FEDERICO

I slip my jacket over my shoulders and adjust the cufflinks before removing my father's ring from my finger, not wanting Tiziano to recognize it.

"Did you send the car over to pick up Elenora?"

Domani looks up from his phone. "Yeah, it will be at her place soon. It'll be cutting it close depending on traffic. How are you feeling?" From the corner of my eye, he observes me closely, looking for any signs of worry or guilt.

He should know better.

"Like this night can't be over quick enough."

He chuckles, rolling his eyes. "Have you made any progress with the girl, or are you still avoiding her?"

"I'm not avoiding her. She's just hard to be around and dull as fuck; you'll see what I mean."

It's the partial truth.

Mostly.

Fine, it's an all-out damn lie. But the truth is irrelevant.

"You do realize the longer you take to get to know her, the less genuine you'll come across, and it will take longer for her to fall for you if you're always being an ass."

"I'm not being an ass; I'm being myself."

"Right, an ass, then." He smirks.

"Her own family doesn't like her. So, what does that tell you? She's only close to her one sister from what I can see; Jackie, the one who went out with Luca. The youngest sister seems fond of her, though. And she seems to have a better relationship with Tiziano than her mother, but her Nonno fucking hates her for some reason; he hits her, and no one stops him."

"Jesus," Domani comments, as he slips his hands in his pockets.

The memory of watching her fall to the ground, creates an uncomfortable feeling in my stomach.

"Anyway, let's go. Everyone else is probably already here." We walk out of the hotel suite and step into the elevator to take us to the lobby.

"Yeah, ma sent me a text that she and Rosetta drove together. Also, before I forget, most of the financials on Tiziano are clean. He has some offshore accounts, but nothing out of the ordinary. I guess it's true he mainly sticks to the business side of things for the other families in New York. Nothing is connecting him to any of the judges or other law enforcement from the trial either."

"Keep digging. He sold out my father, and I want to know who bought him." The anger simmering inside of me begins to boil. "Whoever it was had to be involved with the men who attacked my parents."

We step out of the elevator and head towards a large banquet hall where we will have this gathering. Hotel staff nod or move aside as I walk by. Some say hello, while others busy themselves with whatever menial task they find in front of them.

"Still as social as ever, I see." Domani snickers next to me.

"I don't need to talk to every fucking person I walk by, Dom." He chuckles as we step into the large room.

"Rico, amore mio." Domani's mother, Zara, hugs me. She's short but has always had a solid strength. She tightens her arms around me before pulling my head down to kiss my face. "You look so handsome, but your eyes are tired. Are you not sleeping well, figlio?" (my love, son)

I avoid answering her immediately as I greet and hug Serafina, Domani's younger sister. The truth is I haven't been sleeping well. And I definitely don't want to admit I slept great for the first time when Elenora recovered the night of her birthday.

"I'm fine, Zia; it's good to see you, too. Where's Zio?" I look around for Domani's father. Even though Domani's parents are acting as my aunt and uncle for this damn arrangement, I have always addressed them as family.

"Oh, you know Cruz, he's always talking business with his men." She waves her hand in the air and then turns to address Domani, eyeing him. "And you, why don't you answer your mother's calls? I call, you pick up!"

Domani sighs, giving me a pointed look. "I've been busy, ma. Rico's working me double, and I don't even have time to eat." His mouth twitches to keep from grinning.

"Ha! You've never been good at lying to me, figlio. Come kiss and hug your mamma. I forget what it feels like to hold my boy." (son)

"We had lunch earlier this week." Dom rolls his eyes as he hugs her but then lifts her up, making her laugh.

"I'm excited to meet your lady love, cuz." Serafina nudges me. She is the only innocent in my family and has no idea of the real agenda behind all of this.

"Yeah, can't wait."

She snorts. "Gees, try to sound a little more excited. I won't embarrass you too much, I promise." She excuses herself to use the restroom.

"Federico." Zia Rosetta's voice grabs my attention. Her critical eyes assess me before she kisses both sides of my face. "You look handsome in this suit."

"Thank you, you look beautiful."

"So..." She stands next to me and surveys the room as the staff finishes setting the long table. "Do you think they'll show?"

