Crossfire Queen

11.

Although I wasn't bleeding out, I felt just as torn walking back into the Marchetti mansion as i had last time. I didn't feel any safer than I had that night, and I was probably even more nervous now I knew the truth.
"You look worried dear" Mary said as the door was opened for us. "Wouldn't you be. I specifically said I wanted to stay away from this and here I am" I gulped as she nodded. "Lorenzo is a reasonable man, I'm sure he will just want to check you aren't causing trouble" she said like it was nothing, like being summoned to the home of a mafia boss was nothing to be alarmed by. "I'm sure you could've told him" I mumbled as she frowned. "Some people would think this an honour Sofia" she almost scolded me. "They're delusional" I said as she escorted me through the doors that took us into a room where Lenny was stood next to a smiling aged man.
Everyone's conversations seemed to stop when we walked in, and I felt even more awkward. Louisa stood looking me up and down like I was trash. Luca looked at me with slight hesitancy and I gave him a polite smile. I wanted to run over to him, hoping he'd save me from the room but Louisa was here and her warning still haunted me.
"Good to see you both stopped working so hard and joined us" Lenny smiled as he walked over and enveloped me in a hug. "Nice to see you too" I said as he held me warmly. "You know how hard she works Len, it's a nightmare trying to pull her away from her designs" Mary chimed behind me as he chuckled. "I do, shall I introduce you to everyone" he asked as I gulped a nod. "You met luca and Louisa last week" he said before turning to another couple in the room. "This is my brother Luigi and his wife Rosa" he said as I waved a small hi.

"And my elder brother Lorenzo. He's the pinnacle of the family" Lenny said informatively. "It's nice to see you again Sofia. I doubt you ever remember meeting us when you were younger" Lorenzo said honestly as I shook my head. "I don't. Sorry" I said almost ashamed. "Not to worry, I'm sure we can all get re-acquainted quickly" he said as he gestured to the bar. "Would you like a drink" he asked as I nodded slowly. "Just a water, thank-you" I smiled at the maid who looked over to Lorenzo. "You can have anything you wish, Sofia. Wine perhaps" he said curiously. "I erm. I don't drink" I said shakily as he nodded. "Water is fine, thank you" I said looking at the maid desperately. This time she nodded and began to pour me a glass from a decanted glass bottle.

As I retrieved my glass, I felt the coolness in my clammy hand and reminded myself not to break another Marchetti glass. "Shall we go on through" Lorenzo said cheerily as he began walking into the dining room. Everyone followed him, as I stepped back to let them all go in ahead of me. It was like a ritual, how they all sat. Lorenzo sat at the head of the table. Luca on one side, Lenny on the other. Next to luca sat his uncle Luigi and Rosa. Next to Lenny was Mary, with Louisa on her left. Leaving the seat opposite Lorenzo for me. The other head of the table. Except it felt more like I was on trial than anything else. And with an unfamiliar Rosa on one side and a bitchy Louisa on the other I didn't stand a chance.

"So Sofia. Tell me about your business" Lorenzo asked as he retrieved his napkin from the table setting. "I run my own fashion brand. Still relatively new, I trade online mostly. Although I go to a market once a month." I brushed over it efficiently. "You design and make or just design" he asked as everyone watched the conversation. "Both. Mary usually helps with the production" I said trying to bring her into the conversation but she sat silently. "It sounds like a lovely venture" he said softly as I nodded. "It's my passion. It makes working easy" I nodded as a stream of waitresses entered and served us all a plate of food.

