"I really don't think your mother likes me" Rosalia announced to Giovanni when they were finally alone. All afternoon she had to endure his mothers less than welcoming judgemental glances which made her skin crawl. Just like any respectful Italian woman though, she endured every negative and sarcastic remark simply shrugging it off. She was grateful for little Sophia who provided quite a distraction for the remainder of the day. Giovanni rummaged through the guest kitchen discovering some leftover lasagne in the fridge. He smiled taking the plate out while listening to Rosalia's concerns. "Hmm" he mumbled almost disinterested, he was not one to take his mother too seriously. He imagined it would take her a little getting used to seeing though he had never attempted to introduce her formally to any woman. He pushed the plate towards Rosalia scrapping it across the stone bench top. "Can you heat it up for me?" He smiled at her almost little boy like shocking her completely. "I d
"The body of missing Junior Finance Broker, Damiano Accardi was recovered in the Passaic River yesterday near Newark.'"Oh my gosh!" Rosalia gasped enthralled in the news headline quickly turning up the volume to catch any further details from her kitchen. Her eyes locked on the television screen, she vaguely noticed Giovanni get up from the couch and walk towards her."Police are yet to release the circumstances but foul play is suspected to certainly be on the cards."Giovanni walked behind the counter and into the kitchen casually making his way behind Rosalia wrapping arms around her. His hands travelled down her arms grabbing onto the remote pressing the red button killing the screen instantly. His lips brushed against the side of her neck while his other hand pushed her long black straightened hair aside."Hey!" She protested attempting to regain control of the remote control and failing miserably when he stepped back holding it hostage playfully. "I was watching that!" She let
The sound of an officer's voice and banging from the front door worked just as effectively as a bucket of ice cold water poured directly over the pair. Giovanni was pushed up as Rosalia sat herself up frantically in an upright position. She grabbed onto the bunched up material of her dress and quickly pulled it down covering her exposed legs. "Fuck" Giovanni groaned angrily, I had her just where I wanted her. He let out a frustrated breath as he watched her stand up, pick up the ice cream tub placing it on the kitchen counter and making her way to the front door. All without even taking a glance back at him. "Can I help you?" Rosalia asked angrily when she recognised one of the officers. John O'Connor. "Good evening miss Bernardi" John greeted her with a smile as did the other officer. "May we come in?" "What is this about?" Giovanni asked suddenly appearing making his way to the front door. What is this fucker doing here? He gave John a less than welcoming look as he placed his
The minute of silence which brewed between the pair seemed like a half hour of silence. Rosalia stared at Giovanni who remained near the door which he just slammed in the officer's faces. She watched him finally take a step towards her to which without even thinking about it she took a step back. She studied the confused look on his face as he proceeded to take another step towards her to which she responded once again stepping back. "What's happening right now?" Giovanni queried stopping his movements. "What did you do?" Rosalia responded back with a question of her own. She didn't dare to take her eyes off him; she wanted him to look her in the eyes for this conversation. She watched Giovanni open his mouth to respond but quickly cut him off, "please don't lie to me Gio." "Nothing" he responded barely taking a second to consider his answer. He quickly walked towards her taking her by the wrist and pulling her into him so her front was pressed up against his firm chest. Don't pus
Rosalia sat on the floor inside her walk in wardrobe with her cell by her side. She was staring at the medium sized box torn with Emilia's words repeating in her mind. Show him you trust him, even just a little. Or you end it. She pulled the box closer to her stripping it of its lid and stared at the loaded beretta Giovanni had generously given her. He won't change. Emilia's words continued to repeat themselves making her more and more anxious. She pressed a button on her cell for what seemed like the thousandth time awakening the screen. No new messages or missed calls. She sighed pressing the side button killing the screen once again. "Fuck you" she murmured a little angrier than anticipated referring to the cell phone. How dare it not provide her with any hope of Giovanni thinking about her. She picked up the box leaving the lid behind then reached for her cell sliding it into her back jeans pocket. "Fuck you cell, fuck you Gio, fuck you beretta" the incoherent words barely m
"Make the call." Michael placed Rosalia's cell phone on her thighs waiting for her to pick it up and follow his instructions. He watched her head dip down to look at it then her eyes trailed back to him as he motioned with the gun towards it. "Be a good girl Rosalia, and make the fucking call. Invite your fucking boyfriend over." "It's late" she responded knowing damn well the excuse was ridiculous and there was no way that realisation was going to change his mind in any way. She watched Michael throw his head back and chuckle at her reply. She was right, he was not buying it. He dropped to his knees and shuffled towards her casually placing the tip of the gun downwards onto her thigh resting it over her jeans. "Call your boyfriend" he pressed the gun harder into her, "he'll come over for a booty call with you... I'm certain" his eyes wondered her body lingering a little too long at her breasts. His free hand now roaming the curves of her body slowly making her squirm. "We-we do