"They're too desperate not to."

"And the girl? I hear she does not live with her family. That works to your advantage, yes?"

I make a non-committal sound in response. "Dom sent a car to her place; they should be here soon." I check my watch before I glance at her, studying her features. We have similar eyes, and like my ma had, she has a dimple on her left cheek. But it's rare to see it, as she hardly smiles.

"Are you ready to face them?"

Her fierce eyes meet mine. "I've been ready for a long time, nipote. Their time to pay has come. The same shame and humiliation we felt will be theirs now, only far worse; they will not recover as we have." (nephew)

"Rico." Luca approaches with his parents, his mother was my father's cousin. Which makes Luca and I second cousins.

"Thank you for coming." Zia Rosetta air-kisses Luca's mom, Elise, followed his father Mossimo

"We are indebted to you for bringing us a lot of business; even if this ends up backfiring, we have people that can clean things up." Mossimo confidently states, referring to the media backlash that could result from this.

"Here they come," Domani announces when Tiziano and Orsino enter the banquet hall. Teresa follows, surrounded by their daughters.

Jackie's step falters when she sees Luca but she recovers and keeps her gaze away from his general direction. He shifts next to me and tugs at his tie; my doubts on whether he could handle this are now materializing.

However, I focus on little Maya as she holds her mother's hand, looking up and around with wonder in her innocent eyes. Then, her gaze moves over to us, and when she sees me, she lets go of her mother's hand; an ear-splitting scream erupts from her as she runs to me.

I bend down, and she jumps into my arms. "Pinocchio! I'm so happy to see you again!" Her small arms wrap around my head, squeezing. I glance at my Zia, who arches an eyebrow watching the interaction.

Maya pulls away to kiss my cheek. "Principessa Maya, it's good to see you again. I was wondering if you'd be coming tonight or if it would be too late for you." (princess)

She scoffs, pulling away, resting her hands on her hips. "Rico, did you forget I'm seven? I'm practically a woman, not a baby; I can stay up 'til nine, and 'cause there's no school, I get to stay up until ten." She beams at me.

"Maya Elenora Borelli, where are your manners?" Teresa scolds and tries to pull her away, but Maya moves closer to me and tightens her arms around me again. She buries her face in my neck as I focus on the detail of her middle name.

"It's fine, Signora Borelli." I stand, holding Maya's hand. "I'm glad you were all able to find the venue. Allow me to introduce you to my family." I make quick introductions to everyone.

Teresa observes my Zia's Zara and Rosetta. "It's so nice to see you out and in the open; it's more common now, more and more, no?"

Jackie mutters to her mother in embarrassment while my aunts share a look. "We're not married to each other," Zara responds, chortling.

Teresa's face turns a deep shade of red. "Oh, mi dispiace, please forgive me; I shouldn't have assumed." Luna is having difficulty containing herself, but one look from her Nonno and she instantly stops giggling. (I'm sorry)

Zara chuckles. "There's a first time for everything, no? And that was definitely a first. But do not worry, Signora Borelli."

I gesture to the table hoping to avoid any further awkward interactions. "Please, let's have a seat while we wait for Elenora to arrive."

"She's not here yet?" Tiziano glances at Teresa, concern etched on his face. "I assumed she was in the powder room."

"I sent a car to pick her up. She should be here soon; probably delayed due to traffic."

He seems to relax a bit. No doubt he's constantly worried about something happening nowadays.

"Can I please sit by you, Rico?" Maya pleads.

I smile at her sweetness. "Of course, cucciola." (cub/little one)

I check my watch for the third time when the staff serves everyone their drinks, annoyed that Elenora isn't here yet. Then it dawns on me that she's stubborn enough to not show up.

The worry on her parents' faces grows as their gaze flickers to the room's entrance nonstop.

"Let's go ahead and order; I'm sure Elenora will be here soon," I assure everyone.

The waiters begin taking down everyone's food choice, and just as they get to me, loud laughter echoes from the hallway.

"Wait, C. It's this way; look, there's a sign with Dicko's name." Elenora's voice carries into the room, and everyone quiets down.

