AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It had rained for a week straight, and being cooped up in the house was no fun for a young girl. It was a gorgeous, sunny June day when the sky finally cleared. Alessandra begged her mother to take her to the park. Her father had said no and his word was law. But Alessandra cried and threw a tantrum.
Anthony hollered at his daughter, but Marina assured him they’d be safe. He reluctantly agreed and ordered bodyguards to escort them.
Alessandra skipped down the block as the playground was within walking distance from their home. She paid no mind to the black car that followed them with her father’s men inside.
Her mother pushed her on the swings. The scent of Marina’s floral perfume mixed with the warm summer sun enveloped her in their comfort. She was smiling and giggling as though the moment was magical. She was happy and carefree, like any child at the park should feel.
Marina’s dark curls streamed behind her as she chased her daughter in a game of tag. Alessandra was about to take off when her mother grabbed her and pulled her close.
A black sedan pulled up, and people began shouting. The young girl saw Enzo Prazza’s angry face through the open window. Things happened so fast, she didn’t understand much about what happened next, but she experienced terror for the first time.
Loud pops sounded like fireworks around them, and she screamed. She didn’t realize they were gunshots, but she’d never forget the sound. Marina tightened her arms around her frightened daughter and sang her an Italian lullaby.
“Don’t be afraid, mia figlia. It’s going to be all right.” Tears rolled down her face, as she smiled at Alessandra. “Ti amo.”
“Ti amo, Mamma.”
Marina had been shot several times. And though she had been in agonizing pain she spent her remaining moments loving and protecting her daughter. The guards were too slow to stop Enzo, and he escaped.
Drake pulled the sobbing Alessandra into his arms. “It’s all right, bella. You’re safe now. I’ve got you.”
“Papà blames me for my mother’s death. He sent me away for years, and the abuse began when I returned. But now I wonder if he was punishing me because I belong to someone else.”
“That bastardo had no right to blame you for what happened to Marina.”
“Don’t you get it, Drake? It’s my fault. She would still be alive if I hadn’t begged her to take me to the park.”
Fresh tears sprang to her eyes. Drake cupped her cheeks and touched his forehead to hers. He wiped the wetness from her cheeks with his thumb.
“You listen to me and listen well. You were a child. You had no control over what happened that day in the park.” Drake kissed her forehead, cheeks, and nose. “You need to stop blaming yourself.”
Absolution blossomed in Alessandra’s heart. The pain she’d felt for so long eased at Drake’s words. She sighed against him, and he continued stroking her arm.
“Are you absolutely sure you saw Enzo at the park that day?”
“I’m sure, Drake. Enzo was the bogeyman that killed my mother and haunted my dreams for years.” She looked into his eyes and lifted her hand to smooth his brow. “I never realized before that your eyes are the same as his.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. You aren’t the bogeyman, Drake Walker. You’re the man I love,” Alessandra assured her husband. “I need to look Enzo in the eye. I want to know why he killed my mother. Women are supposed to be safe in feuds.”
“You’re asking too much of me. This time, I beg you. Please let me protect you.”
“I know what I’m asking. Juliana sacrificed everything to keep you away from that world. My mother held me until her last breath. Their sacrifices brought us together, Drake. Tell me those women aren’t worth avenging.”
Drake closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I will set up a meeting with Enzo for you.”
***
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“What’s going on, Drago?”
Grant Ellis blew out a plume of smoke. Though smoking in public buildings was illegal, he never seemed to care. He didn’t have to deal with the lingering stench for days.
“Have the decency to crack a fucking window, Grant,” Drake grumbled irritably.
Grant crossed the office and propped open the window. He made a show of blowing the smoke out.
