Chapter Twenty-Eight

The buzz of the phone call with Amo quickly evaporated when I thought of the upcoming conversations with my family.

I went in search of Nevio. I knew he was the hardest nut to crack. I found him in my ballet studio, working out. He was doing pistol squats, a look of concentration on his face as he watched himself in the mirror to check his form.

“You’re not here for ballet,” he pressed out and straightened. My eyes were drawn to the scar on his belly. It was only a white line against his tanned skin—one of many scars battling for attention with a handful of tattoos—but it carried the memory of one of the hardest days in my life. Nevio hated Amo. And even if he didn’t say it outright, Amo felt the same way about my brother. How could I ever unite those two? Or at the very least not make them want to slaughter each other?

Nevio followed my gaze and his lips pulled into a hard smile. “That’s the last scar a Vitiello is ever going to inflict on me.”

“Nevio, can we talk?” I wrung my hands, not sure how to tell him. Talking to Mom had been hard, but it was nothing in comparison to this. Dad would be difficult too but Nevio’s reaction terrified me more.

Nevio became alert at once and came to my side, touching my shoulders. “What’s wrong?”

The worry in his voice always warmed my heart because worry wasn’t one of Nevio’s strong character traits.

“You know I love you, right?”

Nevio’s dark brows snapped together, confusion mingling with wariness in his eyes. His instincts were spot on as always. “Just tell me what you need to tell me. You’re not sick, right?”

I shook my head quickly. “Not sick, no. I’m fine, physically. I—”

“Greta, just tell me!”

My eyes burned with tears. I could barely swallow past the lump in my throat. “I’ve been seeing Amo these last few months.”

Nevio dropped his hand and stepped back, his expression becoming stone cold. “What?”

The low vibration in his voice raised goosebumps on my skin.

“I love him.”

Nevio took another step back, every muscle in his body tautened to the maximum. “You love him?”

The condescension in his voice hurt worse than his rage. “Nevio, please try to understand. I love him and I want to be with him.”

He turned away with a harsh laugh, drew his gun and fired at the mirrors. I flinched, my hands flying up to cover my ears. The floor-to-ceiling mirrors exploded one after the other with an ear-splitting screech. Shards flew through the room, split the sunlight into hundreds of fragments like my heart splintered because of Nevio’s reaction. He turned to me slowly, his chest was bloody from several cuts and a single shard was stuck in his cheek.

Tears ran down my cheeks. He reached up and jerked the shard out, causing a rivulet of blood to trail down his face.

“So you’re choosing him over me, over us, over our family.”

My mouth became dry and my heart began pounding, my hands becoming clammy.

“If you’re leaving Vegas to be with Vitiello you’re saying you don’t give a fuck about me.”

I couldn’t believe what he said. It wasn’t true, and he knew it, but he still managed to make me feel guilty.

I’d felt guilty from the first moment I’d considered being with Amo, because I’d known what it would mean. I’d have to leave Nevio, something I’d never thought possible. I was the calm to Nevio’s rage, and I was terrified that without me by his side, the darkness would win. His actions just now fired up my worries.

His rage was potent, it washed over me like an avalanche taking my breath away. The door to the ballet studio ripped open and Dad, Nino, Alessio and Massimo filtered in with drawn guns.

They all froze when they saw us.

I ignored their inquiring stares. This was between Nevio and me.

“Don’t you want me to be happy?” I asked softly.

“What the fuck is going on here?” Dad snarled.

Nevio stepped toward me, glaring down at me. “Weren’t you happy with us? With the people you belong to?”

I swallowed. “I was. I never thought I’d want for more than I had, but then…then I met Amo, and I tried to fight it. I hoped it would pass, but it didn’t.”

I could see the confusion on the others’ faces.

Nevio shook his head, looking away. “We’re at war. You can’t have both. If you choose him, you’re ditching us. End of story.”

“There can be peace again.”

“Would someone explain to me what the fuck is going on?” Dad stepped between us, his furious gaze darting between Nevio and me.

“Not if I kill Amo, then Luca won’t ever agree to peace again.” His grin was full of darkness. It was the smile he carried at night. It wasn’t a smile he showed me.

“You’d do that to me?”

Nevio’s eyes remained indifferent. “I’d do it for you even if you can’t see it.”

Other people’s lives meant nothing to him. Very few people mattered to Nevio, but these select few were his whole world, and he would do anything to protect them, and to keep them close. He would stop at nothing. I knew that better than anyone. Nobody knew Nevio better than me.

Nevio loved to see the world burn but so far he’d always made sure the flames didn’t touch me.

I shook my head. “No, you’d do it for yourself. You’re being selfish.”

“You would know all about being selfish.” Nevio turned to Dad. “Greta has been fucking Vitiello these last few months. She’s a fucking traitor.” Nevio stormed off, followed by Massimo and Alessio.

I was trembling, from sadness, anger and shock. When Dad’s incredulous gaze hit me my legs almost buckled. Even Nino’s analyzing presence didn’t help.

“Explain,” Nino said.

Dad only stared at me as if he was on the verge of finishing the remaining mirrors with his gun.

