Chapter 8

Amalia, before going upstairs to check on Luna, looks out the living room window and sees Vincenzo in the yard, trying to light his cigarette and kicking everything in sight when he fails. Amalia has known him since he was a child and senses there’s something behind his restlessness. She decides to go talk to him.

"My dear, are you okay? I was going to see if Luna needed anything when I saw you trying to light a cigarette," she says with concern.

"I'm a bit stressed, you know how it is," he responds.

"I don’t know how it is, you haven’t told me what’s going on. I think now’s the time. Why did Luna say she can’t go home? Why won’t you let her go?" she presses him to explain.

"Because I can’t! I can’t let her go," he shouted, releasing his pent-up feelings.

"What do you mean, my son? I don’t understand."

"You’ve worked here for years, you must remember her father, Lorenzo Martinez, one of my dad’s former capos, who left me and my mother alone the day she died."

"Oh my God!" she puts her hand to her mouth, surprised.

"I was after his son Davis, who took on the debt his father had with us. But the debt was never going to end; my father wouldn’t let them be free. He may not have pulled the trigger that killed my mother, but in part, he was guilty of not coming to get us. That’s why I took Luna. They won’t die, but they will suffer because they’ll never see her again," he says with anger.

"My son, listen to what you’re saying. That girl has nothing to do with this. Don’t be like your father; don’t make an innocent person pay. She’s just a girl, what, 19 years old? Come to your senses, my son. I didn’t raise you like this, and your mother wouldn’t have liked it if she were alive. You know how she was against the things your father did," she reprimands him.

"I know she has nothing to do with it. It was clear how shaken she was. She had no idea her father had worked for the Mafia, that he had killed people. She broke down crying when I showed her a picture of him with a gun. That’s why I came down; I couldn’t stand seeing her like that," he confides.

"Poor girl. Wait a minute, are you in love, my son? Is that what’s making you so restless?"

"In love? Don’t talk nonsense. I’m just exhausted. Can’t you see I couldn’t even light a damn cigarette?" he tries to dodge the question.

"Don’t lie to me. You know I know you very well. Your eyes give you away. I noticed from the moment you caught her to keep her from fainting. You blush when you’re near her, can’t light a cigarette, can’t stand seeing her cry, and now you don’t know what to do, so you won’t let her go," she sees through him.

Seeing there’s no use hiding from Amalia, Vincenzo decides to open up. She’s the only person he trusts to open his heart to, as she raised him after his mother died.

"All right! I don’t know how it happened; we haven’t even known each other for a week. Did I tell you I was after her brother?" he starts to talk.

"Yes, you did," she responds.

"So we found him. He was in contact with the Russians and wanted to harm us. So I sent men to his house. They told me he had a sister and that their father was already old. That’s when my plans changed. I decided that as soon as Davis was captured, I’d take his sister and kill her in front of him, then do the same to him."

"My God, how can you say such a thing? Aren’t you afraid of God’s punishment?" she asks, horrified.

"Let me finish. I was willing to do that. When he was captured, his sister was already in our custody. I beat him a lot, and when they brought her in to see him, she broke down crying, got in front of him, and even hit me (he smiled). That’s when I looked at her closely. I couldn’t get her tears and sad eyes out of my head. I couldn’t do anything to her, so I asked them to bring her here. I can’t stop thinking about her. I don’t know what she has that’s different from the others; she destabilizes me with just a look. You can say I’m crazy for feeling this way about someone I don’t even know, the daughter of my enemy, the person who caused me the most pain by taking away what I loved most," he confides.

"I have no reason to say you’re crazy. That’s called love. One day, you were bound to like someone who would affect you like this. She’s not to blame for anything, my son, nor is her father. You spent your life following your father’s madness. What happened to your mother was a tragedy, and if there’s a culprit, it’s your father. If he hadn’t gotten involved in that dark world of crime, he wouldn’t have had enemies. I’m sorry, but that’s the truth. What do you intend to do with her?"

"I can’t let her go. Matteo called me and said my father knows everything and plans to do terrible things to her to make her father suffer. Even though I don’t like her father, I can’t let my father touch her. He’ll have to take revenge in another way because I’ll do whatever it takes to protect her."

"Are you going to tell her you have feelings for her?"

"How could I? Look at everything I’ve caused in her life. She sees me as a monster. When I entered the room, she ran behind the sofa, thinking I’d abuse her. She’s memorized everything bad the newspapers said about me. She’ll never like me. And I can’t be one of those sentimental men; it’s not my style."

"Even the strongest mountains can bow. That doesn’t mean people will stop respecting you. But if you keep her prisoner, you’ll make her hate you more."

"But if I let her go, besides my father trying to harm her, she’ll never want to see me again, and I can’t risk that."

"Your father is the worst human being if you can even call him that, for being so cruel. I’m sure, my son, that things will work out. Don’t worry."

"Thank you. You’ve always been by my side. I don’t know what I would have done without you all these years. Take care of her for me. I need to go back. I was going to leave tomorrow, but I need to see what my father is planning. I’ll say goodbye to her and head to the airport."

"Don’t worry. I’ll take care of her. Go and do what you need to do; she’ll be fine."

"Thank you. I’m going upstairs to talk to her."

—

Vincenzo enters the house, climbs the stairs, and goes to Luna’s room to talk to her.

"Can I come in?" he asks.

"Go ahead, it’s your house anyway," she responds sharply.

"I was going to stay for a few days, but I need to leave. I ask you to eat; don’t go without eating. You’re already getting weak. Amalia will keep you company. I promise I’ll be back soon."

"What do you want from me? Why do you think I care if you come back or not? Showing me what my father did doesn’t change the fact that you and your whole family are monsters."

"I know you’re angry, but now more than ever, you can’t leave here. My father is after you, as you heard Matteo say on the call. My father isn’t like me. He’s willing to do the most cruel and terrible things to you just to make your father suffer. The only place you’ll be safe is here."

"Oh, what security. Being kidnapped and now depending on your help to not die. What do you get out of this?"

"I just don’t want you to get hurt. I have to go now. I promise I’ll be back soon."

"Do whatever you want. I don’t have a choice, do I?"

Vincenzo leaves Luna in the room and grabs his things to go to the airport.