UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1)

ALESSANDRA

"Stai attenta, ragazza!" My uncle admonished me from the car as he witnessed my near-tumble in my heels after I got down from the car. I cursed under my breath and briefly considered discarding my heels and walking barefoot, but the grandeur of the mansion before me quickly banished that thought from my mind.

Ever since I left my family to live with my uncle and his three sons, Father only summoned me back for two reasons. Either he wanted to reprimand me for something stupid I did, which rarely happened, or he wanted to introduce me to one of his clients, who would be my prospective husband.

Judging from the dress he sent to me the previous day, I was sure it was the second one but it didn't bother me. That was my duty as the daughter of the Capo dei Capi of the California Familia, one of the most dangerous crime syndicates in the country. After my first marriage had gone south, I had fought very hard to maintain my independence, unlike my sister, Mia, who was still in our father's clutches.

That's why I was determined to refuse whatever plan he had for me tonight. Fortunately, Mia was only sixteen years old so I guess he was going to have to wait a while before he could use her.

As soon as I crossed the threshold and stood before the door, an unsettling shift enveloped me. The heavy, eerie silence around the place sent a shiver racing down my spine, leaving me with goosebumps prickling along my skin.

My uncle, Enzo must have also sensed it since he pulled out his Taurus 9mm and gave me a solemn look. I nodded slowly and summoned a bright smile as I walked into the house. My heart was beating loudly in my chest as I looked around the quiet place.

“Hello?” I called out with a shaky voice, “Is anyone home?”

A small whimper echoed from one of the rooms, freezing me in my tracks. My uncle quickly turned and strode toward the living room, his hurried steps almost explosive against the quiet of the house. I took a deep breath and forced myself to follow him, each step heavy with anticipation and dread as I moved through the dimly lit hallway.

My fears were confirmed when I caught sight of my uncle, frozen like a statue, his hands raised high in the air. We had just stepped into the living room, and his imposing figure blocked my view of whatever had caught his attention. I tried to maneuver around him, but he remained planted in place, unyielding as if he were guarding against an unseen danger. When I finally succeeded, the sight before me knocked the air from my lungs, causing my eyes to widen with horror.

The entire room was a mess. Pieces of broken glass and furniture were haphazardly lying across the place, but that was not the sight that made my entire body tremble.

My family members were kneeling in the center of the room, surrounded by armed men. My mother and aunt shielded my younger sister, Mia who was brawling her eyes out.

“Ah, I see you are finally here,” a deep voice rumbled. “Welcome, mia amata.”

I stilled when I heard that familiar voice, turning to see the man I never thought I would see in my life again. The fact that he was the only one sitting on a chair languidly like he owed the world spoke of his position in the room. I whispered in disbelief, “No, this can't be...”

“Alessandra, go!” My father commanded, his voice filled with urgency.

The man in front of him immediately struck him with his gun, sending him sprawling on the floor. My father released a pained groan as he struggled back to his knees, blood covering his face. The man adjusted his black gloves as he spoke to me in a threatening voice, “If you take another step out of this room, I will burn this house to the ground. A small price to pay, considering the money your father stole from me.”

“Leo, what are you doing here?” After those first words flew out of my mouth, I realized how inappropriate they were in this situation so I asked him, “How did this happen?”

Despite the chaos I was seeing, my brain was unable to register the fact that my childhood love was in front of me, pointing a gun at my father's head. Leonardo De Castello was the son of my father's enemy, Davide De Castello who was the Capo de Capi of the New York Familia. I hadn't seen him since the day I helped him escape from my house one summer break with the money I stole from my father's safe.

Cold fear soaked into my body, causing me to retreat a bit, “You returned to the mafia?”

"Yes, I did,” His tone was unapologetic as his emerald eyes held me in place, “I promised you I'd return, didn't I?”

I sucked in a harsh breath after hearing his words. “Why are you here?”

“Your father owes me 500 million after the shipment he promised us didn't come. So I told him that any of his daughters would do as a replacement, but he refused,” Leo's eyes moved to me, watching me carefully like a predator. “What do you think, Lexi?”

“My name is Alessandra,” I corrected him, “And he is right. I can't marry you, Leonardo.”

“Why?”

My gaze swept across the room, lingering on the faces of those around me. The atmosphere grew thicker, charged with an unyielding tension that pressed against my chest. I noticed my relatives shift uncomfortably, their eyes darting away like startled birds avoiding a predator. A sense of despair washed over me, settling into the pit of my stomach, as a chilling realization crept into my mind—this silence was more than just awkward; it was a sign of something darker lurking beneath the surface.

They didn't tell him. Leo was still not aware of the truth.

“Because I am a widow, Leonardo.” I knew things were going to go south but I didn't want to lie to him. “I married your brother, Giovanni De Castello.”