Velvet Lullabies

Lucian sighed. “I’ll handle it.”

The shipment he was referring to was a big form of income for the family: drugs. Their last supplier ended up not working out, so Lucian took it upon himself to negotiate a new deal. The negotiations were successful, so now it was time for the first shipment. The plan was for the supplier to bring in in via shipping boat to the famiglia run dock. From there the guys would like it to the warehouse, sort it, and off to the dealers.

“You’ll handle the shipment and be in Providence at the same time?” Carlo rose him eyebrows.

Shit.

Carlo sighed knowingly. “Your brother is ready, son. Give him some responsibility.”

To be honest, Enzo, Lucian’s younger brother was the only one he trusted in life. Still, Enzo had a less than stellar past. He was known around the family as a party boy, but his father was right. Enzo was starting to get better. Now, he was running one of Lucian’s clubs, handling his own group of men, and doing pretty well at it. He was ready.

“Okay.” Lucian said. “I’ll ask Enzo to handle the shipment.”

His father smiled. “Glad to hear it.” He sat in his leather chair and looked thoughtfully at Lucian, “Treat her well, son.”

“I will.” Lucian replied.

“And see your ma on the way out, huh?”

“Of course.” And on that note, Lucian was out the door.

Chapter Five

“Adelina.” Her mother scolded. “You know that’s not right.

She was learning etiquette. What fork to use when. How to fold your napkin on your lap. To smile when others talk.

To sit quietly and be a good girl.

Adelina wasn’t a good girl.

At least according to her mother.

“Ah, let her go Eve.” Her father told them entering the kitchen in their Federal Hill home.

Eve huffed. “She’s not even trying Al!”

“She not going to.” He smiled. “She’s not a girly girl, and she doesn’t need to be.” He sat down next to Adelina at the counter.

Eve slated her napkin down on the counter and left the kitchen.

“Thank you, Papa.” Adelina smiled gratefully.

“Anytime mi bambina.”

???

It was September and still 80 degrees in Providence, Adelina supposed she could thank global warming for that. Her mother had scolded her for "wasting away in her bedroom" so she was now laid out on lounger on the back patio. Apparently mourning your life in the confines of your room with a pint of Ben & Jerry's was unacceptable.

It had been ten days and she was still locked up in her family home. Vinny wouldn't even tell her what she did to warrant house arrest. He gave her five minutes on her laptop to email her professors that she'd be out for the foreseeable future due to a family emergency. A family emergency that, as far as she could tell, was not real.

She got no answers to her questions and hadn't heard a peep from Massimo since lunch with Lucian. She was positive that he had something to do with this exile.

One more day in this house and she was positively going to lose her mind. She needed her school work, and her music, and really anything other than Netflix and ice cream to get by.

She was exhausted from being exhausted.

"Adelina?" Her mother slid open the glass door, but Adelina made no attempt to move.