Page 43 of A Capo’s Love: Featuring A Don’s Love

Roy simply nodded his head. I didn’t want to go in to detail with telling him how my father’s ghost pressed against my shoulders while I hallucinated other faces like Kentrell, Lennox, and even my mother before even seeing her.

A soft knock pulled me out of my conflicted thoughts. Maria entered, quietly pushing a serving cart across the marble floor. She was an older Hispanic woman who worked for my father for almost twenty years. Her eyes barely lifted toward me when she entered the room like she knew what was to come. Maria wasn’t dumb.

Anyone that remained on the grounds of this house could feel the shift of this estate since my father died. She carefully placed my tea beside me first. Steamed curled softly from the cup, carrying hints of ginger and lemon mixed with honey. My throat had been bothering me all day but I ignored it. Stress always triggered more pain in my throat to the point of even swallowing down food or cold drinks was both irritating and painful.

Maria placed Roy’s glass of cognac in front of him. Her hands trembled slightly while adjusting the napkin beside his plate. Roy looked up at me, letting me know he noticed the visible stress and fear reeking off of Maria.

“You may leave, Maria” Roy told her calmly.

She quickly nodded her head with her eyes casted downward. The sound of wheels moving down the hallway made my stomach churn before I even looked up. Soon as Maria disappeared, Lucille had entered with an in-home nurse guiding her slowly into the dining room with one careful hand beneath her elbow while the other steadied the oxygen tank rolling quietly beside them.

Even while dying slowly… Lucille Bonetti still looked elegant. The poison weakened her over the last couple of days exactly the way it was supposed to. I hoped that she sat with her thoughts and decisions while she perished away slowly. Tonight’s cup of wine would have the rest of the poison inside of it. By the time she took her last sip, she wouldn’t make it from the table.

Black silk pajamas hugged her thin frame perfectly. The top hung open at her collarbone, revealing the diamond chain my father bought her a couple of Christmases back. Large curls framed her face, falling around her shoulders and past her back. She had to of had someone freshly dye it black since there was no traces of gray left.

Per usual, her face was covered in makeup.

At least she’s going out in style… the morgue won’t have to do much with her face… I thought just as the nurse helped lower her carefully into the chair across from me. Lucille looked up with a weak yet cocky smirk plastered on her face. The smile said a lot of things. The number one thing it said to me was that she knew what was happening. She planned on staying beautiful and confident through every second of it.

“Maria still knows your favorite,” she said softly with a small smile on her face.

I blinked in her direction as Roy lifted his cognac but didn’t drink. Lucille’s eyes drifted toward him briefly then back to me.

“You both look miserable,” she said with amusement resting in her voice.

Roy grunted but offered no words. The next two servers entered, carrying silver trays of dinner. Lucille was served first, Roy second, then me last. I eyed my plate and the food looked good as I last remembered. Sea bass rested over whipped parmesan potatoes with grilled asparagus lined carefully along the edge of my plate. Lemon butter sauce was added in a small glass bowl in front of my plate.

I had a huge medium rare Tomahawk steak sliced in thick pieces with the bone behind the meat. This particular meal was my father’s favorite. I stared at the plate too long before finally looking away. The staff remained standing quietly near the walls waiting for instructions while tension swallowed the room whole.

Lucille remained composed. She adjusted the napkin across her lap slowly then rolled her silk sleeves up to her elbows. She eyed her wine glass that was damn near filled to the brim with hunger, before picking it up and taking a slow sip.

I looked at Roy and nodded my head once.

“Everyone may leave.” Roy’s voice echoed throughout the room.

One by one they disappeared from the dining room until only three of us remained. The silence after they left felt different. I glanced down at my food with no urge to eat any of it. Lucille cut a small piece of her already cut up steak then lifted it delicately to her mouth.

Her wine glass rested near her hand half full of deep red wine that looked like the blood that would spill from her nose and mouth soon. I stared at her long and hard before speaking with my voice. I decided against using my hands to sign to her since this would be the last conversation I ever had with her.

“I have a daughter,” I uttered.

Lucille paused mid-chew, followed by Roy looking up from his plate immediately. I took my time and picked up my tea, needing the hot liquid to caress my vocal cords before saying my next set of words.

“Her name is Novae Bonetti.” My heart skipped a beat the moment I said my daughter’s name out loud.

Lucille just stared at me for a long couple of seconds before she laughed weakly.

“If it wasn’t for me killing Di Lucas,” she said before sipping her wine slowly. “You wouldn’t even be able to utter those words.”

My fists balled up as she continued to laugh bitterly.

“Lucille—” Roy started but was cut off by her.

“No.” She shook her head. “Let his love sick ass hear it.” Her eyes locked with mine again.

“You think Di Lucas would’ve ever allowed you the softness of falling for the same woman who killed your fucking father? What?” She jerked her head back weakly before curling her lips into a sneer.

“You thought you had it all under control, son?” She taunted with her glass still lifted to her lips.