Page 48 of The Mastermind (Mafia Rivals #1)

CESARE

She knew something was up.

If nothing else, my bundling her into the chopper and flying her to Fallbrook straight after the arson attack on the casino clued her in.

Keeping her distracted with wedding planning and away from Orazio and Giacomo for the time being had become a full-time job.

But I was thrilled she fell in love with Fallbrook at first sight. She might be spending more time here than she’d anticipated if this thing with Bonafacio went sideways.

She’d been doing her best to hide her unhappiness at not being able to see her sisters. Narciso she’d called from my hospital room, and it’d been glorious listening to her ripping him a new one for the dangerous stunt he’d pulled.

Hell, I got hard watching her pace, worried, angry and raining down hell on my behalf. She would make a great mama bear when the time came. I couldn’t fucking wait.

Last night, I treated her to extra special fucking, not stopping until she was blissed out with a smile on her face.

Today I had another surprise in mind. It’d taken careful logistics orchestrating, which Rafa, Bibi and Fist excelled at, and the promise of blowing up shit, which the twins, the uncles and a bunch of trusted senior lieutenants were all too eager to helm.

When my five-minute heads-up text arrived, I went looking for her, navigating a sea of event-planner minions bearing giant vases of flowers that had some sentimental connection to the Old Country for Orazio.

Another group were setting up extra lighting along a strip of red carpet that would form the receiving line in the foyer.

After a five-minute search I gave up and wandered into the kitchen.

‘Where’s my wife?’ I asked the busy room at large.

Fabiana looked up from a gaggle of apron-clad helpers with a mock-stern frown. ‘She’s not your wife yet, caru . Don’t test Him.’

I half-smiled but kept my eyebrows raised. I wasn’t going to apologise for that. Fiancée had felt inadequate right from the jump. The second I asked Maddelena to marry me, she’d become my better half. My soul.

‘She might be in the chapel with the wedding planners?’ one starry-eyed maid offered with a blush.

I nodded my thanks, went out the side door and jumped into a golf cart.

Capos, lieutenants and staff had taken the news of the Salvatore heir marrying a Mancinelli with the expected shock and wariness, which had slowly dissolved into grudging acceptance then well-wishes as some understood the method to the madness.

They didn’t need to know the ins and outs of their Don’s and Underboss’s reasoning.

So I was gratified by the extra security guarding the paved lane from the house to the chapel, where another army of planners were hard at work prepping for two big events.

In a little over a week I would be a married man.

A reality I would’ve laughed raucously at three short months ago. I was shaking my head in silent wonder when I saw her.

Dressed in cream leggings and a chunky white cashmere sweater to ward off the cold, she was leaning up to touch the top of a six-foot floral and candle stand.

The winter sun slanting through arched windows bathed her in light, making her chestnut hair glint.

My gaze ate her up, my breath locked in my throat.

Fuck, she was beautiful.

Sensing me, she turned around. ‘Cesare? I thought you were in the city with Rafa and the others until tonight?’ Her eyes frantically searched mine for bad news. Reassurance I wouldn’t be able to provide for another week.

Pushing that from my mind, I walked up, sliding my arms around to cup her luscious ass. ‘Not just yet. I wanted to see you first.’

‘Well, here I am,’ she said softly. Her own arms crept around my neck, and we kissed until the need to breathe and not be struck down for dry-humping in church pulled us apart.

‘I have a surprise for you. Come with me?’

Her eyes searched deeper. ‘Of course.’

I took her hand, led her outside and into the buggy.

From the corner of my eye, I saw her head swivelling back and forth, attempting to uncover my secret. Smiling inwardly, I drove past the main house and swimming pool to the second of the five guest lodges.

Her eyes narrowed when I stepped out. ‘I hope you’re not trying to flirt your way into seeing my dress before the wedding?’

‘You think I can’t?’ I challenged.

She pouted. ‘I hope you won’t. Cesare, I don’t?—’

I kissed her silent. ‘It’s fine, baby, I’m not coming in. Your surprise is inside.’

She looked from the lodge to me, flustered and a little wary. ‘What did you do?’

I didn’t get the chance to answer. The door bust open.

‘Can you two grope each other in your own time? We’re on a timer here.’

Maddelena glanced past me and gasped. ‘Jac? Oh my God!’

The third Mancinelli sister stood on the wide porch, hands at her sides. She sent me a wary glance as Maddelena flew up the steps.

