Believing In Fate - book 1

Chapter 3 - Trust Issues

Raffaele

Everyone remains silent, watching the girl's outburst. She punches Petro's chest repeatedly while giving us glimpses of what transpired. Petro stands frozen, taking hit after hit. Guilt engulfs him. His face pales, and his muscles don't move an inch as he allows her to release her anger.

Defeatedly, she slumps to the ground. Exhaustion takes over as she rubs her eyes and then runs her fingers through her hair. She confesses, "It's not my blood. It's theirs. I killed them!"

Petro has become a part of my family in the last four years, and one of my most trusted men. He has spoken of his cousins before, Asimina more so than the others. They're his only family besides his mother.

This is visibly tearing him apart. The blame and her words add salt to his wounds. Knowing she was harassed, assaulted, and almost choked to death, forcing her to kill, and he wasn't there to protect her is torturing him.

That feeling of incompetence I know all too well. Despite being the most powerful family in Europe and the States, in both legal and illegal businesses, they still managed to get to my sister, Bianca. Petro was the one who saved her and brought the life back into her eyes, earning himself a position within my family.

Matteo and Mariano stand, guarding the door in silence. They're ruthless murderers who long ago lost count on the number of their kills. They're fierce protectors of the Morelli family and true animals that can stomach anything. Yet they struggle to see an innocent woman abused. This girl fought those men, killed them, and saved herself, earning her respect from us.

The family has always steered clear of prostitution, the one law my great grandfather bestowed. He was a family man, after all. Anyone under our payroll who rapes or abuses women is killed without mercy.

Yes, we are the mafia. My family is feared, but not by vulnerable, targeted, women, and children. It's the killers, the low-class gangsters, and criminals who shit themselves in our presence. And the police and politicians...well, they eat out of my pockets. I sit on top of the food chain wearing the crown. I'm the Capo Dei Capi of the Morelli empire.

Wanting the deafening silence to end, I walk over to the girl. Pulling my pants up a little, I kneel in front of her. She seemed to accept my touch to an extent earlier, so I try again. Brushing her chin, I encourage her to raise her head. "Hey," I prod gently. Her eyes meet mine. She tenses and remains apprehensive. Although weary, her orbs are a brilliant green. I'm struck speechless as I take in her features. She's breathtaking.

"Raffaele Morelli." I introduce myself. Turning toward the door where both of my men stand, I point to the right and speak, "That's Matteo Vinci." Directing my finger to the left, I add, "And that's Mariano Rossi."

Nodding at my men, she veers those eyes back to me. "I'm-" she begins.

"Asimina," I interrupt, finishing her sentence. "Petro has spoken of you and your sisters." At the mention of her sisters, she hides her face behind her hands and sobs into them. "Hey! It was all good. I swear. He's never said a bad word about you girls." I crack a joke to lighten up the mood.

"No, you don't understand. They're not safe, nor is Petro," she claims.

"Listen, nothing will happen to them," I insist, trying to keep her calm. "We will work it out."

"No, you don't understand!" she argues, anger and frustration rising in her voice.

"There are pictures all over my house of them and Petro. They probably already know who they are!" Asimina makes a weak attempt to hold back her tears while looking at her cousin.