Mafia Heir

Chapter 38

Antonio's assertion made me flinch, but I did my best to remain stoic in front of him. As the Don of our family,  I should show him more respect than I was, but after I found out what he did, I lost any respect I ever had for the man. He passed his wife and daughter off under the guise that it would be safer for them, but really it was just to make life easier on himself. And in the process, he almost got Charlotte killed. 

The only reason Silvano was after her was because Antonio blamed him for their deaths all those years ago. Charlotte would be much better off knowing her true identity. She may not like it, but at least she would have seen some of this coming. Instead, she was blindsided and tossed haphazardly into this life, and the rest of us had to pick up the pieces.

He had a lot of nerve showing up like this. I didn't appreciate him coming into my home and expecting to have complete control over everything. I was in charge here; he was a guest in my home--an uninvited one at that--and I wanted to know his full intentions before bending to his will. I was well aware he was talking about my relationship with Charlotte, but I wanted to hear him say it out loud. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of backing me into a corner.

"Antonio, I agreed to protect Charlotte and to keep your secret, and we have complied with both of those..." No sooner than I started, he cut me off abruptly.

"I told you to stop seeing her." His tone was flat.

I bit my lip, weighing my options going forward. If I stood up to him now, I ran the risk of losing everything I had ever known. If I conceded, I ran the risk of losing the greatest thing that ever happened to me. There was no good way to go about any of this.

"Antonio, I never meant to disrespect you. And trust me when I say I never intended to fall in love with Charlotte, it just..." I started.

"Love?" He arched an eyebrow at me.

Yes." I hesitated. "I love her."

Antonio's eyes widened. I surprised him almost as much as I surprised myself.  Professing my love to her was one thing, but professing it to her father? That was another thing entirely. It could mean the end fo everything I ever worked for. 

"And she feels the same way." I finished confidently. If she chose to love me, I couldn't be all bad, right?

"My boy, you know nothing about love. If you did, you would have done anything in your power to make her leave you so you could save her anymore hurt." His glare was hard and condescending, but I detected just a small hint of sadness. Was he feeling sorry for me? Was he jealous of all the I got with Charlotte when he never would? "I have no doubt you care about her, Luca. She may be my daughter, but she is just another woman. One who has no place in this world and the sooner you realize the better off you will both be. She'll move on, she'll find another man who can satisfy her needs as you have and she'll forget you ever even existed. Look at Elena, my entire world began and ended with her and she was remarried almost immediately. Women are vultures, Luca. She'll take you for what she wants and then drop you just as fast." He rubbed his chin before standing. I kept my eyes forward but felt him move behind me. His hands landed firmly on my shoulders.

"When I met Elena, her father told me not see her. She was a good woman, heading off to college and had a bright future ahead of her. He said she was too good for me, didn't need to be mixed up in the Mafia business. But I loved that woman with every ounce of my body, and I didn't listen. When I had to give her up, it fucking tore me apart. It turned me into a monster, a man I hardly even recognized, one she would surely be repulsed by. I kept telling myself that even if she came back, she would hate what I became, so I had no reason to rein myself in. Do you see that is exactly what is going to happen to you if you keep down this road? I am not only concerned for her, but for you. How will you lead if you are constantly worrying about her? How will you keep focus? Your choice effects everyone. Angelo, Carlo, Marco... all of your men. Men who have saved your life countless times, who would fight to the death for you. Are you really willing to risk that for some girl?"