Beyond What Meets The Eye

Chapter Twenty-Six

"For something of this magnitude, we'll have to call a meeting with the two family heads and their cabinet. I can make the call, but I need you to be 100% certain this is what you want to do." His steely grey eyes bore into her, like he was searching for even an ounce of doubt. But even if Mira was afraid of what might come of this deal with the two families, what choice did she really have?

"It's what needs to be done." She stated firmly. Plus, Leo had fucked her over, it was time to put him in his place.

"Alright, then I'll make the arrangements." Adrian stood up and walked over to his computer. Just then, Mira's phone began buzzing from the coffee table in front of her.

She hesitated as she leaned forward and looked at the caller ID. It wasn't anyone from her contacts, the digits of the number completely unfamiliar. Maybe it was the person her father had told her about, the one who was supposed to get her out of this mess.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Amira Bonnano, my name is Joe, I'm a close friend of your fathers. I've heard of his recent passing, my condolences." He said in a deep, gruff voice.

"Thank you. That must mean you've heard how he died." She pressed her lips into a thin line. If he also thought she killed her father like the rest of the family, then he most certainly was no friend to her.

"I've heard the allegations, but I know what happens behind the scenes in this line of work. For his own people to turn against him, unfortunately, it's no surprise. It's happened far too many times in the past. I've been watching you for a long time Amira, per your fathers request, and quite honestly, I find it incredibly hard to believe you could even pull something like this off, both physically and mentally. You have a good heart, something your father was very proud of." So he was watching her, despite always acting so distant.

"Your father was a good man to me. I'm indebted to him, and for that I promised that if you were ever dragged into the mafia's affairs, I'd help you escape. But I'm going to be honest with you, things are a lot more complicated than expected." He paused.

"I have a plan. I'm going to prove my innocence to the family."

Adrian was looking at her now with big eyes, a questioning look on her face. She held up a finger, give me a sec.

"That's a pretty bold plan. Are you sure that's something you can even pull off?" He sounded skeptical.

"With the help of the Genovese and Lucchese, there might be a chance." Another pause.

"I see. With those two families on shaky terms with the Bonnano, there's a chance they'll be willing to help you. It's no guarantee, but it might just be our best option. I'll leave you to handle the situation, but I'll be in touch. We'll give you our full support." We? Mira was about to ask who he meant by 'we', but the line went dead.

"Who was that?" Adrian asked, folding his arms over his chest like he was about to give her a scolding.

"Before he died, my dad told me a friend would be in touch, someone who could help me." She replied. It may not have been smart to spill her plan to him, but he didn't give a reason to doubt him, and he really did sound like he respected her father.

Adrian didn't look too convinced, but nodded.

"It makes sense your father would have arrangements for you made upon his death. Now, I've reached out to my father, and it seems news of your father's death has spread quite quickly and has thrown a number of the families into panic. The two heads have agreed to meet tonight." He walked over and lifted her plate from the table, taking it over to the sink.

"So I'll finally get to meet your father, how romantic, maybe I can get his blessing," she teased, earning a snort from Adrian.

"Oh sweetheart, it will be far from romantic."

***

Mira lounged on the couch with Pickles resting on her lap, his ass on her face. If she hadn't felt so bad about leaving him, she would have shoved his fuzzy butt to the other side of the couch, but he was snoring so contently, she let is slide.

Mira's eyes drifted to her father's journal resting on the arm of the couch.

"Adrian, that day we went to the rooftop, you told me you'd leave the mafia if you could... what exactly is stopping you?" Adrian lifted his eyes from his computer, caught off guard by her question.

"There's quite a few things... I mean my dad is the head of the Genovese family. He wields a godly amount of financial and political power, and that's not something he's willing to give up.
It's the key to our families wealth, our lifestyle, he values very materialistic things. He raised me on the principle that it was all a part of the natural order of things. There will always be those with power, and those without. For me to leave the family, would slander his reputation, and go against everything he ever taught me. He'd have no problem killing me to prove his authority, to maintain the family name. I always craved his approval, for us to be a real family, and because of that, I did a lot of bad things. Even now if I regret it, I can't take back what I've already done. If I leave my fathers side, and he doesn't put a bullet in my head, someone else will." He finished softly.

Mira sat up, taking in the defeated expression on Adrian's face. She didn't realize it until now, but now that she understood her father, she also finally understood Adrian. He was trapped in a room, with no way out.

"Hey," Mira said. "If I can get out of this mess after being framed for a mafia bosses murder, then you can too. We are a team after all." She offered him a soft smile. He sighed, shaking his head although his lips curved upwards.

"I always get too hopeful when I'm with you, you know that?"