The Mafia Contract Series

Mrs. Bourne takes me on a tour of paradise. Each room is grander than the last and I have soon lost count of how many we have visited. This is luxury on a scale I have never seen before, and I’m used to being surrounded by the finer things. But not this. Not this creation of modern excellence that is both stunning and homey at the same time.

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I’m a little in awe of it all and Mrs. Bourne nods. “She is. Angelo had very specific instructions, but she made his vision come alive. It wasn’t cheap, but I’m sure you can see that for yourself.”

“You’re not wrong there.”

As I stare around me, I try to absorb it all. More than anything, I try to wrap my head around the fact it’s my home. To be honest, I’m certain I’m dreaming because how has this happened? When my parents told me I was going to be married to a business associate of my fathers, I considered ending it on the spot. I’m not sure why I imagined him to be as old as my father and every bit as disgusting. It’s why I tested him, I suppose. Hoping my father would end my life before I learned what that involved.

But Angelo is a pleasant surprise and nothing like I imagined. He has been surprisingly kind, and it has shifted things sideways. Now I’m curious because why is he being so nice? He explained he wanted an alliance with our families, but the room, the clothes, the sweet gestures and interested looks, tells me there’s more to him than I first thought.

I head across to a photo frame nestling on the table in the light, airy living room that looks over the amazing formal garden. A beautiful girl stares out at me, and I’m struck by the kindness in her eyes as she laughs at the camera. I peer closer and say, “Is this Angelo’s sister?”

It’s almost unmistakable because they share the same eyes and the same features, although where Angelo wears a savage beauty, Winter is like a beautiful goddess.

Mrs. Bourne’s voice softens. “It is. Such a beautiful soul which is surprising when you remember who she came from.”

“Was she like her mother?”

I’m trying to work out who she resembles, and Mrs. Bourne says bitterly, “Nothing like her, thank goodness. She’s a mixture of both her parents. A wild beauty that stops conversation in a room. Both twins have it and yet from somewhere they inherited a golden heart.”

She sighs and her voice softens. “When Winter married Massimo, she changed. A little of her father showed its hand and her eyes took on a hard look. She came to the funeral a changed woman, and it shocked Angelo. When she left, he stayed in that room with his father for hours. His guests had left long before he made an appearance, and it wasn’t his father’s death that cast the shadows in his eyes. It was Winter. They are so alike, and a little piece of him left with her that day. He is lost, Jasmine. They are both lost, and I can’t see a way out of it. Angelo has thrown himself into his new role as the head of this family and Winter appears to have thrown herself into her marriage. It’s a tragedy that they are separated, but I can’t imagine anything changing.”

“Does she visit?” I can’t conceive never seeing your sibling again, especially your twin, and Mrs.

Bourne sighs. “No. That was the last we saw of Winter. She lives with Massimo in his closely guarded fortress and has declined any invitations to visit. Maybe it’s this house and the memories that she’s distancing herself from. Angelo has completely transformed the place to the eye, but the memories linger.”

“So, they had a hard life?”

“The hardest. Don Sontauro was intent on hardening his kids to their future and there was no maternal love from a woman who only had her own interests in mind.”

“What happened to her?”

I’m curious because, as my mother said, a mafia wife’s life isn’t a long one and Mrs. Bourne says angrily, “She betrayed the Don and suffered the cruelest of deaths. Family is everything to them and betrayal comes with the most turbulent passing to the afterlife. If I can give you any words of advice, Jasmine, it’s learning how this world operates and become a master at it. Angelo is a diamond in a cave of darkness and shines brighter than most, but even a diamond can lose its sparkle and I’m fearful he will be dragged down to the pit of hell the harder his life gets. If anything, I’m hopeful he will fall in love and that’s what I pray for. For them both to get the happiness they deserve, and that’s where you come in.”

“Me?”

“Angelo doesn’t know how to love. He’s never experienced it outside the strong one he has for his sister. Now he has a wife. He has a responsibility he never considered, and the fact he’s gone to such extraordinary lengths to make your stay here comfortable, tells me he has a caring side he doesn’t recognize in himself. Give him time and I’m guessing you will be pleasantly surprised.”

As I set the frame back on the table, I think about what she said. I know she’s right, and it lit a spark of hope that my future isn’t as bleak as I feared. Can I turn this around and somehow find happiness in a storm? Just remembering his gentle touch and hard kisses makes me shiver inside. I could try at least, but can I really ask him for an intimate relationship and why is that becoming more appealing by the second?

Our tour continues outside and Mrs. Bourne takes me on a pleasant stroll through formal gardens, flower filled borders and a kitchen garden that is home to all kinds of soft fruit and vegetables. A large greenhouse is home to lemon trees and salad leaves and ripened tomatoes that make my mouth water. The orchard is delightful, and we pick a ripe peach to enjoy as we pass through the rows of trees laden with fruit and then wander down to a huge lake that offers the perfect view across the glorious countryside.

“This place is so special, Mrs. Bourne. I never expected it to be so pretty.”

She nods, a dreamy smile on her lips. “I love it here. Now more than ever because suddenly the house is filled with light in more ways than one. Don Sontauro was a hard man to be around, but his son is an angel in comparison. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a closed book, but there’s none of the threat that follows him. He is respectful and cares for his staff and there is a good heart beating inside him, but don’t think it will save you from his cruelty if you betray him. Angelo is his father’s son and there is a temper there you will not want to experience first-hand.”

Her words make me a little uneasy and I whisper, “Have you ever seen it? His temper, I mean.”

“Not first-hand, but the men talk. When his father died, Angelo went on a rampage. Word on the street was his father’s assassination was from an unknown organization set on controlling everything.

Rival families were antsy and for a while security was stepped up. The men looked to Angelo to discover who did this, and he swept through the ranks, dispatching anyone who spoke out against him.

Loyalty is his number one requirement, and when his soldiers cast doubt on his ability to lead, he showed them their maker. Consequently, he has built an army of loyal servants who will die for him, and he has developed a mantra of no mercy.”

“It must have been a frightening time.”

“It’s never been different. This life is always frightening. It’s how you learn to deal with the fear that counts. Don’t be afraid and develop a thick skin and carve your own niche in the fabric. You will be an asset to this family, Jasmine. Just don’t lose your spirit in this madness.”

We head inside and I consider her words. I’m guessing Mrs. Bourne is preparing me for life as a mafia wife, and I’m grateful for that. Can I do this? Can I even survive this? I’ll give it my best shot.

Death would be the easier option than heading home to face the wrath of my family if I fail.