Making Angel (Mariani Crime Family Book 1) (35 page)

“We’ve never been kicked out of school,” Georgio laughed, grabbing hold of my legs. “No school today, so Mom’s taking us to the park.”

“Hey! I was going to tell them.” Luciana elbowed Georgio, glaring at him. Then she smiled up at Markie and added, “She has to run out our energy so we don’t drive her crazy.”

Markie’s smile lit up her eyes, returning life to her face. “I’ll bet.”

“Would you like to come with us?” Georgio asked.

Markie looked to me.

“Sorry, guys, but we’re not going to be here long. I need to meet with Father for a minute. Do you know where he is?”

“In his office,” Rachele said, coming around the corner, cell phone in hand. She looked frazzled and worn. “Angel, Markie, good to see you both. I forgot there was no school today and the nanny’s not here yet. I’m trying to get this proposal approved. Can you keep an eye on the twins for a few minutes while I make some calls?”

Rachele was on the board of directors for one of Father’s companies. As near as I could tell, her position required her to bully, coerce, and stroke egos to get the board to do whatever Father wanted.

“I’m actually here to meet with Father,” I replied.

“I’d be more than happy to watch them while you two are busy,” Markie said.

“Oh good, you can help us!” Georgio exclaimed, tugging at Markie’s shirt. “We’re making a giant Lego castle in the playroom.”

“Then we’re going to set up our dragons and knights and have a battle,” Luciana added.

“Markie should be resting,” I replied, giving my stepmother a pointed look and hoping she registered the seriousness in my tone.

Markie reached up and grabbed my hand, using it to pull herself up. “It’s Legos, Angel. Not like I’m going to be running a marathon or something.” Then she turned back to the twins and added, “Sure, I’d love to help build.”

“Great, thanks. You’re wonderful.” Rachele paused long enough to key something into her phone before heading toward the kitchen.

Still hesitant, I squatted until I was eye level with the twins. “Okay, but you guys gotta promise me you’ll take good care of Markie, okay? Don’t let her overdo it. You promise?”

They nodded enthusiastically, like little bobbleheads hopped up on sugar.

“Angel, it’s fine,” Markie whispered, her hand on my arm. “Go do what you need to do. The twins and I will have a blast.”

“You sure you’ll be okay?”

“Are you kidding? I have the two most adorable babysitters in the world.” She gave me a peck on the lips, much to the disgust of the twins, and then let the two of them tow her up the stairs.

My father’s office was located to the right of the entryway. As we approached, Cousin Alberto emerged from the room, leaving the door ajar. He said a quick hello and headed for the front of the house. Bones and I entered the old man’s office in silence, our footfalls echoing against the dark walnut hardwood floors. Father sat in a high-backed chair, his gaze fixed on the dual computer screens in front of him. We stopped beside his desk and waited for him to address us. Without taking his eyes off the screens, he gestured for us to sit.

He didn’t greet us. We waited in tense silence as he pounded away on his keyboard. Then he finally graced me with a cold stare that made my hackles rise.

“I hear that Ms. Davis spent some time in the hospital this morning,” he said.

“She has a brain tumor, but I’m sure you knew that as well.”

He inclined his head and spread his hands across the desk.

“Why did you lie?” I asked.

“I’m surprised you care so much, after your visitor last night.”

So the old man had found out about the prostitute. Good to know. Had Markie not ended up in the hospital this morning, the plan Bones and I were working on might have actually been a success. He still hadn’t answered my question, so I stared at him, waiting.

Finally, said, “Because I was trying to avoid this conversation. The one where you come and ask me to solve your problem.”

My problem. That’s what Markie was to him.

“But it’s not that easy,” Father continued. “This girl you’re messed up with… she has some big enemies. Tried to kill a made man.”

“That’s not exactly the truth.”

He shrugged. “They say the first casualty of war is the truth, and she’s not exactly my problem.”

He knew it wasn’t true, but he had every intention of using it anyway. Markie was valuable to him now, because she was a card he could play against me. Her cancer just increased his power. Now he had me by the balls.

“What do I need to do?” I asked.

Bones shifted. He was trying to warn me, but I was fully aware of what I was getting into.

“You know what I want, Angel.”

I swallowed back the lump in my throat. “I have done everything you’ve ever asked me to. I contribute to this family just as much as anyone else. My inventions have opened the doors for us to—”

“Your inventions? Angel, you are my heir apparent. You shouldn’t be hiding in some lab, building shit. You should be elevated to Capo by now, learning the business and serving at my right hand.”

My throat was dry. I swallowed again, envisioning myself sitting behind my father’s desk, my hands dripping with blood. I didn’t want that life. Didn’t want it, but I had no choice. I’d never had a choice. But at least now I’d be exchanging my future for something that mattered. For someone who mattered.

“And if I promise to do this?” I asked.

Father stood. “Well, then I will—”

His desk phone rang, interrupting. He scowled at the readout and then pressed a button. Tech’s face popped out into a 3D image at the base.

