. “If anyone does, you’ll let me know, and I’ll deal with them.”
Serafina nodded against me.
“And you never stopped belonging. You are part of the Outfit, part of this family, nothing changed.”
And yet everything had. We all had. Our family had. Serafina had. None of us had remained untouched by the horrors brought upon us by Remo Falcone.
* * *
Danilo asked for a meeting. Naturally, I’d expected it.
We all settled in Pietro’s office. By now, Pietro had at least removed some of the rubble Danilo had left during his rage after the sheets but the place was still a mess. Pietro sank down behind his desk and Samuel stood close to the window, his hands shoved into the pockets of his slacks.
Danilo and I sat down in armchairs across from each other. It was past ten in the evening, but neither of us was eager for sleep.
Danilo let out a deep sigh, twisting the engagement ring in his fingers. “My father insists I’ll marry someone from your family,” he said. “A bond between our families is necessary, especially at this time.”
He was right. We needed to demonstrate solidarity to quiet the dissenting voices. I’d rather not have to silence them with violence. We needed every man in our ranks to fight the Camorra and Famiglia.
Pietro sighed, slumping in his chair. Samuel shook his head with a glare. “Serafina won’t marry. She needs time to heal.”
“There are other options,” I said.
Danilo’s eyes flashed. “What options? I won’t accept the daughter of any other Underboss. My city is important. I won’t settle for less than was promised!”