Chapter 10

ANNA

Alessandro was still fit for an older man. The estate was huge and we had covered quite some distance. He had directed me away from the furthest part of the property where the compound and warehouse were. It was strange that this whole area contained families, homes filled with love and laughter, and yet, at its furthest point, there was pain, blood and death. I wondered if that was where my brother had died, and made a decision to ask Dante about Aldo, about giving him a suitable resting place. When Amina cried, Alessandro was happy to pick her up, cuddle and cajole her as we continued walking through the grounds, him looking every bit the image of a doting grandparent. I pushed the empty stroller and watched the exchanges between him and my daughter. She deserved this, the love, the family, and the secure future, and to think I would have potentially deprived her of this had Dante not discovered me dancing in the club.

"Do you believe Dante would have looked for me had he not found me when he did? He told me that Aldo, before he, well, you know, that he asked Dante to take care of me."

He turned sharply but smiled. "Did I not tell you that he and you were destined to be together?" He didn't wait for an answer before continuing. "Why do you suppose Aldo would ask Dante of all people to take care of you?"

"Because he trusted him to do so, to take good care of me and Amina."

"Exactly, and he knew that here was your home and we were your family and that his actions shouldn't jeopardise that."

"I love Dante."

Alessandro laughed, which in turn caused Amina to laugh too. "You have always loved him, and he you, since you were children, and now you are back, there is nothing to stop you making your home here once more."

I nodded and was powerless to fight the grin at the prospect of being home.

"Unless Amina's father–"

I cut him off, earning myself a withering glance that revealed the hard, cold man capable of the worst of crimes, but as soon as it appeared it was gone when I spoke. "Dead."

The tilt of his head and the rise of a disbelieving brow suggested he wasn't convinced. "Should I offer my condolences?"

"No, my world is better without him, as is my daughter's."

He said nothing, but again he accepted my word before offering me a smile. "You should ask Dante about Aldo."

I stopped dead. What did that even mean? Ask him what? I knew that Alessandro wouldn't want me to have a literal blow by blow account of my brother's death, so what exactly was it I needed to ask? Before I could answer, the sound of a voice, a woman screaming, distracted me.

"Porca puttana!"

Turning, I physically blanched at the sight of this woman steaming towards me, her hair flying as much as her arms while her face was red, the rage rolling off her.

"Cara," Alessandro called to her, moving to block her path to me, concerning me as he still held my daughter.

Suddenly, it all became clear. This was Gino's wife, and clearly she was pissed and held me responsible for her husband's condition, presumably because my brother was no longer here and unable to be held responsible.

Moving around the man attempting to protect me, I stood in her path, prepared to go toe to toe with her if I needed to, one because I was going to protect my baby, and two because she needed to show the former Capo more respect than she currently was.

"How dare you show your face here, after what your fucking brother did! Do you have no respect?"

I swear I felt her spit spray onto my face as she forced every word through gritted teeth. Bracing myself for some kind of attack once she was close enough, I remained calm, at least my voice did. "I think your respect is the one we should be considering, coming out here screaming and swearing in front of an infant and The Capo." I didn't care that he wasn't The Capo anymore.

She stopped a couple of feet away from me and laughed. "Who precisely do you think you are?"

"It's not about who I think I am, it's about who I actually am."

Her eyes narrowed. "Do you think I am afraid of you?"

"I don't know, and unless you continue to show such disrespect and aggression you have no reason to fear me."

"Disrespect! You are going to speak to me about respect when you come back here, after your treacherous brother's unwarranted and unprovoked attack on my husband? Do you have any idea what he did?"

I didn't, not really.

"He left him for dead, debilitated, unable to work, to be a man or even play with his children."

I can't say I was sorry to hear that he was unable to be a man, but the idea of his children, or indeed his angry wife being affected by the situation, saddened me. I felt bad for her until she spoke again.

"You return here after Dante found you whoring yourself, and now we are all supposed to forget what your family did, while you keep Dante's bed warm, ensuring your own place in the family, you and your bastard child."

That was my breaking point. Instinctively I drew back my fist before stepping forward, and although I had been brought up around violence, I didn't consider myself to be a violent person, but this woman had crossed a line by bringing Amina into this whole situation. My fist connected with her face and the sound if it echoed around us. Everything appeared to be in slow motion as I watched her fall backwards until the floor came to meet her. I followed her movement until I straddled her chest and with one hand pinning her wrists above her head, I gripped her face with force leaving her with no choice but to look at me.

"Do not ever bring my daughter into this, you hear me? She is a baby, innocent and pure, as your children are. I get that you're not happy to see me, but this is my home, and Dante is my family, always was, so if you don't like the idea of running into me, you'll need to think about leaving because I am going nowhere. Now, my brother hurt you by hurting Gino, but have you ever asked yourself why he did that?"

She closed her eyes as if blocking out any thoughts of that.

"My brother was well versed in murder, quick and easy, hard and slow, relatively painless or drawn out until you'd wish you were dead, and yet, whatever your husband did, my brother chose not to end his life, but instead he consigned him to a life where he would be impotent in every way possible."

Her eyes were fully open, wide and alarmed. "I need to get back."

Her response startled me, almost as much as the sound of Alessandro telling me to get up so we could go home. Suddenly a host of noises mingled around me, disorientating me; Amina began to cry, but there were others crying too, children. Looking up I noticed three children rushing towards us calling to the woman on the ground. Fuck! What was the matter with me? I had their mother lying beneath me having already hit her. Standing, I prepared to apologise, and then I recalled the words that had spilled from my mouth about Aldo and Gino. None of them should have been spoken, indeed I had vowed never to utter them for fear of repercussions I would be powerless to stop. However, the final sound stopped me dead in my tracks. Whirring, a motor, something electrical . . . something caught my eye behind the children who were calmer and being hugged by their mother whose words I didn't hear because in that second, I was focused solely on the shadow of the man who had once been Gino. He was in what looked like a very complicated wheelchair with attachments that held him in place and supported him. There was a tube in his nose that I assumed fed him, and even with the distance between us, I saw the recognition in his eyes.

I was rooted to the spot and clueless what to do despite Alessandro pulling my sleeve and demanding we go home, and that was all I wanted, to go home and find Dante and to be safe, but then Gino's eyes moved to Amina and that is what made me move as if my life depended on it. Turning, I reached for her and quickly placed her into the stroller before running, poor Alessandro following behind, cursing me each time I didn't stop or slow down when he commanded.

When we finally got to the house, we were greeted by Gina who looked as though she was about to go for a run. Alessandro came to a stop and the look on his face as his eyes met mine told me that he knew. I couldn't do this. Not now. Not with him.

"I have to go!"

Gina looked confused as I pushed the stroller towards her.

"Please, take care of her."

"Anna, wait, let me send for Dante." Alessandro's voice was already fading as I ran, not knowing entirely where I was going or for how long.