Twisted Hearts (The Camorra Chronicles 5)

Diego looked around before his gaze halted on Remo. “I’m sorry Capo for disrespecting your home.”

Remo waved him off. “You have suffered losses today.” He paused. “But next time you consider starting a fight in my home, remember I have children and nephews that don’t need to see something like that.”

Diego nodded and his shoulders slumped. He looked twice his age. I touched his shoulder. “How are your mother and Carlotta?”

“Carlotta is too young to understand anything. She won’t even remember our father but my mother…” He swallowed and straightened. “We’ll get through this together.”

I gave Remo a look. He tilted his head. “Your father died for our cause, Diego.”

Diego pressed his lips together. I knew him well enough to see he was fighting with himself.

“The Camorra takes care of the families of their soldiers. We will provide for you and your family until your sisters are out of the house.”

Diego shook his head. “That’s a generous offer, but I’m going to provide for my family.”

Diego earned good money as a soldier, especially now that he had started as an Enforcer, but if he intended to take over the restaurants, his share of the Camorra pie would be smaller, not to mention that he had four mouths to feed including himself. And Carlotta’s bills were on another level.

“Pride is an honorable thing, but don’t be stupid,” I growled.

“No,” Diego said firmly. “We can’t accept that much money. We’ll take what every other family would have gotten, not a dollar more.”

“What about Carlotta?” Gemma asked, surprising us all.

She was stealthy, I had to give it to her. Her face was tear-stained, her nose red—which distracted from her kiss-swollen lips.

“I will take care of her,” Diego insisted.

“How?” Gemma stepped up to him. “How are you going to pay for her surgery? Even with Dad, we were hardly getting by, paying all those bills, and now that he’s gone and the money he hid in the restaurant, how are you going to get that much money?”

Diego flushed. “I won’t live on charity.”

“Then don’t. But Carlotta needs that money.” Gemma turned to Remo, but Diego stepped in her way. “No, that’s an order, Gemma. I’m the master of the family.”

Gemma shook her head.

“Gemma could pay for Carlotta’s surgery. As my wife, she has free access to my bank accounts.”

“By the time you want to marry, it’ll be too late for Carlotta,” Diego said.

“We’ll marry in two months. That gives us time to prepare.”

“I thought you needed time to give your bull a few more rides,” Gemma said, her lips twisting. I could already tell that her grudge had returned. The immediate sadness had made her forget my actions, but she hadn’t forgiven me that much was clear.

“My bull’s got enough rides.”

Anger flashed on her face then suspicion. “Two months then, and you pay for Carlotta’s surgery as a wedding gift to me.”

“Deal,” I said.

Diego shook his head.

Remo raised his hand. “Accept it. Your sister needs that heart surgery.”

“Let’s go deal with the Russian,” Diego said simply.

“I should head home to Mom and Carlotta,” Gemma said.

“Nino needs to keep an eye on you for now. Once he’s sure your head’s all right, someone will take you home.”

Gemma glanced at Diego. He gave a small nod.

I moved closer to her. “Will you be all right?” I murmured.

She searched my eyes then nodded. “I have to be. Thanks for consoling me.” A delicate blush stained her cheeks, which Diego didn’t seem to notice, or I would have had his fist in my face again.

I didn’t say anything. All the playful comebacks seemed wrong.

Nino motioned for her to follow him into the infirmary. “Maybe you should take care of your sisters and mother and not seek revenge,” Remo said. “We’ll dish it out in your stead. You have a family to take care of.”

I touched Diego’s shoulder. “I’ll make him pay for you. He’ll regret every second of his pitiful life.”

Diego nodded slowly. “I could never be as good at torture as you anyway.”

“Take care of Gem.”

Remo and I headed for the Sugar Trap to torture the Russian.

My heart felt heavy as I stepped into our house. Diego’s hand on my shoulder felt less like a steadying presence, more like an anchor that he needed to stand upright.

Two Camorra soldiers guarded the driveway. Inside we found Mom bent over the kitchen table, crying. I hurried over to her and wrapped my arms around her. She embraced me tightly, shaking against me.

“Where’s Carlotta?” Diego asked gently.

“Upstairs with your aunt.”

Dad’s sister lived close by, so of course she’d be the first to help us in this time.

Diego wrapped his arm around Mom and me. “I’ll take care of you.”

I knew he’d work every second of every day to provide for us. He’d kill himself to make sure we were all right, but he couldn’t do this on his own. Even if two months wasn’t nearly enough time to organize a wedding or make Savio pay for what he’d done, I’d marry him then so Diego could accept the money without losing face.