Chapter 2 - THE BOY WHO CHOSE HIS OWN BRIDE
For three seconds, nobody moved.
Michael Moretti stared at his six-year-old son.
Then at me.
Then at our joined hands.
Zach looked proud enough to announce an international treaty.
“She said yes.”
One of the men behind Michael coughed into his fist.
The other suddenly became fascinated by a stack of canned tomatoes.
Michael’s gray eyes returned to me.
“You agreed to marry my son.”
It sounded less like a question than evidence being entered into a case.
“In my defense,” I said, “I was hiding from men who wanted to drag me out of a restaurant, and he made a strong argument.”
Zach nodded.
“I told her we have security.”
Michael closed his eyes.
“Wonderful.”
“And money.”
“Zach.”
“And Uncle Nico has—”
“Enough operational details.”
Zach frowned.
“What’s operational?”
“It means stop telling strangers everything about the family.”
Zach looked offended.
“Aurora isn’t a stranger.”
Michael’s gaze shifted back to me.
“No?”
Before I could answer, Regina pounded on the outside door again.
“Aurora!”
My body stiffened.
Michael saw it.
His eyes dropped to the bruises around my wrist.
Then the split in my lip.
His voice changed.
“Who is she?”
“My stepmother.”
“And Tony?”
I stared.
“You heard that?”
“I heard enough.”
Zach answered before I could.
“She owes bad men money and wants to give them Aurora.”
Michael became completely still.
“Zach.”
“What?”
“Did Aurora tell you that?”
“No. I heard the witch shouting.”
I nearly laughed despite myself.
Michael did not.
He looked toward one of his men.
“Nico.”
Nico nodded and stepped out of the storage room.
I grabbed Michael’s sleeve before I could stop myself.
“Don’t hurt anyone.”
His eyes dropped to my fingers.
I released him.
“Sorry.”
“No.”
He looked directly at me.
“Say it again.”
“I don’t want anybody hurt because of me.”
Something unreadable passed across his face.
“Good.”
“Neither do I.”
I almost laughed.
“You expect me to believe Michael Moretti doesn’t solve problems by hurting people?”
“No.”
That stopped me.
He continued:
“I expect you to judge what I do tonight.”
Outside, Regina’s voice rose.
“Who the hell are you?”
Nico replied too quietly for me to hear.
Then there was silence.
Long silence.
Michael crouched in front of Zach.
“What did I tell you about running away?”
Zach’s confidence collapsed.
“I didn’t run.”
Michael raised one eyebrow.
“I relocated.”
The second bodyguard choked again.
Michael looked over.
“Marco.”
“Sorry, boss.”
Zach hurried on.
“I didn’t want the doctor.”
“You disappeared from Aunt Teresa’s apartment.”
“I left a note.”
“You wrote, ‘I went somewhere.’”
“That’s information.”
I bit the inside of my cheek.
Michael noticed.
“You find this amusing?”
“A little.”
His mouth almost moved.
Then he looked at Zach differently.
Less boss.
More father.
“You scared me.”
Zach looked down.
“I’m sorry.”
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Did anyone touch you?”
“No.”
“Did anyone ask you to come here?”
“No.”
“How did you get inside?”
“The bread guy left the back door open.”
Michael looked at Marco.
“Add Bellarosa’s delivery entrance to tomorrow’s security discussion.”
“Yes, boss.”
Nico returned.
His expression had changed.
“There are three men outside.”
“Tony Barresi’s?”
“One says so.”
I knew Tony’s name.
Everybody in my neighborhood did.
He ran illegal card rooms, cash businesses, and a towing company people avoided asking questions about.
Regina had started gambling through one of his rooms about eighteen months ago.
Michael stood.
“What do they want?”
Nico looked at me.
“They say Regina owes fifty thousand dollars and promised Aurora as settlement.”
Michael’s face became empty.
“What exactly does ‘promised Aurora’ mean?”
I laughed bitterly.
“You know.”
“I want them to say it.”
He walked out.
I followed.
The dining room had emptied except for Regina, three men near the entrance, and Mr. Bellarosa hiding badly behind the bar.
Regina saw Michael clearly.
Her face drained.
One of Tony’s men recognized him too.
“Mr. Moretti.”
Michael stopped several feet away.
“Which one of you came here to collect a woman?”
Nobody answered.
He waited.
That was apparently worse than shouting.
Finally, the largest man said:
“We were told there was an agreement.”
Michael looked at me.
“Did you agree to anything?”
“No.”
His eyes returned to them.
“Then there wasn’t.”
Regina stepped forward.
“This is none of your business.”
Michael looked at her.
“Is Aurora a minor?”
“No.”
“Then explain how she became collateral for your debt.”
“She’s my stepdaughter.”
“That wasn’t the question.”
Regina’s face tightened.
“She has responsibilities to this family.”
I laughed.
“What family?”
She spun toward me.
“You lived under my roof.”
“Until you started selling pieces of my father’s property to cover gambling losses.”
Everything stopped.
I had never said that aloud before.
Regina stared.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Michael caught it immediately.
“What property?”
“Nothing.”
Regina answered too quickly.
I looked at her.
“What did Dad leave me?”
“He left debts.”
“That’s what you told me.”
“It’s true.”
“Then why did I see transfers from an account called Bennett Family Property Trust?”
Her face changed.
Six months earlier, I had seen the name on one of her bank statements.
She had snatched it away before I could ask.
Michael looked at me, not Regina.
“Do you know anything about this trust?”
“No.”
Then Mr. Bellarosa dropped a glass.
We all turned.
He looked horrified.
“Aurora…”
“What?”
He swallowed.
“Your father owned part of this building.”
My heartbeat stopped.
“What?”
“He was my silent partner.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
Mr. Bellarosa’s face filled with guilt.
“The restaurant. The apartments upstairs. Two storefronts next door.”
I stared at Regina.
She looked ready to run.
“How long have you known?”
She said nothing.
“HOW LONG?”
Michael did not interrupt.
Did not answer for me.
Regina finally whispered:
“Since your father died.”
Two years.
I had spent two years moving between cheap motels and borrowed rooms while the woman chasing me had apparently controlled property in my name.
Michael looked toward Tony’s men.
“You can leave.”
The largest one hesitated.
“Tony expects payment.”
“Then Tony can call me.”
Nobody argued after that.
The three men left.
Regina turned toward the door.
I said:
“Wait.”
She froze.
“What else did Dad leave?”
“Nothing you can use tonight.”
That answer told me everything.
She opened the door.
Michael looked at me.
“Do you want her stopped?”
I thought.
Then shook my head.
“No.”
Regina almost smiled.
I continued:
“Because tomorrow, I’m getting an attorney.”
Her smile disappeared.
“And I’m finding out exactly what you’ve been taking from me.”
She left.
Silence settled over the restaurant.
Then Zach tugged my sleeve.
“Does this mean you’re rich?”
I looked down.
“I have absolutely no idea.”
He considered that.
“Okay.”
Then:
“Are we still engaged?”
Michael closed his eyes.
May you like
Marco laughed outright.
And for the first time that night, so did I.