“This better be good. I’m in a meeting.”

Tech’s 3D image spun around the room. After seeing Bones and I were the ones in attendance, he turned back toward my father. “Yes, sorry sir, this can’t wait. Dante’s car has disappeared from radar.”

My father’s eyes widened. “What do you mean, disappeared?”

“There’s been an explosion, sir.”

Father sat down hard. “And Dante?”

My phone rang. Dante’s number. I answered and put it to my ear.

“You bastard!” my little brother shouted. “How could you? I told you I would tell her and I did. You couldn’t give me one more day?” A sob ripped through him. “She’s dead, Angel. She’s dead and I will never forgive you for this!”

Shocked and confused, it took me a minute to put two and two together. Tech said Dante’s car—the same car I’d threatened to blow up—had exploded.

His girl. Oh no.

“Dante, you’ve got to believe me. That wasn’t me.”

“Dante? You have Dante on the line?” Father asked, his tone desperate.

I nodded.

“Go to hell, Angel!” my brother shouted.

He really believed I blew up his car. Of course he believed it. I’d promised him I would, and I’d bluffed my ass off to make sure I sounded convincing.

“No, Dante, listen. Bones and I have been at the hospital since early. I’m in Father’s office right now.”

“Give me the phone,” the old man ordered.

I handed it to him and slumped down in my chair. My little brother thought I’d tried to kill him. He thought I was that type of guy.

“Dante?” My father let out a breath. “Oh, thank God. There’s an ambulance on the way. They’re going to take you to Summerlin, and Angel and I will meet you there. You go and get checked out.” Father listened for a moment, looking down at his desk. “Yes, well there’s nothing we can do for her now. But you get in that ambulance. I’ll see you soon.”

He disconnected and handed me back my phone.

The door crashed open and Rachele came bursting through it, her face a mask of terror. “Dante?” she asked.

“He’s okay,” Father assured her. “I just spoke to him. He’s fine. He’s heading to the hospital to get checked out, just in case.”

She let out a relieved sob, and he engulfed her in his arms. “Shh. He’s fine.”

“Who did this?” she asked. “Who would want to hurt my baby?”

“I’m not sure, but I promise you I
will
get to the bottom of this.”

“What about the girls?” she asked. “What if someone tries to attack them?”

Father pressed a button on his phone. When Uncle Carlo answered, Father directed him to get security to Sonia and Sofia’s school.

“I’m going to the hospital with you,” Rachele announced.

“What about the twins?” Father asked.

“The nanny will be here soon.”

“No. No nannies. Nobody outside of family. Got it?”

Rachele nodded. Her entire body was trembling.

Father slipped his suit coat on and continued talking to Rachele. “Good. Call Mom and have her come sit with the twins. Then you can join us at the hospital. Make sure you take at least two guards, though. I don’t know what these bastards have planned, and we can’t let them catch us with our pants down. You understand?”

Her gaze was vacant, but she nodded.

Bones and I left so my parents could finish their conversation in privacy while we went upstairs to find Markie. She and the twins had thousands of Legos dumped on the floor and were busily laying out the ground floor of what would soon be a giant building. When Markie saw my face, she stood and asked what was wrong. I gestured for her to follow me out of the room.

Once we were out of earshot from the twins, I whispered, “It’s my brother, Dante. He’s been in an accident.”

“Oh no. Is he okay?”

“Yeah, but Father and I need to get to the hospital. Are you okay to stay with Rachele and the kids for a while? I’ll try to get back here as soon as I can. I’m sorry to leave you here like this, but I’ve gotta—”

“Yes, of course. Go, Angel. I’m fine.”

I leaned in and kissed her, relieved. “Thank you. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

She gave me a reassuring smile. “I’ll be here.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Markie

M
Y PERIPHERAL VISION was blurry. I probably should have told the doctor that, but there was nothing he could do for it, so why tell him? So I could stay in that stupid hospital bed longer? No thank you. Then I would have missed out on building a lovely castle with the twins. Their laughter was all the medicine I needed. I reached forward to stack another Lego. It slipped out of my hand and rolled out of my line of sight.

Well, dangit.

“You okay, Markie?” Georgie asked.

“Yep. I’m good. Just trying to figure out which block to place next.”

He eyed me. I was a horrible liar. I couldn’t even fool a seven-year-old.

Angel appeared in the doorway, which was thankfully in my line of sight, looking worried. I followed him into the hallway where he told me the bad news about his brother. He needed to leave. I’d stay behind with the twins. I watched him go, and then returned to our castle building.

“This section needs to be pink, because it’s the princess’s room,” Luciana announced, placing a rose-colored wall. “This next area will be blue for the prince. They’re going to get married.” She glanced up at me. “Are you and Angel going to get married?”

You’d think I’d be used to the bizarre out-of-left-field questions kids ask, but every once in a while a child still caught me off guard. This was one of those times.