Velvet Lullabies Read online

  Copyright © 2019 Natalia Lourose

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without written permission of the copyright owner except for the use of quotations in a book review. For more information, address: [email protected]

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  To my husband: Thank you for always supporting me.

  Not all wounds are visible.

  Contents

  Copyright © 2019 Natalia Lourose

  Dedication

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Prologue

  She had a bruise on her arm.

  That was the first sign that something was wrong. She had told him that she hit her arm on the side of the pool while swimming laps, and he believed her. But now, he wasn’t so sure.

  She had been distant.

  He knew his daughter, she was the life of the party. She spent her every moment he was home in his face since the second she was born. Test scores, photos, mundane stories, the girl shared every detail of her life with him. Lately, she regarded him with one word answers and stalked to her bedroom.

  “She’s a teenager.” His wife told him with a shrug.

  Yeah, that was true, but she had been a teenager for years now and this was the first time she’d ever kept her distance from him.

  Something was wrong. He felt it in his bones, he was so sure of it.

  He knew his daughter.

  He called on an old friend.

  “I’m going to need a favor.”

  Chapter One

  Adelina distinctly remembered being five years old and arguing with her mother. Eve wanted her to stay inside and play with the new Barbie dream house she had purchased, but Adelina had other plans. She wanted to follow after Theo and Vinny on one of their adventures. They were dressed to ride bikes and race through the mud and Adelina had every intention to ride her hot pink bicycle alongside them. Her parents had bought her the pink one, obviously, because she was a girl.

  “Girls don’t play in the dirt!” Eve had told her, but her father chuckled behind them.

  “Let her go Eve, she’s a girl not a porcelain doll.”

  Eve sighed in frustration and stomped away.

  Adelina smiled at her father. “Thank you, Daddy!” she screeched.

  “Oh, mi bambina,” he pulled her in for a tight hug. “People in this world are going to tell you that you can’t do things because you’re a girl.” He gazed at her with a serious expression. “Prove them wrong every time.”

  ◆◆◆

  He wants to see you.

  Now.

  Adelina DeMarco had received quite a few annoying, borderline aggressive, texts from her brother in the years since their father died, but none of them scared quite as much as those six words.

  She was late, which wasn’t unusual for her, and she could already hear the lecture Vinny was going to give. “Irresponsible!” he would shout, and she would sit there and take it like a good girl.

  Good girl was a term she had become all too familiar with.

  There were many versions of Adelina. There was the mafia “good girl”, a princess that wore red soled shoes, perfectly tailored dresses that didn’t show too much, light makeup and manicured nails. There was the college student who drank far too much Natty Light, burped in public, and was found wearing dirty white converse. Finally, there was just Adelina, the person who she truly wanted to be. The last version rarely came out to play.

  She maneuvered her pearl white Lexus onto the highway moving from the East Side to Federal Hill. See, the city of Providence, Rhode Island extends over two big hills with a valley in between. On one end, you have the historic East Side home to Brown University, cozy family homes, well-groomed lawns, and your typical uppity people. On the other side sits Federal Hill, home to Providence’s own La Cosa Nostra.

  There were three major U.S. Cities when it came to La Cosa Nostra. The first being, New York, clearly. Then, the outfit in Chicago. And finally, the small city of Providence, RI. Who would have guessed that a small city could do just as much damage as the big guys?

  To an outsider, the city of Providence looked like a beautiful place to settle down, attend school, work, and live a normal life. To those familiar, they knew Providence for what it was: a Mafia town. Adelina was more than familiar with Providence’s underbelly. She had grown up in it.

  Her childhood was spent tagging alongside her brother and Theo throughout the Federal Hill neighborhoods. As a teen, she sat in the back of Theo’s BMW while they made runs. And throughout the years, she watched la famiglia take the people she loved away from her.

  Regardless, she was still expected to make dinner on time.

  As Adelina sped down the highway, a small part of her wanted a speeding ticket so she would have a valid excuse as to why she was late. But she knew that wouldn’t appease the men in her life, they would still be disappointed in her. Especially Vinny. Her brother had nothing but disappointment for her lately.

  At one point, Vinny was her go to person. He was the older of the two of them and had always protected her, but then the “incident” happened and he was no longer her sweet older brother. He was the front boss in training.

  Adelina pulled her car in the Maranzano’s long driveway. Music drifted from the back yard along with the smell of grilled meats.

  Mafia family parties were notoriously fun. She could picture the guys out back grilling and laughing with Cuban cigars hanging from their lips. Little Tony would have a toothpick instead as he recently quit smoking, something all the men would tease him for. Also, Little Tony was not little. Not little at all.

  The younger guys would be hanging around the swimming pools watching the daughters of the older men lounge in skimpy bikinis and try not to be caught staring. Hooking up with a made man’s daughter was quite the offense. There was a process that needed to be followed, courting that had to take place. It was an ordeal. One Adelina was happy to not be a part of.

