10. Elio

D id it matter? I clearly saw care and concern in Tony's eyes. Relief filled me. He cared about me, he'd brought me to the one safe haven he knew, and now his family was behind me. They might be criminals, but I could already tell they were nothing like my father. "No, it doesn't matter. Not at all."

Now I just had to trust Vinnie and the Marchesis to take care of my father.

A woman stopped by to stitch up Tony's arm. I hoped she was actually a licensed medical professional, but I didn't ask questions. I just held Tony's hand while she did her work.

We tried to sleep, but neither of us had much success. Tony's window units couldn't keep up with the heat. Between that and my nerves, I didn't want to eat breakfast despite being hungry. I was tired and stressed, and I kept snapping at Tony for being gruff and demanding. We paced the apartment, on edge, as we waited for any word from Vinnie.

Just after dark, the doorbell rang, making us both jump.

"Stay there," Tony ordered. He pulled out his gun and moved slowly toward the door.

We'd been expecting a phone call, not a visitor. My instincts told me to flee, but I held my ground. I wasn't going anywhere without Tony. I was in this with him all the way, so instead of running, I moved closer.

Tony motioned for me to back up, but I ignored him. When he looked through the peephole, color drained from his face. He took a step back and looked at me with terror in his eyes.

"Who is it?"

"Lucien." He glanced back and forth between me and the door.

"He knows we're here," I said.

Lucien knocked again.

"You can't keep him waiting."

"I love you," Tony said. My heart nearly stopped. I'd known how he felt, but I hadn't realized how badly I needed to hear the words again. He turned back to the door, undid the locks, and opened it.

Without a word, Lucien stepped inside, followed by Vinnie and a man I recognized from photos on the wall in Tony's house. He had to be one of the Trevisanis.

"Hello, sir." Tony addressed Lucien. "I'm honored by your visit. How can I help you?"

Lucien glared at him for several seconds before he spoke. "I've just spent a very unpleasant evening with Giacomo Barruchi. I understand I have you to thank for that."

I stepped up beside Tony. "I'm the one to blame. I refused to return to my family. Did my father accept that I had him trapped?"

Tony's eyes were wide as he stared at me. He was clearly stunned I had dared to speak.

"We've not been introduced," Lucien said.

Tony seemed to wake from a trance. "Mr. Marchesi, this is Elio Barruchi. Elio, this is Mr. Lucien Marchesi."

I bowed my head briefly, then found the courage to meet Lucien's gaze. "I provided excellent blackmail material in exchange for being allowed to stay here."

"Yes, you did, and if all you wanted was some time away from your family, perhaps it would've been enough."

"I will expose him if he comes for me. I hope he knows that."

"No, you will not," Lucien's words were like ice. "That is my call. You work for me now."

Anger flared in me. I wanted to argue, but instead, I lowered my eyes. "Yes, sir."

I could see Tony's shoulders relax when I acquiesced.

"The intriguing secret you provided was enough to get your father to back off for now. I assure you, he understood the gravity of the situation, but I wanted more than a temporary reprieve. I wanted his word he would take no revenge for this, make no attempt to come for you if this issue ceased to be relevant."

I wanted to protest. How could something like that not be relevant? I managed to keep my mouth shut.

"I'll do whatever is necessary to keep Elio safe, sir," Tony said.

"You're right. You'll do anything I tell you to do," Lucien said. "And I have many ideas for your future, but for now the matter is settled. I have purchased Elio's freedom. He belongs to us."

"Purchased?" I couldn't stop the word from exploding out of my mouth. How dare he? Lucien turned to Tony.

"Learn to rein him in. I don't need another liability on my payroll."

"Yes, sir," Tony answered.

"You're very expensive, but you're going to make me a hell of a lot of money to make up for it. I'm turning you over to Uncle Dom. He and his men will teach you how to take money from a number of unfortunates who've gotten themselves in trouble by borrowing from us."

Tony stared at Lucien. "Dominic Marchesi? I…I thought he was a myth."

Lucien laughed, the sound echoing eerily. "Most people wish he was, but he's very real, and you will follow his every order, or this situation"—he gestured toward me—"won't be allowed to continue."

Tony reached back and took my hand. "Elio is under my protection."

