“I didn’t ask you!” Luca growled. Aria let go of me and walked toward him and put a hand on his arm. He ignored her completely as he said, “And if he tried to consummate the marriage, nobody in this fucking house will see it as self-defense. Benito had a fucking right to her body. He was her husband for God’s sake!”
Romero took a step forward but stopped himself.
“You can’t be serious,” Aria said, eyes imploring.
“You know the rules, Aria. I’m stating the facts,” Luca said in a much calmer voice.
Aria always had that effect on him. “I don’t care. A husband doesn’t have the right to rape his wife. Everyone in this house should agree on that!”
I shivered. The events of the evening were catching up with me. I just wanted to lie down in Romero’s arms and forget everything. Romero came over to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders.
Luca narrowed his eyes. “I told you this would end in disaster. So let me guess, Liliana stabbed her husband, called you and you finished the fucking job to have her for yourself.”
“Yes,” Romero said. “And to protect her. If he’d survived he would have blamed Liliana and she would have been punished harshly by the Outfit.”
Luca let out a dark chuckle. “And now she won’t? They will put her on trial and they will not only punish her harshly. They will also accuse us of having set this up and then there will be a fucking bloodbath. Dante is a cold fish but he needs to show strength. He will proclaim war in no time. All because you can’t control your dick and your heart.”
“As if you could do it. You’d take down anyone who’d try to take Aria away from you,” Romero said.
“But Aria is my wife. That’s a huge difference.”
“If it was up to me, Lily would have been my wife for months.”
I stared at him in surprise. He’d never mentioned marrying me. My heart swelled with happiness, only to turn to stone at the sight of Luca’s expression. “Someone is going to pay for this,” he said darkly. He paused. “As Capo of the New York Famiglia I need to put the blame on Liliana and hope Dante buys it and doesn’t start a war.”
That would mean my certain death. Maybe Dante wouldn’t give the orders himself but he would have to submit me to my father’s judgment and I didn’t expect any mercy from him. He hated Gianna for what she’d done and that wasn’t nearly as horrendous as my crime.
“You can’t do that,” Aria whispered. Her knuckles were turning white from her tight grip on his forearm.
Romero let go of me and walked a few steps toward the center of the room where he got down on his knees and held out his arms wide. “I’m going to take the full blame for this. Tell them I lost my mind and ran after Liliana because I’ve wanted her for months. I killed Benito when he tried to defend Lily and himself, but before I could rape her, you noticed I was missing and went in search of me. Then there won’t be war between the Outfit and New York, and Lily will get the chance at a new life.”
“If that’s the story we want them to believe, there’s something missing,” Luca said.
Romero nodded. He met Luca’s gaze straight on. “I will put my life down for this. Shoot me.”
I staggered forward. “No!” Aria, too, screamed the same word.
Luca and Romero ignored us, locked in a silent staring contest. I stepped between them. I didn’t care if that went against some secret mafia rule. I walked toward Luca. From the corner of my eye I saw Romero getting up. He looked like he was worried about me getting close to Luca but I wasn’t worried for me. If Luca killed Romero because of me, that would be the end of me. I’d never be able to live with myself.
“Please,” I whispered, peering up into Luca’s emotionless face. “Please don’t kill him. I’ll do anything, just please don’t. I can’t live without him.” Tears started streaming down my face.
Romero put his hands on my shoulders and pulled me back against him. “Lily, don’t. I’m a soldier of the Famiglia. I broke my oath to always put the Famiglia first, and I have to accept the due punishment.”
“I don’t care about any oaths. I don’t want to lose you,” I said as I turned in his grip.
Aria rested her palms flat against Luca’s chest. “Please, Luca, don’t punish Romero for protecting someone he loves. He and Lily belong together. I beg you.” She said the last in the barest whisper. I wanted to hug her, but I was scared to move. She and Luca were gazing at each other and I didn’t want to break their silent understanding, especially if it saved Romero’s life. I glanced up at Romero. He looked so calm, not like someone whose life could end any moment.
Luca finally tore his eyes away from my sister and gently removed her hands from his chest. “I can’t base my decisions on feelings. I’m Capo and have to make decisions that benefit my Famiglia.”
Romero nodded, then he walked past me and stood across from Luca. I began shaking, completely terrified. Aria’s wide eyes settled on me.