I exhaled, content as the sisters hugged.

A second later, Maddelena gasped again when first Sofiya, then a middle-aged woman joined them. Vittoria Mancinelli’s gaze was equally wary, softening only when it fell on her daughters.

I watched them greet each other with easy affection, Jacinta earning the most attention from her big sister before Maddelena hugged her mother.

Then she glanced over her shoulder. ‘Thank you.’

I nodded. I didn’t really expect thanks from the other women. Old enmities aside, the men in their lives had created this shitty situation and they were right to be pissed about it.

As long as my Maddelena was happy, that was all I cared about.

‘You have an hour, bedda ,’ I said, earning myself a fleet of glares. Which made me grin as I turned towards the buggy.

‘Wait.’ Maddelena hurried down, her eyes shining with happiness, unshed tears and a hint of worry. ‘How…?’

I brushed my knuckles down her cheek. ‘I’ve made sure your grandfather is occupied for the next few hours. As long as your sisters and mama don’t blab?—’

‘They won’t,’ she reassured firmly. Then she leaned close, pressed her mouth to mine. ‘Thank you,’ she repeated.

‘Sure thing. Go, have a good time.’

Maddelena

I watched him leave, my heart still racing.

Was there a time when I’d thought him a monster? Well, I knew there was a feral beast lurking beneath his Brioni suit; that came out when needed, but…

God, I loved him.

So why hadn’t I told?—

A throat cleared behind me. I turned to three expressions.

Jacinta’s was more curious than wary. Sofiya’s held the usual edgy scepticism.

My mother’s was an ocean of worry. Multiplied by a hundred. Her hand delved into the pocket of her stylish grey pants worn with her pink twinset, and I knew she was twisting her rosary, probably reciting a silent prayer.

Swallowing, I joined them, sighing when Jacinta slid her arm around my waist.

‘So you’ve gone all the way over to the dark side, huh?’ The half-joke came with the killer stare that had made her a force in the courtroom.

We stepped into the living room of the lodge that had become the hub of the Sicilian wedding dress designer who’d descended on me a week ago.

Pia, a fireball as short and fierce as her name, had understood her assignment and executed it with aplomb, delivering my dream wedding dress within seventy-two hours.

That concoction was under heavy-duty guard within the closets of the master suite.

I pushed away the swell of sadness at the reminder that a week from today I would be walking down the aisle to Cesare, with no family support.

‘I guess I have,’ I responded belatedly to Jacinta.

On the coffee table was a spread of savoury and sweet dishes, including desserts from Le Gémir. All untouched.

Sofiya followed my gaze. ‘We weren’t sure if it was safe to eat.’

‘Sof,’ Jacinta berated under her breath.

She grimaced. ‘What? Can you blame me?’

‘No, I can’t,’ I replied before she and Jac got into it. ‘But I’m happy you’re here.’ My gaze encompassed Mom, who’d been staring at me like she couldn’t work out what was going on with me.

‘Mom?’ I prompted.

She shook her head. ‘Despite all this turmoil, you seem… happy.’ The last word held a hint of wonder. As if the concept of happiness was beyond her. That saddened me. But deep inside, I also felt deep gratitude that I’d got to experience this all-encompassing, forbidden, balls-to-the-wall love .

My heart squeezed. Sitting down next to her, I took her hand.

‘I am, Mom. I didn’t think I’d get to be happy, and I know it’s not under great circumstances.

’ I stopped as Sofiya snorted, and Jacinta glared her silent.

‘But I’ve accepted that I can’t go back and change how this unfolded.

’ And I wasn’t sure I wanted to. ‘All I can do is move forward.’

‘I’ve accepted His mysterious ways but… this?’ Her dark brown eyes searched mine, her hand flipping over to grip mine, hard. ‘Maddelena, are you sure?’ she whispered fervently.

Even if I wasn’t, I couldn’t go back home, and we both knew it. My Romeo and Juliet musings had come true, but hopefully without all the awful dying. I nodded. ‘I am.’

Silence fell for several awkward seconds before Jacinta reached for the nearest platter. ‘I don’t care what’s in this. It looks too good to waste. I’m eating.’

I side-eyed her. ‘There’s nothing in it. Help yourself.’ I looked at Mom, but she shook her head. Sofiya glared at a square of decadent brownie before snagging it. We ate in silence until Jacinta looked over.

‘So you know we won’t be here for the day, right?’ she said softly.