"Nope, that ain't it, girl. It's supposed to say douche-canoe; let's keep looking." Clara responds. I find myself I'm disliking her friend more and more.

"Ooh, I love that song!" Elenora suddenly exclaims. "Sh! Listen!" They stumble into the room, bursting out in laughter; the music is playing from her phone.

Elenora sings along with the song, surprisingly to the beat, too. Clara joins in with her as they dance together, oblivious to the audience watching them.

I can only assume Teresa's gasps have to do with what they're wearing, and Tiziano's mouth hangs open while Orsino looks like he's going to blow up.

"Wait, wait, wait, my favorite line is coming!" Clara dances around Elenora as she sings:

"I'm a real producer, and you just the piano man."

Elenora dances and I'm surprised the dress stays intact with the high slit on her leg, not to mention the plunging neckline that drops nearly to her navel. They continue to dance up against each other, and Elenora begins to sing:

We ain't here to hurt nobody

So give it to me, give it to me, give it to me

Wanna see you work your body

So give it to me, give it to me, give it to me

"Oh man, they don't make songs like that anymore," Clara says before they try to high-five each other and completely miss, but they catch each other after losing their balance and burst into laughter.

Teresa calls out to Elenora, and they both straighten. Finally, taking notice of the rest of us in the room.

"Shit, where'd they come from?" Clara asks out of the side of her mouth.

I briefly glance at my family. Zia Rosetta looks unimpressed as she observes the girls. Domani, Luca, and Serafina have their hands over their mouths in one form or another trying to hide their amusement at the scene.

I clench my jaw as I stand and make my way over to them.

"Are you fucking serious?" I glower at Elenora. As I get closer to her, I smell the alcohol on them. Elenora takes Clara's hand and walks past me, both stumbling in the ridiculously high heels they're wearing.

I catch up to Elenora and attempt to grab her other hand to pull her back, but she swats my hand away with her clutch. Her sisters are having the time of their lives watching all of this.

"Sorry we're late; we got lost." Elenora hiccups.

"Yeah, we couldn't figure out how to get out of the elevator at her place; those things are tricky," Clara adds, making guns with her hands.

"You look like a whore, Elenora," Orsino states, causing several people to gasp.

But Elenora is unfazed. "Well, I thought I'd dress the part, you know? This is how Freddy likes his women." She smacks my face, grinning at me. "I think Ang–Angela would approve, don't you? Wait, is she here, too? We should start a club, Freddy's whores, or Whore's R Us."

She looks around the room. "Ang, where you at, girl?"

She shrugs before she focuses on Orsino again. "You shouldn't be surprised, Nonno, you've been calling me a whore since I was Maya's age, so here I am." She spins around dramatically, and I grab onto her waist when she stumbles, but she shoves my hands away. "As my friend, The Kid Laroi says, 'you can't make a wife out of a ho, ho!'"

Serafina bursts into laughter, and Zara smacks the back of head.

I clear my throat and introduce them briefly. Both Elenora and Clara mumble over each other like drunken idiots. "Pleasure...Nice to meet you...Or wait, is it nice to meet her or me?"

"And this is Domani, my cousin, but also my right-hand man." I inform the blitzed duo.

Clara snorts. "Right hand, eh? Dicko must keep you really busy." Elenora sprays me with water, bursting into laughter after she had taken a large drink.

"Whoops," Elenora wipes at my suit. "Don't worry it won't stain."

The amused smile on Domani's face catches my attention, and then I realize how focused Elenora is on him. She tilts her head to the side and smiles at him. "Are you sure you're not Federico?"

"Pretty sure, Signorina." Domani smiles back at her.

"That's a shame; I wouldn't have to fake like you." Elenora leans forward slightly and whispers. "You can pretend to be Rico, and I won't tell." She winks at him. He looks back at me, clearly enjoying the interaction.

I steer her back to where we are sitting, grasping her elbow, but she swings her arm away from me. Teresa moves Maya to sit next to her so that Elenora can sit next to me.

