Page 2 of Family Matters

It was Liam’s turn to fill in the blanks with what he found out from a few conversations between different members of hisfamily, especially his mother and grandmother. The then-girl discovered too late she was pregnant and her ultra-religious, super-rich parents forced her to keep the baby. They moved from New York City and married her off to a guy who turned a blind eye to the illegitimate child.

However, Liam wasn't loved by his mother, who had two other sons from her husband. She detested him for the eye defect and his stepfather and stepbrothers called him spare parts. All four of them belittled him, constantly reminding him of the slight imperfection which, in their opinion, made it impossible for the young man to build a successful career in any field involving face-to-face interaction with the clients.

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Brian cleared his throat. “You’re going to hate me, but I swear I didn't know.Luca, you and Bart are going to kick my ass.”

“I won't.” Luca’s voice was vibrating with emotion and warmth. “I know you. If you would have known about Liam's existence, you would have done the right thing.”

“What are you talking about?” The young man gave the librarian a look filled with confusion. “What do you mean by doing the right thing?”

After a considerable effort, Brian finally pushed down the lump in his throat. “Liam, I'm your dad.” He barely articulated the words.

A loud gasp followed by a long moment of silence was Liam’s reaction to the librarian’s words. “Did that long-haired guy know? Is this why he sent me here?”

Brian thought for a few moments before answering, carefully choosing his words. “I don’t know; after almost thirteen years, Leon is still a mystery to me. What I know is that I'll make sure you have a job and a place to live. That place could be my own house if you want.”

“We should talk to Don Eugenio Brentano-Fenelli, I'm sure he has the right job for your oldest son.” There was no hesitation in Luca’s voice when he said the last two words.

“That's a great idea!” Elyan enthusiastically approved. “I'll talk to papa, too. If you are only half as cool as the dude here, you’ll do a hell of a job in the public relations department.” The blond stopped when he saw the confused expression on Brian’s newfound son’s face. “Oh, sorry, you are more likely familiar with his other persona, Eugene Boorman.”

“You mean like in Boorman Media Group? You are the son of the guy who owns it?”Liam exclaimed, eyes wide with disbelief.

Elyan nodded solemnly, no trace of sarcasm or irony in his sky-blue eyes. The long-haired dude was right, coming here got me a job, or at least great chances for an interview. The librarian has a lot of rich, influential friends, Liam thought, looking into Brian eyes. It was then when he noticed the small, but very important detail that united them, and he knew, deep down in his heart, that he wouldn't be abandoned ever again.

CHAPTER 2

“I can’t believe you did that!” Graziela’s voice was low and cold, in stark contrast with the anger boiling inside her, threatening to explode.

“What happened, cara mia?” Donna Fabrizia asked in the soothing, soft voice reserved only for her granddaughter. “You look very troubled, what upsets you so badly?”

“I never thought you’d be capable of an act so vile, so cruel, so…” Graziela fought hard to keep her emotions under control. “He was just a kid, for heaven’s sake, and you said so many times we don’t harm kids.”

“Cara, please, calm down and let’s have a reasonable talk. I don’t know what you think I did and who are my accusers. I have the right to defend myself, don’t you think?” Donna Fabrizia’s voice had an edge that it lacked earlier.

“That poor boy Martino. Our men did unspeakable things to him, under your orders.” Graziela tensed like a bow ready to release the arrow and swallowed hard. “Not to mention what you put Luca through, although you had no right to; he was under my protection. I gave him my word he was safe.”

“Oh, so this is what it's all about!” Donna Fabrizia let out a contemptuous huff, accompanied by a shrug. “The little whore brought that upon himself when he drove a group of men crazy with lascivious moves and stripped for them. None of them were on my payroll, you can check it if you don’t trust me. As for my son’s bastard…”

“Legitimate or not, Luca is my brother.” Graziela spoke in a flat, cold, determination-tilled voice. “The blood of my father, your son, runs through his veins, and calling him that is an insult to our whole family.”

“You are right and I was wrong.” Donna Fabrizia raised her hands in a gesture of surrender. “I shouldn’t have interfered, shouldn’t have given orders over your head.” The old woman fell silent for a few moments, gazing over her granddaughter. “One day, in the near future, you’ll be the head of the Rinaldi family and no one, not even I, has the right to question your authority.”

Graziela didn’t answer; she lowered her head, reflecting on what she was about to say. “The seat in The Council, being the head of the family, running the organization… you know better than anyone I didn’t want any of that. In the light of what happened lately, I wonder if it’s worth the effort, time, and price. However, I’m ready to make a deal.”

“And what are the terms of this deal, if I may ask?” Donna Fabrizia made colossal efforts to hide the fear that started to overtake not only her voice, but her body, too, going deep down into her soul and bones.

“I want peace in our family, and this means you’ll have to let Luca and his husband live their lives without having to look over their shoulder all the time.” Graziela cleared her throat. “My brother made it clear that he has no intention to contest my position as leader of the family. Also, I want you to leave their friend the librarian alone.” The woman sighed heavily. “This, or else.”

Donna Fabrizia let out another sigh as the scene, which happened two months earlier, played in her head for the tenth time that day. Graziela’s determination and inflexibility, although worthy of another cause, more relevant to the old woman’s goals, made her proud of her granddaughter. The girl showed she had what it took to be the next head of the Rinaldi family.

Donna Fabrizia, who came victorious from numerous confrontations with powerful, rich men from the Old-World Mafia and the outside world. She had to bend to Graziela’s will. The or else that marked the end of their conversation back then was a veiled threat that the younger woman would go as far as severing ties with her grandmother.

Even now, two months later, the possibility sent chills down Donna Fabrizia’s spine. She raised Graziela to be confident, strong, outspoken, and independent. She taught her she didn’t need a man, or anyone else, to approve her actions, and to rely solely by herself and her qualities in achieving her goals, and now, all those teachings were turning against Donna Fabrizia.

If her granddaughter would close the door on her, the old woman realized she would wither away, the loneliness grasping her in its claws and sucking the life out of her, to the last drop. She would have no one to tell about the greatness of the Amalfi, her birth family, and the Rinaldi, the one she was married into.

The worst thing for Donna Fabrizia was that she would have no one to pass her own ambitions and dreams of power in aworld ruled by men to, if Graziela decided to get out of her life, so she agreed with the younger woman’s requests. She didn’t regret her decision, because now everything was like before between her and Ruggero’s daughter.

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