"Who are they?" The questions hangs between them, the question that Emilia wants answered more than any other, and is willing to do anything to get. Her green eyes bore into his silver ones as he tugs at his bottom lip with his teeth, seeming to debate the vague answers that he usually dodges with, the answers that drive her straight up the wall with irritation.
"Do you remember what my tattoo says? Veni Vidi Vici? I came, I saw, I conquered. An Italian phrase belonging to an ancient family that did just that, dating all the way back to the Roman era. A family with old money, old ties, and old holdings. This family owns most of Italy and quite a bit of the states, especially Florida. The Delmont's." His story is boring her, she knows this, is it not what her mother had bragged about the first day at the mansion? "But, there is more to it. Not only are they an old business family, they are an old crime family. They are, the Italian Mafia."
Emilia feels like she needs to get her ears cleaned, business yes, crime maybe, but mafia? How could Mr. Delmont belong to the Italian Mafia? She chokes out the smallest laugh, shaking her head. She refuses to believe this, it's not true, she did not just get dragged into one of the biggest and most notorious mafia's in the world.
"You're joking, I can see him doing some shady dealings, maybe some major tax evasion or even dealing drugs, but mafia? No way, he can't be, he can't have dragged my family into this!" Her voice raises higher and higher in protest of the situation, she refuses to believe this. A member of a mafia family had dragged her innocent, good willed, well decent willed mother into something that they had never and would never be involved in. But what if her mother knew? What if she had gone into this willingly? Surely she would have told her daughter if that were the case, had she even willingly married the guy? Or were they forced into this at gun point.
Her heart races rapidly, drowning out Alexander's explanation, the gentle tinkle of the door chime or greetings for customers, hum of air conditioning, everything. She can feel her breath contract, refuse to go in her lungs, nothing was working, she looks at her fingers to see them shaking, that strange fuzziness that she hadn't felt in a long time. She knows what it is, she knows what is coming, and she knows she can't stop it. Her tongue felt strange, thick in her mouth as she tries to stand but can't feel herself moving, she can't feel her limbs at all. Choking on her own air as she can't breathe or speak, or anything. Nothing is happening on the outside, but on the inside is utter turmoil.
Alexander stares at her for nearly a minute, waiting for her to say something, do something as he had only told her to be quieter, shushing her gently to not attract the cafe's other customers. But she doesn't seem to hear him, the only thing he notices is that her fingers seem to shake slightly, almost vibrating and she seems to be gasping for breath like she's drowning.
His eyes widen as he leaps from his chair, kneeling in front of her and taking her chin in his hand firmly, trying to meet the focused eyes that stare into nowhere.
"Emilia, look at me, please? It's alright, just please look at me? I will explain everything, just don't freak out on me alright? Emilia?" It isn't his frantic voice or piercing stare that pulls her from the on setting panic attack, it is the firm hand on her chin, the physical contact of another human as his fingers interlace with hers tightly, stopping the shaking effectively.
Slowly her fingers curl around his and her eyes come to the present, her breath coming back to her lungs as she looks at him. And then the twinkle of tears on her eyes as she actually sees him, "It can't be true, can it?"
Staring her in the eyes, baring his soul for her to see the entire truth of his being, he nods his head slowly in confirmation of the horrific news.
She can't meet his eyes after that, her own lowering to the ground and studying a carpet pattern she had known most of her life. "Does my mother, does she .. . does she know?" Emilia squeezes out, holding tightly to his hand and resting her chin in his palm, trying to get comfort as much as confirmation of her fears.
"No, he is keeping it from her, if she knew . . . I'm not sure what he would do." Alexander's words both make her feel better but worse at the same time, better towards her mother, but worse to Mr. Delmont.
"Why did he marry her? If she doesn't know. . Wouldn't it have been. . easier to marry someone that is part of it, or at least knows about it?"
"He needed a public face, someone to confirm his supposed innocence to the world and keep him from further suspicion of certain national forces determined to bring him down."
She nods her head slowly, still in his grip as she tries to clear her head, blinking quickly. It makes sense to marry her sweet, decently innocent mother, who had no more than a parking ticket and bad husband on her record. But then, she had to ask.
"And my father? How does he fit into this?"
At this question, she can feel his hesitance as he pulls his hand away from her chin, resting it lightly on her other hand.
"He, he got in Mr. Delmont's way."
"How?"