"So, Elenora, what is it you do, cara?" Zia Rosetta sips her wine, studying Elenora. (dear)

I nudge Elenora when she doesn't respond. "Hmm? Me? Sorry, I thought she said, Clara. Nothing special; I'm worthless. A talentless, good for nothing, ungrateful degenerate. A waste of space. Right, Nonno?" She winks and snaps her fingers, pointing over at Orsino.

He glares back at her, humiliation is evident on his face, and her sisters aren't laughing anymore. Teresa and Tiziano can't bring themselves to look at anyone either.

I reach for her hand, but she crosses her arms. "Elenora's a photographer."

"A damn good one, too!" Clara chimes in.

Elenora shrugs and is about to grab a glass of wine, but her mother reaches across, exchanging it for water. She frowns but picks it up anyway and gulps the water quickly, exhaling loudly afterward.

She wipes her mouth with the back of her hand. "Nonno says I'll never amount to anything because I lack passion. No ambition. Even though I graduated early and with honors. Hey!" She looks at me suddenly. "You and Nonno share the same brain! Remember that time you told Luca, I'm fucking dull, and I have the personality of a wet mop?" She lowers her voice in an attempt to mimic how I sound.

"That's why Leo left me, too, I guess." She grabs my glass of wine and finishes it off.

I peer around the table and see the uncomfortable nervousness on everyone's faces. Tiziano's dark eyes are on me, wondering how much of what she's spouting out is actually true.

Teresa covers Maya's ears and looks at Tiziano worriedly when Clara begins cursing. "Fuck 'em. Fuck 'em all, Nora. They don't get you; not like I do, boo." She sets her glass down hard on the table, causing the wine to slosh onto the table.

"Um, how did you meet Rico, Elenora?" Serafina asks, trying to change the subject.

Elenora rests her elbow on the table and holds her head in her hand. "You want to know the truth?"

I glance at my Zia Rosetta, but she is focused only on my supposed love like the rest of the family.

Elenora sighs. "Well, I was having a hard time getting over this jerkface—ripped my heart right out!" She uses her hands to demonstrate what she means. "What was his name?" She repeatedly snaps her fingers.

"Leo!" Maya answers.

"That's him!" Elenora taps her nose, smiling at Maya. "Yep, that's him, anyway; I was praying to meet someone and bam!" She slams her hand on the table, rattling the silverware and plates. "There he was, in all his glory. Mysterious, mean, judgmental, and reeking of arrogance—looking down his perfectly shaped nose on everyone, telling me women throw themselves at his feet." She nudges Clara. "Every girl's dream come true, am I right?"

Clara raises her glass in the air. "Amen!"

"Yup." Elenora exhales as she runs her hand down my face. "I'm so lucky, my very own walking STD." Domani and Luca snort in laughter.

"What's an STD?" Maya asks.

Thankfully, the waiters bring out the meals not a moment sooner.

An agonizing silence follows after the meals are set down, with the exception of silverware hitting and scraping plates as everyone begins to eat. Everyone steals glances at Elenora and Clara leaning against each other, trying to keep one another awake.

I'm surprised when Orsino clinks on his glass flute to grab everyone's attention. "I want to offer a toast, even though I'm sure this night did not turn out as...well, like we imagined."

Not one fucking bit.

"But here's to a fruitful and lengthy relationship for our families." He holds his glass up, "Salud!' Not everyone joins in on the toast.

Elenora stands abruptly, then sways before clasping Clara's shoulder to steady herself. "I, too, would like to make some toast!"

"A toast to regret. And to all the times we are gonna regret this! And..." She holds up her finger. "Most importantly, to honor, gentlemen. Remember these words to live by, if you can't come in her, come on her!" She downs her champagne glass, and then her eyes roll back. I hurry and catch her before she hits the ground.

"Well, this is the best family dinner we've had in a long time," Serafina states, amused.

___________________

"I don't know what you're talking about, cuz," Domani states. He and Luca are sitting in my office smoking and having a drink. "She's far from dull; I think she's fun."

"Shut the fuck up, Dom." I rub my temples, not understanding how every plan and move I make get's fucked up one way or another lately.

Luca exhales a puff of smoke. "She's the whole package. She gave you dancing, singing, comedy, and even a little drama with her family dynamic thrown in there."

