Page 1 of Till Death Do Us Part

Prologue~

Mia

This time of year, a sea of green surrounded my parents’ mansion tucked away in the Ozark Mountains. High above, the sun shone in a beautiful sapphire-blue sky. Workers milled about in preparation for my brother Dario’s wedding. As a means of an escape from the hubbub or perhaps hoping to avoid the bride’s incoming family, my cousin Giorgia and I lay by the pool, enjoying the solitude out of the way of the chaos.

Giorgia lay on her stomach, a magazine in her grasp, as she read news of celebrities and the type of people often envied. “I’m thankful all of our dirty laundry isn’t published for the world to read.”

“Like the fact Dario is marrying someone from the cartel?”

Giorgia laughed. “Catalina was nice enough at the bridal shower.”

Closing my eyes, I remembered the shower. A plane full of my brother’s family, mostly women and bodyguards, flew to Southern California for a one-day trip. Mom insisted that our family had a strong showing. It was all about an alliance the Luciano famiglia and Roríguez cartel were forming.

“Nice,” I said, thinking of my future sister-in-law. “I think I may have scared her with the see-through teddy.”

Giorgia giggled and rolled to her back, tossing the magazine to the travertine tile. “She was as white as a sheet.”

We both laughed.

“She’s marrying the future capo,” Giorgia said. “She should get used to being outside her comfort zone.”

I nodded. “I guess she’s better than Josie, but” —I shuddered— “I don’t envy Dario for marrying into that family. Rocco says the cartel will double-cross us. He doesn’t trust them.”

Rosa, one of Mother’s maids, appeared, carrying a tray with two mimosas. “Mrs. Moretti.” She handed one to me. “Mrs. Pesci.” She handed one to Giorgia.

We waited until the maid walked away before bringing our glasses together with a giggle. “To the alliance,” my cousin said.

After a sip, I shook my head. “Rocco would be furious to know I was even pretending to support it.”

My cousin looked at the glass in my hand. “How would he feel about your third mimosa before noon?”

I pressed my lips into a straight line. “Since I’m on my period, he knows I’m not pregnant.” I made a face. “It added to his wonderful disposition.”

“You’re wearing a bathing suit.”

“I told him that Father would be furious if the cartel saw bruises on the capo’s daughter.” I laid my head back against the chair and lifted my face to the sunshine. “Holding that over him has been the best part of this farce.”

We both turned toward the sound of male voices.

Father’s gaze went disapprovingly toward the two of us. “Mia, Giorgia, go inside. Our guests have arrived.” We might both be married adult women, but that didn’t matter. My father’s word, as capo dei capi, was law.

Giorgia and I stood and quickly covered ourselves with beach robes.

The three men standing with Father were obviously from the Roríguez cartel. The oldest was probably in his early sixties with a complexion darker than the other two. The younger ones were probably in their twenties or thirties, with haunting dark stares simmering unabashedly toward the two of us in our bathing suits.

Father’s chin was raised as he explained. “Jorge, this is my daughter, Mia, and my wife’s niece, Giorgia.”

The older man smiled and nodded. “Beautiful young ladies.” He turned to the younger men. “My sons, Aléjandro and Reinaldo.”

“Hello,” I replied.

“Hi,” Giorgia said.

Aléjandro and Reinaldo merely nodded.

“I’m afraid they’re both married,” Father said with a chuckle. If the information was supposed to stop the leering looks from Jorge’s sons, it didn’t.

Giorgia and I hurried away from the pool deck with our mimosas in hand. Once inside the safety of the house, we both gulped down the remainder of our drinks.

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