The Mafia Contract Series

ALESSANDRO

It’s like an explosion that sets fire to our past and allows us to step from the flames to meet the future. We bear the scars of that but ultimately have survived and as I kiss the woman I love, I can’t stop. She is like a feast for a starving man and as I pull her body even closer, it just isn’t enough.

I don’t even care that we are being watched from every angle on every monitor in the property because Winter is in my arms where she should never have left.

It’s only when the sound of tires crawling up the driveway alerts us, do we pull apart and I stare with surprise at the cavalcade of black cars that are sweeping to a stop.

Winter says fearfully, “Who are they? What’s happening?”

“I don’t know.”

As I grip her hand tightly, I’m aware of a movement behind me and Salvatore, my grandfather’s consigliere, steps into the sunlight and stands by my side.

“What’s going on, Salvatore?”

“Don Giodano and his family have been invited to lunch.”

“Don Giodano?”

I’m surprised because he heads up a rival family to ours and I wasn’t aware they were friends now.

Salvatore says in a low voice, “Perhaps Mrs. Delauren would be more comfortable in her room until they have left.”

Winter makes to pull away on hearing his words and I tighten my grip. “She stays with me.”

Salvatore nods but I don’t like the gleam in his eye and as the doors open and Don Giodano steps out, he says quickly, “You should welcome him in your grandfather’s absence.”

Knowing it would be disrespectful not to, I drop Winter’s hand and step forward, my mood set to polite bastard.

“Don Giodano, welcome to our home.”

He grips my hand in a bone-crushing handshake and his eyes slide from me to Winter and he nods respectfully. “Mrs. Delauren, please accept my condolences for your loss.”

“My loss?” Winter looks confused, and the eagle-eyed Don takes it all in and smirks. “I see you have yet to be informed of your husband’s ill health.”

“For good reason.” I fix him with a warning glare, and he nods, a small smile lying on his malevolent face.

I’m surprised when the door to the second car is opened and one of his soldiers helps Don Giodano’s wife from the car. From the other side steps another woman and now I understand exactly what this is. An intervention of the most devastating kind.

I nod my welcome as they reach the Don’s side.

“Mrs. Giodano and Allegra, may I welcome you to our home.”

The smile Allegra flashes me is seductive and loaded with intent. She bats her long lashes in my direction and appears shy, but she is anything but. She is a conniving bitch who is intent on securing the best possible marriage and as her dark green eyes sweep over Winter with derision, I feel the prison gates slamming shut in my face.

“Mrs. Delauren, such a terrible tragedy. Poor Massimo, you must be out of your mind with worry.”

Beatrice the Don’s wife vomits insincerity and heads straight to Winter’s side and takes her arm.

“We should stick together being two wives of very powerful men. Even though yours is, shall we say, incapacitated, you are still to be given the respect you deserve.”

Salvatore nods respectfully and says, “Follow me. Don Majerio is waiting for you on the terrace.”

As they sweep past me, it leaves Allegra to step by my side, and she smiles seductively and says in a flirtatious voice, “Alone at last, Alessandro.”

“Then we should join the others.”

As I make to leave, she places her hand on my arm and whispers, “Wait, there’s something you should know before we go inside.”

“I’m listening.” I move away so her arm falls to her side, and she says with a hint of victory in her expression, “This visit was arranged between your grandfather and my father. An alliance of sorts, shall we say. A lowering of weapons and a ceasefire so the treaty can be drawn up.”

“What are you talking about? Just say what you’re itching to get off your chest.”

She steps closer and I can almost taste her breath as she whispers, “We are to marry to unite our families. If you refuse, it will start a bloody war because my family will view it as a great sign of disrespect. This is our engagement party, Alessandro, and by the end of it, we will be committed to merging a dynasty.”

“Like fuck it is.” I growl and she rests her hand on my arm and says with a soft sigh. “Just think about it. We would make a formidable couple. Two powerful families becoming one. I would be the wife you deserve and will bear your children. We will be good together. Just give us this chance.”

I tear my arm away and growl, “I’m not interested in starting a dynasty with you. I have told my grandfather of my wishes and he had no right to plot behind my back. You may as well step back inside the car and leave because there will be no engagement today.”NôvelDrama.Org content.