"Let's not forget, you conveniently forgot to mention she's a fucking knockout." Domani throws his drink back.

"You can have her."

"Hey, if you're offering, I ain't gonna complain, and I don't think she would either. You heard what she said to me." Domani wiggles his eyebrows at me. I grab the glass paperweight on my desk and throw it at him, but he ducks out of the way, and it hits the wall behind him. A gaping hole on the wall stares back at me.

"Fuck, I was kidding, cuz."

Luca chuckles before he begins to laugh harder.

"What the hell are you laughing about?"

Luca leans back on the couch, sighing, but still chortles. "The irony of it all. You set out to humiliate and bring down their family, and she's beating you at your own game without trying or meaning to. The look on my parents' faces, let alone on Zia's Rosetta's, was priceless when she came in with her friend."

There's a knock on the door. "Come in."

Zia Rosetta walks in. "Gentlemen, I need to have a word with Federico."

Luca and Domani nod at me before they walk out, closing the door behind them. Zia Rosetta sits on the couch and crosses her legs. Her firm gaze settles on me.

"Well, that was...entertaining."

"Yeah."

"You've lost control of the situation. That girl is a fucking mess. Completely unpredictable, which makes her dangerous to this whole plan, Federico. If what she said about you is true, she despises you. We should consider bringing Domani into this now; instead of waiting, we change the plan. She made it clear that she's attracted to him, anyhow."

I grind my teeth before I shake my head. "She was fucking wasted. And I always finish what I start."

"Alcohol lowers your inhibitions, and she does not hide the fact that she wants nothing to do with you. If it means getting to the end result quicker, then we use Domani."

I slam my fist on the table. "NO!"

"Don't act like a child, Federico. You fucked up."

"No, I can still salvage this."

She stands, brushing her hands over her dress before walking toward my desk. "You have six weeks to change my mind and Elenora's. Otherwise, you're out, and Domani comes in."

"Even if you were to use Domani, she wouldn't go for him, attraction or not."

"What makes you say that?"

"Because," I lean back in my chair. "If Elenora does in fact hate me as much as you think she does, she will want nothing to do with me or anyone I'm associated with."

She considers my words for a moment. "I guess we'll see, won't we." She claps her hands together. "Well, now I have to go give mea culpa to the Barone family for what they were subjected to endure during that circus of a dinner show." She makes quick strides to the door but then stops.

"The funny thing is, the Borelli family is already imploding within itself with that misogynist Orsino at the head. I almost feel bad for the girl; she reminds me of my younger self. Constantly fighting to prove your worth to those you love and never feeling good enough." She sighs as she runs a hand through her hair. "But what must be done, must be done. Damn the consequence for the greater good of the family, Capiche?" (Do you understand?)

I nod as an uncomfortable tension grows in my stomach, but I shove the feeling away.

"Keep me updated on your progress or lack of, for that matter." She states before she leaves me alone in my office.

I lean my head over my desk, holding it tight. How the fuck am I going to get her to like me, let alone love me in six weeks? I groan, rubbing my face with my hands hard.

My heart has only known love for one woman, my ma, but she was taken from me too soon. And since then, I don't know what it is to love someone aside from my Zia, and to be honest, I'm not sure if we share love or just a commonality in the ultimate goal of revenge for our enemy.

I suppose it could be love in a twisted sort of way. But it's not the same love I've been yearning for since I lost my mom. My mother's love was constant—unconditional.

But I've made it this far without love, proving it's not something I need.

Elenora's words from the dinner replay in my mind; she's constantly brought down by her Nonno. She doesn't strike me as someone who craves love or attention, maybe more understanding from him. But he can't stand the sight of her for whatever reason.

Tonight, I witnessed the utter difference in the way he looks at his other granddaughters versus the contempt in his eyes whenever he glanced at Elenora.

I shake my head of my rambling thoughts, it's not my business. I take a deep breath before I send off an email and then decide to head to the gym to work off some of my frustration from the night and hopefully figure out a way to get Elenora to drop her guard around me. 

****

A/N: Anyone else get second hand embarrassment during the dinner scene? No? Just me? haha