Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 136915 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136915 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
I pulled back. “I feel lost. I don’t know what to do.”
“Would you consider stopping what’s between you and Amo—” She shook her head. “I can see in your eyes that that’s not an option, right?”
“I can’t imagine living my life without him. Whenever we’re apart, I miss him so much. I wish we could be together all the time.”
“What about him? He’s married.”
“He doesn’t love her and he assures me she doesn’t love him either.”
“I believe that’s true. I know how arranged marriages work, and love is rarely part of the deal but the Famiglia is traditional and divorce isn’t something that’s accepted. I don’t know of any Capo or even Underboss who went through a divorce.”
“I know. I don’t see a way for us to be together, but I can’t imagine to never see him again either. I hate going behind everyone’s back. I hate the lies, I hate the hurt that the secrecy might cause. I hate that Amo cheats on his wife, even if she knows about it. I want things to be easy for us.”
“Love’s rarely easy or uncomplicated. It wasn’t for your father and me, not by far. I never told you the full truth about Dad and me. But I think it would help you feel better. Your father kidnapped me on my wedding day.”
I nodded. Nevio had once made a strange comment when we were fifteen and I had immediately started my research. It hadn’t taken me long to find newspaper articles about a kidnapped bride, my mother. She was supposed to marry another man that day. Mom smiled strangely. “Of course you found out. I guess I should have told you sooner.” She sighed. “Why I’m telling you now is that some might consider my actions as cheating. I was promised to someone but I was intimate with your father. I didn’t have feelings for the man I was supposed to marry, and neither had he.”
“But you returned to your family despite your feelings for Dad. How did they react?”
“They didn’t know I had feelings for Dad. For them it was incomprehensible. Your father was the enemy. He’d kidnapped me after all.”
“Do you think it would have changed things if you’d convinced them of your love for Dad? Would there have been peace between the Camorra and Outfit? Your marriage could have united what was divided.”
Mom laughed bitterly. “Oh no. That was never an option. There was too much bad blood between the Camorra and the Outfit. And my family would have never accepted my love for your father. I had tried to explain things to them, not as outright as I should have, but I tried in my own way. Your father’s actions were unforgivable in their eyes.”
“Isn’t it the same with me and Amo? There’s war.”
“It’s different. There isn’t as much personal hurt involved. But I won’t lie, it would be a miracle if Luca and your father made peace. If Amo weren’t married, there would be more options but a divorce would cause a major rip within the Famiglia. If Luca isn’t willing to face the backlash, I doubt he’ll allow Amo to leave Cressida.”
I’d thought about all this a million times. Maybe Dad would accept Amo into the Camorra if I begged him, but Amo would never take orders from Dad or Nevio.
“What am I going to do?” I whispered.
Mom seemed at a loss too. “I wish I knew. Maybe you should think about talking to your father.”
“If he knows, he’ll stop me from seeing Amo. I can’t risk that.”
“That’s a possibility. He might not listen to me either in this case.” Mom brushed her fingertips across her temple as if she had a headache. “I want nothing more than to see you happy. But I also want you to be safe. You meeting Amo behind everyone’s back is a risk.”
“Amo won’t hurt me, Mom. I trust him absolutely.”
Mom pressed her lips together in a tight smile.
I shrugged. “And you thought Nevio was the only trouble maker.”
Mom laughed. “Nevio is causing havoc for every reason but love.”
“The end result is the same. Love can be as destructive as hatred.”
I spent the night at the Trevisan house. It reminded me a little of Greta’s sanctuary, but Maximus’ family kept only dogs, mostly Pittbulls, Staffordshire Terrier, Bulldogs and Rottweiler. As per Maximus’ request I didn’t join in the torture, neither did his father or brother. Romero and Maximus had taken the Russians to one of the kennels at the end of the premises, but the screams carried all the way up to the porch where I was sitting with Primo and Growl. The dogs in their enclosures and houses howled and barked.
“Sounds as if they want to join in,” I said.
Only five dogs lived in the house with the family. The rest wasn’t socialized enough or too dangerous.