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“Sorry, Papa, how are you?” Stubborn or not, he is one of the best men I know. He is always sacrificing for his family and those he considers so.
“I have a rather large favor to ask of you, son.”He’s finally bringing my mother over from America.Now that her husband and all five of her children are here, she wants to come home too.
“How can I help?” I feel certain this is going to bite me in the ass.
His hesitation confirms it. “Do you remember a few years ago when I mentioned that auction and how I thought the man was going to sell his daughter?”
I have to think back. “I told you to let the police handle it.” He clears his throat. “You didn’t do that, did you?”
“I bought her.” He exhales loudly.
“That was…” I have to count backwards in my head. “Four years ago, at least. What on earth did you do with her?”
“I kept her.” Pride laces his words.
“She’s not a dog.” Rubbing my head with my other hand, I know he’s leading up to something. I wish he’d get to the point already.
“Then I lost her.” Maybe she is a dog after all. Don’t they run away a lot?
I know I’m going to regret asking this. “Then what happened?”
“Well, I found her again. After she tried to steal my car.” He’s amused now. “She’s a bit of a troublemaker.”
“Why, Papa, would you do this to yourself?” I have a feeling I already know the answer.
“What the hell else was I supposed to do? Allow a child to be sold to men who would use her body until she was a shell and then toss her into the sea? Besides, I was bored. Do you know how quiet the island was after Natale went crazy? That boy silenced everyone.” That doesn’t shock me. Even for as young as he was, the “kid killer” contained a rage unlike anyone I’ve ever known.
“Break this down for me, Papa. What do you need?” I hope to hell he doesn’t need a babysitter.
“My flight to get your Mamma leaves in an hour. I need you to pick Nicola up tomorrow and stay with her until your mother and I return.”Babysitting.
“Does Mamma know you’ve collected a stray for all these years?” I already know the answer.
“Yes, and she loves the girl, and they chat weekly. They’ve been wonderful for each other. I need you to keep her out of trouble, Domino. When I return with your mother, Nicola had better be there to greet us.” There’s a warning in his tone.
“I’ll do what I can. Where am I picking her up?” I frown when he doesn’t immediately answer me. “Papa?”
“Palermo Detention.” Silence greets me.
Of fucking course she is.“What did she do?”
“A fight at her school. She broke another girl’s nose.” I don’t know whether to laugh or scold the man. “She’s had a tough life, Domino, much like Natale’s Posy. She needed me as much as I needed her. Be kind to the girl, son.” I hum my agreement. “One more thing,”Oh lord.“Tomorrow is also her eighteenth birthday. I don’t want you to take her out or anything, but ordering dinner, getting a cake, it wouldn’t hurt.”
Now I have to throw her a fucking birthday party?Christ, this just keeps getting better and better. “When do you return?”
“A couple of weeks. The Palermo house is where we’ve been staying since the Morello’s return. I’d like it if you stayed there until we arrive. Meeting your mother might overwhelm her.”
Already dreading his request, I still promise, “I’ll keep her safe until your arrival.”
Hanging up after wishing my father a safe flight, I dread the drive to Palermo. Not because it’s boring, nothing in Sicily is, but because this girl is trouble and not what I want or need right now.
Standing from my spot on the grass, I give one last look at the beautiful sea before heading inside to speak to my capo and make a call to the only person I trust to help me find a replacement to protect my current ward.
I don’t know why but I feel as though things in my life are about to change drastically.
Chapter 2
Nicola
