Bella Mafia

Chapter 13

Vincenzo watched as Luca gently led Calli from his suite out into the hall and right before they started towards the elevators, Vin grabbed her and pulled her to his chest.  His eyes memorizing every detail of her beautiful face.

"Vincenzo, what are you doing?" she asked him softly.  His answer?  It was his lips crashing to hers as he could no longer fight it and it seemed like she couldn't either when he felt her arms come around his neck, bringing her closer still.

When he pulled away, they were both left breathless and panting.  He could see the confusion written all over her face, like she was warring internally with herself over the fact that she'd enjoyed his kiss.

"Calli, don't over think it, tesoro.  We both still have a lot to deal with and learn about one another" he said gently as he stroked her cheek and then he let her go.  "I will see you soon, si?" he asked.

She nodded and responded "Si, presto (Yes, soon)."  He was rewarded by her mega-watt smile and that gave him a modicum of hope that he would be able to make her see that everything would be alright.

Siranni turned on his heels and headed back to his suite when his cell phone rang.  Damn it all to hell!  It was Antoine Mancini.  He was not in the mood to deal with this prick, not this morning.  Not after the wonderful morning he'd had with Calli.

"Siranni" he answered gruffly.  "Don Siranni, this is Antoine" the disembodied voice said.  Well no shit Sherlock Vincenzo wanted to say but instead he stayed quiet hoping this conversation would be over soon.  He needed to pack for his journey home, to Sicily.

"What do you want, Mancini?" Vincenzo asked of his soon to be second Consigliere.  "I'm sure you heard the phone call between my daughter and I last night and I just wanted to apologize for her.

She's going to be a handful and well if you ever feel the need to put her in her place, slapping works best.  She won't misbehave after that."

What the hell was this sh*t he was spewing?  Hit her?  Hit a woman for that matter?  The man really was off his wall.

"Thank you for your opinion, Antoine, no matter how unsolicited.  I was here with Calli and if we're going to be honest, it is you who should be apologizing.  Firstly, you were bedding someone other than your wife when you took that call.

That does not look good in your favor at all and secondly, if you ever suggest that I lay a hand to your daughter to put her in her place as you put it, I will put a bullet through your thick Italian skull, capire?"  Vincenzo was livid.

"Si, Don Siranni.  I understand" his voice was strained as Vincenzo knew he was pissed off but frankly where Calli's family was concerned, he was out of give-a-f*cks for the time being.  They were repulsive people and it was nothing short of a miracle that those two produced someone as wonderful as her.

Taking all of his suits from the en suite closest, he laid them out and folded them carefully in one bag and then everything else went into two more.  He called for Antonio, his Captain, and Niccola to come get his bags and to make sure the plane was ready.

As soon as Luca was back with Calli, he wanted to leave this Godforsaken place and head home.  Sicily is where he could breath, he could think and one of the many things that he was thinking about these days was Sicily would be good for Calli.

After making sure that all he needed was packed, Vincenzo made his way to his study and packed up important papers, documents and files to bring with as well and now one final thing.

Moving the picture frame that hung behind his desk, he opened the wall safe with this thumb print and pulled out five huge stacks of banded bills and then a single red velvet box.

Safely tucking the money into his carry-on, Siranni sat down at his desk and opened the box.  It contained the ring that he purchased for Calli.

The day he was told of the syndicate's wishes, he went out and purchased a wedding set, on good faith, hoping that it would placate them and they would stop harassing him but now that he was looking at it, he found that he was excited about putting it on her finger.

It would take a lot of planning on his part and maybe help from Luca, but the proposal would be nothing short of dazzling and their wedding?  He would give her anything she wanted on that front.

Vincenzo continued to stare at the ring.  The main stone was an immaculately cut 8 carat Princess cut diamond, surrounded by one eighth carat diamonds on the top and those same sized diamonds continued around both bands that the main stone sat on.

The wedding ring itself was just like the band and it made a gorgeous set.  One that he could already picture on her slender finger.  Every time he looked at her finger, he wanted to see his ring nestled there.

With his villa sitting by the sea, there were many places that he could chose from for a proposal and he knew already that he wanted no one else around, he wanted to share that moment with her only.

Sighing, he snapped the box closed and slipped it into the pocket of his dress pants, stood and buttoned his suit jacket.  He made one more sweep through his apartment making sure he'd gotten everything he needed.

Even though Domenico would now be his head Consigliere, he did not want to leave the man behind in Vegas.  He would be able to work from anywhere in the world and plus his man hadn't been home in as long as Vincenzo.

It was time for them all to go home, visit family and regroup.  After all, that's what famiglia does for you, refreshes you, strengthens you and Vin wanted her to meet his family.

He was looking forward to introducing her to his mother and father, Clarissa & Alberto Siranni, his twenty-five year old sister, Abriana and finally his Uncle and Aunt on his father's side, Piero & Ines Siranni.

He knew they would accept her because they were loving and kind and good people, just like she was.  They would be able to connect with her on that level while Vincenzo would certainly try, he wasn't always about sharing his feelings and whatnot.

Well, he was set and actually excited and looking forward to going home and speaking of going home, on last task to do before he left.  He needed to call his madre.

Dialing her number, it rang several times and then her sweet voice came wafting over the phone.  "Mama?  It's Vincenzo" he said as she screeched from hearing her first born's voice.

She asked how he was doing and what was going on and so he told her.  She listened carefully and quietly and then said "Oh marone, that poor child.  Well, not to worry, Vincenzo, you know that we will make her feel welcome, of that I can promise you.

We'll have a feast ready, nothing to overwhelm the poor girl with, but something that will show her that she is accepted into our famiglia.  She will not lack for love and support here, Vincenzo" his mother said.

"I knew I could count on you, mama" he said proudly.  "We will see you soon.  I will call you as soon as we land.  Ti amo, mama (I love you, mom)" Vin said.  "Ti amo, mio figlio (I love you, my son)" she told him.

Now, all he needed was Calli and they could head out.  Standing and gathering his work bag, he started to leave when his phone rang again.  It was Luca.

When he answered it, all he could get out of Luca was "You need to hurry up and get over to Calli's suite, now!"  For Luca to use that tone, it was serious.  Gathering Domenico and Antonio, they left the apartment together, walking quickly to the elevator, his mind going over several scenarios, none of which he liked.  At all.