Page 11 of Delivered in White

I have an urge to grab my bulge and show her, but I refrain.

“We’re going to make this work somehow. So your dad can go hunt for Groundhogs and Sonnys, and my dad can go back to lawyering somewherefar awayfrom you mafia jerks. Okay?” She grabs my arm to make a show of it, but it’s only now I can feel her trembling.

She’s scared.

Odd fucking way of showing it, but it’s true.

“Dad. Don’t be a dick. I’m not marrying her outright—”

“Yes, you are. Or we’re leaving. And you can tell Capri here that her father’s a dead man.” My father’s tone darkens like it does on the job. It doesn’t scare me. He gets frailer by the day. But…

I notice the trembling intensify as Capri holds my arm. Tears well up in her eyes, though she doesn’t look up at me. She doesn’t want to show weakness. There’s pride in her, and love.

My eyes search her expression. She really is stunning. Sharp nose, full lips, flawless skin. At least my father didn’t pick a dud.

Finally, she glances at me, and something strange happens to my chest – it weakens. I have all the power and all the controlover her in this moment, yetmychest feels weak. What in actual hell is going on?

“Please,” she mouths as a tear breaks.

“I know what you’re thinking, Trino,” Pop’s voice rattles. “No prenup, no angles. You give this a good honest try.”

I sigh. The last thing I expected today… was this.

“Fine,Dad. As you wish.”

Chapter 4

Tristano

Capri’s grip loosens around my arm as she nearly doubles over. Her French-manicured nails left marks all down my bicep.

What the fuck did I just agree to?

Save a life I hardly know? This Rocco character could be the biggest piece of shit in the world. And marry a fucking lawyer? I might as well hand off half my shit now. Well, half of whatever’s onthe books, at least. Either way,what the hell did I just agree to?

Nah. I’m not doing it for him, or her.

It’s for that sorry sack with an ear-to-ear grin on the lounge-chair. My dying father. I guess Capri and I aren’t so different – we’d both break our backs for our family. There’s something admirable about that, I suppose.

“Alright, Stanz. How’s this going to go down?” Rocco puts his hands on his hips. Beads of sweat trickle over the vein on his temple, and the heat is reopening that bloody lip. He’s hard to look at, to be honest.

My father shrugs, all smiles. “My boy just got engaged.Hah.”

“Starting to think the cancer went straight to your head,” I say.

Capri takes a breath and literally shakes the jitters out of her arms. “Certainly don’t feel engaged.” She lifts a naked ring finger.

“You’re already starting.” I arc my eyebrow.

“Alright, alright. Capri is going to move into Trino’s house – which is beautiful, by the way. Right on Water’s Edge overlooking Manhattan. You’ll love it.” My father’s being a salesman all of a sudden.

“I don’t exactly have the luxury of dreaming of dirty beach property right now, Mister DeMatteo.”

“You can call me Dad.” He opens his arms, and Rocco pushes him. I like Rocco more for that, because I wanted to give him a fresh slap too.

“Oh, I forgot how civilians act with a target on their head. Heh.” My father puts on his black gloves again. “Fine. Listen up. As our first family gathering, Trino and I will take point in the living room. You two can go in the basement and wait ’til the deed is done.”

“Can’t we just sneak out through our neighbors’ yard, or something?” Capri asks. “I really don’t need to see any more blood today.”

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