Page 11 of Memento Mori
I descended the metal stairs to the lower level of my condo and settled into my home office desk. My father’s handwritten note made me groan. I rested my bare feet on my oak desk and opened the file that a soldier had delivered, only to be greeted by another potential marriage candidate. One I knew would be greatly beneficial to the Rizzo family. More beneficial than any of my parents’ previous choices.
I grabbed the picture of Francesca Lombardo, Marco Lombardo’s daughter. If we merged our families, we would have access to some of the Scuderi organization’s territory, gaining us even more than what we possess now. On the outside it was a win-win situation. But on the inside my heart screamed at me to let all this shit go for the love of my life.
From the note my father left with the file, Marco approached him with the idea. I’d only been around Francesca a few times since we were children. She was a very beautiful Italian woman, around my age. The perfect woman the Families expected to become a Donna. Long black hair, olive complexion, and curves to match her sexy as sin voice, but she wasn’t who I wanted.
A few months ago, I would’ve jumped at the chance with Francesca. Not because she was beautiful. Beautiful women were not in short supply. However, the amount of territory we’d acquire was exponential and would benefit the arms trafficking part of the organization.
I understood why my father believed a union between me and Francesca was the best option. But I already found the woman who would be my Donna. A stunning African beauty, that no one could match, not even Francesca. Now it was time everyone elseknew about her. No amount of territory would make me step away from Aaliyah.
I pondered the options for discussing my relationship with Aaliyah with my parents, after closing the file. I pulled the small velvet box from the top desk drawer then lifted the lid. The family jeweler crafted the engagement ring a month ago. After looking at it, I smiled, closed it, then placed it back in the drawer. Aaliyah would be my wife it was just a matter of when.
“They need to know,” I said to the empty room. “I can’t put Aaliyah through this matchmaking bullshit any longer.”
With the choice made, I felt a sense of relief. I’d meet my parents in a few hours for our weekly breakfast and tell them then. My father would be happy I was finally making a decision no matter who the woman was. My mother was a different beast. I’d been witness to her mistreatment of my sister. I could only imagine her reaction to Aaliyah. But I didn’t care. I lost all the love and respect for her when she tried to harm my sister.
Exhaustion finally settling in, I abandoned my office for the comforts of my bedroom. This time when I pulled the sheets back, I welcomed sleep. In a few hours I could make it official with the love of my life. After informing my parents of my intentions, I’d finally propose to the woman who stole my heart.
Chapter Four
NOTHING EVER GOES AS PLANNED
Antonio
Nothing went as planned when my mother was involved. After greeting everyone at the table, I clenched my teeth, trying to maintain a pleasant smile despite the circumstances.
My mother led me to believe this would be a family breakfast. To my astonishment, both Francesca and her father showed up. Why I continued to trust my mother was beyond me. The conniving bitch itched to control my life since she held no power over my father’s.
Why not control the life of the future Don instead?
With a vacant seat on Francesca’s right, I took my place at the round table. I tried to ignore the nauseating glee on my mother’s face.
“Isn’t Francesca beautiful, Antonio?” my mother asked. “You two make such a beautiful couple.”
While my father and Marco were engrossed in whatever they were discussing, I leveled a glare at my mother. I wanted to storm out, but I still had to maintain some sort of calm in this situation. I would not be bullied into something I didn’t want.
I ignored her comment. She knew good and damn well we were not a couple, no matter how much she pushed, and no matter how beautiful Francesca was.
“Thank you, Mrs. Rizzo,” Francesca said her face tinting pink when I looked at her. “I’m so happy you could join us this morning, Antonio. When your mother called last night and invited me and my father to breakfast, I was so excited. It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other. I’ve missed you.”
She was laying it on thick. How can you miss someone you never see, or you don’t know? Sure, we grew up together and hung around some of the same people because we had no other choice.
When we were younger, it was dangerous to associate with people who were not a part of our world. But as far as us being friends or anything past acquaintances was delusional on her part. Like I said she was beautiful, but I wasn’t mistaking her interest in me for anything more than what it was. She was raised to become a Donna by any means necessary. She was just as power hungry as my mother.
Francesca’s hand clasped mine, our fingers intertwining, as she leaned in to give me a gentle peck on the corner of my mouth. I was so pissed at my mother who set this whole meeting up. She must’ve already told Francesca she was my choice for my wife.
I played the part for the sake of the Famiglia despite wanting to get up and give my mother a piece of my mind before heading home to wait for the woman I really wanted. My woman. But it would be disrespectful to disregard Francesca’s feelings, especially in front of her father and in front of mine.
I squeezed our intertwined fingers and gave her the smile she clamored to receive from me. I could see the approval of my gesture in my mother’s eye.
Just a few more hours and I will be in the arms of the woman I love.
A familiar tingling feeling landed in the pit of my stomach. My hair stood on end. It was like the air had been sucked out of the room, but I tried to ignore it. It couldn’t be possible, anyway.
Our food had been placed on the table, chatter between my mother and Francesca increased and I pretended like I was interested in whatever they were planning then turned my attention to my father and Marco while they continued to discuss business and joined in when needed.
I just wanted to be in the arms of my woman, but right now I played along with this nonsense. I smiled and laughed when Francesca said something or placed a kiss to my cheek. Imaintained conversation with both her and Marco for the sake of appearances. You never know when the enemy wanted to find a chink in the armor of a powerful family. And me not entertaining the idea of finding a Donna was seen as a weakness in the eyes of many in the criminal world. A fact neither of my parents forgot to tell me any time we discussed these potential matches and what could be gained or lost.
In the middle of the conversation with Francesca about the latest fashion show she attended, I felt that familiar tingling in the pit of my stomach, intensifying with each passing moment. Refusing to push the feeling away for a second time, I searched the packed dining room praying with everything in me I was wrong.
