The Beginning

Chapter Twenty

"Leonardo", I said walking into my office to see Lorenzo sitting down in front of my desk.

"Giovanni, how are you? How's my little girl", Leonardo asked.

I shook his hand before sitting down.

"I'm good. Aria is good", I said.

"Glad to hear. So, Lorenzo tells me there's a problem?", Leonardo sat back in the chair.

"Enzo...Why does your family have peace with him?", I asked.

"Right, well. Enzo is married to my niece", Leonardo said.

"Married? How long?", I asked curiously.

"A couple of years. Not too long", he said.

"Hmm"

Enzo got married. I nodded before the door opened and Lorenzo walked in. He held the door open and Aria walked in.

"Dad", she smiled.

Leonardo got up and walked over to her before kissing her cheek.

"What are you doing here?", I asked Aria.

"I came by to give Lorenzo a gift for Riviera...Dad, what are you doing here?", she asked.

"Your lovely husband, here, wanted to speak to me", he said. I shifted uncomfortably when he said husband. I know that I was but I was still getting used to being Aria's husband.

"Right. Well, I better get going", she said before waving and walking out.

Lorenzo closed the door behind him.

"Well, it was good talking to you Leonardo", I said getting up and shaking his hand.

"You too, Gio.", Leonardo said before walking out of my office.

Lorenzo looked at me and I turned to him.

"Enzo is hiding something. He hated the Esposito's' just as much as I did if not more. Marrying one of them was the last thing he'd ever do. He needed protection.", I said.

"Yep, from us.", Lorenzo began. "Your wife spilled some very useful information.", Lorenzo made himself a glass of whiskey.

"What did she say?", I asked.

"Well, the whole Russo family being the villain in all of this is bullshit. Enzo was the one who put that idea in there head.", Lorenzo replied taking a sip of his whiskey.

"Guess, I'm gonna have to go see my other family.", I said getting up.

"What? You're going to go see the Russos?", Lorenzo asked.

"Yeah, peace was between the Espositos and us. They didn't say I couldn't speak to the Russos.", I said before walking out of my office.

•••

"Giovanni Morello.", Mr. Russo said as he opened his door.

"Mr. Russo", I smiled. He shook my hand before pulling me into a hug.

"How have you been?", he asked.

"I've been better.", I admitted.

He invited me in and offered me a glass of whiskey which I accepted. We sat down in the living room and talked for a while.

"I hear you got remarried.", he said taking a sip of his whiskey.

It was silent for a moment before I cleared my throat.

"Yeah, It brought peace between my family and the Esposito's.", I told him.

"Esposito's, huh?", he chuckled. "Now why on earth that family?", he asked.

"They said you were going against our family. I don't think that's the case anymore.", I replied.

"Giovanni, my daughter is dead. She was your wife and loved you very much. Just because she's gone didn't mean we dislike you or will go against you. Once you're family you'll always be family.", Mr. Russo said.

I finished my Whiskey and sighed.

"I know. They have peace with Enzo. Everyone knows Enzo hated the Esposito's more than we did. He needs protection. They only believe in peace between family and Enzo is married to Leonardo's niece. I'm married to Leonardo's daughter which by marriage Enzo and I are families so I can't hurt him.", I explained.

"I found out that Enzo put that you were the enemy in Leonardo's head.", I sighed.

"Which means he protecting himself from you because he's done something", Mr. Russo said.

"Yeah, but what?", I asked.

It was silent for a moment before for Mr. Russo sighed.

"Greta", he said.

I looked up at him. It couldn't be. Enzo was in love with Greta he wouldn't do something like that to her. There would be no reason for him to want her killed.

"He was in love with her, he wouldn't". I said.

"Gio. He needed protection from you. He got married then got people to go against me. They got you to have peace with them so you and Enzo are technically family by marriage. Which means you can't hurt him or anything. Why else would he do that? Why else would he need protection from you?", Mr. Russo said.

"If he killed my daughter.", he began.

"He won't live to see another day, Mr. Russo. I give you my absolute word on that.",I said. "Greta was the love of my life and if he took her away from me. He doesn't deserve to live", I said feeling my blood begin to boil.

"Are you going to stay married to that girl?", he asked.

I didn't say anything. If Enzo did hurt Greta, and this whole thing was set up, would I still be with her? Would I even want to be family to them even if it was by marriage?

"I don't know", I said truthfully.

"She would want to be happy, Gio. She always made sure you were happy. Don't feel like you're loving her any less. It's okay to move on.", he stood up and walked over to me. "It's okay to start your life again", he pulled me into a hug. "You know we will always be here for you and your family.".

Mr. Russo was one of the sweetest men I knew. He could be mean and cruel when he had to be but overall he's is sweet.

"Just know that my loyalty with this family isn't going to change. You're still my family. I'm going to get to the bottom of this. I will find who killed Greta and I will make them suffer if that's the last thing I do.", I told him.

"Just take care of yourself. Don't get yourself in a situation you can't get out of. I can't lose another child.", he smiled patting my shoulder.

Mr. Russo was always so nice to me. He knew that I had good intentions with Greta. He considered me his son the day he met me. Mrs. Russo was the same way the both trusted me with their daughter. I was glad to be apart of their family. I wasn't going to turn my back on the Russos. Things didn't add up and I was going to get to the bottom of it. Things might get a little messy.