Page 90 of Twisted Trust
Rain falls gently at first while the priest talks about Elio’s long life in gentle code because everyone expects the cops to try something sneaky even in a situation like this. I learn that Elio founded several charities that are the cornerstones for helping the homeless in New York and he met Marcella when she was twenty-one. As he talks, Marcella crumples in on herself and Levi leaves me to go and support her with his arm aroundher. Keeping her on her feet becomes a battle because her grief doesn’t care about appearances or showing strength. She lost the man she devoted her life to and guilt still sits heavily in my gut as I listen to her tears.
When the rain gets heavier, guards cover us with wide, black umbrellas and Levi gives a short, shaky speech about how he looked up to Elio, how he loved him and how he will do everything he can to make him proud.
Marcella becomes utterly distraught when the casket is lowered into the ground and despite the jacket warming my shoulders, I feel cold. It’s bone deep. I know this isn’t their first funeral and in this world, death is as common as sunrise, but there’s something utterly heartbreaking about the death of the Don.
When Marcella regains her footing, the procession leaving the graveyard becomes a strange stage for countless men and women from hundreds of different crime families to pay their respects. There are even people I recognize, from news anchors to celebrities usually on the cover of glossy magazines and viral dance trends. Everyone acts like they knew Elio on some kind of personal level. I stand by Levi’s side as he shakes countless hands, thanks people for showing face, accepts offers of sympathy and hard promises to help him find out who did this. Nazario’s appearance is a welcome touch of familiarity and he’s the only one who takes my hands and offers me support should I need it. I feel selfish for even considering it.
Levi’s hand in mine is a constant and as New York darkens and the terrible day draws to a close, I’m struck by how quiet the city feels as we head toward the event hall hosting the wake. It’s like the entire city is in mourning for a man who probably deserved to be behind bars. Ironic that a criminal can draw such respect out of a city like this.
I watch Levi closely as we enter the wake where the atmosphere is a far cry from one of deep mourning. There’s lively music, dancing, and drinking, cheers from people as they share stories of Elio that include either getting beaten up by him or doing the beating. People who were enemies in the past are friends now and he clearly touched a lot of lives. The loyalty is unwavering and with the celebration comes a different kind of attention.
People start congratulating Levi on being the next Don. There’s heavy praise for carrying on Elio’s legacy, curiosity about his next steps, and offers of continued alliance and prosperity between families. Levi seems to wilt more and more into himself with every word of praise that comes his way until he’s hunched over, staring deep into a glass of Bourbon while the celebration of life rages on around us.
“Levi?” I slide my hand over his cold knuckles resting against the bar. “Do you want to get out of here?”
Levi’s hand swivels around until we’re palm to palm, then he slides his fingers between mine and grips. “I can’t.”
“You can. You’re Levi Gallo. You can do anything you want to.”
Slowly, he lifts his head and shakes it to free the loose hair that’s fallen across his eyes. “I can’t, though, can I?” His voice is low and strained. “I wanted this position. I dragged you into this position to secure my own and instead it gets handed to me because my father is—” He cuts himself off and his grip tightens on my hand. “I can’t bring him back. I can’t do anything.”
Guilt eats away at me as Levi’s haunted eyes lock onto mine. “I’m so sorry,” I whisper softly, caressing his cheek. “What can I do?”
“Stay with me,” he asks. “Please.”
“Of course.” There’s no doubt in my mind that this is where I want to be.
“I mean it.Please. This deal we have? For you it hinges on Scott and I’ve dealt with CPS, okay? They won’t harass you anymore and this means you can leave, but please don’t. Please.”
Child Protective Services… are they really off my case? That was the hook that drew me into this arrangement with Levi, this fake marriage so I can keep Scott with me, but in true Levi fashion, he’s taken care of it. But he knows the truth now and I don’t plan on walking out into an unsafe world with a Mafia Don’s son now that the whole world has seen us together.
“I don’t care about that anymore,” I say softly. “Well I do, but I just mean… that’s not the reason I want to stay. Levi, you said you still loved me and I’m still working through some complicated feelings, but I’m here, okay?” I draw our joined hands up to my lips and kiss his knuckles. “I’m here for you. Right here.”
Levi’s eyes lazily wander across my face and then he nods slowly. “Thank you.”
I stay with him until dinner is served and then excuse myself to the bathroom, although I suspect Levi would have come with me if he hadn’t been sucked into a conversation about his plans for the casinos. I hurry away down a corridor where the air is cooler and the party is nothing more than a distant hum, seeking out the bathroom. After doing my business, I wash my hands and glance at myself in the mirror.
The black dress I chose sits nicely around my body and color radiates from my cheeks. My hair is pinned up into a bun to keep it out of the way and I kept my makeup minimal. The outfit drags me back to a dress I wore when I thought Levi was dead. Drunk, I dressed in black and scoured the internet trying to find his death notice so I could show up at his funeral. Now I’m by his side as his fiancée with our son safe with Chip while we say goodbye to his father.
My life is insane.
After touching up my lipstick, I head outside. I’ve only made it two steps when a fist flies into my face from the side. Knuckles slam into my mouth and my head snaps back with a gasp as alarm jolts through me like a clap of lightning. I stumble in my heels but the rising scream in my throat is cut off by a fist around my throat. I’m thrown back against the wall and that same fist slams into my gut, painfully winding me.
My vision swims, my face and body throbs, I can’t breathe and I can’t scream. I’m choking as a cramp twists through my abdomen and the blurred face of my assailant swims close.
“Scream for me,bitch,” he snarls as his grip tightens around my throat.
I blink and tears roll down my cheeks while my freshly manicured nails tear at the soft flesh of his wrist. Only a wheeze makes it past my parted lips as he cuts off all my air supply and shoves me an inch up the wall. My heart pounds louder and louder, drowning out the distant sounds of the party. Dark spots blot my vision and despite the blood I draw from his wrist, his iron grip is unwavering.
This can’t be happening! I’m so close to people! An entire Mafia is through the double doors at the end of the corridor and I can’t make a single sound to reach them. Levi is right there and I’m—I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe!
Suddenly, there’s a solid thump and the hand vanishes from my throat as two shadows collide in my limited vision. I collapse down the wall and hit the floor with a ragged gasp that quickly turns into frantic coughing.
Sweet air floods my lungs so sharply that my eyes water, causing fat tears to roll down my cheeks as I hack and cough on all fours.
Breathe! Holy shit!
The thumps continue for a few seconds and then a hand grabs my upper arm. Reflex and panic make me shriek hoarselyand I throw myself back against the wall, only for Nazario’s blurred face to appear before me.
