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“I love him. He is sweet and kind. He challenges me and relaxes me all at the same time. He’s protective and responsible, even if it is for something I might not agree with. I never had any intentions of becoming a mob boss’s wife, but honestly, I don’t even care. I have him and that's all that matters.” I told them and my mother’s smile grew the more I talked. My father’s expression just became more and more confused. He wanted to hate Raniero, but the more we talked, the harder it was to hate him. I understood that. That was how I fell in love with him in the first place.
“Well, that’s just fantastic!” My mother exclaimed and came over to hug me and then, pushing herself between Raniero and my father, she hugged my husband again. “I’m so happy for you both. Why don’t you come and have lunch with us? I’ll make you guys something. Come on, come on! Let’s go see what we have.”
So we ended up having turkey sandwiches and kettle-cooked chips while my father sat there and looked vaguely shell-shocked. Mom carried most of the conversation, asking Raniero all sorts of questions about what he did for a living, and how he grew up. I listened attentively and ate my sandwich while Dad stared at his food, not even pretending to touch it. I was quiet too, preferring to listen rather than talk.
When Mom, Raniero, and I were done with our sandwiches, I decided that it would be a good time to leave. We were making Dad uncomfortable and I had said pretty much all I had wanted to say anyway. We started to say our goodbyes; my mom hugged us both and kissed us both on the cheek before walking away from the door. She left my father there to say goodbye to me, but I didn’t expect much of anything. I was ready to just walk out the door when he reached for my arm. I turned, considering hittinghim for touching me, but when I saw the look on his face, I hit my fist behind me.
He looked as sad as I had ever seen him, short of the day my grandmother died. He had cried then and shut himself in his room for three days. Now, he looked like he had the first time he went to call her then realized why she wasn’t picking up the other end of the phone. He looked like his world had been turned upside-down.
“Pumpkin.” He said and he put out his arms. I hugged him tightly, not wanting us to be mad at each other, but not knowing any other way. We were too close to let something like this get between us, even if I was originally pissed because I was being forced to pay for his mistakes, I wasn’t mad about that anymore. Now I was just mad that he didn’t like who I was married to when the whole reason I was married to him, to begin with, was because of his mistakes. It was ironic, but I couldn’t hold it against him forever, could I? Especially not when he looked that defeated.
“Daddy.” I said and I felt his arms tighten around me.
“I’m sorry Pumpkin, I really am, I just worry about you and what I know of that man is scary. I just didn’t want you around someone like that, let alone have you married to a man that deep in the organization. I wanted more for you in this life than to be a mafioso’s wife.”
I squeezed him tighter and nodded, even though I knew he couldn’t see me.
“I know Daddy, but I’m fine. Raniero traits me amazingly and I wouldn’t have it any other way, but Daddy, what did you take from his father that would lead to all of this? What could you have possibly stolen that would make Raniero’s father want to have him kidnap me and force him to marry me?” I asked, letting go of him. He looked at me and shook his head.
“I didn’t steal anything from him, Pumpkin. Dante Siena is just a very vengeful man and refuses to see sense when things don’t go his way. I am sorry that you are paying for my mistake but am happy that Raniero is a good enough man to make you happy. I’m not sure what the rest of Dante’s plan is, but just beware that this may not be over. He may have a sinister plan in mind that he has yet to reveal to anyone, even his son. He was always one to play his cards close to his chest.” He said and patted the breast pocket of his shirt. “Just be careful Pumpkin, that’s all I ask.”
“I will Daddy, I promise.” I said and leaned forward to kiss him on the cheek. He smiled at me and waved as I made my way back to the car with Raniero leading the way.
I got in and let out a sigh of anxiety that I had been holding onto since we got there. Raniero buckled and then waited for me to do the same before he threw it into reverse and backed out of the driveway.
“That went better than expected.” I laughed nervously and watched the road as Raniero backed out into it and then threw the car into drive. He smiled at me and winked.
“What did you think was going to happen?”
“I had a horrible image in my head of you snapping his neck like a twig.” I admitted and reached for his hand. He gave it to me and let our fingers link together in the space between the seats.
He seemed to think about that for a moment then shrugged.
“It was a possibility, but necks are harder to snap from the front. I was better off slicing his throat with the knife I have in my back pocket.” He told me honestly. I blinked at him and he shrugged again. “What? I always go into hostile situations with a plan of escape. That’s how I’ve survived this long.”
“I guess I understand that. Thank you for not killing my father.”
He brought my hand up to his lips and turned it so he could kiss the back of my hand.
“You’re welcome Darling. Anything for my wife.”
A surge of joy rushed through me at his words and it was all I could do not to break into a happy dance. I settled for grinning like a loon.
Now if only he would tell me he loved me, my life would be complete.
Raniero
We were heading back from visiting with Anita’s parents when my phone began to ring. Normally I wouldn’t have answered it while I was driving with her in the car, but I was seriously hoping it was Butch and that he had found something out about my mother.
Unfortunately, when I pulled my phone out of my pocket, it was Derek’s number flashing on the screen. Not the news I was hoping for but hopefully he had some news for me just the same.
I answered the phone and looked at Anita, shaking my head slightly. She had looked at me like she was hoping the same thing. When I denied it she frowned and looked out the window.
“Hey, Derek. Got any news for me?” I asked. Derek scoffed on the other end of the line.
“Do I ever call you just to chat?” He asked.
“No. Maybe you should.” I smiled and turned the car down another street. I told him to hold on a second and I linked my phone to the car through Bluetooth, that way I didn’t have to hold the phone the entire time. I trusted Anita, so there was no worry about her passing on the information to someone.Anything that could be said to me, could be said to her. “Okay, you’re on speaker now.”
