“Were you always this calm when I came after you?” Raphael murmurs from where he stands, looking out the window.
“You can’t make decisions clearly with an irrational mind. There’s no point in overreacting when the outcome is your own doing.”
Besides, if I lost my mind every time Raphael came for me, I wouldn’t make it out of bed every morning.
“True.” He turns to me, seeming not to be worried a threat is near. “With no one coming to the house, I’m thinking the two guards and open gates were a message that they can get through if they wanted.”
“I agree. But what they don’t know is that I left two guards on duty this morning as a test. They’re predictable, a bit like you, which makes it better for us. We can prepare for the unexpected, and won’t be caught off guard.”
“You don’t seem too upset that two of your men are dead,” he points out.
“I am, but they knew the risks when they took up their posts. They knew if the worst happened to them, I would look after their families. Roberto has a wife but no children. He should have retired and hung up his gun long ago, but he chose to stay on because he didn’t want me being a man down. I will give her enough money so she doesn’t have to worry for however long she has left. Nickolas has a wife and three children, and he approached me for work, knowing that if anything should happen to him, I’d look after them. There’s certain things men fight for, and one of them are their families. They know I’ll keep my word and see that their families are adequately looked after. I’ll subsidise his wife until she finds work that gives them a decent way of life, and I’ll set up trust funds for each child.”
“A lot of your men have died over the years. That’s a lot of families to look after.”
“Children are the future of Vita, Raphael. It’s bad enough they lose their fathers, and seeing as money isn’t important to me, I use it to help others.”
Cupping my cheek, his blue eyes sparkle as the sun pours in through the windows.
“You were always more concerned with others than yourself. You haven’t changed, not really.”
Stepping away from him, his hand drops to his side.
“It’s why I was born. Just because peace was never settled between us, didn’t mean I couldn’t ease this life they led because of us in other ways.”
His mouth opens, but he closes it when Mary leads the staff through from the kitchen.
They form a line and I step forward, making sure their eyes are on me and not Raphael, wondering why he’s here, again.
“By now, you will have heard many rumours about the situation between the Camarco’s and Marocchi’s. It’s true that we’ve agreed to peace, but we’re now having to fight a new enemy. As of today, I want you all to go home to your families and stay there until I call you back. This fight isn’t going to be like what we’re used to, and this estate is going to be a target. I don’t want a single one of you falling.”
“Ma’am, with all due respect, and I speak for everyone here, our place is with you.”
Smiling fondly, I move closer and reach out for Mary’s hand. Her hand is soft, much softer of that belonging to a soldier.
“I lost two guards at the gate today. I can’t bear to think of what could’ve happened if the attackers had made their way into the house. You would’ve had no protection. I need every one of my soldiers out on the streets, and you’ll be safer in your homes.”
“This estate has been home to us for most of our lives. We worked for your father, and though many of us didn’t care for him, we would’ve helped protect the estate, and especially you.”
My fond smile grows to one of pride as I swallow the lump of foreboding lodged in my throat. The row of people before me are more than staff. They’re the closest thing I have to a family.
“Mary, don’t make me give you an order. I want you all alive and safe. I’ll have the estate guarded, but it won’t be by you. Go home, kiss your husband, and tell him I said to keep his hands out of the cookie jar.”
This makes her laugh. Her husband was diagnosed with diabetes