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“This is the first time you have betrayed me, Sergio, and it will be the last. You will pay back what you owe to the Rimolis by the end of the week. I don’t care how you get it as long as it doesn’t mean you end up in my fucking office again because if you do… you will leave it in a body bag.”
He whimpered in relief, mumbling his thanks for sparing his life. I stood up and walked back around to my desk as my men dragged him to his feet.
“Take his hand,” I commanded just when he thought he was going to walk out of here unpunished.
“No! Please! No!” I heard him shouting in fear as my men dragged him down to the cellars where no one would hear his screams. I sat back and rubbed my face.
“Find out who those men were that he owed money to and deal with them,” I ordered Fabi. “I don’t need fucking amateurs thinking they can fuck with my dealers.”
“On it, Boss,” Fabi nodded and left the room.
I pulled my phone out of my pocket, but Flora still hadn’t replied. I threw it down and turned my chair so I was facing the large canvas painting on my wall. It always calmed me when the stress took hold. It was abstract and full of darkness with splashes of vibrancy. I came across it during a French art exhibit I attended two years ago. It was in the student gallery section where they were showcasing some of the art students’ work alongside the more established artists. Ever since I had been in that little art studio filled with Elenora Buccini’s dramatic and energetic art, I had taken an interest in learning more about art culture. I liked her style. The carelessness of the paint but how it still seemed to have a specific reason for being there. I had grown up in a house full of stuffy, classic paintings of Barbieri ancestors and vineyard scenery. Hers had been a breath of fresh air. That’s why I was instantly drawn to this one in the gallery. It reminded me of her style. So, I bought it.
I had managed to find out if the rumours about Elenora and that young Aiani Boss were true and I had been relieved to hear they weren’t, as far as my sources knew. I couldn’t have the Buccinis and Aianis in an unbreakable family alliance. For whatever reason, Giovanni seemed set on protecting Elenora from being traded in a power deal and for that I respected him. But it was like a ticking time bomb waiting to happen and it made me fucking uncomfortable.
Picnic
Cecilia
My devious daughter is up to something. I know her far too well. That look in her eye and the cheeky smile she cannot hide for more than a few seconds is her biggest give away.
“Again. Tell me again why you are dragging me out to the garden to eat lunch on the grass when we have a perfectly splendid dining room set up for such things?”
She flipped her dark hair over her shoulder, that beaming smile and twinkle in her brown eyes still evident as she glanced back at me. “Oh, will you stop complaining mamma! It is a beautiful day, the birds are chirping, the sun is shining and I thought it would be nice to spend some time in the fresh air as a family! When was the last time we had a picnic?”
I groaned as my exquisite Louboutin heel sunk so deeply down into the grass that it caused my foot to slip out of it. Marco bent down and picked it up, yanking it out of the ground for me. He brushed the mud off the heel before passing it back. Our fingers caressed ever so delicately and my stomach tied in knots. Stupid woman. Get a grip. I smiled at him kindly, before bending down and taking the other one off. I would rather walk barefoot than ruin my favourite pair.
“I have never understood the fascination everyone has with picnics,” I turned back to Elle who had decided on the perfect spot in the shade of a Norwegian Spruce tree and was shaking out a red and white blanket. Where had that come from? I didn’t even know we owned such a thing. “You can never find a comfortable position; the champagne goes warm in the sun and the food attracts all the insects. What is so lovely about that?”
Elle seemed to be ignoring me now as she started to unload the basket and laid out the plates, bread, cheeses, antipasto platter, fruit and wine. I looked around the immaculate lawns and shielded my eyes from the sunshine to try and find my youngest children. They were playing chase and diving in and out of the sprinklers a short distance away. I smiled, overcome with calm and happiness at hearing their laughter and seeing their smiling faces. Perhaps, Elle was right. This was a good idea. I stole a glance to my left to see Marco watching them too, the corners of his lips curving up in a secret smile. It wasn’t often this handsome man smiled being the loyal and diligent soldier he always was, but when he did—my god—it was breathtaking.
