Page 10 of Little Dove

“I included Gia in that, but we have found one other woman, Sienna. She is an older sister to Gia, and only a few months younger than you. You and Sienna were moved in much the same way, which is why we think that your mother and aunt worked together. Bearing two girls within months of each otherwould have led to their deaths, or to the two of you suffering. So they got you out.”

She blinks a few times and then shakes her head. “I feel like I’m in the middle of a stupid Hollywood movie. I mean, who comes up with this shit? So, who exactly is your boss aligned with?”

“With Nico Armani. Gia’s husband,” I add when she gives me a blank stare.

A quick nod and then she continues, “And this Nico guy, he’s not like my family?”

“Not in the traditional sense. He’s an only child, so when his father died, he took over as Don, and he’s young, so he’s got new ideas that have served him well. He wanted to take down the De Lucas long before any of this happened, but when he met Gia and found out what they had done to her, that was the end. He wasn’t about to let her go back to that, so he married her.” I leave out the part about him kidnapping her and keeping her prisoner. No point in adding to her list of grievances against us. “Which effectively nullified the contract her father had in place with someone else and fucked over Giovanni and Marco’s plans.”

“And Sienna, she’s already back in New York with Gia and her husband?”

“Yes. Though she’s currently in a relationship with Alessio Caruso, the man that Gia was originally promised to.” Well, she’s fighting it and Alessio is wearing her down, but again, semantics.

“Of course she is,” Amara huffs sarcastically. “Jesus Christ, it’s like a mafia soap opera.”

I chuckle. “I suppose it might look that way, but to us, it’s actually not that unusual. Though, discovering four women no one knew existed is a new one.”

“And how exactly did you figure out that I’m one of those four?”

“We have people to find out these things for us. They are very good at what they do, and they’ve been on a mission to find you and the others ever since.”

“Other than me and Sienna, who else have you found?”

“None yet, but we’re close. We’ve been focused on finding you and getting to you before the other families, but now that we’ve done that, they’ll focus their attention on finding the other two. One of whom we believe is your sister.”

Amara digs the palms of her hands into her eyes and lets out a low sound that makes me frown. I can’t tell if it’s one of pain or anger. I want to move to comfort her, but I force myself to stand still. Finally, she mutters, “Why is it always me? Why couldn’t I have been born a cow or something? Eat, shit, make some milk, or hell, been a beef cow and had a few good years before it was all over. Instead of this giant fucking mess.”

I blink, shocked. What the hell? Has all this information sent her into a mental breakdown?

She drops her hands and pins me with a hard stare. “Let’s say I choose to believe this whole story. What do you plan on doing with me? And what is your name? I assume the one you gave me at the salon is fake.”

“No, my name is Lazaro Cattaneo.” I don’t want any man’s name but mine leaving that pretty mouth, but even I know that’s impossible. Still, I wanted her to have my real name, to get used to saying it. I can’t wait to hear her screaming it when I finally have her under me. Or over me. I’m not all that picky.

Amara Stanley is mine, and she’ll see that soon enough.

“Fine, that’s your name, but that still leaves the question you just tried to avoid. And let me tell you, that doesn’t bode well for me cooperating.”

As if she has a choice. Instead of making that statement, I simply answer, “The only plan right now is to get you back to New York and behind the protected walls of Nico Armani’shome. My family, the Don, and his sons are all there as well, and we have our best soldiers with us to ensure it, along with Nico’s own men. Your father, uncle, and cousin won’t try to get past us because they know it’s suicide. Our Don, Pietro Caruso, is one of the most feared and respected Dons in the world.”

“Oh sure, that’s just what I want to hear,” she mutters, though I still catch it. “How the hell am I supposed to just trust that you’re not bringing me back there to force me to marry someone so you can make your own alliances, hmm? You already mentioned that my cousin, Sienna, is in a relationship with the Don’s son. A bit suspicious, don’t you think?”

One thing about the De Luca men, they make damn smart women, considering Sienna made the same connection almost immediately when Alessio and I met her in her apartment in LA.

“You can’t fight attraction and chemistry, Amara, and those two have it in spades. She keeps him on his toes, and he enjoys the fuck out of it. Them being together isn’t contingent on her being offered protection, just like yours isn’t either. The only thing anyone is concerned about is making sure you’re safe.” Though she and I will definitely be having a relationship of our own. No fucking way am I going to let anyone else near her. “But there will be no marriage contracts. Pietro will never allow it. He’s big on choice, and made sure Gia and Sienna both knew that. He was ready to break his alliance with Nico and risk a war with him to ensure that Gia was with him by choice and not force. And he gave his son the same warning, that Sienna was to make the decision herself too.”

“You make him sound like some kind of saint, and considering your choice of profession, that’s not easy to believe.”

I shrug. “Until you’re there and see it for yourself, I know that’s how you’ll choose to see it. However, I will say that Pietro is a second father to me and my brothers. He’s never once treated us any differently than his own sons, who are technicallyour bosses as well, considering they all work for the business and stand to inherit it. My father was his Underboss until Alessio came of age and could take over the role, and they were the best of friends long before as well. Is he powerful and ruthless? When he needs to be. But to those he counts as important, as family, then as far as I’m concerned, he is one of the best men I know.”

Amara stares at me, eyes wide. “You really care about him, huh?”

I nod. “Pietro was there for us when our mother died. He was always kind and good to us before then, but that was when he truly won my loyalty. He wasn’t a Don then. He was a friend to my father, and a father to us while my father grieved. That will never be forgotten by any of us, so we work for him of our own choice, not because we’re ordered to.”

“I’m sorry you lost your mother,” she says softly. “I can imagine that was hard.” I give her a quick nod of thanks. Even now, discussing my mother too deeply can be painful, especially knowing that she’d love Amara. But that’s a thought for another time. “Damn it, Lazaro, you’re making it really hard to stay mad,” she grumbles, glaring up at me.

I smirk. “Then why waste the energy? Neither of us can change how things are going.”

“What was your plan when you came to the salon? Were you just going to tell me all this and expect me to go with you?”

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