"Not if I say otherwise. I could make millions by selling your boyfriend. Earn your keep, or we'll see about an auction. Don't make me regret my choices."

He was bluffing. He had to be. "You said I was on your payroll too." Apparently I couldn't keep my mouth shut for long.

"Your job is to make sure Tony doesn't screw up. He's a hothead with no discipline. That's not how I run things. Make sure he learns how to walk the straight and narrow, and if Dom has need of your other services, he'll give you orders as well. I hear you're rather good at finding out people's secrets."

I smiled. "I am happy to pay my way, sir."

"Watch it." Lucien turned and left. Vinnie followed him, but the other man stayed.

"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I thought he was going kill you."

"So did I."

"Were you there when he talked to my father?" Elio asked.

"Yes, it was fucking impressive."

"This is my cousin, Micky," Tony said. "He's the one who got me this job."

Micky scowled at him. "Don't go blaming me for anything,"

"I can't believe Lucien paid for me. Why?"

"Because Vinnie told him the two of you were in love. Not many things will make Lucien bend, but that is one of them." I realized then that as badass as Lucien was, he wouldn't really sell me. I also realized Tony had to have told Vinnie he loved me even before he'd told me. He really was ready to do whatever it took to protect me.

"I've got to go," Micky said. "I promised Vinnie I'd take care of something. If I don't, I'll have to listen to him yelling all night. Good luck with Dominic."

Tony snorted. "I'm going to fucking need it."

When Tony had closed the door behind Micky, I sank onto the couch. "I can't believe my father sold me to his enemy. I mean, I shouldn't expect anymore from him, but…."

"You don't need him. He's never cared for you, I do. My family might be scary—and crazy—but they take care of each other."

"Tom told me that."

"It's true. You're one of us now."

"Because Lucien paid for me. That's…."

"He paid for your freedom. He doesn't own you."

"Would he see it that way?"

"Yes."

"Call him."

"What?"

"I want to talk to him."

"Elio, that's crazy." Even as he said the words, he pulled out his phone and sent a message. He watched the screen, and a moment later he made a call and held the phone out to me.

When Lucien answered, he said, "I did not expect to hear from you so soon. What trouble are you causing now?"

"It's Elio. I have a question."

Lucien remained silent.

"Do you really believe you own me?"

"I don't believe in slavery. You make your own choices, but you owe me a debt."

"Yes, sir. Have a good night."

"I have a feeling you're going to be as much trouble as Tony," Lucien said.

"I never said my father didn't have a reason to hate me."

"Fucking hell. Two hot-blooded sons of bitches to deal with. You better not make me regret letting you live." He ended the call.

"Satisfied?" Tony asked.

"Yes. Now tell me about Uncle Dom."

Tony sighed. "Dominic Marchesi is a legendary mob assassin. He's supposedly the youngest of Franco Marchesi's siblings, making him only ten or so years older than Lucien. Some people say he was raised in Italy and never seen here until he was an adult. Other say he was illegitimate and that's why no one ever met him. Others think he never existed except in name, and his kills were made by a number of different men. I've heard rumors that he's dead or that he's gone into hiding. Apparently, he's alive and well and still working for the family. As far as I knew, a few of Lucien's cousins ran the loan shark operations, but I guess they are his sons."

"And now you work for this legend."

Tony nodded. "I told you I would do anything for you."

"I don't think a man like that is going to allow you to get away with what Vinnie does."

Tony wrinkled his now. "No, neither do I."

"You're going to have to listen, no matter how mad it makes you. You're going to have to play along, at least for a while. I haven't gone through all of this to lose you."

"No way in hell am I leaving you, but if you're…if you think…we could still run."

"No. We're sticking with this life. We're going to make it together. When you come home pissed off from having to follow Dominic's rules, you can take it out on me, fuck me good and rough, make me do what you say."

"Damn. That's…I don't deserve you."

"That's probably true, but you've got me. You had me from the first night you took me home."

He grinned and shook his head. "I had you from the night we met when I put you up against the wall behind that fucking bar."

I laughed. "Maybe. I love you, Tony. This isn't what I planned, but?—"

"Do you regret it?"

"No, it's so much better."

"I love you too, baby."

I kissed him then. Nothing—not even thoughts of our families—could keep me from being the happiest man in the world.