“Mamma! Come, sit!” Elle ordered, causing me to quickly move my gaze away from admiring my son’s soldier and children’s protector. It seemed that I would often find myself staring at him without realising more and more these days and it needed to stop before someone else noticed. Elle was already suspicious. I couldn’t risk anyone else knowing how my feelings had grown for this man.
Reluctantly, I lowered myself to the soft blanket and sat with my legs curled to the side so I could lean on one hand. See, there really was nothing comfortable about sitting on the ground. Not without a man anyway. A memory of Vinny and I curled up under this very tree popped into my mind like a jolt of electricity. Him leaning back against the solid trunk, me between his legs and nestled into his body as he read to both of us our favourite book, Ultime lettere di Jacopo Ortis. I swallowed my emotion and blinked away the memory, trying to focus on the children again. Sani had tackled Raya to the ground far too aggressively. My heart thundered as I moved to my knees to see if she was hurt. Marco seemed to have the same concern as he started to walk towards them, but she jumped up quickly and punched Sani in the arm before running away in a fit of giggles. The chase commenced once more. I exhaled and smiled again.
“Sani doesn’t realise his own strength,” Elle said as she handed me a plate she had put together.
“No, he doesn’t. But Raya isn’t as fragile as she looks,” I added, popping a grape in my mouth.
“Us Buccini women never are,” she chuckled and I nodded. I had to agree with that. The Buccini men were one thing but us women were something else entirely.
“He’s good with them, no?” Elle spoke again and when I looked over at her in question, she was pointing her wine glass towards the children and the brute of the man that had now joined in with their game. I turned back to observe Marco sweeping Sani up under one arm as my son roared with laughter before he placed him back down. Sani pretended to punch Marco repeatedly and he played the part by falling dramatically to the floor while Raya dived on top of him.
“Si, he is very good with them. I never wanted them to fear their bodyguard. Yes, he is there for their protection, but he is also their friend. Like Finn is for you,” I smiled back at her.
She nodded, remaining silent as she ate her lunch and watched them play. She seemed deep in thought and I wondered what was going on in that beautiful mind of hers. In the last few days, she had seemed different. More content. She had always been my little bird. Vinny and I had given her that nickname from a very young age. She was forever restless. Always far more excited about what would come next rather than just enjoying the moment. She needed to have goals and a vision for her future. Big dreams and adventures that would make her feel free to be whoever she wanted to be. To spread her wings and fly. Sometimes, I wondered if I had let her down. I had allowed her to indulge in her fantasies and dreams. She grew up hearing me tell her she was a strong, capable woman who could do anything she put her mind to because that’s who I wanted her to become. But it wasn’t fair. Our lifestyle had limitations that would always hinder her ambitions. And now, the reality was sinking in. She was a woman, strong and capable with big dreams for her future, who was trapped in a life that she didn’t want. I hadn’t been born into the mafia world. I fell in love and chose it. That is a very different thing. And I had raised Elle how my mamma had raised me when perhaps, I should have been more realistic.
She turned to look at me, sensing me staring at her and smiled. She was such a stunning girl. She had nothing of my colouring. Raya was more like me with her lighter complexion and light brown ringlets but Elle was all Vinny. Same dark eyes, high cheekbones and black hair.
“What, mamma?”
“Nothing, amore mio. I just like looking at you,” I grinned and she rolled her eyes, taking a sip of her wine.
“I will go and play with the rascals. Give Marco a break,” she suddenly announced, standing up in her jeans and T-shirt.
“Perhaps you should offer him some food. I doubt he has had any lunch yet,” she added so flippantly that it was suddenly very obvious what this had all been about. Before I could scold her, she had run off towards them and was speaking to Marco, pointing in my direction. Oh, I am going to kill that girl.
I put my sunglasses on to hide the embarrassment on my face as he started to make his way over to me. It also allowed me to appreciate the way his thigh muscles stretched the fabric of his black trousers with every stride and the slight sweat that glistened on his forehead from running circles with my children in this heat. I am a woman with eyes after all. I smiled calmly, although I felt suddenly wracked with nerves as he approached.
