Sold to Mr. Giordano

Arielle

I passed out from shock when the strange man with cold eyes sliced my finger as if it were a piece of carrot. It hurt so bad and even know it’s still throbbing.

I don’t know the men who took me but they don’t sound like the Bratva. They sound like regular Americans with thick New York accents. I only realize who took me when they bring in someone whom I’ve known nearly all of my life.

The Famiglia’s private doctor in New York.

The doctor brings in familiar technology I remember from my appointment with Doctor Conti back in Chicago. One of the men who kidnapped me lifts up my nightgown while the doctor rubs the cold gel on me and begins taking a sonogram.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

“She’s pregnant alright,” the doctor nods his head staring intently at the screen.

 It’s much different than when I was in Doctor Conti’s office. She had a smile on her face that didn’t waiver for a single moment. This doctor is strictly business carrying out orders from someone… someone in the Famiglia?

 Why would someone in New York kidnap me, I’m the Capo’s daughter and the other Capo’s wife. It would mean certain death for them.

The kidnapper squints his eyes at the screen and replies, “That’s what he suspected.”

 Who is he? Who are they working for?

“He wants to know the gender, he wants to send a little gift to Antonio.”

I squirm in my chair at the sound of my husband’s name. I let out of muffled groan through the duct tape over my mouth. A wordless plea to let me go and leave my family alone.

“A girl,” the doctor says emotionless as he wraps up the procedure and the kidnapper wipes down my stomach and yanks my nightgown down. The doctors nods farewell to my kidnapper and leaves through the only entrance and exit without as much as blinking an eye at what he’s done.

The doctor was the man who always gave my lollipops when he came to the house frequently to patch my father or brother or anyone of his men up.

True loyalty lies with the Capo and the Famiglia. Never cross the Capo, orders are to be followed—always, my father always used to say.

Before I can make my own educated guess about who has kidnapped me, my father appears in the doorway.

“Hello,” his lips curl into a sickening smile. “I come bearing gifts,” he holds up a pair of baby booties that are pink. “I’m going to send them to your husband along with the pinky finger. I’m sure he’ll be glad to know the sex of his child. It’ll be a good convincer to make him step down.”

Step down?

“I knew your husband was weak. I knew he was weak since before you two were engaged. You see, I was the one who killed Lorenzo Giordano and you witnessed it all remember, eleventh August,” my eyes widen, “Well not me personally, I was in New York at the time. I paid off the Bratva to kill Lorenzo and the Giordano brothers. Rocco and Luca weren’t they were supposed to be and unfortunate survived. The Outfit was already weak under Lorenzo’s command and now that Antonio was running the show it was a disaster. So, like any decent human being I offered him help, offered to send my soldiers—but, he had to marry my daughter.

“I always knew Antonio was weak, he loved his mother and once a man is capable of love, he’s likely to love again and it happened. I wasn’t sure if he was going to love you so I had to have a backup of course, so I lied and told him you were on birth control. I figured if he didn’t at least love you he would love his child. Now I have his ultimate weakness standing in front of me, the love of his life pregnant with his daughter.

“My son deserves to run the Outfit, not Antonio. With this message to your husband he’ll do anything to get you back—including giving up his position of Capo. Even if he doesn’t, he’ll still do everything in his power to get you back and that’s where his downfall will be. He’ll figure out where you are eventually and we will be ready and that’s when we will kill him.

“Luca will take over the Outfit and I’ll of course kill Rocco that way he doesn’t put his big boy pants on and claim his spot as Capo next. Luca is fit to be Capo and he would have made a great one here in New York, but I’m not ready to give up my spot. No, I’m still young and I know Luca was getting impatient so we compromised. I’d give him the Outfit if he’d leave me alone to tend to my city here. I guess you’ve been wondering where your mother is, she’s dead. Angelo figured it out and I couldn’t have him telling you. I meant to kill him but things didn’t go as planned again but it’s a happy accident he’s suffering from anemia.

“Anyways, your mother is dead and I have taken myself a new young fertile bride. She’s pregnant, you’re both due around the same time I presume. She’s having my son. I’ll raise him to be just like Luca, Angelo was such a mistake he got too much of his mother’s influence and feelings. My unborn son will be Capo of New York when I die.

“Oh, I guess you’re wondering your part in this. I guess after Antonio is dead, we have no need for you. I have no need for you. Don’t worry though, I’ll make it quick.”

My head is spinning with uncertainty, sadness and betrayal. This whole time it was part of some elaborate plan to kill of the Giordano’s and have a new reign in Chicago. That day I knew a capo was dead the fact was I didn’t know he was Lorenzo Giordano I was there, it all happened in front of my eyes. What Antonio must be wondering about me. I didn’t kill anyone! I shut my eyes and everything replayed on my mind. I was returning home with one of dad’s bodyguard and someone stopped the car. He was wearing a black hat, with his knife on my neck it was when I took the handgun from the car’s seat and shoot him! I kill him and dad turned everything to self defence case.

My father wants to rule both the Outfit and New York. He wants the Ricci name to take over.

He killed my mother, tried killing Angelo and now he’s going to kill me and my daughter all for power. To him family means nothing, the same goes for Luca. My father is a ruthless—if there’s any time to start cursing it would be now—a ruthless bastard!

I want to scream it in his face, I want to cry out of unfairness and want to kill him with every fiber in my being. I’m scared of death and have no intention of dying at nineteen. I want to live, I want to live with Antonio in Chicago and raise our daughter to be happy and full of life.