Page 107 of DeLucas After Dark

“No, no, no! Simone…” Martina pulled me aside and out of the way of others at the mall.

“Why did he propose if he didn’t really want to marry me?” I asked her sincerely. “It’s like he’s been a completely different person for the past three weeks. Did his proposal create an alter ego that hated the thought of marrying me or having this child?”

“Stop that. Listen, Beni is a jerk and needs a reality check. There is no reason why you should be here planning your wedding alone, dealing with his shit, and being super busy growing a baby inside you. You can’t get yourself worked up about things because it’ll hurt the baby. I need you to be calm and as relaxed as you can be.”

“We get married in eleven days. How calm can you really ask me to be? I don’t even have a groom to say I do to if he doesn’t get back soon. I’d get up there on that altar and agree to be his forever in joggers and pumps, if that is what it took. I don’t care about the dress. It’s Beni that I can’t live without.”

Martina pulled me into her arms, and I fell apart, unable to hold back the tears. I cried so hard that my eyes burned, my head ached, and the skin on my face burned. I didn’t need this shit.

“The wedding is off.” I said to her, breaking for the hold she had me in.

“Simone, no.”

“Yes. I’m tired of second guessing myself. If Beni wants to marry me, he’s going to have to fix this and do better. Until then, I can’t marry him.”

I knew it seemed abrupt, but I meant every word that I’d said. I can’t do this like this.

Now I had to call Beni to make sure he knew. He was going to be pissed, but I couldn’t do this alone. He needed to provide some support beyond monetary contributions.

Until then…

BENIAMINO

I’ve been here with the elders, stuck in this house for five days without a phone. They didn’t allow them here because the location would be compromised. Tired of debating with them about if I should be left in control in Florida was driving me fucking nuts. They’d gotten wind that I had no idea about the Italian side of things, and it left a gap in my knowledge base.

Tammaro had made it his job to make sure that I saw every damn corner of everything we did over here. I was surprised at how much he knew and even more impressed that he didn’t seem intimidated by my presence. As far as I knew, he wanted nothing to do with the drug trade system we ran back home. He liked staying on the legal side of things and was even there with me to make sure that the elders saw things my way.

“Beni, trust me. I think it could do us both some good if you let me speak to them. I’ve dealt with them when I convinced them to venture into real estate. They’re stubborn, but usually fair. They respect family and loyalty. You’re building on that now. They’ll see that you’re taking your role seriously.” He leaned forward and rested on his knees, but his eyes were trained on me.

Was this all a ploy?

“Talking to them makes you look good.”

“Except I’ve already told you that I don’t want to do what you do. I’m fine where I’m at.”

“It sounds good, but the moment that you go in there talking a big game, all eyes will be on you.”

“Then let it. The way dad set it up, we can’t exist in this business without the other. I wash money quicker than anything you do over there. I know you don’t know me, but at some point, learn to trust me. We’re brothers and this would work out best for us both if they saw things the way we want them to.”

“Try any funny business, and I’ll kill you the moment we step off this compound.” I warned him.

“Don’t threaten me, DeLuca. We have the same blood running through us both. I’m not some punk bitch that you can threaten, and I’ll bow at your feet. I’ll challenge you every step of the way.”

“I meant what I said. I’ve worked too damn hard, and I won’t let you try to step in. When we go in there, stick to the script.”

“Glady.”

* * *

Coming out of the meeting, I was fuming. They agreed to leave me in charge in Florida as long as Tammaro came with me to check on progress. They also expected me to do the same for him here in Italy. We were working together for the unforeseeable future. Right now, I was happy that I could go home. I had a wedding in four days to get to, a mother-in-law to talk to, and a fiancée to make up with.

When I got to my phone, I had over fifty missed calls and so many text messages that it had the plus sign next to the number. I went to Simone’s messages first.

Since you’re refusing to answer my calls, I wanted you to know that I’m calling off the wedding. When you’re ready to discuss what’s happening with you or why I haven’t heard from you for four days, I’ll be here waiting.

“Where to?” The driver asked.

“Home.” I didn’t give a damn about all my things that were at Tammaro’s place. I was about to lose the most important thing of all if I didn’t haul ass. I still needed to talk to Mrs. Flowers, too.

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