The moment Giovanni had pressed the buzzer and the door automatically opened without as much as an acknowledgement from Rosalia, he knew something was definitely wrong. It was the middle of the night and she hadn't even asked who she was letting in the building? He had pushed the door open to make sure the automatic lock system didn't kick in then retrieved Ricci from the car to join him. It was better to be safe than sorry. The pair quietly made their way up the stairs and leaned against Rosalia's front door listening in. It was quiet. Too quiet. A few minutes went by and still nothing. It wasn't difficult to hear Rosalia's muffled sounds when she finally made herself known. The scrapping of something across the floor was the final straw for the guys on the other side of the door as they withdrew their guns and kicked the door open. "Jesus fucking Christ!" Giovanni was on the floor with Rosalia pulling the tape from her mouth hastily as she cried out. He watched her in a panic suck
The interruption of loud music suddenly erupting within the apartment eventually forced the pair apart. Rosalia quite reluctantly pulled away from Giovanni who was clearly attempting to hide his disappointment. The pair quietly reminded themselves that this was not the time for affectionate encounters. She turned the shower off and pulled one of the two towels Giovanni had thrown over the shower door to wipe herself down. Giovanni followed her lead, still staring at her with hooded eyes. The pair stepped out of the shower, Rosalia disappearing into the bedroom for a minute to retrieve some clothes for herself. She pulled on some sweatpants and an off the shoulder sweater before making her way back to the bathroom with her wet towel as she vigorously towel dried her hair. "Throw the towel back in the shower," Giovanni instructed reaching for his underwear within the duffle bag. "I'll get the guys to bleach your shower, I'll destroy the towels too." He secured his black suit pants an
Giovanni sat silently on his father's office chair. He no longer wanted to be around the mourners, didn't want to hear how sorry they were, if there was anything they could do, how he was doing. It irritated him and he had no interest in helping them feel better about themselves knowing they had paid their respects. He ran his fingertips over the dark brown highly polished desk. The piece was an antique, one of the sturdiest pieces of furniture in the entire home. "Non li fanno più come questo." (They don't make them like this anymore.) His father would tell him on the days he was feeling particularly nostalgic. "Va bene papa" (Ok father) He would respond, generally with little regard. He would always begin conversations regarding what to do in the event of his death by bringing up his office furniture. "Un giorno tutto questo sarà tuo."(One day all of this will be yours) His words burning in his ears as he reached for one of his father's cigars placing it between his lips whil
"No?"Rosalia repeated the word dumbfounded. No. It had come out so firmly, so demanding, so familiar. She stood before him as she was released from his grip. She didn't know what to say or do, what could she say really? They were way past formalities after all. "No." He repeated once more. "You can't turn up here and just leave Rosalia. It doesn't work that way." The frustration was evident within his words, yet the look on his face showed a mixture of shock and sadness. He was absolutely floored by her presence; he hadn't expected her, not here, not today. Yet here she stood before him looking equally as heartbroken as he felt. He could see the guilt within her eyes, the way she nervously played with the ends of her hair as they stared at each other. A part of him wanted to be angry, he wanted to grab her by the shoulders, scream in her face, demand answers. All things he had thought about after every phone conversation with her. She frustrated him every single time. The
Rosalia stood silently, tray in hand, condolences envelope on top. She didn't even dare to breathe yet as her fingers gripped the tray as tightly as she could, she could hear the slight crumpling sound of the aluminium crushing under her grip. She hadn't expected anyone to be in the kitchen, it was stupid of her really to assume such a thing. The two women were at a complete standoff. Neither moving nor saying a word. The awkwardness of the situation escalating by each and every second that ticked by between them.Rosalia had no idea what to say or do. She was floored at the sight of Isabella suddenly standing tall in the kitchen. She was turned around and slumped over the sink when she first stepped in, however now she stood tall, arms crossed over her chest as she inhaled angry breaths through her nose. A bull, waiting to charge and she was the red cloth. "Get out..." "I-I- Isabella, I just want-" as she stuttered she accidentally tipped the tray a little forcing the envelope t
