A Mob Boss's Family (Book 2 Of The New York Mafia Trilogy)

16. Love is in the air & cant breathe sometimes

Francesco raised an eyebrow "Sweetheart. Costanzo is already allowed to befriend any woman he wants...."

Adele was slightly getting nervous. She tried to shake off her fears of upsetting Francesco and most likely causing Costanzo to get hurt at his hands. So she chose her words as cautiously as possible to keep Costanzo out of it as much as possible. She took a deep breath and spoke "Some ladies upstairs told me about what happened with .... Elize..."

Francesco interrupted "which ladies sweetheart. You spoke to dozens of women upstairs as I watched you mingling. Why don't you name names so I can .... answer your question better."

Adele spoke dismissively "It doesn't matter Francesco. Alot of women up there knew about Costanzo's love life. They told me about Elize and how much Costanzo loved her."

Francesco spoke "Loved. Exactly the right tense to use. Its all past tense sweetheart. Costanzo loved her. Not any more. That girl has moved on and so has Costanzo."

Adele murmured "You made sure of it of course." Her eyes then widened as she realised what she had said and Francesco's changed expression didn't help calm her and put her mind at ease either.

Francesco spoke in a low tone "What do you mean by that sweetheart? What do you know about what I have done? Did those ladies tell you anything about my involvement?"

Adele knew it was too late to take it. She was just hoping that Francesco didn't trace her knowledge source to Costanzo and wishing that Francesco assumed that one of the ladies upstairs told her about this. She was less confident now as she spoke "I was told that... I was told about how.... you know .... you stopped their wedding. I mean, I heard that you stopped by at Costanzo's and Elize's wedding and took Costanzo away at gun point. Is this true? I couldn't believe it when I was told about what you did. Why would you do that?"

Francesco looked thoughtful. He looked at Adele silently for seconds and then broke the silence between them "Its true. I did that. But I did it to protect Costanzo. Does that answer your question? I really don't think there is any more to this issue."

Adele spoke as her voice became hardly a whisper "But why? How could that protect him?"

Francesco was sounding irritated "Stopping that wedding was a business decision. Not a personal decision. I don't expect you to understand sweetheart how I protected him."

Adele spoke " Try me. Explain to me and I might understand."

Francesco sighed " You are stubborn sweetheart. Fine. I tell you. I stopped Costanzo making a mistake that day that could potentially ruin his life. I stopped that wedding because I didn't want to ever be forced to hurt my brother if that woman ever betrayed him."

Adele was surprised " What do you mean by saying if she betrayed him? But they were in love from what I have heard."

Francesco nodded " They looked like they were. But I couldn't be sure. I couldn't let Costanzo take a risk sweetheart. I don't trust anyone in the law and order system or close to them. I never trusted Elize and I still don't."

Adele spoke " But why?"

Francesco spoke " We have been through this before sweetheart. You have heard me say that I don't trust law makers and law enforcers many times before. Elise's father is a senator....."

Adele spoke " But Elize isn't."

Francesco spoke " But ..... the risk of Elize betraying Costanzo back then and spying for her father was too great. Do you know what that would have meant if I let my brother marry a potential spy? Do you?"

Adele shook her head waiting intently for Francesco's further explanation.

Francesco spoke in a serious tone " Any betrayal to my organisation is a death sentence. A painful death sentence that normally the person closest to the accused has to carry it out if the accused happens to have any loved ones in my organisation. That's right sweetheart. If Elize married my brother and turned out to be a spy then I would have had to order my own brother to kill his wife. I know he would have refused. Then I would have been forced to hurt my brother. Don't get me wrong. I would never kill Costanzo ... unless of course he tried to hurt you which is unlikely. But still Costanzo would have been punished painfully as well as losing his wife at my hands. That way I would have lost part of my family. So see Adele. I stopped his wedding for a reason. I stopped it to avoid him making her pregnant and forcing me to accept her as my sister in law."