Stephan

I let out a sigh of relief when my phone buzzed in my pocket. For the last two days, I’d tried to reach Isabella on the burner I’d given her without any luck. Between her father and her new bodyguard, I couldn’t get anywhere near her.

I checked my phone. It wasn’t Isabella. Instead, it was from my father. A simple message that made my stomach turn.

Basement. Now.

I knew what that meant without any further instruction. It was close to midnight when my father summoned me to his house. This wasn’t an unusual request, though somewhat out of the ordinary given the time, so I knew it had to be urgent. I drove through the wrought iron gates and onto his property, parking in front of the four-car garage, right next to a Mercedes I hadn’t seen before. I strolled through the front door, guarded by two men in suits. They nodded as I passed them.

Following orders, I went straight into the basement and to my father’s office, surprised to find Senator Parisi there. He was the owner of the Mercedes.

I entered the room, sucking in a deep breath. The Senator was the last person I’d expected to see in our house.

“Stephan,” my father said, waving me forward. “Get in here and shut the door. Robert and I need to speak to you about an important matter.”

I sat next to Senator Parisi, on the opposite side of my father’s desk.

“Our families have been in business together for a long time,” Senator Parisi said, his voice like a growl. “We’ve had an understanding that works for us. At least it did until your son had to interfere with my plans.” He didn’t even glance in my direction as he spoke.

“I’m sorry about my son…” my father began, “… and I can assure you once he knows the truth he will understand there are bigger things at stake for both of our families.” He folded his hands on the desk in front of him, his eyes fixed on me. “I told you before to stay away from Isabella. Ever since you were a boy, you’ve had a crush on that girl. And I will not lose everything I’ve worked my entire life to build so you can make a fool of Robert and me. This is not a game, Stephan.”

“She doesn’t want to marry Vos,” I shot back. “Isabella wants to be with me.”

“What my daughter wants is of little importance,” the Senator boomed, now looking at me with hatred-filled eyes. “She will marry into that family whether she likes it or not. We all have our crosses to bear, and this is hers. Sacrifices have to be made for the better good.”

I shook my head at him, my teeth gritted in anger. “You speak of your daughter as if she’s a thing and not a person. Having her marry a man she will never love won’t help you salvage your re-election campaign.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, boy. And you would be wise to learn my power has no limits.”

“Stephan,” my father said, lowering his voice. I returned my gaze to him and was surprised to find his face softening, as if he had given up the fight against Senator Parisi. He continued, “I’m not proud of some of the things I’ve done to save this family, but I did them for us. Robert is a friend, not an enemy.”

“What are you talking about? I was raised to hate this man, and yet you use your sons to do his bidding.” I turned away from him, irritated. “This man is no friend of mine.”

“I raised you that way so you would stay away from Isabella. So you would learn to hate her.”

“Well, you failed, Dad. Because I don’t hate her.”

I love her.

I wouldn’t admit it aloud, but I had always loved her. Always would. Isabella Parisi was the only girl who ever made me feel whole.

“I can make you go away,” the Senator growled. “I have the means and the power to make one call, and you will never see my daughter again.”

“What are you going to do? Put a hit on me?” I laughed. “Who’s gonna do it for you? One of my brothers? Try again. We’ve been cleaning up after you for years. Maybe it’s time we finally take out the trash.” I pushed myself up from the chair, sick of looking at his smug face. Staring down at him, I growled, “Watch your back, Senator.”

As I turned to walk away, my father yelled, “Sit the fuck down, Stephan. I’m not in the mood for this shit. I need to tell you something. It changes everything. Stop acting like a spoiled brat.”

With some hesitation, I did as he asked, kicking my wingtip up on my knee as I leaned back in the chair. “What could possibly change my mind?”

“I’ve been lying to you for years. To your brothers, too.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, my arms crossed over my chest, waiting for him to finish. He bit his bottom lip and sighed. “I’m an informant.”

My blood ran cold from his words, sending a chill down my spine. “You’re a what?” I couldn’t even look him in the eye. “Are you kidding me?”

“I had to do it. There was no other option at the time. Robert and I both do whatever is necessary to protect our families. That’s what you don’t seem to understand, Stephan. Some things must be done in order to survive.”

An awkward silence passed between us before my father spoke again. “When Alessio was a teenager, he took a job with your cousin, Luca, and some of his men. It ended badly.”

Luca Giacomo was my father’s cousin. Like us, he was connected. For decades, he ran a crew out of North Jersey. About fifteen years ago, he was arrested for stealing drugs from a pharmaceutical company along with a list of other things. He served over ten years in jail, and since then, the only time we had seen each other was at family gatherings.

“You ratted on Luca to save Alessio?”

He nodded. “With Senator Parisi’s help, I was able to keep Alessio out of jail. He was a minor, but still old enough to be treated as an adult.”

“We all know the risk,” I growled. “You should have let Alessio go down with Luca. Aren’t you the one who always told us that real men are Made? That some men can only learn from their mistakes.”

“Alessio was a kid. He didn’t know better. Luca offered him the chance to make a lot of money, and he jumped at the chance. Your cousin is lucky I didn’t slit his throat for getting Alessio involved in a job I didn’t sanction.”

“That’s not good enough,” I countered with so much hatred behind my words my body shook from it. “I don’t care why you did it and why you continue to do it. You’re a narc. I could never trust you again.”

“Forget the name Isabella Parisi, do you understand me?” He pressed his hands to the desk and stood, leaning close enough for me to feel his breath on my face. “She doesn’t exist to you. Don’t go near her ever again. Unless you want our entire family to end up in jail, you will do as you are told.”

“Who says I care what happens to you?” I stared at the wall behind him, my hands balled into fists at my sides. “Everything you’ve built is a fucking lie.”

“I don’t want to hear it, Stephan. We can talk about this later. Just do as you’re told and leave Isabella alone. You might not care about me, but you wouldn’t want your brothers to rot in prison because you’re angry with me and in love with that girl.”

“No,” I shot back with fire behind my words. “I don’t want to see that happen. But this isn’t over between us. And I will never forgive you. In fact, I’m done with you.”

As I stormed out of his office, my skin burning from anger, I made a plan to call my cousin, Damon. If anyone could help me make a new life, it was him. Because the life I had been living wasn’t going to last long, not with Isabella in it.