“Please!” I shot to my feet. “Please don’t kill us!”
Frank and Sergio shared a look while Dante closed his eyes as if he was in pain.
“Whatever we owe!” I kept talking, the words tumbling over each other as they spilled out. “I have some money in savings, and I’m sure we can figure out a payment plan or something. Just please don’t kill us.” I was bordering on hysterics as big hot tears rolled down my cheeks.
Sergio slowly made his way over to me and grabbed my hand. “Nobody’s going to die.”
“Yet,” Frank muttered.
My knees buckled and I sat back down while Sergio spat out a curse under his breath. “Was that really necessary?”
Frank shrugged.
Dante rushed to my side. “Are you okay?”
“No!” I jerked away from him. “I’m not okay! Just tell me what’s going on! And what we owe, and how to fix it!”
“That’s going to be difficult.” Dante stood to his full height then backed away. “We don’t owe any money… What we owe is more…” A pained expression formed on his features. “…personal.”
“What do you mean?” I searched the faces of my uncles, but every time I tried to get them to make eye contact they looked away.
I felt like I had no one.
And yet, there was Sergio, right by my side.
“Show her,” Gio barked.
Frank stepped forward and pulled out a black folder.
It had my name on it.
But I’d never broken any laws.
I didn’t even jaywalk.
So, a folder with my name, it had to be a bad sign right? A really bad sign.
With trembling hands I opened it.
The first page was a birth certificate, with my exact birthdate and my full name, but the last name I didn’t recognize. It wasn’t Grecco, it was Nicolasi.
“Valentina Joyce Nicolasi,” I whispered. “But my last name…” I didn’t finish because my picture was on the next page. It had to have been taken a year ago, because I was wearing the coat I’d gotten for Christmas. What. The. Hell?
What followed were pictures of me as a child. I recognized some: my first trip to the City, me carrying a giant stuffed dog, and swinging in the park with Gio — how old had I been? Four? Maybe five? The earlier pictures didn’t make sense to me, I was in a city I didn’t recognize, holding mans hand.
And finally, the most recent, me and Dante in the park laughing, both of us wearing smiles while someone in the background watched, a man, a man I recognized, his smile wide, his eyes hopeful.
It made my chest ache.
His smile was familiar.
As if that smile used to be directed toward me.
I let out a gasp and covered my mouth, then whispered between my fingers. “Is that… our father, Dante?”
He nodded, his expression grim.
Wasn’t this a good thing?
“Where is he?” I yelled, jumping to my feet. “Is he here? Is that why you guys are all acting weird? I thought he didn’t want anything to do with us, and—”
“My brother,” Frank said softly, “is dead. I’m sorry.”
I fell back against my chair as bitterness washed over me. So that was it? I finally got to see truth, and the rug was ripped out from beneath me?
“Keep reading,” Dante urged.
Sergio was as still as a statue next to me.
I turned the page and saw my name again.
It was a contract.
Between the Abandonato family and the Nicolasi family.
I hereby swear upon death that if it is within my power to join Valentina’s hand in marriage to Sergio Abandonato, I will make it so, or let my soul burn for an eternity.
“I’m BETROTHED?” I yelled, looking up.
“Not just betrothed.” Oh, now Gio speaks up? “You are promised to Sergio… to—” he swallowed “—one of the most powerful Mafia families in the Cosa Nostra. If Dante does not take his rightful place, you will be marrying the new boss to Frank Alfero’s Empire.”
I burst out laughing.
Nobody joined me.
My laughter faded. “You can’t be serious!” I pushed to my feet. “Is this a prank? Mob boss? Cosa Nostra?” I scanned the room for hidden cameras, because, come on! Mafia? Did that even exist anymore? The idea was laughable. Why was everyone still sitting? “Guys! The joke’s up, come on, whose idea was this?”
Nobody moved.
Finally, Dante spoke, “Val, it’s real.”
I frowned. “Dante, seriously…”
“Damn it, Val!” Dante’s voice rose. “Our father was Luca Nicolasi! One of the most lethal mob bosses in history! Frank is your damn uncle!” He pointed at Frank who managed to look at least a bit sad.
The lines in Frank’s face drew into a scowl. “You could have said that better, Dante.”
“Better she know than assume it’s a joke. I wish.” He put his hands on his head and turned around in a circle then faced me. “Val…” His nostrils flared. “I kept it from you to protect you, all right? I would never purposefully—”