Page 38 of Scar

Came see me. Heart attack. I think…

“Takeover,” he whispers.

“He was trying to muscle in on your territory. First through Allegra. Then by killing you slowly?”

Don Marone nods. My jaw clenches. With no male heir and his power dwindling, Don Marone’s slice of the pie was ripe for the picking. For a worthless two bit criminal like Scarfone,infiltrating the Marone empire would have been like taking candy from a baby. With Allegra as the spoils of war. Our list of enemies just got bigger.

“Was he mad when I took Allegra?” I ask.

He nods once, then surprises me. “The choice…you or Scarfone. I chose you.” I’m surprised that he gave me his daughter when there was another option on the horizon. I would’ve thought he’d want to spite me and give his daughter to Scarfone. He shakes his head, as though knowing exactly what I’m thinking, then picks up the iPad and starts scribbling again.

Safer with you. I knew you’d fall in love with her. Even your father knew.

My father knew? How could he have possibly known?

He knew.

“How?”

Lunch. 2 years ago. Bumped each other. He told me.

“Scar not ruthless… as he looks. I told him…”

My Allegra a defiant, untamable spitfire.

I laugh at the description of his daughter. He couldn’t have described her more perfectly if he tried. I find myself pleasantly surprised that the two men who were once best friends then found themselves enemies had lunch together and didn’t kill one another. Then neither decided to tell their children about the meetup. On the upside, they both somehow decided that Allegra and I are perfect for each other, a foresight even I could not have imagined.

“You’re telling me this obviously for a reason,” I surmise. “Obviously, you think Scarfone is responsible for your attack. You think he is also responsible for the attack on your home when we were there?”

He nods slowly. Then writes.

Scarfone ambitious. But someone pulling his strings.

“Do you know who? Who would he team up with?”

Don Marone shakes his head helplessly.

Many men. Trying takeover.

“You have many enemies, Don Marone. The fact that they were able to get to your family doctor means he has friends in high places.”

He nods once again.

“You’re a smart man,” he whispers, his voice a raspy echo in the dimly lit room. “Marrying Allegra… you now have the keys to my kingdom.”

I don’t hear her come in, but I hear the sharp intake of breath. I turn to see Allegra standing at the doorway, her eyes wide with a mix of surprise and undeniably, betrayal. The look on her face tugs at something deep in my heart.

She’s fierce but fragile, her frame a silhouette against the backdrop of the hallway light. Her hands grip the doorframe as if seeking support, her knuckles white. The room, already heavy with unspoken words and buried emotions, grows even more charged with her presence.

“Allegra.” My voice is soft, a tentative bridge between us.

She steps forward, her movements slow and deliberate. Her eyes flicker between her father and me, a storm of emotions brewing within them. “What’s going on?” she asks, her voice steady despite the turmoil I can see swirling inside her.

“It’s not what you think, Allegra.”

Allegra’s eyes harden, a protective layer taking over. “Is that what you call it?” she retorts, her tone sharp. “Handing over our kingdom like it’s a transaction? Is that what I am to you?”

Her voice rises, her despair evident in her tone. She’s furious, and I don’t know how far she’ll take her fury.

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