“You are my best soldier. The Famiglia needs you, and I don’t trust anyone with Aria as I do with you,” Luca said. He put a hand on Romero’s shoulder. “War has been inevitable for a while. I won’t end your life to postpone it for a few fucking months. We’ll stand together.”
I almost sagged with relief. Aria rushed over to me and hugged me tightly. My moment of euphoria was short-lived however.
“Of course, we might not get out of this house with our lives,” Luca added. “We’re surrounded by the enemy now.”
“Most guests are either drunk or asleep. We could try to sneak out. They won’t notice Benito’s death until morning; by then we’ll be back in New York,” Romero said. A flicker of relief showed on his face. I wanted to be in his arms but he and Luca needed to deal with our dilemma, a dilemma I’d started. What if we really didn’t get out alive? The Outfit outnumbered us greatly. This was their territory and we were thousands of miles away from reinforcement.
“I’ll have to call Matteo and Gianna. They need to come here so we can figure out the best way to get out of this house,” Luca said, already raising his phone to his ear.
Romero strode over to me and smoothed the crease between my brows. I pressed up against him. Aria headed for Luca, giving us space.
“I was so scared,” I whispered.
Romero buried his face in my hair. “I know.”
“Weren’t you? It was your life on the line.”
“My life has been on the line since I’ve become a Made Man. I’ve grown used to it. The one thing that fucking scared me today was when I had to watch you walk toward your wedding night with that asshole Benito. I wanted to kill him then. I’ve wanted to kill him every day since I found out you were forced to marry him. I’m glad that I finally did.”
“Me too,” I said, then rose to my tiptoes and kissed his lips.
“Damn it. Matteo isn’t picking up his fucking phone.”
“Do you think something happened to them?” Aria asked.
Romero let out a small laugh, and exchanged a look with Luca.
“The only thing happening is that he’s probably fucking your sister’s brains out right now and ignoring his fucking phone,” Luca said.
I wrinkled my nose. Of course I knew my sisters had sex, I just didn’t want to be reminded of it, or worse: imagine it. “Can’t we go over to their room?”
Luca shook his head. “It’s farther away from the back entrance.” He dialed again. “Damn it!”
“We should carry Benito into the bathroom and cover the blood stain in the carpet with something. That way if someone walks in tomorrow morning, it might buy us a bit more time.”
Luca shoved his phone into his pocket, then gripped Benito by the feet while Romero took the arms. I shuddered as I watched them carry the corpse into the adjoining bathroom. My husband was like a sack of flour in their hold.
“You should get out of your wedding dress and wear something more sensible,” Aria suggested softly. She touched my arm lightly, drawing my eyes away from the dead body. After a moment, I nodded. Luca and Romero came back out of the bathroom and discussed how best to go about our flight.
I grabbed jeans and a pullover from my bag in the corner, before heading toward the bathroom to change in peace, but froze in the doorway. Benito was sprawled out in the bathtub. I didn’t want to be alone with a dead man. Bile traveled up my throat.
“Hey,” Romero said gently, coming up behind me. “Do you want me to come with you?”
I nodded merely and finally stepped into the bathroom. Romero entered after me. I quickly got out of my dress with his help. “Somehow I always imagined it would be different when I’d help you out of your wedding dress,” he murmured.
I laughed breathlessly. I dropped the dress unceremoniously on the ground. For me it was only a symbol for the worst day of my life. I wasn’t sad to be rid of it. Maybe one day I’d get the chance to have another wedding, one I wanted, with a husband I loved. I changed into my other clothes.
Romero picked the dress up, and for a crazy moment I thought he wanted to keep it for our own future wedding. “What are you doing?”
“I want to cover the blood stain in the bedroom with it. Nobody will get suspicious if your wedding dress lies on the floor after your wedding night.” He headed out of the room and set the dress down on the ground.
Luca nodded. “Good. Now let’s get going. I don’t want to risk staying here a moment longer than absolutely necessary.” He held out his hand for Aria, who took it. I suspected the tension between them would be over after tonight. The way they looked at each other gave me hope that Luca would forgive her for her secrecy. After pulling his gun, he opened the door and peered out into the corridor.
“Stay close to me,” Romero told me, drawing his own gun and grasping my hand with his free one.
