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“Not yet. I’m sure there are some though. We have the numbers to defeat the Barone family without any need to ask your other families for help.” But the look in his eyes tells me that’s not the case.
“You and I both know that more families will fall in with Barone. The Viettis have monopolized the tri-state area, and there are plenty of organizations who wish they had bigger pieces of the pie.” I know what they’re planning now. “If they can dwindle our numbers, that will be enough for them to take over some of what we run.”
John’s furrowed brow gives notice to the confusion roiling inside his mind. “What I can’t understand is why Barone wants Bella after all these years.”
A horrible idea pops into my brain. “One of his rivals must want her. You know, he pays for their support with his daughter. Someone has set eyes on Isabella, and that’s what has sparked the war Barone plans to bring down on the Vietti dynasty.” The idea makes my blood boil.
“Has it been that obvious that Daniel’s daughter has been alive all these years?” Shaking his head, it’s clear he thought no one had a clue about Isabella. “Did he purposely allow her to live with us, only to take her back one day?”
“I don’t think it’s that cut and dry. Daniel knew his wife was executed. But he knew nothing of their two-year-old, where she was, or if she was alive or not. I’m certain of that. If you’ll recall, Barone made threats to many where his daughter was concerned. He knew his wife had betrayed him by running away and taking his daughter with her.”
John adds, “He had placed a death warrant on his wife’s head. He got that too. We sent him that much. He had no concern at all about who had done the deed of killing his wife. But he did care about finding his daughter.”
“I’m sure word got out through the years that my family dealt with his wife. He had to have known that we also had his daughter. He just waited until he had a need for her before he came looking.”
“We were owed something for our trouble of dealing with the man’s wife. It was your father, who ran the family at that time, who made the decision not to tell Barone the price we charged for keeping his wife’s blood off his hands.” John runs his hand over his beard, agitation riddling his face. “If he’d been honest . . .”
Feeling the need to caution him before he says something he’ll regret, I remind him, “Questioning even a boss who is no longer a boss can result in terrible consequences.”
With a nod, he says, “I meant no disrespect, Carlo. It’s not like I know what might’ve happened anyway. The fact is that back then, tensions were high, and anything could have happened.”
“That’s precisely why we kept Isabella instead of giving her to her father. We knew that we would need her one day.” Drumming my fingers on my upper thigh, I think about what might happen. “There are options. There are always options. I could send her into hiding the same way I did your parents when their lives were at stake.”
“She’s too young to spend the rest of her life being kept in a proverbial dungeon. It would ruin her,” he advises me. “You can better protect her as her husband. And her life will be substantially better as your wife.”
With all that’s going to happen, the idea that we’ll find happiness anytime soon is a pipe dream. “She’ll find out the truth, and our union won’t be as blessed as I’d hoped.”
“She’ll come around. I know her.” Shifting his position, he smiles. “Plus, you have me in your corner. I’ll be the voice in her ear that keeps telling her how lucky she is and how this should be like a dream come true since she’s had a crush on you since the day you two met.”
He has more confidence in her forgiveness than I do. “I knew going in that any marriage I had would be difficult. That’s the way it’s always been with men who have held the position I do. Why should I get to have it any better than any of them did?”
John’s eyes light up. “You forget that Bella has been groomed by our parents to be a subservient woman. She’ll fall into line quickly.”
“Ah, but she has her father’s monster-like blood running through her veins. She might try to kill me. I know her father would love that.”
Will I be able to fully trust the woman who will soon be my wife?
Chapter 6
Isabella
Although I’m trying my hardest not to let anxiety get to me, it’s proving impossible with the insane deadline for the wedding. “Can you just put the bows on the chairs for me?” I hand the ribbon to one of the staff members who’s come to help me. “I need to make sure the wedding arch is coming along.
Just as I begin to walk away, I spot a tall figure entering the ballroom from a side door. It’s Carlo, and he’s holding up a bottle of something. “I’ve brought libations!”
He’s in a great mood.
Why wouldn’t he be? He’s about to get married to the woman of his dreams—I suppose. “What have you got there?” I ask, seeing two short glasses in one of his hands and a bottle of some type of liquor in the other.
“Glenlivet. Thought you and I could have some while I show you how to direct others to do the work while you relax.”
Looking at the people who scurry about, trying to get everything done perfectly, I know I can’t leave them to do it all on their own. “There’s just too much to do for me to sit around and point instead of actually doing something.” The idea was nice though. “When’s your bride going to be here?”
He shrugs, then takes a seat in one of the chairs we’ve already decorated with bows and ribbons. “Come, sit.” He places the glasses on the chair next to him, fills the glasses with the expensive scotch, then holds one up, offering it to me. “Seriously, Isabella, come and sit with me.”
Thinking he must want to finally put his two cents into the wedding, I take the glass and take the seat next to him. “You’re the boss.”
“Yes, I am the boss. Glad you remembered that little fact.” Holding his glass up, he clears his throat in an effort to get me to hold my glass up too.
