At the same time my cousin had been talking to me, my uncle also phoned his wife to tell her the same thing. "What?! Why, where are we going?" I asked, standing from where I'd been sitting. "Look, it's a long story and I can fill you in on it later, but for now I'll just say that we'll be temporarily living somewhere else," Dominic told me. I tried fighting him on it but he used his serious tone and ended the conversation abruptly after.
"Did Zio tell you to pack a bag too?" I turned to my aunt. Her face held some confusion, but she shook it away and looked at me to answer. "Yes, but I'll be going to Italy," she said.
"What?! Am I?" I was still trying to piece what little information we had together. "No," Zia said plainly before walking off, lost in her own thoughts. If I wasn't going to Italy with them then where the hell was I going?
Dominic told me to pack like I was going on a few weeks vacation, so that's what I did. I grabbed my largest suitcase and filled it with clothing and necessities like toiletries and chargers and things. In a second bag I put shoes, some personal items, etc. It was Benny who came to my bedroom door to carry my bags down.
"Do you know anything?" I had to ask him. Looking up at his large frame I saw him press his lips together. He has the kind of compacted face ufc fighters have from years of wear and tear. "Nothing more than that I'm meant to escort you to the Luciano residence," he explained. My eyes went wide and I rushed to follow him with all my questions he didn't have the answers to.
The Luciano's are the crime family. They're the head of the entire organization. I've never even seen them for myself. I know the Italian mob consists of them and their major allied families like the TerraNova's just under them, the Morello family, Lombardo family, and Ragusa's.
I'd met people here and there, but they were known to me at the time as 'friend's of my dad's', or more 'family'. That was obviously a lie and after my dad went to prison and all was revealed I realized I'd been dining with, sharing holidays, and befriending the children of the Italian mob.
But of all those times I had never met a single Luciano.
"Will I be going there alone? Please tell me my uncle ordered you to stay in that house with me?" I asked in desperation as Benny loaded the trunk of his blacked out SUV. "Bambina, I really don't know anything more than I've already told you," he gave me an apologetic look. I nodded and sighed to myself. Why was I feeling so incredibly nervous right now?
Oh yeah...because those people scare the crap out of me. I've heard things about them. I'm not totally clueless to the things they do. I heard they were ruthless. Sociopaths.
When my aunt met us outside another staff member was helping carry her bags. "You're coming too?" I almost breathed a sigh of relief. "For now. They'll explain everything once we get there. It may not be as bad as it sounds," she patted my cheek before sliding into the back seat of the SUV. The car that was about to take us to the residence of the family I heard I was meant to fear.
-
When we arrived, it was to pull in front of these high walls, with an iron gate entryway that was heavily guarded. A guard approached the vehicle and spoke with Benny before radioing something in and stepping aside while the gate slowly opened for us. It was late in the evening, so the house appeared lit up when we started driving further into the residence. I could see trees just on the other side of that wall around the compound, but since it was dark I couldn't see much else.
I practically gasped when I saw the Luciano household. It was a mansion that was for sure, and it was lined with old Italian style colossians and marble fixtures. "Have you been here before?" I looked to my aunt to see if she was reacting the way I had. "A few times over the years," she nodded, but even she still seemed to be taking in the sight of it.
The way it glowed in the night with the warm lighting that pooled out of the large windows, it looked like a dark paradise.
There had been a long driveway up to the house, and you could circle around the fountain that was placed in the center of the cul-de-sac to exit the same way you came. We stopped in alignment with the front door that was a few feet behind where the driveway met the grassed lawn. There was a walking path that led to the three large marble steps and white wooden door.
Someone opened it as soon as we walked up, as if they already knew we would knock. The woman had a slicked back bun and crows feet beside her eyes while wearing a black uniform. She nodded her head at us and motioned for us to step inside. She gave an order to Benny in regard to my bags and then quickly greeted us.
"Hello, Mrs. TerraNova, Miss TerraNova," she bowed her head for a second time. "Your husband is in the front parlor" she told us, motioning for us to follow after her.
I was still standing there with my head tipped up to the painted ceilings like something you'd see out of a palace. Everything echoed in this foyer made of beautiful white and gray infused marble that swirled like the milky way.
A grand staircase could be seen but that wasn't where we were headed. Instead she led us to the open archway into the front parlor as she called it. This was a sitting room meant for guests and I knew that by the way it looked untouched. The expensive looking sofas didn't show a single dent or crease like anybody had ever sat there, and the rugs were thick and unmatted.