Luca gave a curt nod, then pushed the door open wider and stepped out, Aria a step behind him. Romero led me after them. Nobody said anything. The long corridor was empty but from below you could hear scattered laughter and music from the party. The smell of smoke travelled up. Immediately I was reminded of Benito’s breath and the taste of his tongue in my mouth. I shoved the thought out of my mind.
I needed to focus. I really hoped none of the guests would decide to head our way. Luca or Romero would have to shoot them. What if it was someone I knew? I didn’t even want to think about it. Aria glanced over her shoulder at me as Luca pulled her along. The same worry I felt was reflected on her face.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Liliana
Romero and Luca showed only determination and vigilance as they led us through the house. Eventually we arrived in front of Gianna and Matteo’s door. Luca knocked lightly, but I could tell from the thunderous look in his eyes that he’d have loved to take the door down if it weren’t for the risk of getting overheard. Again nobody reacted and I was starting to freak out, when after another louder knock the door finally opened. Matteo appeared in the gap, hair ruffled and only dressed in boxer shorts; they looked like he might have put them on the wrong way in his hurry and there was a bulge hidden beneath them. I drew my eyes away.
“Didn’t you get the hint that I didn’t want to be interrupted when I didn’t answer your fucking call,” Matteo muttered, then his eyes settled on Romero and me, and he grimaced. “I have a fucking bad feeling.”
Luca shoved Matteo’s shoulder. “For fuck’s sake, Matteo, pick up when I call you. You need to get dressed. We have to leave now.”
“What’s wrong?” Gianna asked, coming up behind Matteo in a satin bathrobe. Her lips were red and swollen. There was really no doubt what they’d been doing before we arrived. Her gaze darted from Aria to me. “Shit, something bad happened, right? Did the asshole hurt you?” She slipped past Matteo despite his and Luca’s protests and hugged me.
“He’s dead,” I whispered.
“Good,” she said without hesitation. She patted Romero’s shoulder. “You did it, didn’t you?”
Romero smiled tightly. “Yeah, which brings us to the reason why we need to hurry.”
“Romero is right. We need to get out of this house before someone realizes that the groom is dead,” Luca said impatiently.
“I always thought that I’d be the one to start a war between the Outfit and the Famiglia. Kudos to you, Romero, for proving me wrong for once,” Matteo said grinning.
“I thought that too,” Romero said.
Luca sighed. “I hate to interrupt your chitchat but we need to get the fuck going.”
Matteo nodded and motioned for Gianna to get into their room. The rest of us followed and waited while Matteo and Gianna got dressed. Every time I heard voices, I jumped, half expecting Father or Dante to rip open the door and shoot us all on the spot. Romero brushed a few strands that had fallen over my eyes away from my face. The look in his eyes made me realize that it was worth it. Love was worth risking it all. I just wished I hadn’t dragged others into danger with me. Five minutes later, the six of us left the room and continued our journey through the house. The sounds of the party had dwindled further, which meant more people could be walking back to their rooms and potentially cross our paths, but so far we’d been lucky.
We took the second staircase in the back of the house down to the first floor and headed for the door that led to the underground garage. Most houses in this area had them because outside space was limited. There was the sound of steps from the corridor to the left of the door. Romero pulled me to a stop and pointed his gun ahead. Both Matteo and Luca did the same. My pulse pounded in my temples. They had silencers on their barrels but a shooting always made some noise, and I really didn’t want to have more blood on my hands.
Someone turned the corner into our hallway and I clutched at Romero’s arm to stop him from shooting. It was Fabiano. He jerked to a stop with his own gun pointed at us. I didn’t even know he wore a gun, especially to my wedding. He was too young for this. His eyes scanned our small group, his brows drawing together in suspicion. He was still in his festive vest and trousers. What was going on here?
Aria put her hand on Luca’s arm with the gun but he didn’t lower it, neither did Matteo despite Gianna’s urgent whispering.
“Don’t hurt him,” I pleaded. Romero didn’t take his eyes off my brother but he lightly squeezed my hand in response.
“What’s going on here?” Fabiano asked firmly, standing even taller than usual and trying to look like a man. With the gun and that serious expression he almost managed to look like more than a teenage boy.
“Put that gun down,” Luca ordered.
Fabiano laughed but it sounded nervous. “No way. I want to know what’s going on.” His eyes moved from Aria to Gianna then to me, and finally settled on Romero’s hand, which was clutching mine.