Page 73 of Queen of Misfortune (Shadows of Redemption)
“Word travels fast.”
A server brings water and sets a glass of wine in front of my mother. I shake my head when he asks if I want a drink. He leaves us to review the menu.
“Poor Don Conti, barely in his grave and you?—”
“Loyalty wasn’t something I was raised to understand,” I quip.
She purses her lips at me again. “I suppose you didn’t have much choice. Had you given Giuseppe a son, you’d have been better protected. I’m not sure this move will help you. Acapodoesn’t carry the weight of a Don.”
I let her words flow off me. What I want to do is tell her that Donovan will be the Boss of the Fiori territory in New Jersey, but I hold back.
"Heaven forbid I marry out of love.”
My mother scoffs. “You always were soft-headed. Love, Lucia, doesn’t exist in our world.”
“I know, Mother. I learned that very well from you. Not even parents can love their children.” Today, I know that’s not true. I saw how Giuseppe loved his son, Luca. I’ve seen how Niko loves Elena and they both love their unborn twins.
“Love is something we can’t afford.” She sniffs as if she smells something rotten. “But acapo… Lucia, you could do better.”
I want to laugh and tell her how Donovan is a million times better than her, but I need to remember the plan.
I look around, as if I’m concerned who might be lurking about. Then I reach across the linen-covered table, my hands trembling as if I’m scared out of my wits. Her hands are cold,just like her, and I want to pull away. But I don’t. I stick to the plan.
"Mother," I choke out, moisture welling up in my eyes. "I… I can't bear it any longer. Giuseppe is gone and everything here is just… too much. They forced me into this. I want to go home."
Her eyes narrow, calculating as she holds my hands with a grip that feigns maternal concern.
She leans in. "Lucia, darling, you know you can always come home." The word 'home' is laced with a poison that promises anything but sanctuary.
“Really?” I sniff.
"Of course, my child." Her lips curl into a smile that makes her look sinister, not reassuring.
She rises, towering in her tailored elegance. “Follow me.”
I stand and follow her toward the back of the restaurant. My legs shake, and I cross my fingers that everything is going to be all right. We enter the kitchen, heading to the back door. No one seems to notice us as they prepare the afternoon’s meals.
"Nearly there, Lucia," she coos, guiding me with a hand pressed firmly against my spine.
Please let this work. The closer I get to the back door, the more I second-guess this scheme. Back in my parents’ control, I know I’ll experience horrors. I’ll be punished for sure. And then I’ll be sold again.
The back door swings open, revealing the dim alleyway. Her grip tightens as if she’s anticipating her triumph.
A dark sedan sits idling, waiting.
"Quickly, Lucia," she urges, opening the door, gesturing for me to get in.
On a prayer and a hope, I slide in. I don’t recognize the driver, and my stomach drops as my heart rate soars. She joins me in the back, and the driver zips out onto the main road. I glance around for Donovan but don’t see him. Of course Iwouldn’t. That isn’t the plan. But as we drive along, I’m thinking the plan has failed.
The driver makes a turn, heading into an industrial area of the city.
"Where are we going?" My mother’s voice is shrill as she taps the driver on the shoulder.
“Almost there,” he says.
My mother’s eyes narrow as her gaze darts to the window. I see a crack in her demeanor, and I think maybe the plan is working, after all.
She whips her attention back to me. “What is this?”