CHAPTER 7

Alessandro' POV 

 I parked my car in front of my father's house and stepped out. He had been breathing down my neck, demanding that I had to meet him. I knew what it was about. He wanted to make sure I was going to take the oath on the next initiation night, confirming my place within the famiglia. His position in the famiglia was already being challenged since I, his only heir, was being reluctant to take on duties in the family. And what he wanted was to maintain his position in famiglia. The mafia was very traditional, and inheritance mattered a whole lot more than you would expect it to be in the 21st century.

Was I going to take the oath?

Yes. I was. There was no running away from that. 

Was I ever going to be really part of the famiglia? 

Not if I could help it. 

 I walked through the doors and passed a number of guards standing watch. They were more than the usual number and seemed to be more alert too. I guess the attack on his wedding night had made him anxious and paranoid. 

"Mr. Conti," Calliope greeted me as I walked in my father's living room. 

"Calliope," I said back, my voice tight.

"It's good to see you," she said and I remained silent.

I was not the least happy to see this woman, and I refused to pretend otherwise. I hated her as much as I hated my father. She was the female version of him and would have been the best candidate to be my father's wife. Not my sweet, loving mother.

"Can I get you anything? A drink?" She offered, but I shook my head and asked, "Is my father in?"

"I am sorry, but he is not around." 

"Where is he, and what time will he be back?”

“I am not sure about that,” she answered, but I found that hard to believe.  She was like my father's executive assistant and knew every move of his.

“I will wait for him,” I said as I took a seat on the couch.

“I will bring you something to drink.” 

“Don't bother," I snapped back, not bothering to hide my irritation.

She nodded and walked away.

“F*ck,” I heard her curse in displeasure a few seconds later, and then a whimper followed. 

I looked up and saw her walking, her footprint leaving a trail of blood behind her.

I frowned and stood up. I walked across the living room and my heart skipped a beat. 

Behind the sofa lay my father's new wife, drowning in a pool of her blood. 

I didn't have time to think much. I picked her up from the floor, and I rushed towards the door. 

Two bodyguard blocked my way, stopping me.

“You can't take Mrs. Conti with you.”

“Out of my way,” I commanded and they stood their ground.

I knew it wasn't a good idea to throw her over my shoulder. She was bleeding from her head, but I had no choice. 

I threw her over my shoulder and pulled out my gun.

“Out of my way, or I am shooting,” I said, pointing the gun at them.

They had guns too and were in numbers, but they were my father's men, and they were never going to harm their boss's sole heir.

They looked at each other before they stepped out of my way, and I walked past them.

I placed Amelia in my backseat, stepped into the driver's seat, and drove off. 

I could hear shallow whimpers, and every time she whimpered, I felt relieved. It was a sign that she was alive.

I got to the hospital and carried her in, shouting for help. 

It took a while for the nurses to come rushing with a stretcher bed. When they came forth, I placed her on the bed, and they wheeled her towards the emergency room.

“What is her name?” one of the nurses asked.

"Amelia...Amelia Banks,” I answered  recalling her name and then recalling again that I was not supposed to give them her real name. If anybody knew who she was, it would cause problems.

“Sir, can you tell us what happened?”

“I don't know; I found her lying on the ground, bleeding,” I answered. 

“Any idea how long she has been bleeding?”

“Not sure, either,” i answered as we reached the emergency room. They wheeled Amelia in, and I stood by the door, with the nurse asking me a series of questions. Most of them I had no answer to or I had to lie about, which rendered the process useless. All they needed to do was attend to her, period.

After she was done, I went to sit on one of the uncomfortable hospitals chairs.

I fished my phone out of my pockets and noticed I had missed calls from my father. I am sure his minions had reported that I had taken his wife. 

A wife who was bleeding to death on his floor while his stuff acted they were not seeing her, probably because he had ordered so. 

I had no doubt he was the one who had put her in that state. I had no reason to feel sorry for her though, she was not born in our world, it was her choice to get involved with someone like my father. 

I stood up to leave but was stopped by receptionist saying I was still needed there.

I sank back in the chair I was in and started scrolling down my phone. 

Moments later, a doctor walked out if the emergency room and called out for Amelia Banks.

I stood up and walked to him.

“Are you her family?” he asked and I nodded.

“Her husband?” he asked again, and I shook my head.

“I am his…She is my father's wife.” 

The doctor looked at me, unable to hide his surprise but finally brushed it off and nodded.

“She suffered two broken ribs and had a concoction from where she hit her head. It's a good thing you brought her here in time; it would have been bad.”

“How is she doing now?” I asked.

“She is still unconscious at the moment but she will be ok.” 

I nodded and before I asked the next question, I heard a voice behind me.

“Sir, excuse us,” it said and I turned.

It was the goddamn police. I should have known they had prohibited me from leaving, not because they needed me for Amelia. But they had called the police in because of the state I had brought her in and my lake of answers.

“Yes?” I answered calmly. 

“We have a few questions for you; can we step out?”

“Sure, after I am done with the doctor here. I hope you won't mind the wait,” I answered The police guy looked at me, his expression stern, trying to scare me. But after all, I was a Conti; I was not scared of anybody.

I shoved my hands into my sweatpants pockets, stood straighter, and looked down to meet his eyes.

“Go ahead,” he said and I turned to the doctor, asking him a series of question, I had no idea I needed to know. 

After I was done, I turned to the officer, and they led me out. 

Just as walked out into the parking lot, I saw cars pulling in.

“Will start with your name,” the officer asked.

“What about it?” I said, my hands shoved in my pockets again, looking behind them at the men stepping out of the cars that had just been pulled up.

“What is your name? Don't act smart with us, boy.” 

“Oh, my name. Alessandro Conti,”

I felt the flash of recognition on their faces, but the officer pressed on, while the other two officers looked behind them when the foot steps started to get near us.

“Mr. Conti, you brought Ms. Banks here unconscious. Can you tell us exactly what happened?” 

“He did?” my father asked as he stood next to me. 

The officer looked around, and he noticed he was outnumbered, and he immediately shook his head.

“No, he did not,” he answered.

“Good. You may leave,” he ordered and three men could not have gotten away any faster.

Once they had disappeared, a punch flew to my face. It stung, but it was nothing. 

“You dare go against my orders?” he growled at me, and I remained silent.

“Who gave you the right to touch my wife?” He growled again and again, and I remained silent.

“Answer me!” 

“Boss,” one of his minions whispered to him, and that is when he noticed he was drawing unwanted attention.

“We will finish this when we get home,” he said, his voice lower and stern.

I nodded, though I knew there was no conversation that was going to happen between him and me. I was going back to my penthouse.