Page 192 of Vita Mia

There was a knock at the door. Marietta turned in time to see Sera walk into her room. She wasn’t alone. The Générale was with her.

“Good morning,” she said to them both.

The Générale’s gaze squinted with distrust. Marietta had to adjust her cheery mood. “What are you staring at? I’m trying to be pleasant!”

“Good morning,” Sera interjected. “How do you feel?”

“Rested,” she said.

“Good, we have visitors. Do you feel like answering some questions for them?”

Marietta slipped the Générale a look then nodded. The Générale seem dissatisfied and walked out. Sera, however, gave her a pleasant smile of encouragement. She left her room without any of her normal histrionics. They went downstairs to the courtyard. Marietta got a glimpse of the men in suits waiting. She and Sera had talked it all through. She knew what they wanted. She knew the type of bait that would send them into a feeding frenzy. She was prepared to give them that and more. And for good luck she kept Lorenzo’s cassette in her pocket. Did she trust her sister? No. Did she trust Giovanni and his promises? No. Her hate for him burned hotter than the sun in her mind. But she trusted Lorenzo. And she would do everything in her power to get her family back.

***

LORENZO COULD BREATHEunder the black sack over his head. He couldn’t see, so he didn’t know if Sergei and his kidnappers were alive. What he did know was after a severe beating and days of starvation he was forced to dress and then put in handcuffs with a sack over his face. He figured it was the day of his death. And somewhere along the way things changed. The passenger van he traveled in swerved from the road then gunfire erupted. He heard Sergei yelling at his men. He was forced down to the floor of the van. And the hot lead blew out and shattered the windows and blasted holes into the doors. He was then dragged from the van and thrown into another. The sack over his head was left behind. He could see the world that he’d been shut away from.

The new abductors cheered and celebrated their victory, but who were they? And where was Sergei? More questions came instead of answers. He was put into a boat. He had no idea there was water nearby. The motorboat skimmed over the waves. His captors weren’t Sergei’s men. That meant even greater danger. He’d learned a few things from the Russians about the Ukrainian mafia that were in constant rivalry against them. If the ambush was for him then they would be just as ruthless. He would be sold to the highest bidder.

Lorenzo considered jumping into the water. Drowning would be better than the hell he lived in. But he was weak from his lack of sleep and food. Instead, he stared up at the sky with his good eye. It would be dark soon and he could see the twinkle of stars forming above him. He had time to inhale the fresh air and taste freedom. Things he took for granted before his life was ripped from him. It would be a blessing if someday he saw his woman again and held his daughter. He wondered if that could possibly be a future for him. He’d give anything for another chance.

***

THERE WAS A KNOCK ATthe door. Mirabella sat up in bed and looked around. “Come in,”

“I bought you some coffee,” Catalina said.

She carried in a tray and put it on the nightstand. “I heard what happened. I didn’t betray you.”

“I know,” Mirabella said. She reached for the hot coffee mug and blew over the fresh brew. “Dominic is out of control.”

“He’s trying to protect us,” Catalina reasoned.

“He is not. He’s controlling everything. We can’t succeed this way.”

“Why not?” Catalina huffed.

Mirabella blinked. “What do you mean? Giovanni’s life is at stake!”

“And he knows that. But he isn’t some kid to be pushed around. He’s the Don of Palermo now. He deserves our respect.”

“Respect? He’s only the Don here because your brother left him in charge.”

“Doesn’t matter. He is the Don.” Catalina crossed her arms before her. “I know you mean well, Mirabella but you can’t think that you’re capable of running this family alone.”

“I did it before!” Mirabella reminded her.

“Did you? Or did you have Tacchini?”

The comment stung.

Catalina came over to the bed and sat on the edge of it. “Domi’s angry, and he’s stressed, and he’s doing things he’ll have to live with. But he isn’t doing it for sport. He’s doing what is necessary to keep us alive. If he doesn’t respond with ruthlessness he’s dead. If he doesn’t fight in every way possible Giovanni is dead. We don’t need to second guess him. We need to support him.”

“You told me he was different, angry, bitter, you said you were worried.”

“I am worried. Just like you are worried. I don’t want to bury anyone else. But we have to trust him. Please.” Catalina insisted. She got up and walked out of the room. Mirabella sat with her back to the headboard and the cup of coffee in her hand. She sighed. The hard truth was, she was fresh out of options. Dominic was her only hope.

***

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