  She took a deep breath to steady herself, plastered on a fake smile, and let herself in through the gate.

  Massimo Maranzano’s backyard was extravagant, mostly due to the expensive taste of his wife. There was a deck with pillars on all four corners adorned with sleek black patio furniture. A giant kidney shaped in-ground pool with lavish lounge chairs on the sides. Flowers of all kinds bordered the property, decorating the tall dark wood privacy fence. And in the back-right corner, surrounded by his men, was Massimo Maranzano.

  Massimo’s eyes scanned Adelina head to toe. She was wearing a pair of torn white short shorts, a red and white striped blouse that exposed her sto
mach, and a pair of red canvas shoes. She instinctively covered her stomach, which in turn made Massimo chuckle. She didn’t have time to change into the correct version of herself when she was ordered over here. She kept tight barriers between her different lives, never letting one slide into the other, but today, she messed up.

  He took a long puff from his cigar. “This is how the girls dress these days?”

  Silence.

  “Thank god I don’t have a daughter.” The men laughed with him, Adelina kept her arms wrapped around herself.

  “You called for me, Uncle?” she asked quietly. Massimo was not her Uncle, but it was a title that he insisted she call him. Women didn't call the boss as such, and Adelina was far too important to him and close to the family to call him by name, so instead she grew up calling her almost future father-in-law Uncle.

  Massimo made a show of checking his Rolex. “I did, though I think that was a while ago, hmm?”

  “I’m sorry, I was on campus.” Adelina averted her eyes from the man. “I got distracted.”

  “With what?”

  “School work.” She responded sheepishly.

  He nodded for a moment. “Still art something or other?”

  “Literary Arts, yes.”

  He considered this for a moment. “A waste, if you ask me.”

  She had never asked him. Still, time and time again he thought it appropriate to tell her what he thought of her major.

  A waste.

  She shook it off, and chose not to respond.

  “Well my girl, I suppose it’s time.” He set the cigar in the ashtray and dusted his hands on his dress slacks before standing. “Come with me,” he led her back in the grand house, down the wood floored hallway into his office.

  At one time, Massimo was a handsome man. His dark hair was now peppered with streaks of gray, and his stomach was now more flabby than toned muscle. He walked with a slight limp from hip pain but refused any assistance from a cane. The man had truck-loads of money, yet he wore dress slacks and a short sleeve button down with the top three buttons undone. A lot of the men he surrounded himself wore suits, proper gangsters, she called them. Not Massimo. Massimo considered himself the town sweetheart. Women loved him, round belly and all. On Thanksgiving, he handed out turkeys to all the families in Federal Hill. If you were down on your luck, Massimo had a job and a wad of cash for you. He protected the neighborhood, and therefore the neighborhood protected him.

  And if you didn’t protect Massimo, then you didn’t live.

  Vinny was already waiting when they arrived in Massimo’s office.

  Massimo greeted him with a clap on the back and took a seat behind the large cherry wood desk. They sat in silence for a long moment while Massimo poured himself a glass of dark liquor and took a long sip.

  “My boy,” he mused. “He loved you." Massimo looked to her, saying these words with emotion Adelina wasn’t expecting. He was referring to Theo, his only son and Adelina’s first and only boyfriend.

  Adelina didn't respond, she didn't need to.

  "I've held this off for as long as I could," he told her sadly, "For his memory."

  She nodded even though she had no idea what he was talking about.

  "Your brother here," he gestured to Vinny, "Has gotten some offers and so it's time, topolina."

  Topolina, little mouse, was the nickname that Theo gave her as a baby. He was three years old when she was born and the first little girl of his father's inner circle. When he saw her in the hospital room he shouted "Topolina!" They assumed this was to do with an Italian children’s book he had recently read, but nevertheless it stuck, and Adelina grew up with the nickname from their families. She was the little mouse that Theo would guard and protect for the rest of his life.

  Adelina followed Theo around like he was her savior. She spent every possible moment as a child running through the gardens with him, riding bikes, and swinging from tree branches.

  So, when Theo announced at 19 that he would marry Adelina, no one was surprised except her. She had been raised alongside boys who had been trained to take what they wanted, never realizing that she was one of those prizes they would take.

  At 16, Adelina wore a promise ring knowing in two years it would turn into an engagement ring. But when those two years were up, instead she was met at the end of the aisle with two coffins.

  "What does that mean?" she asked.

  He took another long drink.

  "I felt that as his father I should be the one to tell you."

  Adelina forced back the tears that were threatening to spill from her eyes. "You could stop it," she said sounding whinier than she meant.

  "Adelina!" Vinny scolded.