Suppressing rising dejection, I nodded. ‘Yeah. I understand.’

‘So is it nice playing queen of the castle?’ Sofiya muttered around a bite of brownie.

‘I’m not. I don’t want to be.’

‘You’re marrying the heir. You might not have a choice.’

It was one more thing I didn’t want to think about. Hell, I hadn’t even spoken to Orazio since I arrived. Deliberate planning on Cesare’s part, I guessed. ‘What’s the temperature like at home?’ I asked nervously, changing the subject.

‘What do you think?’ Sofiya tossed back.

‘Armageddon had a baby with Dante’s seventh circle of hell?’

‘You said it,’ Jacinta said. ‘It’s Eggshell Central, so I guess, thanks?’

I examined her face for signs of more. But if there was, she was hiding it well. ‘Cesare said you’ve had to leave your apartment? Take a leave of absence from work? I never meant for any of this to happen.’

Sofiya dumped her half-eaten brownie and wiped her hand on a pristine napkin. ‘Mads, whatever the heir said to Nonno or threatened him with… he’s pissed. Worse than I’ve ever seen him. And it’s the cornered, burn-it-all-down type of pissed.’

Terror squeezed my throat. ‘Has he hurt you?’

Mom paled. Jacinta avoided my gaze. Oh God.

‘He acted out a couple of times,’ Sofiya confirmed, and my heart dropped through the floor.

They were suffering while I was tucked away, approving candle stands and flower arrangements.

‘I’m sure as hell not going to let Mom or the rest of us be caught in the shitstorm, but you need to understand there’s only so much I can do. ’

I cupped a hand over my mouth to stop the sob forming, and when I managed to swallow it down, I said, ‘I’m sorry. And thank you.’

Silence stretched before she exhaled. ‘We kinda get why you did what you had to do. But you also need to know that your rebellion won’t come without a price.’

Ominous words that grew heavier and heavier, staying with me long after I’d given in to Jacinta’s coaxing to see my wedding dress, and I showed it to them with a quiet excitement I’d buried deep.

Afterwards, Mom, on learning I was getting married at the private chapel on the grounds, asked to see it, so we’d walked over, and she’d stood at the altar, staring up at the man-sized crucifix with tears in her eyes.

The heavy feeling was there, long after Cesare arrived with a trio of SUVs to drive them back to the City.

Long after my heart broke when I hugged Jacinta tight and she flinched and I saw both Cesare and Sofiya look furious, confirming my worst fear that my father or grandfather had doled out physical abuse.

I was waiting up in bed, reading Sofiya’s text when Cesare walked in just after midnight.

‘What’s up, bedda ?’ he asked evenly, although his eyes bore hard into me. ‘I thought you’d be asleep.’ I knew him well enough now to spot the wariness buried deep beneath his casual tone.

‘I wanted to thank you again for today.’

He shrugged off his jacket and tossed it on the armchair. ‘Anything for you, bedda . You know that.’

I nodded, then waved my phone. ‘Got a text from Sofiya.’

He stiffened, ever so slightly. ‘Oh yeah? Anything interesting?’

I tossed the phone aside, rose to my knees. His gaze instantly rushed all over me. ‘Hmm. She says six of Bonafacio’s warehouses in White Plains and New Rochelle were hit this afternoon. Bonafacio is now over twenty-five million in the hole with the Russians.’

He fought hard to hide the triumph that ghosted over his face and shrugged. ‘I’m sorry, baby. I want to say it sucks but I can’t.’

I nodded solemnly, crawling towards the end of the bed on my hands and knees.

His breathing grew choppy, the bulge in his pants growing with every feverish second.

‘She also says they were expecting him home, but my father just told them Bonafacio will be away for a while. That he’s gone into hiding? ’

He reached me in two long strides, his gaze frantically searching mine. ‘Ivanovski will be wanting answers, and that fucker isn’t known for being rational. Are you mad, cara ?’

‘Mad that my grandfather won’t be around to beat up on my sisters while I’m not there to protect them?

I should be, very mad that you Salvatores have won, again.

But’ – I kissed him, my heart squeezing with everything I felt for him – ‘I absolutely cannot find it in myself to be. Not when my mother and the girls are safe.’

‘Good. I’m glad.’ He deepened the kiss.

This was by no means over.

But when Cesare pulled me close in bed an hour later, I fell asleep with a happy smile on my face.