Callista Genovese never wanted to be part of the family business. She enjoyed the anonymity of being a teacher in a land where she was not the killer queen. But like always, family tends to ruin everything.
Callista was dragged back to New York with...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Franco had left Callista after tending to her injuries. They had planned to make his father's angry until rage would make him stupid and useless.
When Caly had explained the plan to them, she sounded so sure. Like it was so easy.
And she was right.
Franco had never seen his father so unhinged before. And all because of his right-hand man. The same man who had repeatedly hit him since he was a child. The same man who had killed his fianceé. The same man who had laid his hand on Castor and Callista.
He couldn't wait to see him fall.
"Franco!" Althea Castellano walked into his room. She adjusted her fur coat, lips pursed as she glared at him. "What do you think you're doing?"
"What?"
"Your father will kill you!"
Franco scoffed. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Are you kidding me? You're showing concern? For me?"
Althea's eyes flashed. She gripped his wrist. "Stop it. Whatever you're planning, you have to stop!"
"Don't lump me in with you!" he growled, yanking his hand back. "How could you live with a fucking rapist?"
"W-what?"
"I know what he is." Franco tried to not let his emotions cloud his mind but be failed. He had heard Castor and Caly's conversation that he had begged Nicholas Luciano to tell him the truth.
And the truth shattered his world.
The only person who made his childhood bearable was also the person who took away half of his life.
At some point in his breakdown, he had been thankful that Althea was horrible to him. In that way, there's at least one person that wouldn't disappoint him.
"Your daughter... she had lacerations and bruises before a bullet took her life," he said. "Father did that. You know it and yet, you fucking stayed with him!"
A slap resonated in the air.
Franco rubbed at his cheek. He looked at her with amusement. "The truth hurts, doesn't it?"
Althea blinked the tears from her lashes. "You don't know anything."
"Maybe. But I know you're a coward."
✘✘
Callista Genovese had never worn a wedding dress before. Or even imagined wearing one. Marriage felt far too pure for someone as selfish as her.
But for some strange reason, she was now marrying for purely selfless reasons.
And to his boyfriend's brother of all people.
The thought caused her to grabbed a bottle of wine. She poured a glass and drank as she surveyed the pretty white ball gown.
It was a simple design with long sleeves and a deep V-neck. The skirt fell in huge ruffles around her. Her was twisted in a messy bun as silver jewelry adorned her ears and neck.
Fuck. What was she doing? She was being an idiot.
She should've told Castor to lock her up and prevent her from doing something as ridiculous as this.
Or better yet, she should've run away as her father told her to.
"Caly?" Franco's head popped in before he went inside the room. He wore a white suit, hair pushed back to display the gold hoops on his ears. "Are you drinking?"
"Yeah. Join me," she smiled dryly and poured him a glass. "Don't you know it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding?"
Franco sipped from his glass. "Feels like yesterday when we were drinking together."
"Ugh. Don't remind me."
He chuckled. "So... are you sure we made Father angry enough?"
If he asked her last night, Callista would've said yes. Loudly.
But she had doubts now. And with her fear of the future in play, she felt like a baby deer learning to walk on ice.
"I don't know. He was born 30 years earlier than me," she replied. "Do you think he would let go of the power for the sake of his most trusted man?"
Franco leaned against the table, swirling his drink. "And what do we do if he doesn't take the bait?"
Callista sighed, pushing the curls off her face. "Then, we'll get married. Two or three years, give or take, I can take him down."
"Will Castor wait that long?"
Her heart clenched. She didn't think she could survive seeing Castor with another woman.
"It's fine." She turned her back on Franco. "If he can't wait, then he's not the one for me, right?"
"Sorry."
"What for?"
"For dragging you into my mess... You didn't have to do this, Caly."
Callista shook her head as she marched to him. She straightened his bow tie and smiled. "Of course I'll help you. You're family."
"Thank you." Franco clasped her hand on his. "And for what it's worth, I promise I'll protect you."
"Then, you'll need this." Callista yanked the gun from her purse. She placed the Glock on his hand. "I'll see you at the altar."