"He and your mother were still technically married when they met, and he had debts to the mafia, Mr. Delmont wanted no links, nothing found between them when they became public, eliminate all suspicion." His voice is gentle, consoling, but it still hurts. Emilia had always known it was murder, that it was no accident, but to know that it was so meticulously planned by a man who had the nerve to claim her as a step-daughter made her furious.
"He killed my father, because my mother never filed for divorce?" She asks incredulously, disbelief edging every word of the question.
The silence is the only response she needs, confirming her fears as irrefutable facts. And suddenly, a million things begin to come together, the Italian men at the dock, the guns, the guarded gate, her having a bodyguard, everything makes perfect sense. Except for one.
"Why am I here? Why marry a woman with someone who could expose everything?"
Immediately, she knows this is a question that he does not want to answer, or can't answer. Her eyes search through his depths, trying to find something that will give her what she deserves to know.
"I'm not sure." The answer is clipped, straight forward, and a lie. Emilia isn't stupid, she knows that he knows something, maybe not the whole truth, but something. She yanks her hands from his, falling into the depths of her chair and gives a tremendous glare.
"Why am I here, Alexander?" She growls this time, staring him down, the tears and panic attack gone, determination and ferocity replacing every aspect of her initial terror. She had to know, whether it was good or bad, she had to know.
"Emilia, I. . "
"Alexander, please. . " Her voice suddenly grows soft, and Alexander can see that behind this ferocious girl that he is tasked with caring for, is someone terrified of everything this could mean for her and her mother.
"I think that he plans to use you, he doesn't have an heir, he is barren. He needs you, to make ties with another family so he can name one."
She only frowns, not quite understanding what this means. Obviously he can't have children if he is barren, does that mean she is supposed to be his heir? But that doesn't make sense either, then the words "make ties" slowly take meaning in her mind. Make ties, combine families, he plans to marry her off.
Emilia's mouth falls open in absolute shock, she doesn't know what to say, how to react, would her mother let this happen? Would she let this happen? Did she even have a choice? The terror and anger rise within her again, she needs to hit something. She needs to break something, anything, she needs to get out.
"Emilia, I won't let it happen, I swear to you, whatever it takes, I won't let you be married off like some prize to be won at an auction, understand? I will protect you."
But the words don't really register with her, how could he protect her if he were employed by the very man planning to do this to her? The man ruining her life with every move he makes on this invisible chess board in which they are both only pawns in a master's strategy.
Her only response is a slow nod of agreement, knowing that he will try, but is what they have even real? And how did he fit into this? From what she could remember from random novels and news pieces, the mafia was like a family, tighter knit than anything else, and woven together like clothe so that if one piece unravels the entire thing comes apart. But so strong together that nothing can break it apart.
"Alexander, how are you part of this?" She murmurs slowly, looking at him again and stopping him in his claims to defend and protect her. The man swallows hard, still crouching on the floor before her, gripping tight to the arms of her chair as if afraid she would run away if he were to let go.
"I am not a member, if that is what you are wondering."
Emilia can't help a small wash of relief at the news, but if he wasn't a member, what was he? And how could he be tasked with such an important job as keeping the bargaining chip in the game safe?
"But then, why are you here? Why does he trust you?"
"I lived in Italy until I was 19, I grew up around the Mafioso, working small jobs for them mostly, bodyguard detail or guarding. When I was offered a position as a permanent member, I declined. But, you don't simply decline the mafia. As a result, I came here, to Florida, hiding among the many other hard bodies, and staying as invisible as possible. But they found me, told me if I didn't want to end up another name on a long list that I would keep working for them, even if I'm not an official member."
Emily feels like she can actually breathe after his explanation, leaning forward slightly in her chair again and scooting towards him at the edge. His entire body tenses as if afraid of what she would do to him, how she would react. If she would still want him, or if she would discard him like used garbage like the Mafioso plan to do he is sure.
But instead of scolding him, or being disgusted by his cowardice of running away, she gently takes his face in her hands, tilting his head back to looking in her eyes and staring into his.
"Good."
Alexander blinks at her slowly, barely able to breathe with her face so close to his own, but finally, he inhales, catching the scent of chocolate on her breath and savoring the sweet scent of her cocoa before he finally stands, staring down at her intently.
"Is there anything else you would like to know?" He asks, finally taking his own seat again, no longer worried that she would break down in front of him, scaring him half to death when she had.
"Yes, what happened at the docks?"
Emilia's question doesn't catch Alexander off guard, he knew it was coming, and her determination for the truth had not been altered so far, not the she knew the gruesome details, and so he breathes deeply, preparing to tell her exactly how he had killed another man.