Mafia love

“I’m behind bars. You know what the sentencing for racketeering is? A max of twenty years. Twenty years.” I shook my head.

“I’ll see what I can do. Whatever it is. I came to find out one thing first.

Make sure you answer this wisely.”

“What is it?”

“Back at the prison, I watched you crawl on the roof, and damn, those panels weren’t safe at all. Most were missing. But you did it without thinking of yourself. It was then that I realized you must really love her.

You looked like you would do anything for her. I came here to hear it for myself. Do you love her?”

I had to sit up straighter. I couldn’t believe his question, but I’d give him my answer.

“I love her more than life itself. I love her enough to do anything for her, and enough to ask you to take care of her and to make sure she’s happy.

Make sure she gets her dream back and doesn’t slip away in the shadows.”

He nodded. “Okay.”

“That all?” I narrowed my gaze at him.

“Yeah.” He stood up and signaled for the guard to open the door.

He left, and I returned to my former hollowness.

Back to the void.

Two more days passed before I got to see Amelia.

She sat amongst the visitors in the public gallery. Next to her were Claudius, Pa, and Sinclaire.

I sat with my lawyer at the defense table. Across from us was a badass prosecuting lawyer called Simms. I’d had a run-in with him a couple of times.

Presiding was Judge Montpellier. I’d never seen him before or heard of him.

He looked at me like he didn’t like the look of me.

I stared at Amelia, wishing I could hold her one last time. Wishing and praying, but I knew that was just a dream.

A woman like that was always a dream to me.

Raphael had asked me to take care of his daughter, but look at me. Right now, I couldn’t even take care of myself.

The judge cleared his throat, and I returned my focus to him.

“Okay, this is going to be quick unless there is any further evidence that needs to be considered.” He looked from Simms to my lawyer. Both shook their heads. “Will the defendant please rise.” He focused his eyes on me.

I felt nervous and helpless as I stood. Damn, was I ever the shadow of the man I used to be. The big bad from Chicago. Lucian Morientz.

Fuck.

Judge Montpellier cleared his throat. “I’ve deliberated over the charges presented, and this is my ruling. The evidence is substantial and irrefutable.

So, Lucian Morientz, you are guilty as charged in line with the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. The defendant acted knowingly and intentionally in contravention to the laws set out by this Act. As such, the Court is prepared to proceed to sentencing. Since the defendant has no prior convictions of this nature, I see this as a level nineteen offence. So, I sentence you to thirty-seven months in prison.”

Well, at least it wasn’t twenty years.

If they’d gotten all the dirt on the old me, it might have been life.

I said the old me because the guy who did all that shit wasn’t me anymore.

I looked back at Amelia, who was crying. Claudius had his arm around her.

“I’m sorry,” I said although she couldn’t hear me.

She read my lips though and shook her head. “I love you,” she mouthed back.

Three years and one month.

I was sure I’d die. It had been hard to be without her for just the few days I hadn’t seen her.

This would be the straw that broke my back.

CHAPTER 20

Amelia

It started to rain. Just like last time. Ironic.

Another funeral.

Another parent.

Mom… now Dad.

Last time, the rain fell, and I stood by Mom’s grave until I was drenched. I couldn’t leave. I did the same thing now, unable to leave with the other guests who were departing from the cemetery.

My eyes were fixed on the grave. The dirt had been laid, and Dad buried. He had a beautiful ceremony with close to a thousand people in attendance. It was like a state funeral.

The closest went to watch the burial. That included all his men who were left after the battle, and me.

There were so many people around me, but I felt all alone. So very alone.

It was worse than when Mom died.

This was worse.

It was worse because they were both gone. Because it felt like I’d just found Dad only to lose him. I’d just started to understand him, just started to forgive him. As I’d hung from that rope, I’d willed myself to make it, so I could take care of him for the rest of his life, however long he had left. I

saw me doing that and having more time to make up for lost time. I didn’t realize that I would have to say goodbye then.

I’d said goodbye forever to him and Millicent, both in the same day.

Millicent’s funeral was on Sunday.

I’d also had to practically say goodbye to Luc no less than twenty-four hours later.

I couldn’t believe that after all we’d been through, this was the result.

A whole week had passed since Luc’s sentencing. He’d been transferred to the Metropolitan Correctional Center, and we still weren’t allowed to see him.

We had visitation pla

Two days, then once a month.

Once a month for the next three years and one month.

God…

This was hard.

It was all hard.

Someone put an arm around me. I looked up at Marcus and nodded. I’d cried so much over the last few days that I had nothing left in me. I was an empty well of nothingness.

“Come on, pet. It’s time to go.” He glanced up at the rain as it came down heavier.

“I can’t leave. Not yet. I don’t want to say goodbye.”

“Pa, I’ll stay with her,” Claudius offered.

Gigi came up to us, followed by Max and Sinclaire.

“I can stay too,” she said, reaching out to take my hand.

“Us too,” Max offered, and Sinclaire nodded.

“Well, I guess I’m staying too,” Marcus intoned, pressing his thin lips together. He held his umbrella over my head. “Raphael would have my head if I allowed his girl to catch a cold.”

That did it. Hearing that made me cry the tears I didn’t think I had left.

I practically collapsed into his arms, crying all that was left of me, for everything.

“You sure you’re going to be okay in this big old house?” Sinclaire asked.

We sat in the living room of Dad’s house… my house.

My house.

My home.

I guess it was mine.

It was home. It felt like home.

“I will. I’ll be okay, maybe.” I didn’t know when that would be, but I was aiming for positivity.

Max shuffled next to Sinclaire and looked at me. “Kid, you know you can tell us if you’re not okay. Plus, we can tell. I’m good to stay another week or longer.”

“Me too,” Sinclaire offered.

They were leaving today. They’d probably already stayed long enough.

“No.” I shook my head at both of them.

“Well, I personally don’t know how I’m supposed to get back to life without you in LA.” Sinclaire chuckled.

“There is no life without me. Brad Sinclaire, you better call me every chance you get, and visit. I’ll visit too. Don’t you dare forget me.” While I hadn’t officially said it, they knew I wasn’t going back to LA. They knew I was going to stay here.

Pick up where I left off, so to speak.