My Mafia Romance

Capitolo Trentasette

"Have you heard anything else from the Marrone Family?" Domenico asked his cousin Carmine, his enforcers Frank and Dante, and old family friend Alfredo Costello.

"We intercepted their shipment of guns that we saw coming in from the southern border of Sicily," Carmine said. "We can expect a retaliation soon. It's bullśhit that a problem in the mafia would extend to the wife and children but Emilio doesn't play with any morals or ethics." It was unheard of that in the cosa nostra that the wife of another Don would be targeted, it was almost like a cardinal rule that the wives and any children that opted not to be apart of the mafia would be left alone.

"I have had guards patrolling the perimeter of the hotel since Apollonia and the kids arrived," Alfredo said. "But I don't expect that we will have any problems, not with Benito here." The reputation of Benito DiMarco was one of ruthlessness, he was well known in the underworld as being gruesome and taking immense pleasure in carnage. People outside of the DiMarco Family assumed that Benito adored his only child Apollonia, but they couldn't be more wrong. Benito felt that having a daughter only limited his influence and power in the mafia.

Apollonia was anxious to return home, even if she didn't voice it. She was tired of living in a hotel room while pregnant with two little boys.

"I don't anticipate anymore problems with the Marrone's in the near future," Alfredo said taking a puff from his cigar. "Emilio will lay low for awhile deciding what he wants to do next."

The unspoken danger that hung over the group was the notion that Apollonia was the sole target of Emilio's rage. While the group sat in silence contemplating the level of the danger that was posed to the Boss's wife, Benito DiMarco walked in flanked by his Consigliere, two of his Captains, and two of his bodyguards. As a sign of respect everyone that was seated rose of their chairs and greeted the New York mafia boss, but he waved them off. Benito wasn't one for pleasantries and decided to get right down to business.

"Is my daughter going to be returning to her home?" Benito stared Domenico down. "She should not have to be raising her children in a hotel."

"Apollonia will be wherever she will be kept safe," Domenico glared back at his father-in-law. It was a brewing battle between the two alpha males, which prompted all of the other men in attendance to leave the hotels conference room which was serving as a headquarters.

"When she was under my care she never was under any type of threat," Benito said. "She was always safe, a concept that seems to be lost on you."

"My wife will not be harmed, by me or anyone else," Domenico wanted to laugh at the deeply annoyed look that briefly passed over the other man's face at the mention of his consent abuse towards his own wife.

Benito rounded the table and stood toe-to-toe with the younger mafia boss, "My wife has never had to leave her home because some bastárd has threatened to kill her. It hasn't even been two years and already your wife is getting death threats!" Benito stared Domenico down with a challenging gleam in his eyes. Domenico knew that if he showed even an ounce of uncertainty when it came to the protection of his wife and children, others would use it to their advantage.

The two alpha males stood silently, daring the other to step out of line. Benito was in Domenico's territory, but Benito was older and wiser than his son-in-law. His age and long reign in New York garnered him respect amongst other families, from Italy to America.

The tension was broken up by a soft knock from the closed conference door. "Come in," Domenico said. Apollonia poked her brunette head into the room. "Oh I'm sorry. I didn't know that you were busy," she made a move to exit the room.

"It's fine, we're done here," Domenico directed the latter part of his statement towards the older man standing in front of him before looking at his wife. Benito stalked out of the room not even sparing his daughter a glance.

"Is everything okay?" Apollonia glanced nervously at the recently closed double doors. She hadn't had the option of eavesdropping due to the two guards stationed outside of the conference room.

"Everything's fine," Domenico allowed himself a small smile. Even through all of the chaos and uncertainty he always found himself calm around his wife. She did something to his state of mind that not even his kids could do. "It's nothing that you need to worry about."

"You know that won't stop me from worrying," Apollonia walked closer to him. "I'm always concerned about you." He observed her face and tried to gauge her inner feelings, her only trait that irritated Domenico was her incredible ability to hide her emotions and keep a neutral expression stamped permanently on her face. He found himself constantly thinking that she would be a great asset to the mafia, but he could never stomach the thought of her in the midst of a mob war.

The gazed into each other's eyes in comfortable silence, unlike the stare-down that occurred between Domenico and his father-in-law only a few moments before. The silence was suddenly broken by Apollonia, "I want to go home."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea," Domenico sighed running a hand through his nearly black hair.

"I won't leave the house, you can keep me on lockdown if you want," Apollonia pleaded her case. "But I'm sick and tired of living in a hotel and I need to get ready for the baby. You can't hide me away here forever."

Domenico shot her an annoyed look before weighing the options in his mind. He knew that Emilio had virtually gone into hiding, and the only way to draw him back out would be to have Apollonia return home. But could he potentially risk her life in the process? Could he keep her and his sons safe while also ending this vendetta that Emilio held against him? He often thought about the regret he had when it came to getting involved with Francesca Marrone, but then he felt guilty for even entertaining the notion because he wouldn't have his oldest son.

"These isn't much that can be done right now," Domenico ignored the small smirk that fought it's way to his wife's face as he spoke. "So I'll have you and the boys brought back home in a few days." Before he could react Apollonia threw herself into his arms with an excited grin playing on her lips, he could feel the bump in the middle of her body that kept her from being completely pressed up against him.

"Thank you!" Apollonia squealed as she repeatedly placed kisses on his face.

He pushed her away a few inches by the shoulders so that he could look her directly in the eyes, "But you can't leave the compound, you will be on lockdown. There will be new security measures put in place, so I don't want to hear any complaints about it." His voice grew steadily serious and cold as he spoke. Apollonia knew that he was deadly serious and she had no intention of causing him any further headaches.

"Of course!" Apollonia nodded her head eagerly like an excited child. She could care less about being restricted to the villa in Sicily, as long as she could have her family together again.

Domenico allowed himself to fully smile as he looked down at his wife. It was rare that he ever showed any emotion, it was only when he and Apollonia were alone that he smiled. In a world full of lies and violence outward emotion could get you killed, he knew that the only person he could one hundred percent trust was standing right in front of him. The mafia boss never realized how alone he truly felt until he had Apollonia by his side. The only two people he ever trusted before him were his father and his cousin Carmine. It was a relief to have someone who discussed more with him than the mafia and business, and who liked him for more than his money and power.