I pleaded them with my eyes to understand as I told them the truth. The words rushed out of me, my voice breaking.

“Do you realize the danger you put yourself in by meeting the enemy?” Nino asked.

Dad still hadn’t said anything.

“I trust Amo.”

“Then you obviously can’t be trusted,” Dad growled. “He could have killed you.”

“He wouldn’t.”

Dad grabbed my arm and pulled me closer, his eyes full of rage. “You lied. You risked your life and the safety of everyone who loves you.”

“I don’t want to lie anymore. That’s why I told Nevio. But I knew how you’d react when I told you and I was right.”

“What do you expect? I made my standpoint about Amo very clear and that was before there was even war.”

I closed my eyes and more tears slid out. “Dad, I know you’re angry, but please try to understand. I love Amo. It hurts to be apart from him. Please allow me to be with Amo.”

“He’s married and we’re at war, Greta,” Nino said as if I might have forgotten.

“He’s going to divorce Cressida for me, and he’ll convince his father to negotiate another truce, if you’re willing to do so as well.”

Dad shook his head. “Mia cara, this is something I can’t allow you. I won’t agree to a marriage with Amo Vitiello. You won’t leave for New York, and most certainly not be subjected to the old-fashioned traditions in the Famiglia. There won’t be peace with the Famiglia, not as long as I’m Capo and given Nevio’s reaction, there won’t be under his rule either.”

I stepped close to Dad, frowning. “You taught me that my opinion matters, that you respect my choices, and now you don’t allow me to marry the man I want?”

Dad’s face was stone but his eyes they burnt me with the fierceness of their emotions. He cupped my cheeks. “Greta, in the Camorra you are safer than you’ll be anywhere else. My word is the law. No harm can ever come to you here, but there it’s Luca’s word and later Amo’s. You’ll fall under their fucking jurisdiction, and you know as well as I do that they handle things differently from us. I can’t protect you the same way if you’re in New York than when you’re here. I’d still tear down their fucking city if you needed me but until then you’d be at their mercy.”

I covered his scarred hands with mine, holding his gaze as I gave him a reassuring smile. “I know you’d all die to protect me and I know I’m safe here but with the same certainty I know I’ll be safe in New York because Amo is there and he’ll protect me. Please, respect my choice. Please give Amo and peace a chance.”

Dad exchanged a look with Nino, kissed my forehead and stepped back. “The answer is no.”

I blinked, resignation filling me. “Dad, you can prevent peace but you can’t prevent me from being with Amo.”

Dad’s nostrils flared, and his mouth pulled into a harsh smile. “Oh mia cara, this is my city, my territory, my rules. As long as I take breath, I’ll stop you from seeing Amo again, even if I have to lock you in your room.”

“You can’t treat me like a captive.”

“I can and I will. Give me your phone.”

When I didn’t react, Dad reached for my phone purse and cut it off with his knife.

I couldn’t believe what was happening. I’d never thought that my family would react this badly. Maybe I was really na?ve when it came to them.

“I hate you,” I whispered.

Dad tensed. I whirled around and ran out of the studio, even as I regretted my words. I didn’t stop running until I was in my room and threw myself on the bed. Momo and Teacup joined me, feeling my distress. I cried harder than I ever had. Soon a rough tongue licked my hand. I turned my head to the side to find Bear’s head perched on the bed. Beside him sat Dotty and watched me with way too understanding eyes for a dog.

I wasn’t sure what to do. This was really shaping up to be a decision I’d never wanted to make. A decision between my family and Amo. I sobbed.

A knock sounded and Mom came in without waiting for my reply. One look at me and she rushed over to the bed and sank down beside me. She rubbed my back gently.

“Dad told you?”

“I wouldn’t call it telling. He’s raging downstairs. We’ll have to buy new Christmas decoration.”

“He took my phone and wants to keep me away from Amo.”

Mom sighed. “That’s what I gathered.”

“What am I going to do?”

Mom looked away. “I don’t know what to tell you. I’d have thought I’d tell you to follow your heart but I don’t want to lose you. I can’t imagine not seeing you again. With this war…” She swallowed. “To be honest, right this moment, I truly realize how hard this must have been for my family. I didn’t really have a choice, and I want you to have one. I don’t want things to end like they did for me.”

“You think I’ll do what you did and leave so I can be with Amo?”

“Won’t you?”

I could see the fear in Mom’s eyes. Fear that filled me too. But there was also acceptance in her expression. She’d already come to terms with the fact that she might lose me. “I don’t want to be without my family. I don’t want to make this choice.”

Mom wrapped her arms around me, her cheek on my head. “I’ll talk to your father. But I don’t want to give you false hope.”

“I know. What about Nevio?”

“He left with Massimo and Alessio. I doubt he’ll return tonight.” Mom straightened. “You know Nevio…”

I did. He would spill blood tonight. He’d let his monster win, would unleash it.

I’d always felt responsible to cage it back in but I needed to learn to let go. I wasn’t sure how to do it, how to give up the people I loved so much. I still hoped I wouldn’t have to make this decision.