  "My girl," Massimo cooed, "this is your duty to your family, you know this."

  Adelina choked on a laugh.

  Duty.

  Famiglia.

  Italian men all talked the same. This was a speech she had heard from Theo, Vinny, and now Massimo. A single tear dropped down her cheek and she wiped it quickly before her brother could scold her for being childish.

  Massimo sighed. "Your brother has a few meetings set up for you. I will attend since your father cannot. Adelina, you will make me proud, yes?"

  "Can I be excused," she asked shakily, and Massimo nodded looking to Vinny to take her home.

  ◆◆◆

  Adelina felt sick to her stomach as she ran from the house. Vinny's shouts echoed behind her and she knew she'd take shit for this later, but right now just needed out of this place. She made it to the first bush outside before she threw up.

  Roberto, the enforcer whose job centered around watching her, hovered over. “Here, skip." He called.

  "Jesus, Addy.” Vinny muttered catching up to her.

  Using her sleeve to wipe her mouth, she finally turned to them.

  "Take me home please."

  They obliged, and less than five minutes later and Adelina was back in her childhood home. Her mother had been thrilled to see her.

  Eve DeMarco was nothing without her children, or at least that's what she told them. The woman was a little bored since Adelina was away at school, Vinny was in and out of the house, and her husband was no longer home to be taken care of. She spent one night a week with the other wives, but "they're all lil’ old bittys" as she told Adelina. She lived for the moments her children were home so she could dote on them and feed them a home cooked meals.

  She already had lasagna in the oven when Adelina burst through the front door.

  "Topolina!" she cooed.

  Adelina visibly flinched at the nickname.

  "You haven't been home enough." Eve's hands gently touched Adelina's cheeks and pressed on her shoulders as if making sure she was there, real, and intact.

  "Sorry, Ma."

  "Your shaking." Eve studied her daughter, whose eyes were full of fear and on the verge of crying. "Vincent?"

  "She's fine, Ma." He huffed from the entryway. "We just met with the Boss."

  Eve's eyes dropped to the floor, and she reclaimed her arms to wrap them around herself tightly. "Oh," she muttered. "I see."

  "Wait," Adelina looked suspiciously between the two. "You knew?"

  "Yes," Eve sniffed. "I'm sorry Addy, but it will be okay."

  Adelina was pissed. She was annoyed and angry that she lived in a world where she got no choice, no voice, no opinion, and everyone was going to stand by and let it happen. Even the people closest to her.

  The first thing Adelina learned growing up in la famiglia: trust nobody.

  Chapter Two

  About five minutes from Brown University's campus sat a tiny dive bar off the beaten path. The place was a frequent stop for students and the occasional local. On any given Thursday night, there was a crowd of college Juniors and Seniors sipping $3 beers and pretending they didn't have to wake up for classes the next morning.

  On this particular Thursday, Lucian Luchese sat at the bar nursing a tumbler with two fingers worth of whiskey. His corner
seat provided him a nice view of the table of college girls scantily dressed with colorful mixed drinks in their hands.

  He wasn't normally one to do his own surveillance but tonight the circumstances were different. Usually the intel he needed was on street dealers, the Mexican Cartel, or New York politicians. Tonight, however, his eyes were glued to a table of college students.

  He spotted Gemma DelGado, younger sister of Gian DelGado, a Providence Mafioso man not to be fucked with. Gian’s crew brought in the most money Providence had ever seen. The man had every politician in his pocket. Her father was Guiseppe DelGado, consilerge to Massimo Maranzano – and one of the best criminal lawyers in Providence. Gemma was treated like a princess. The girl had never worked a day in her life, and she probably never would.

  Beside her was Maxwell Ryder, known as Max. Parents Emily and Roger Ryder, born and raised in Providence, majoring in Music History, Max was what la famiglia referred to as unaffiliated. He had no mafia connections, and there was no indication he even knew he had two friends who were.

  The rest of the table was filled with other Brown University students, none affiliated with the family except for Adelina DeMarco.

  Adelina was the reason for Lucian’s being in this fowl dive bar.

  She was the daughter of the Maranzano family front boss, Angelo DeMarco.

  Angelo was sort of a legend.

  He ruled a tight ship, and the men under him brought in good money. A lot of good money. Massimo ruled by fear and intimidation, but Angelo ruled with love and compassion. The combination worked well for them for almost 30 years, until Angelo was killed.

  And because of his death, the city was in chaos.

  The Irish were encroaching on their territory, the men were at war, and Massimo couldn’t get control of anyone. So instead, he came to Lucian’s father with an offer, a marriage contract of sorts. Adelina would marry Lucian and in return, Lucian’s family would back them in the war against the Irish.

  Lucian despised arranged marriages. He knew they were common in his world, his own parents had an arranged marriage, but they never planned to force it on their children.