Page 48 of Angelo

"Are they planning to make any moves at the funeral?"

Mariposa mumbled, "Cara has gone missing. I have not been able to reach her for days, which is very unlike her."

Dread snaked through Elyse. "Oh, fuck.”

"I am worried that something bad may have happened to her."

Elyse couldn't help questioning if Cara was even alive at this point. “Do you think that she might be… dead?”

“I do not know,” Mariposa remarked with panic in her eyes, "but I feel like this funeral will create havoc in all of our clans."

"I think so, too." There was no way in hell that Domenico was going to be on good behavior. He definitely had a plan for chaos. The fucker had to know by now that one of his men killed Gaspare's bodyguard.

"I am scared."

Elyse assured her, "I'll keep you out of harm's way, Mari. Alessandro and I will be ready for the chaos. Thanks to you."

But Elyse spoke with more confidence than she felt. Her veins turned to ice at the thought of Sunday. Most likely, Vincenzo Vitale wouldn't be the only corpse at the funeral. A sea of blood was about to drown them all.

10

Elyse texted Alessandro onthe drive back to the palazzo.

Alessandro was already standing in the foyer when Elyse brought Mariposa inside. His face betrayed no emotion when he greeted her, “Welcome home, wife.”

Elyse eyed Alessandro closely, trying to get a read on him. “Hello, husband.”

Distrust glittered from his eyes as he glanced at Mariposa. Glaring at her like a hawk, he taunted,“Tuo padre sa che sei qui?” Does your father know that you are here?

Mariposa glowered back before ducking behind Elyse. She coughed under her breath,"Bastardo!"

"I understand why you might be upset," Elyse addressed Alessandro, attempting to soothe him. "It was hard to explain through text, but I can tell you everything now.Come with me."

Monte and Luca stayed behind with Mariposa while Elyse pulled Alessandro into another room. She proceeded to summarize, in detail, what had transpired at the cafe. Elyse then revealed the scars and bruises she saw on Mariposa’s body. Finally, she shared everything Mariposa had revealed about Gaspare, Orlando, andCara.

“Fucking Aberto,” Alessandro cursed in livid tones.

Elyse asked, "Will you let Mariposa stay with us?"

"Only during the day," he relented after a slight pause. "At night, send her home with Monte or Luca. They can keep an eye on Mariposa until I know where we stand with Aberto."

Elyse's heart swelled. Her husband had readily agreed to take in Mariposa despite the deadly risk it posed. She hadn't misjudged his character. Ascapo, kindness might be considered a liability, but, as a man, he’d never looked more attractive in her eyes.

Perhaps, as Alessandro had once claimed, there could be honor in the gray, after all?

With the matter of Mariposa settled between them, Elyse turned her attention to the upcoming funeral. Alessandro did the same. The final days of preparation scraped by on pins and needles. Gianna's music box continued to sit in their bedroom. Everything fell into a state of ebb and flow. Set plans constantly needed to be adapted to fit each new piece of intel that flowed from Elyse's contacts, like Mariposa and Antonia, as well as Alessandro's men and Benedetto's men. Friday came and went. Saturday followed suit. Then, Sunday arrived before Elyse was ready for it.

There wasn't a cloud in sight on the morning of Vincenzo Vitale’s funeral. The Sicilian sun shone blindingly bright, and the skies were dyed strikingly blue as though God Himself failed to see the tragedy in the occasion. The oldcapo'smemorial service was being held at a remote church located an hour outside of Palermo. It was nestled in the mountains between two neighboring towns.

Small and humble at first glance, the ancient walls of the church belied its modest exterior. Every brick and stone had been infused with touches of Saracen and Norman culture, reflecting centuries of history that had survived storms and strife. There was a timelessness that felt quite sacred. Its location was also very isolated, which made it perfect for the bloodbath they were about to engage in.

Earlier that morning, a fleet of slow-moving black vehicles had followed a black hearse up narrow, winding mountain roads. Each car was packed with themost prominent figures from the Vitale, Berlusconi, De León, Svizzi, Trevisano, Moretti, and Graviano clans. These same vehicles were now parked beside the church in neat, tidy rows.

Everyone was dressed in black, including Elyse. She felt a bit lost in the crowd of men. Other than Tara Trevisano and Antonia Svizzi, there weren't any other women in attendance. Notable faces, such as Carmen Vitale, Cara Berlusconi, and Mariposa De León, were nowhere in sight.

Valentina, however, had come.

Donning a sharp black blazer and hip-hugging pencil skirt, her stepsister-in-law's face looked a bit more gaunt compared to the last time they crossed paths, but she was still as striking and gorgeous as ever. The day before, Alessandro allowed Malina to bring Valentina back from Salemi since the woman had, supposedly, agreed to play a key role in their plans.

---