Angelo

One Year Later

We have all done things we’re not proud of, though most people can look themselves in the mirror afterward. I wish I could say the same for myself. Born into a family of power, my father had my entire life planned from birth. I never had a choice. Or did I? I often pondered that question at night when I stared at my beautiful fiancée while she slept, or when I stood in the doorway of my daughter’s bedroom, wondering if they would forgive me for my sins.

I told myself I did this for them. The sacrifices I made were so they could have a future. Sometimes, the people we tried to fool the most were ourselves. As much as I wanted to believe I had a choice, my father never would have allowed it. He only led me to believe I had other options.

But I knew what I was.

A monster.

A cold-blooded killer.

A criminal.

A Mafia Prince.

A Morelli.

I was also a father to a beautiful baby girl and soon-to-be a husband. As I stood in the bathroom and fixed my tie, trying to be quiet, I hated myself for where I was about to go. I hated lying to Gia even more. She was always on my side, down for anything. But things were different once we had Faith. Our daughter would never have to repeat our mistakes. She would never become part of this world and the organization my father had built for our family. My future sons would never become Made men. I would make sure of it.

Bending down to kiss Gia on the forehead, bile rose up from my stomach, choking me from the guilt which consumed me every day. She rolled over on the mattress when I placed my hand on her bare hip and opened her eyes. Even in sleep, she was still the most beautiful woman I’d ever laid eyes on.

“Angelo,” she whispered, rubbing the corner of her eye with the back of her hand. Gia glanced over at the clock and shook her head, still out of it. “Where are you going at this hour? My alarm clock hasn’t even gone off yet. I’m not expected in the office for another two more hours.”

“I have to help a client.”

I was a lawyer and a member of the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York Bar Associations, all of which were necessary because of my family’s business.

Gia threw the sheet onto my side of the bed, exposing her naked body. She slipped her fingers between mine and pulled me close enough my knee hit the mattress. “Get in here with me, Angelo. Come back to bed.” Guiding my hand between her thighs, Gia didn’t stop until my fingers were coated with her juices.

My dick was hard just thinking about being inside her. “Dio mio, woman,” I groaned.

She smiled up at me, all while rubbing my fingers along her folds, waiting for me to give in to her desires. “God can’t save you.”

Gia solved problems like a man. Every time we had an issue we needed to work out, my girl fixed it with her lips wrapped around my cock or my face buried between her legs. Not that I minded. But we never talked about the issues that bothered us.

Taking my tie in her hand, Gia tugged hard enough to pull me on top of her. She sat up and shoved my fingers further into her wetness. I kissed her, and she moaned against my lips, sucking on my bottom lip. She tightened her grip around my neck and rocked her hips against my hand.

Gia was everything good in my life. She was my first kiss, my first crush, and my one and only love. But I lied to her face, all because of my obligations to my family. She was part of my family. Hell, she was even part of our business.

I gave in when she pushed her tongue into my mouth, each kiss consuming me more than the last. She moaned my name between breaths and cursed at me in Italian before she came for me. Gia clamped down on my fingers, holding them in a vise, as our tongues tangled together. Riding out her orgasm, Gia bit my lip as her body stopped convulsing. She tilted her head back on the stack of pillows behind her and flashed a satisfied smile. I slid my fingers out of her and raised them to my mouth.

Watching me as I licked her juices from my fingers, Gia spread her legs wide enough for me to slip between them.

If only I had the time.

I had a problem to address. One that couldn’t wait, so I kissed her on the forehead. “I have to go. I’ll call you later. Go back to sleep.”

“Will you be home for dinner?”

I got up from the bed and shrugged. “It depends on how long this takes.”

“Talk to me, Angelo. What are you doing that keeps you out at all times of the night?” Gia folded her arms across her bare breasts. They were still huge from breastfeeding Faith.

“There are a lot of loose ends we have to tie up. Sonny will stay here with you and Faith.”

“He does that every day, Angelo. Do you really think it’s fair for Sonny to have to babysit Faith and me? We don’t need a team of men surrounding us at all times.”

“Yes, you do,” I shot back, my voice growing louder. “After what happened last year, I have to know where you are at all times. I’m not taking any chances.”

“Keep your voice down,” she hissed. “Faith is sleeping in the other room.”

I sunk to the mattress and pulled Gia to me. “I’m sorry. But your protection detail is necessary.”

“Must I remind you I was kidnapped with Sonny in the house? I’m not saying it’s his fault, because they took him, too. It won’t matter how many men are watching over me, Angelo. If someone wants to kidnap me, they will find a way. We can’t keep watching over our shoulders for the rest of our lives.”

“We will never be safe, Gia. When will you realize that? What I do for a living puts all of us at risk. If I could stop right now, I would. But you know my father would never allow it. I will never be free, and by extension, neither will you or Faith. I will do everything in my power to protect you both, and if that means keeping a team of men at your sides at all times, then so be it. This is what we have to do to survive.”

“Answer me this, Angelo.” She stroked my hand with her tiny fingers. “Are we in trouble? Should I be worried?”

I stared into her eyes and told Gia the truth. “No, we’re not. But the threat is always there. We still have unresolved business with Enzo, Dante, and Big John. We’re not under attack. My dad smoothed things over for now, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need to watch our backs.”

“Why did Dante take me? Why did he sell me if he was only going to hand me over to your dad? Does that make any sense to you? I never understood that.”

“Dante had no idea who paid for you. My dad was the highest bidder. He entered the auction under a screen name, same as everyone else.”

Gia shook her head, annoyed. “But someone had to know.”

We had this conversation often. She couldn’t accept the fact my father didn’t have a hand in her kidnapping. It was easier for her to blame my father than to blame me—the real reason she was taken. To some extent, I agreed with her. I killed Antonio Mancuso. Blood had to be paid with blood. But Enzo didn’t kill Gia. That part I never understood.

Why didn’t he kill her?

Why was Gia held captive for over a week before I received the first text message indicating she was alive?

I’d searched for answers over the last year and came up empty handed every time.

“Can we talk about this later?”

She nodded, still not satisfied with my usual response.

I kissed Gia on the lips and pushed myself up from the mattress. It was time to finish my father’s bidding.