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“Elena wasn't lying.” Says Massimo.
“It appears not, but can we trust her?” I mull it over. Saying it out loud. Not expecting anyone to reply.
Minutes tick by. I’m no closer to my answer when Bosco speaks up. “Massimo, round up a team. I need to find my wife and daughter. We need to go after her.”
“Yes we do.” I say in agreement. Best to have her close so I can keep an eye on her. My gut is telling me she is going to be trouble.
“I'll get right on it.” Massimo replies and turns to leave. I make to follow.
“Luca...” Bosco’s voice has turned tight. It sends a shiver up my spine for the second, maybe even third time today.
“Yes Bosco?”
“Tread carefully.”
“Are you sure sir?” I have to ask even though I know he is certain. If I were him and just learned I had a daughter and my wife I believed dead was alive, I’d be questioning everything too. “Even if she is your daughter, we don't know what her plans are. She wasn't raised in the family.”
“No, she wasn't.” He pauses to take a breath. “But she is my rightful heir.” My hair stands further up if that is even possible. “A blood relative born of two married parents.”
I don’t like where he is going with this. “Sir....”
“Once the news gets out that my marriage to Ravinia was never legal, the family will toss out the contract for your marriage to Milan.” He pauses for a split second. “Elena is my blood. I can feel it. When the DNA test confirms it, we will bring her and Violet home.”
“Yes sir.”
“And then you and Elena will marry.”
Fuck!
“Boss? She's clearly dangerous, and out of control. Do you really want to give her more power? The families won't know if they can trust her. I don't know if I can trust her.”
Bosco laughs. He freaking laughs!
“Her mother wasn't liked at first by the families either. Especially my father. She wasn't born to a family in our life. She was Italian which was the only reason my father humored my so called high school crush.” He wanders over to the couch. He pats the seat next to him. “Come, I have a story I need to share.”
I take my place beside him and wait in silence while he gathers his thoughts.
“My father didn’t want me to date her, and the council expressed deep concern with Violet’s ability to reign at my side. They said I needed someone strong. Someone who knew the inner workings of the family. Violet was naive to the family business before we started dating. After our third date, when I knew I was going to marry her someday, I began to teach her about the family.
“None of the secrets, but the stuff any kid our age who wasn’t the Don’s kid would know. She absorbed everything I said. She didn’t complain and in fact begged me to train her to fight. I had told her my gruesome path to being a made man and the tests my father put me through. She thought it only fair that she goes through a trial as well. We hit the gym nearly every day after school and on weekends I took her to the gun range to practice.” Bosco rubs at the scruff on his chin. “I already told some of this story earlier, so bear with me. At eighteen we were on a date. I had taken us away for a romantic weekend. We were at my father’s cabin away from the city. A perimeter alarm went off in the night. When I didn't come back inside, Violet came out to find me. I was on my knees, a gun to my head. The two men were planning on filming my assassination and sending it to the families.
“Violet was smart, and courageous. She had learned from our time together that a day might come when one or both of us would be either attacked or kidnapped. I knew she was strong. Knew she’d make a great Queen. That day she proved she was the strongest person I ever met. Except maybe Elena. I didn't hear or see her until I felt the dropping of blood on my head and the sound of a body hitting the ground behind me.” He smiled as he retold the memory. “She had slit the man’s throat, pushed me aside, dove for the gun and shot the man setting up the camera before he could even look up. She saved my life. I asked her to marry me right there and then while we were covered in the blood of our enemies.” He pauses again. The sadness returning to his voice. “Violet has been protecting my daughter all these years. She raised her to be strong. With what Elena showed today, I don't doubt she will be ready in a few years to take the throne with you.”
“Yeah, if we don't kill each other first.” I reply with a half hearted laugh. I’m serious though.
Bosco laughs at that. “I love you boy. As if you were my own son. But if you hurt her, well, you can use your imagination. Come on, let's go make a traitor bleed.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Elena
I SMILE ASmy phones rings. Name says "answer bitch”. It should say “unknown number”. For as good as my hacking skills are, Luna is a hundred times better. She’s like a ghost. A friendly ghost. She’s taught me a lot over the years. Though we have only met once in person, we talk frequently. Luna always initiates.
Not that I don’t want to some days. Like I said I am shit at keeping friends. For Luna though, I’d try. I just don’t have her number and every attempt I have made at tracing her has come up empty. I keep trying though.
Luna says the day I find her is the day I will have surpassed the master. Luna isn't her real name. She won’t tell me it. I don’t blame her. She runs from greater dangers than me. Her hunt for her father’s killer has caught the attention of a man more powerful than my father. More resources too.
Luna is the name she gave herself. She says it's because like the moon, you may not always see her, but she is always there. And sometimes even when it is shining brightest, still no one pays attention to it. And when it is hidden in shadows, its effect is just as strong. Her abilities give her access to more secrets than any one being should know. Her influence over the underground world is unheard of. Literally. People can feel the strings she pulls, but no one knows they are controlled by one person. One being her.
