Page 52 of Inescapable Ties
Emilio
ThingswithLucianahadbeen going well. We had settled into an oddly domestic life together, something I would have never foreseen for myself.
That was until I received a call from her brother. I saw his name on the caller ID, and strongly debated ignoring it, but decided it was for the best if I answered.
“Hey,” I said, my voice monotonous and not bothering to hide my disinterest.
“Emilio.” Rolando’s icy voice came through the other side, not bothering to put on his normal facade. He may have been able to win over all the higher ups, but I saw him for who he truly was - a schmoozer.
I had always known he didn’t want me to marry Luciana. To him, I was just “The Butcher,” a cold-hearted tormentor and murderer.
“Yeah?” I responded.
“My father has been displeased with the way you’ve been treating him.”
Classic Gennaro. Too afraid to man up, so he used his more likeable son to confront me. Joke was on him, though. I didn’t like Rolando.
“Tell him I’m stilldispleasedhe lost us twenty million dollars.”
“That was settled after your marriage to my sister.” he sounded bitter as he said it.
“Yeah, yeah. Is that all you needed to say?”
“No. You and Luciana are coming to dinner on Saturday.”
The demand was so abrupt I nearly dropped the phone. I didn’t care if he was Luciana’s brother - his status was lower than mine and he held no right to command me.
“Excuse me?” I spat out, my hand tightening around the sleek device. “Did you just command me?”
“Luciana would be sad if she found out you said no,” he said, ignoring my question. “She hasn’t really got to see us since getting married.”
“I don’t think she has any interest in seeing Gennaro.”
“Maybe so, but I’d bet she still misses us,” he said, referring to himself, Martina, and their mother.
I could almost feel the smirk on his face, a smug satisfaction that he had found my weak spot. He knew how much Luciana valued her family, dysfunctional as they were.
“Saturday, you say?” I enunciated each word with labored clarity. Craning my neck, I exhaled deeply, my gaze drifting across the expanse of the office, the city’s skyline glimpsed through the blinds. “Alright. Fine.”
As we cruised down the winding road, Luciana’s animated chatter filled the car with energy and anticipation. Her eyes sparkled with excitement at the thought of seeing her family, and I couldn’t help but share in her joy. Even though she knew her father would be there, she was willing to put up with him for the night. But I would hold true to my promise that he would never be alone with her again. I would do everything in my power to protect her from his toxic presence.
As our car pulled up to the grand mansion, I couldn’t help but admit the Catucci family had great taste. The sprawling estate was a sight to behold, with meticulously trimmed hedges and a regal fountain at its center. Every inch of the exterior was flawlessly maintained, exuding an air of wealth and extravagance.
Did Luciana miss living in a house? I had moved her into my penthouse and never asked her what she thought about it. It was big, but not as large as her family’s estate. I reminded myself to bring it up with her later and consider beginning the search for potential homes.
We handed our car over to a valet, and a maid ushered us into the dining room.
“It feels like I’m a guest in here now,” Luciana muttered. “I know how to navigate the house.”
“You technically are,” I pointed out.
“Yeah,” she said, almost a bit sadly.
Maybe I would buy a house for her. Though I wasn’t sure if that would help ease the sadness she was going through.
She brightened up a bit when she saw her family. She hugged everyone - sans her father - giving them each a kiss on the cheek. I greeted her mother and sister politely, and tried not to punch her father and brother when saying hello.
Luciana was a lively and enthusiastic chatterbox at the dining table, her words tumbling out in a constant stream. As we grew closer, I began to understand just how much she had missed her family during our time apart. I made it my mission to learn every detail about her and her loved ones, eager to fill the gaps in our marriage with a deeper understanding of her past.
