Page 1 of Entangled
PROLOGUE
Elias Canella sat at the desk in his study, papers strewn every which way. This was his least favorite part of being a don. The damned paperwork. He’d rather be elbows deep in blood than have to sign his name any longer.
It sounded dramatic when he thought about it, but alas, what Mafia man didn’t have a tendency to lean towards the dramatics?
A river of blonde hair caught his eye as his daughter Soren stepped through the door, her signature blinding smile gracing her face and instantly making his mood feel lighter. Although she was now an adult, her smile still disarmed even his strongest defenses.
She was the sunshine in his cloudy sky, the last remnant of her beloved mother. He loved Soren’s stepmother dearly, though nothing would replace his first love or the loss of her in his heart. But having Soren was enough to dull the ache.
“Daddy!” Soren exclaimed, waving a letter around frantically, her eyes shining brightly.
“Yes, princess?” He asked, setting his pen to the side and giving her his full attention.
“I got in!” She squealed, piercing his eardrums in the best way. “I got into the fine arts program at the University of Georgia!”
“Of course you did! I never had a doubt!” He said as he rounded his desk and pulled her into a hug. “I’m so proud of you, Soren!”
He felt overwhelmed with emotions. He was so thrilled for her, knowing she’d wanted to attend UGA since her freshman year of high school. She had always had a passion for the arts, expressing herself through drawing and painting since she could hold a pen and a paintbrush.
But he couldn’t help but also feel a pit of sadness growing in his chest. Soren was his only child, his wife having passed before they had the chance to expand their family. She was his babygirl and letting her go to chase her dreams felt so bittersweet. Part of him wanted to hold on to her forever, but he knew she had to go out and experience everything life had to offer. The life of a Mafia princess was no life for her.
She deserved to have some bit of normalcy. He wouldn’t have chosen this life for her, and now it was up to him to release her from it before she got wrapped into it any further and got hurt…or worse.
A storm was brewing between the Mafia families in Boston already, and he knew the sooner she was out of the city, the better. Granted, he never told her that, and he never would. She may have found out about his line of work when she was young, but he never wanted her to be wrapped up in it or to know its full extent. He just let her be excited about getting into the school of her dreams and celebrated her achievements.
“I’m sorry to interrupt,” a voice came from the doorway. Elias’s wife, Lilah, stood there, and a bit of anger pinched his heart. Why wasn’t she jumping into celebration with them, andjust as excited and rejoicing in this moment? “The housekeeper is asking for you, Soren.”
Soren looked at Elias, her eyes silently pleading to not send her away. He watched as deep breaths filled her lungs as she relished in this moment a little longer—private moments between just the two of them were so fleeting nowadays.
“I’ll see you at dinner,” he whispered reassuringly, so only she could hear him. She was eighteen years old, but she had a lot of growing to do. She had become too dependent on him. Another reason he was excited for her to jump from the nest and embrace the next wave of life.
Soren nodded solemnly, moving past Lilah and into the hallway and out of earshot.
“Why couldn’t you have congratulated her?” Elias snapped at his wife, his patience already growing thin. He did indeed love his wife, but the more he watched her interact with Soren, the quicker it soured in his gut.
“I’m not sure what you mean,” Lilah replied coolly. “What was being celebrated?”
Elias knew deep down that his wife was trying to play mind games with him, and he had no time or strength for it.
He heaved a deep sigh before rounding on his desk to sit once more.
“To what do I owe the pleasure of being graced with your company, my dear wife?” He asked, his head already back down, and focused on his stack of paperwork.
“I brought you a drink. I figured you’d need one after dealing with all the contracts and such.” She waved her hand as she spoke, gesturing towards the mess that was his desk.
“Thank you.” His eyes connected with her, and he nodded as she set down his glass of whiskey.
His fingers grazed hers as he took the glass from her, and he decided to hell with it, tossing the drink back before setting the now empty glass on the table.
“Much better,” he smiled at Lilah. “Thank yo?—”
Before he could finish his sentence, a deep pain stabbed his heart, and it took only a second before his head felt ready to explode, and he landed with a lifeless thud on the table, right on top of the wet ink of his last signature.
Lilah Canella tiptoed away from the doorway to Elias’s study, a venomous smile plastered to her face. She’d wiped herself clean of the King of the Canella Mob, and nobody would ever know she had anything to do with it.
She’d make sure of it.
Everyone would think Elias Canella had died of a heart attack. The poison would be out of his system long before anyone could question differently.