"Your sister woke up," Ricci blurted out wanting to put an end to the awkward silence. Giovanni was never particularly chatty in the past, but this was different, this felt awkward. "She's sick as a dog though, in shock too, about your father." "Don't you ever compare my sister to a dog again," Giovanni spat back breaking his silence, hostility still clear within his words. "I-I didn't it's just an ex-" "A fucking stupid one!" He sank back deeper into the leather seat turning his head to look out the window, he was too angry to accept the fact that Ricci was currently his driver. "Why are you here? I told Antonio to call and tell you to make sure Rosalia was safe." Without realizing, he began clenching his fists fighting against the instinct that told him to crack Ricci a new one. "You had one job that was it. Now you're here? Why?" "We've all been looking for you Gio, I wasn't sent specifically, it was all hands on deck." He spoke slowly, diplomatically, trying to word his sente
Giovanni stumbled up the dark staircase, a light flickering in and out interrupting his focus. He muttered something incoherent under his breath as he gripped onto railing hoisting himself further up to his destination. As the floorboards creaked beneath his feet he could not help but think why someone would live in such a dump of an apartment complex. A thought which entered his mind every time he walked up these same stairs. He made his way in front of a door studying the crooked numbers as his right fist clenched bringing it up to bang vigorously on the door at this unruly hour. He stopped for a moment only to listen in as he pressed up against the door. "Open up" he called out without any consideration bringing his fist back up to commence more pounding but being cut short by the door flying wide open. "Jesus!" Elisa gasped at the sight of him; she hadn't even bothered to close her black silk robe answering the door in her underwear. "Da fuck are you wearing?" He groaned push
Ricci let out a long breath of frustration, his left hand propped up against the front door as he leaned over knocking a series of five consecutive knocks becoming more and more frustrated. He alternated between knocking and pressing the doorbell which was clearly not currently working. He finally pushed himself from the leaning position he was in and back upright on his feet before making the decision to walk around the back of the house. Her car was in the driveway and the curtains were drawn back, he was sure she was home. Making his way towards the back sliding doors he immediately noticed the latch on the other side of the door in the incorrect position. He shook his head muttering under his breath growing even more annoyed by the second. This girl will never learn.Sliding open the door he stepped into the house, "Rosalia!" He called out loudly swiftly sliding the door behind him shut turning briefly to lock the latch. "Rosalia wh-" He stopped. Frozen in place at the sight o
The family sat downstairs in the living room. A few hours had gone by and Giovanni had made the decision to call Stefano and Giacomo Casso, his father's Consigliere. He needed advice, and Rocco was the one who could provide it. He glanced briefly over at his mother as she continued to sob quietly in the corner cradling Sienna holding her close murmuring a silent prayer for her entire family. "Rocco..." His voice almost failed him. Keep it together... He closed his eyes, let out a breath then picked himself back up. "What do we do? What do I do?" "Have you called it in yet?" He queried reaching for the scotch decanter on the coffee table. He poured seven glasses and pushed them towards the men. They needed a drink. Everybody needed a drink. He glanced up at Giovanni who was shaking his head before swiftly knocking back the entire glass. "No." He placed his glass back down, reaching for the decanter pouring himself another. "Not yet. I called you first." He threw down his
"Mio marito! Mia figlia! Non posso vivere cosi!" (My husband! My daughter! I can't live like this!) Isabella wailed through sobs. She was pacing back and forth from her main bedroom to her daughters, hoping and praying Alessia's life would be spared. "TI ODIO DIO! TI ODIO!" (I HATE YOU GOD! I HATE YOU!) Her wailing becoming intense high pitched screams. "MAMMA!" Giovanni screamed over her as he watched her throw herself back onto her marital bed. Her body lay over the top of her husbands, his father, blood seeping through him and onto her nightgown. She had woken up groggy and with a severe headache this morning. As she stretched out to wake herself up, glancing over at what she thought was her sleeping husband, she instantly began to scream. His side of the bed was covered in deep red blood. Her sons and son-in-law, Nico had come running through the halls, almost knocking her bedroom door off its hinges in the process. But they were too late. Dominico De Luca had been dead and
The smells of sweet champagne and freshly baked Italian pastries were still in the air. That smell of warm freshly baked sheep ricotta combined with freshly grated orange zest straight from the fruit gardens, it was the smell of celebration in the De Luca New Jersey estate.There was no greater celebration in the family home quite like the day of a baptism. The baptism of two month old Sienna Conti.The beautiful daughter of Nicholas and the only De Luca daughter, Alessia. The champagne and wine began to flow from midday through to the early hours of the morning. There was no shortage of food either, as various types of pastas with a range of different sauces filled the tables. Homemade pizza from the outdoor wood fire oven which the men happily took over, after all, playing with fire was no job for a woman. Then of course, the traditional Italian pastries. No party was complete without the addition of pastries. They celebrated the baptism of little Sienna into the late hours of th