an uncanny alliance

FRANCESCA

“MYA?” Angelina’s voice is soft, almost timid.

~Quiet, you fool.~

I decide to respond. Vincent wouldn’t appreciate his wife speaking to another man, especially her former boss. The man she ran to just hours ago, causing Vincent to lose face.

“Mya, our ex-maid, was a traitor. She was working for the Lambardis and played a direct role in an attack on me. She named the Lambardis,” I say.

It’s a vague answer, but it addresses Angelina’s question. I’m unsure about what information to share and what to keep to myself. I wasn’t ready for this.

All I was prepared for was to be a trophy wife, a role I had no problem with. I wasn’t prepared for Angelina’s questions.

“We have Ruby, my father’s girlfriend, as proof that the transaction took place. A man from the Lambardi Family sold your sister to my father,” Antonio says.

“So the Lambardis have a problem with you guys, and we’re caught in the middle.” Vincent raises his eyebrows.

Antonio tilts his head. “Well, my sister wasn’t the one who was raped.”

My heart freezes. A chill sweeps through the room. The tension is palpable. Antonio shouldn’t have said that.

Vincent growls. “Your father was the one who was a fucking perv, Ace.”

“You couldn’t protect your own, and now you don’t have the balls to seek vengeance against the person who dragged your family into this,” Antonio retorts.

“You’re willing to let go of the man who stole your right to kill the one who took away the virtue of a young, honorable Bianchi woman.

“All for what? To stir up a minor feud between us so we kill each other and he comes out on top? To be petty?”

Vincent stares, his jaw clenched.

“We, the Giordanos, will exact our vengeance with fucking class. And do you know why? It’s because they dared to shake up the Giordano pride—~my~ wife, ~their~ Donna.

“Are you okay with that, my friend? To sit like a coward while your woman fights for you? Because, let’s face it, your woman had the guts to walk into our territory,’’ Don Giordano taunts.

He’s pushing Vincent’s buttons. Ego is always a prideful man’s Achilles heel. Vincent is no different and Antonio knows exactly how to manipulate him.

~Fall for it. Fall for it, Bianchi. ~

The look in Vincent’s eyes sends a chill through the room, and Angelina visibly gulps. She didn’t expect to be caught in the crossfire. She’s just a pawn.

Praising her and comparing her to her prideful husband is a way to undermine their relationship and force Vincent to make rash decisions, to prove his dominance in their relationship.

From how tightly he’s holding her, it’s working. She even flinches in pain. I feel bad for her. Antonio is using her innocence and kindness to challenge Vincent’s ego.

She’s become a puppet, and we’re pulling the strings.

“How do I know that you won’t turn on me?” Vincent asks after a moment. ~And he falls for it~.

If my husband and I were alone right now, I know he’d have that smug look on his face that I absolutely adore.

It’s the look of victory, but one should never get too confident before the victory is announced. This could still backfire. I place my hand on his back to warn him to stay cautious.

After all, it’s not over yet. Vincent has a valid question. How can he trust us? The Bianchi boss isn’t as naive as his wife.

He won’t trust the enemy easily, and he shouldn’t. Antonio isn’t planning to play fair.

I speak up. “I apologize for interrupting.” He tenses beside me and I smile. “You stand to gain more than us, Don Bianchi. We could have held your family hostage to bend you to our will, but we didn’t.

“We want peace. We’re taking a step forward and I hope that’s enough reassurance. We know what’s best, and I hope you know what’s best for your Family too.

“There’s nothing personal in this unless we both benefit from it.”

Vincent watches me, his lips pursed. His eyes don’t show lust or disgust at my speaking to the men. I respect that. If he wasn’t a mafioso, I’d call him a good man.

“Then I prefer a more solid reassurance of this truce. A truce that’s based on alliances, not words,” he says, giving me a slight nod.

It’s a respectful gesture and his tone is noticeably less sharp. Women have that effect. Maybe somewhere in the Bianchi Family the codes are still honored, unlike in the Giordano Family.

“And what do you suggest, Bianchi?” my husband asks, his fingers tightening around my waist. I lick my lips. By now I’ve realized that this is jealousy.

But he’s too smart to act on it and throw a fit.

Antonio won’t give anyone else the chance to see his mask of composure slip, to see that he does have feelings.

He won’t give them a chance to have a say in our relationship.

Vincent stays silent. To save the situation, their consigliere, Danilo—if I remember correctly from the cruise party—steps up. “I have a suggestion, Don Bianchi.” He approaches Vincent.

Vincent and Antonio share a nod as the Bianchi men step back and speak in hushed voices. I hold back a smirk. We all know what the suggestion is.

Both leaders have such high egos, no one wants to be the first to say it. In times like these, I wish the Godfather was here. Despite his blatant sexism, he was a wise man when it came to calling a truce.

***

Convincing Antonio isn’t easy, so it surprises me when he agrees over a phone call.

But at the end of the day, the old man is the top dog of the whole ~Nostra Vita~ and his grandson has to comply, regardless of his own judgment.

It even shows how highly my husband regards the older man. It’s no wonder he’s so loyal to the mob.

Antonio isn’t in the crime world because he was born into it. He’s there because it’s his family. Just like it’s mine. We don’t run from our families. We embrace them, no matter how much it messes up our lives or the lives of others. You’re in by blood and out by death. There’s no other way. Loyalty and pride are in our veins and they can’t be taken away. It’s selfish, but that’s the way it is.

Dante comes over to us with Fabio and Antonio’s main bodyguard. Pietro isn’t here. He’s gone back home to take care of things there. With war on the horizon, we can’t risk leaving our family alone. Despite his pervy tendencies, Pietro is a good underboss.

“Where’s Alessandro? Why are you here?” Antonio asks Dante.