"I hope you don't mind Italian" Lorenzo chuckled as I looked down at the seafood risotto. "Not at all" I said simply. I didn't mind Italian, I just didn't want to be mixed up with one. "So, Mary tells me your friend is getting married" Lorenzo said after I took the first bite of my food. "She is" I nodded not giving anything away. "And she is happy" he asked curiously. "Seems to be. I wouldn't have thought she'd marry someone who didn't make her feel as such" I said almost sarcastically. Louisa's eye brows raised at the evident sass in my voice. "You aren't concerned by her choice in partner" He asked me inquisitively. "My concern isn't required. She's happy. That's what matters" I replied as I reached for my water. "So you are concerned" Louisa joined in as her father looked at her with a slight intensity. "Leo and Alessia are happy. I'm happy for them. He hasn't given me any reason not to trust him" I said with a shrug, hoping it would end the conversation. "I would've assumed that bringing a dying man into your home would've raised some alarm" Lorenzo challenged as I looked over to Mary and Lenny in almost disappointment. "No more so, than being shot whilst in the car with someone I have trusted my entire life" I retorted as Lorenzo looked at me with amusement. "You are remarkably like your mother" he chortled.
"Given the circumstances, I imagine that's intended as an insult and not a compliment" I said diplomatically yet tauntingly as he raised his brows once more. "I hear Louisa stitched your arm for you" he ignored my previous statement. "She did. Twice. Have to wonder why she chose a continuous stitch in the first place." I said as I turned to her almost accusingly. "Professionally I felt it was the right decision. Sewing gowns and bodies are remarkably different" she tried to patronise me. "I'm sure Gio Di Rossi would dispute that" I smiled back at her sarcastically as Lorenzo inhaled a sharp intake of breath. "You know Sofia, some people would argue that you saving a Di Rossi's life is treason" she said spitefully. "If that's the case, I'd hate to know how the Marchetti's would take to someone working for a Di Rossi" I said as I licked my lip free of the risotto residue and watched her gulp before composing herself.
"Why? are you planning on it?" Luca asked me, speaking for the first time. "I don't tend to mix business with pleasure" I said honestly. "You find the Di Rossi's pleasurable" Luigi laughed at me. "I find them human. Just like I do your family. My connection to them is through Alessia not through any prospective work" I clarified as Luca seemed to relax slightly. "So you feel as close to them as you do us" Lorenzo asked as I pondered the question. "As you know, I have no remaining family. The closest people I have are Mary, Lenny and Alessia. I wouldn't want to jeopardise any of those relationships" I explained as he looked at me deep in thought. "You know your mother nearly lost everything thinking the same way" he said softly yet warningly. "She was deceived. She never betrayed you. My father, he was the deceitful one" I countered. "The reason my mother moved was because, I imagine similarly to me, she couldn't stand the politics. This is a free country and I am able to be friends with two people from opposing families." I said firmly, hoping they wouldn't keep pressing the issue.
"I wish that were true" Lorenzo said taking a large inhale. "But how do I know I can trust you to not tip the Di Rossi's off. How do I know that over a bottle of wine you won't tell Alessia all of our family gossip" he said seriously. "I already told you, I don't drink" I said simply as Luca smirked slightly. Did he find this entertaining?
"Why is that" Lorenzo asked catching me off guard. What was I supposed to tell him here. "I don't trust what people do when they've had a drink" I said defiantly. I could do this. "But you not drinking doesn't stop others" he said pointedly as he glanced at everyone's filled wine glasses. "No, but it ensures my senses are intact." I explained further as he pondered the thought. "You don't trust yourself after alcohol" he mused as I looked at my lap.

"Of course she doesn't. How'd you think she wound up raped and pregnant. Was hardly because she was sober" Louisa laughed bitterly as I gulped. "Louisa" Lenny warned as I raised my head, not wanting to give her the satisfaction. "It's nothing that isn't true" I said to the table. "I was drunk, I was taken advantage of. I don't ever want to be in a similar predicament and so I don't drink" I said honestly as Lorenzo looked at me admirably. "I learnt from it. So you can rest assured your secrets won't be spilled over a bottle of wine" I explained as he nodded. "Sofia" luca began apologetically but I stopped him. "I don't need anyones pity nor sympathy. I got myself into the mess. I sorted it. End of" I said with finality.
"You didn't choose to get raped" luca protested incredulously as he wound himself up. "I didn't. But I was drunk. If I hadn't have been, maybe things would be different" I said trying to stop my chin from faltering. "You cannot blame yourself" he said wide eyed as I glanced to his father, unable to watch luca become irate. He wasn't there, he didn't understand. "She doesn't." Lorenzo said looking at me deeply. "She knows that actions have consequences is all" he continued as I nodded. It felt like a warning in a way, but it was true. I knew that whatever I did, whether that be in favour of a Di Rossi or a Marchetti, it could be detrimental to me.
"Which is why, I'm sure you understand why I am taking the stance I am. I refuse to pick a side, if I do it will only hurt me more" I said honestly as Lenny gulped slightly. "We can protect you" Lorenzo offered me. "I don't doubt it. But I don't need protection right now. I only need people to respect my choices" I said as Lorenzo's jaw ticked. "We can respect the decision. But it has its own consequences" he said warningly once more. "By that you mean you'll make the choice for me. I know what game you are playing Lorenzo. You want me to choose your family, pledge my allegiance to you and agree to never see Alessia again." I took a breath. "But I can't do that and if you do not trust me not to spill things to Alessia, knowing the impact it would have on my relationship with Mary and Lenny then more fool you." I looked over to him to see him shifting uncomfortably. "I don't want to choose, but if you make the choice for me then that decision sits on you. You'd not only be throwing me out, but disregarding the true feelings of your brother and his wife and you'd also be disrespecting the wishes of my mother. You already said how much you adored her in this family. Luca knowing her story almost tells me as much. If you're willing to jeopardise family then feel free, it's your choice it seems not mine" I said with conviction as he looked at me with annoyance.
I imagined this wasn't how he expected the night to go.
"Dad" Louisa said looking outraged. He didn't move his eyes off me. He was trying to compose an answer, think through his plan of action. What would be most detrimental. "You can't just let her disrespect you like that" Louisa protested as I shrugged at him. "Enough" he said finally as everyone looked at him with trepidation.