“Because of her, I suppose.”

Allegra almost spits the words out and I freeze, before saying icily, “She has a name and it’s Winter.”

“Yes, Delauren. A married woman whose husband is still alive. She is no wife for you Alessandro, but I am. If you want to play with her from time to time, I won’t like it but will accept that’s your right, but I will bear the name Mrs. Majerio, not her, so grow up and be the man your grandfather thinks you are before I change my mind.”

She takes my arm and hisses, “If I were you, I’d play along because my father is not the accepting kind.”

I feel ambushed. Just when I thought I had it all worked out, another blow is dealt that leaves me staggering to get up.

As we walk into the lion’s den, I know better than to cause a scene, Allegra’s right about that and as we head onto the terrace, I immediately search for Winter who is perched unhappily between Nonna and Beatrice and from the expression on her face, she’s burning in hell alongside me.

Typically, the only seats available are at the opposite end of the table and I reluctantly sit beside Allegra, noting the unhappiness in Winter’s eyes. Grasping the decanter of wine, I fill our glasses and raise mine to my grandfather before knocking it back like water.

The glint in his eye warns me to behave and as Allegra leans closer, the stench of her perfume makes me want to hurl.

“Alessandro, tell me about yourself.”

She purrs up at me, resting a proprietary hand on my arm, and I don’t miss the smug look she sends down the table to the only woman I want touching me.

“Business. It’s always business.”

Her false laugh grates on my nerves as she shakes her head. “I would have expected no less.”

As the food is delivered in abundance, I can tell my grandfather is pulling out the big guns and know it must be important to him to forge this alliance. Nonna throws me a warning glare every so often and as the conversation flows so does the wine.

Winter is playing her part well, but I can tell it’s putting a strain on her and right now I detest my family. As Don Giodano watches my interaction with his daughter, I try so hard to contain the situation before it spirals out of control.

The moment comes sooner than I think when Don Giodano transfers his attention to us and says loudly, “I believe you have an announcement to make, Alessandro.”

The fact his daughter’s hand is stroking my arm makes it appear we are a lot closer than we are and I don’t miss the triumph in my grandfather’s eyes as he laughs softly. “To be young and in love again, Vittorio. I remember what that was like.”

The stricken expression on Winter’s face is all I need to shake off Allegra’s unwelcome attention and say bluntly, “Yes. To answer your question, Don Giodano, I do have an announcement to make.”

The angry glare from my grandparents warns me from speaking out of turn and the way Winter is looking down into her glass tells me she fears the worst.

“I’m leaving.”

Startled eyes glance in my direction and the anger on my grandfather’s face is palpable.

He knows better than to interrupt and Don Giodano glares at him angrily. “Leaving! Where?”

His wife shares a look with Allegra, who pouts like a petulant child, and I say firmly, “My grandfather has agreed a sabbatical for three months while I put my affairs in order.”

I glare at him pointedly and note the resignation in his eyes. He can’t back away from his own words and I take great pleasure in looking directly at Winter and smiling softly. “Yes, our flight leaves in the morning.”

“Our flight?” Allegra looks at me sharply and I nod, dismissing her with a bored expression.

“Mrs. Delauren will accompany me to Canada. We have unfinished business to attend to, and I will be gone for three months.”

Nonna raises her eyes to the heavens and looks despairingly at her husband, who just nods as if this was his plan all along.

“It is true.” He concedes to the furious Don beside him. “Alessandro has three months to finish what he started and then return to take up his position by my side. He will be ready to accept what that involves. Isn’t that right, my boy?”

His stern warning is noted, and I nod. “Three months, grandfather, as agreed.”

I pointedly ignore his question and, taking that as my cue to leave, I stand and toss my napkin on the table before saying to Winter, “Mrs. Delauren, I believe we were about to make the necessary arrangements. If you will excuse us, we really should be getting back to business.”

Turning to Allegra, I nod politely and relish the rage clouding her narrowed eyes before I turn to our guests and nod with respect and then walk from the terrace with Winter hot on my heels.