Dante presses his lips together. “That’s the thing, Toni. Alessandro is missing.”

Antonio takes his hand off my waist and steps forward. “Missing?”

I see the anger flare in his dark eyes. “Where was he last seen?” I ask.

Dante looks back at Enrico and Fabio. “With Fabio?”

Fabio looks like a deer in headlights as he shakes his head. “I did see him last, but he only told me that he was going to check the back door.”

I furrow my brow. Alessandro’s actions have become suspicious. He wouldn’t betray us, would he? Alessandro calls me his sister. He’s my husband’s best friend. And he’s the consigliere of the Family. He knows everything. We can’t afford to lose him.

“Go find him,” Antonio orders. “And I don’t want any bloodshed today, no matter whose. This truce is important and I’ll be damned if I let Luciano mess this up.”

Dante immediately shakes his head, his jaw clenched. “I’m not leaving you two here with these jerks. Fabio, go find Alessandro.”

Antonio shakes his head in disappointment. “Do as you’re told, Dante. Stop acting like a child.”

“No, I’m not leaving you here. What if something happens?”

“I can protect myself and I can protect my wife too. If Alessandro is in trouble, then he needs us, Dante. We’re family.”

Antonio speaks as if he’s explaining to a child, softly and with a hint of tenderness.

Dante huffs. “No, you’re my family and I refuse to leave you here. I have a bad feeling about this.”

“They’re watching us, Antonio,” I whisper.

Antonio shakes his head in disappointment and turns away. Dante stays. His loyalty is understandable and commendable, especially since he’s not wrong.

I have a bad feeling in my stomach too. I want to leave this place. It feels claustrophobic, but I can’t leave my husband behind. He would never agree to go first, his ego is too big, and neither would Vincent.

“We have a suggestion,” Danilo says, clasping his hands together firmly. Vincent stands beside him, trying to look sane.

He’s seething and it’s obvious in the way his wife is standing like a wilted plant beside him.

“And that is?” Antonio asks.

“An alliance between us would be very beneficial. Trust is an important factor, but as easily as it’s given it can also be snat—”

“Get to the point, Danilo.” I put my arm around Antonio’s. He needs to calm down. Alessandro’s disappearance can’t hint at our real motives for being here. The truce is more important.

Vincent’s nostrils flare. “You have a little sister and I have a little brother.

“Both are illegitimate children, but I care and honor my brother enough to suggest an alliance between us through a sacred alliance between them,” he suggests, his voice softer toward the end.

“It will be more beneficial and lasting. We promise to honor the Giordano princess the same as we would honor our own,” their consigliere adds.

Antonio stays silent. I wonder why. I know he cares for his sister but I also know that he loves the mob even more. He’s hesitating because maybe somewhere, he still knows this is wrong.

“They love each other,” I whisper, taking away his guilt. His body relaxes a bit as if that was the last push.

Alessia would indeed be better off with someone she knows and loves rather than being pushed into the arms of a man who doesn’t want her.

“If we give you a woman of ours then it would only be fair if we get one in return,” Antonio bargains.

I flinch slightly. This is disgusting and cheap. Women aren’t objects, but there’s no way I would let him lose face in front of our rivals by contradicting what he just said.

The only way I can show my disapproval is by digging my nails into his arm which barely does anything because of his suit.

Vincent glares at us. “My sister is dead.”

Antonio nods in fake sympathy. “I’m aware, may she rest in peace.”

“I won’t give a woman from my family to yours. Let’s face it, we all know how your Family works,” Vincent says.

“Then what makes you think I believe my sister will be safe in your Family? We all know how unsafe it is. A cousin of yours will solidify this pure bond of trust and truce,” Antonio counters.

Vincent slams his hand on the table. “We follow the code. I would never go against what honor forbids us to do. I have given my word and I will follow it through, thoroughly.”

“Can you vouch for all your men?” Antonio asks.

“Can you?” Vincent retorts.

“I can assure you that she will be in safe hands. My brother is as good as a man can be,” Antonio promises.

Dante stays silent, despite his life being used in a compromise. He submits to his brother’s word and that’s consent enough for him.

There’s another awkward silence. The men glare at each other. Neither of them wants to go through with it, nor do they trust each other. I’m fed up with it.

The Bianchi Family and us, we've been at odds for so long. But it's clear now that we can't keep this up if we can't even trust each other.

Vincent, the head of the Bianchi Family, finally gives a nod. “We'll unite, bound by blood, to take down the one who's against us.”

“Amen,” my husband echoes.

“Amen,” I say, with Dante chiming in after me.

A heavy silence hangs in the air as the truce is finally agreed upon. Relief floods my chest. It's about time. No more war between our families. And soon, Luciano Lambardi will be dealt with too.

“I need you to hand over Mya and Ruby. I need proof for my Family,” Vincent says, his tone softer now. “And my family?”

Antonio nods. “They'll be sent to you soon. Both of them.”

Vincent nods back. “It'll be good to continue doing business with you.”

Finally, this is all over and we can go home—

“Wait!”

~Damn it, Angelina.~

“Where's the consent in all this? Shouldn't the grooms and brides have a say in whether they want to marry each other? We can't be selfish, Vincent. Please.”

She's right, but it's the wrong time to bring it up.

“Shut the fuck up. You have no right to speak. I'm here because of you,” Vincent snaps at her.

Angelina starts crying. She raises her hand to slap him, but he catches it with a swift move. But the damage is already done.

He's lost face in front of his rival. “I've been too lenient with you, Angelina,” he growls.

Vincent turns to us and gives a nod of farewell. “I believe we've covered everything important.

“Valerio will marry your sister honorably once she's of age, but until then my cousin should have no issues with your brother.”

Antonio tilts his head, a cruel smile playing on his lips. “That she won't, Bianchi.”

I have my doubts about that.