The room's color scheme was as clean and elegant as everything else I've seen so far here. The chandelier hung high in the center of the room, and that was the main source of light right now, as I surveyed the space and all the people in it.
On one sofa was Zio Tony and Dom, and across from them sat a woman who had probably had plastic surgery to keep the youthful appearance she had. Standing by the window was a man who wasn't facing us.
"Amore, Giada, come sit," my uncle reassured us. We must've looked hesitant or confused. I looked at the woman again and noticed her eyes that resembled the color of melted gold. She was a beautiful woman and when she introduced herself as Maria Luciano I realized she was the lady of the household. The man beside the window finally turned around and he immediately made me nervous.
He had cold eyes and a strong jaw. He stood stoically with his hands behind his back in his fine suit. He had grayed hair with strands of dark remnants of the color it used to be. The man was clean cut, clean shaven.
"Welcome" he said, and his voice made me swallow hard. My uncle stood and began to explain why they'd brought us here. One thing to know about the Italian mob is that they're actually allies with the Russian mob because they have a common enemy. The Colombian Cartel. I didn't know why, but I started to realize not having information might be a bigger danger to me then keeping myself ignorant to my family's work.
It was the Cartel that had shot at us tonight. They'd already found out so quickly, and I can only imagine how. "Why did they specifically target you, Zio?" I asked after he'd informed us of who was behind the attack.
"We don't know yet, Bambina, but we will soon. For now you'll be staying here with Dominic until your aunt and I get back," he explained. I asked why they had to go to Italy and he said it was to monitor our European sector in case these attacks are meant to hit more than just my family. "And why can't I come with you?" I asked, knowing I was pressing my luck.
I could feel Mr. Luciano's eyes on me each time I opened my mouth.
"You'll be safe here. Look, Giuseppe is a very close friend of your father's. He owes Mickey a favor and this is it," he explained. My stomach soured at the thought of being stuck here with this man and his plastic wife. Dom looked at me as if to say 'everything is going to be fine', but it didn't feel that way right now. I've never been in danger before, or at least if I was in danger at some point they did an awfully good job at hiding it.
After everything was explained to us I walked my aunt and uncle outside to say goodbye. This was all happening so fast. They leave tonight.
When my uncle hugged me he whispered a warning in my ear. "Gia, you listen to Giuseppe while I'm gone. I know you like to do as you please, but these aren't men to test the patience of, okay? And I'd steer clear of his sons. They're worse trouble than you know," he said, looking over my face as if to memorize it. My eyes teared up and I hugged him tight along with my aunt right after. "Please be safe," I asked them and they smiled telling me they would.
I was emotional because I was both scared and also I'd never been apart from them for very long, not since the day they took me into their home as their own child. I'm 23, but I won't lie and say I haven't been babied by them all. I was my dad's princess when he was around and then my uncle's angel after he wasn't.
I looked to my cousin Dom and asked, "Should I be worried about these people?" He motioned his hand like he meant so-so. "As long as you show respect there shouldn't be any problems. You make sure to treat them like they're your boss, because you're a TerraNova too, so technically they are," he told me. "I don't work for the family," I reminded him.
"Doesn't matter," he shook his head before throwing an arm around me to lead me inside. We were met by the same bun haired woman who was ready to escort us to our new sleeping quarters for the time being, but she was interrupted.
Giuseppe Luciano, mob boss, was standing in the entryway just behind her waiting for our return. He tipped his head to tell us to follow him back inside the front parlor. The wife was already gone.
"Giada, right?" he asked me first. I nodded but had yet to find my voice. "Your papa was my right hand man. It was a great loss to us when he got arrested, but he stayed loyal to the omerta and he didn't rat. He just served his time which I'll always respect," he told me. Again I just nodded. He chuckled to himself before continuing, "Mickey quick hands, those bars never slowed him down. He's still running things from inside. Do you get to see him?" he asked me.
"I try to visit most weekends," I told him in a soft voice. My voice didn't match my insides. My insides were actually boiling with the knowledge that my dad was taken away from me because of this man standing right in front of me. He let my dad do time for the sins of every man in his mob. And he spoke of it as if it were an honor.
"I know you mean everything to Mickey. I told him I'd take care of you, so that's what we'll do," he nodded to me. His eyes were still cold even though he was seemingly trying to have a 'friendly' conversation with me. "We?" I asked, noting he'd used plurals. Giuseppe adjusted his suit coat and nodded.
"My sons," he explained.
My stomach soured thinking back to the words of my uncle. He told me to stay away from them. He said they're worse than I know.