Mercenary (Gangsters of New York #3) - Bella Di Corte Page 0,125
“I am coming! You old grouch.” Her voice echoed as she left the room.
I held Eleonora closer while I picked the book up from the rocking chair and then sat down. One of her hands hit the page while the other reached for her foot. I finished reading the book to her and then set it back down, turning her around to face me.
She lifted one eyebrow, as if to say, What do you want with me? I don’t trust you. She was going to have hazel eyes, like my sister. Every day they changed in color.
“At least you’re not crying,” I said. “That’s a good start.”
“Ya, ya, ya.” She made some sounds, the eyebrow still lifted.
I lifted her up, kissing her cheeks, and then set her in the same position as before, stroking her head.
“You’re like me in that way,” I said. “You’re not going to trust easily. Which is good. Don’t smile for men like me. Ever. Even if they tell you a million pretty things. Promise you the world. Nothing is ever free, remember that, Eleonora. If something seems too good to be true, it usually is. There’s always small print.”
I fixed a strand of her hair that stuck straight up. That, paired with the eyebrow lift, made me grin. “But don’t let the small print stop you from loving. Everything has a price. Even love, even though they say it’s free. Free to give, but it still should be earned.” I sighed. “I’m glad you’re more like me in that way. Your mamma gave her love to me too freely. She should have held out for someone better.”
I kissed her again.
“But I wouldn’t have allowed it. Your mamma is mine. So are you. No one, no other man in this world, will ever love you and mamma the way that I do. Even though I have a hell of a way of showing it.”
“Ya, ya, ya.”
“That’s all you got to say to me, princess?”
“Ya, ya, yaaaa.”
“Smile for me once,” I whispered, touching her chin. “Smile for papà, Eleonora.”
She blinked at me and then yawned, her head falling toward my chest. I brought her even closer and she fell asleep in my arms.
“Corrado?” Alcina stood at the entrance to the door. “We are all ready to go.”
I nodded. “I’ll walk you out.”
I carried Eleonora outside, kissing her head once I strapped her in. I double-checked that all of the bags were as they should be. I waved to my mother and father-in-law.
My wife waited outside of the car.
“Tell me what’s on your mind, angel eyes.”
“Tomorrow,” she said. “All I can think about is tomorrow.” She kissed her palm and held it up for me, and then got in the car and left.
I went about the rest of my day as usual, except that I made sure my wife and family were doing okay on the road and that they had checked into the resort.
I called my sister-in-law in Italy, making sure the plans I had in place were all secure. In case something should happen to me, I sent her letters and arrangements for all of the money.
I sent all of the men home. Turned off all of the alarms in the house.
This was between us, and he wasn’t going to ring the doorbell.
I sat down and ate a meal fit for a king at a table hand-carved for one. My wife and mother-in-law had cooked for me before they left.
Pasta alla Norma.
Caponata.
Arancini.
Blood orange salad.
And a few other specialties.
I finished the meal off with cannoli. My wife was known for them back home. She left an assortment, but my favorite was pistachio.
It brought me back to my time in Bronte. The groves. The volcano. Her. Every day a new day with my angel eyes. Not one that kept continuously turning—same shit, different day. That was my life up until the day I met her.
I sighed, pouring myself a cup of Amaro del Capo.
Night fell, a full moon rising, and I went to the window of the dining room.
Maybe he’d be out howling like the fucking dog he was.
The Scarpone family had wolf tattoos, which made me think back to that day in Modica. He had slipped his hand underneath his son’s shirt, keeping it hidden.
“Yeah,” I said, taking a sip of my drink. “That’s about right.”
I took a seat at the table, checking my watch. It was acceptable to be fashionably late, but this was getting fucking ridiculous.