Blackmailed to the Altar (Caputo Crime Family #2)

19. Chapter Nineteen

CHAPTER NINETEEN

S ebastian

The room felt colder than usual, the silence hanging heavy, like a storm about to break. I sat at the kitchen table, idly stirring my espresso, the rich aroma mixing with the scent of freshly baked cornetti. The weight of the famiglia’s responsibilities had always been mine to bear, but today it felt heavier. My head ached, a familiar pressure that warned me something was underneath my skin, probably watching from the back of my mind.

Silas was across from me, his face pale and gaunt, a stark contrast to his usual robust self. His injuries had taken a toll, but he was determined to push through, a testament to his stubborn resilience.

We were in the middle of a quiet breakfast when the door creaked open. Eden and Mya walked in, hand in hand, their faces a mixture of determination and unease. My eyes immediately went to Mya, her fiery-red, curly hair cascading down her back in a tousled mess, her expression serious yet resolute. Eden, Silas’ wife, looked fragile but determined, her hand gripping Mya’s tightly.

“Buongiorno,” I said, trying to keep my tone light, despite the sudden tension in the room. Silas nodded in greeting, his eyes narrowing slightly as he sensed something was off.

Eden stood before me, tiny and trembling, her eyes haunted by the dark shit she’d seen in America. She must’ve been in session with Mya. Her eyes weren’t clear like normal. There was a storm brewing in her irises.

Eden took a shaky breath, and cleared her throat, her voice soft but steady. “Silas, Sebastian, we need to talk.” Her eyes darted around, as if someone might burst through the walls at any moment.

I exchanged a glance with Silas, who sighed and set his fork down. “What’s going on?”

Mya and Eden took seats at the table, still holding hands. Eden took a deep breath. “It’s about U-uncle D-D-Darren. He’s… he’s going to cause trouble again, I just know it.”

Silas’ face darkened, his jaw tightening. “What do you mean?”

Eden’s eyes filled with tears, but she held them back. “He’s been released, and I can’t stop dreaming of him making threats from the States, trying to contact me at every turn. I… I can’t sleep. I keep thinking he’ll come here. I need to know I’m safe, Silas. I need him gone.”

Silas’ hands clenched into fists, but before he could speak, Mya jumped in. “We know you’re not well enough to handle this right now, Silas. That’s why we’re asking Sebastian.”

“He’s not going to stop,” Eden continued, unaware of the war waging inside my head. “And I can’t go back to living in fear. I can’t. Not again.”

My heart skipped a beat, surprised she would turn to me, a rush of protectiveness surging through me. I looked at Mya, then at Eden. “It’s being handled already.”

Silas shook his head, his voice weak but firm. “No, I should be the one to?—”

“You’re in no condition to take on Darren,” I interrupted. “You’ve barely recovered from your punishment. Let me finish handling this.”

Silas stared at me, a mixture of frustration and acceptance in his eyes. He knew I was right. He nodded slowly. “Fine. But be careful, Sebastian. Darren is dangerous.”

“I know,” I said, feeling the familiar stir of him in the back of my mind. He was always there, I realized, lurking, ready to take over when things got rough. And this was definitely going to be rough.

I stood up, the decision made. “I’ll make sure Darren stays where he belongs. You focus on getting better.”

Eden looked at me with gratitude, but there was also fear in her eyes. “Thank you, Sebastian.”

Mya squeezed Eden’s hand, then let go to walk over to me. She placed her hand on my arm, her touch grounding me. “Be careful.”

I looked deeply into her eyes, looking for that anger, but all I found was concern. I nodded, leaning down to kiss her forehead. “Always.”

As I turned to leave, I felt Riccardo pushing forward, his presence almost overwhelming. I fought to keep control, but I knew it was only a matter of time before he took over completely. And when he did, Darren would have no idea what hit him.

Silas watched me with a mix of worry and relief. “Keep him away from us, Sebastian.”

I gave a grim smile. “Oh, I will.”

With that, I left the kitchen, feeling Riccardo’s dark anticipation growing within me. Darren had no idea the storm that was coming his way. And I would make sure he never threatened Eden, or anyone else, again.

Riccardo

Sebastian didn’t have the machismo to pull this off. If I left him in charge, this Darren character would probably still be breathing by the time he was through. That wouldn’t do at all. The best way to protect the famiglia was to eradicate the problem for good.

My phone rang as I headed out to my work shed. It was on the property, but deep within the vineyard. No one would ever approach the area unless they were looking for trouble.

Samuel’s name flashed across the screen. My ever loyal soldier. The world’s greatest hacker if I needed him to be. He’d helped me a fuck ton over the years, and in exchange, I’d helped him as well.

“What do you got for me?”

“Ugh, I hate this motherfucker,” Samuel whined. “Silas should’ve killed this fucker last year, and saved you the trouble.”

I chuckled darkly. “You know him, then? My brother isn’t a good man, but he isn’t a bad man either.”

Samuel huffed. “I wouldn’t be a very good hacker if I didn’t. Besides, Silas had me track this guy, when he was looking for his wife a long time ago.”

“Ah, the incident at your university?” Eden’s past was of no consequence to me, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t aware of her story. Not only did I learn a fuck ton from her therapy sessions over the past year, but I also had Samuel send me as much information as possible on my sister-in-law, as soon as Silas touched down on Italian soil.

“Mhmm,” Samuel grunted out.

“Well, I’m planning on cleaning up my baby brother’s mess. You want in?” Samuel knew who I was. He, besides my Nonna, was the only soul I’ve told my true nature to.

I didn’t count Mya. She was an extension of me as my woman, of course. And Eden, as my sister-in-law, was an extension of the famiglia . If this obsessed dirty fucker crossed the water, I’d put him down. For now, I wasn’t too concerned about him, but knowing all my options, and setting up contingency plans, didn’t hurt either.

“Wait, if he swims in the Schuylkill River, won’t you lose your leverage?” I heard the clacking of Samuel’s keyboard. An irritating sound.

I shook my head. “Not necessarily since the knowledge is still there, but I like how you think. This is why I need you all the time, Samuel. You make sure I don’t make mistakes.” Samuel hadn’t settled into working for the famiglia full-time, and I wasn’t ready to force the issue. Not yet, but eventually, he would have to stop dipping his hands in other pies. I think that was the American turn of phrase.

For now, Samuel was an honorary Caputo due to his service to the famiglia. His loyalty. Even across the water on this mission, he was focused on what was good for the organization. It made me proud.

A plan was forming in my mind. “She may already be pregnant,” I murmured.

Samuel mused. “You could always marry her now, and then she won’t be able to get away from you so easily.”

“A boy would be nice,” I mused.

There was a brief pause over the line as Samuel took in what I said. I pulled the phone away to check we were still connected, then Samuel laughed loudly. “Damn, how the hell did you work so fast? You’re worse than your brother.”

I chuckled, ignoring the small comparison with my little brother. “Well, there’s no resistance if she’s sleeping, right?”

Samuel laughed so hard I had to pull the phone away. “Right you are, boss, and this is why you are the man.”

I sighed, kids were draining, and Samuel was for sure a kid. “Just be grateful I gave you my last name for protection.”

“I am,” Samuel said gravely.

He hadn’t always been a Caputo. But after a tough run in with the law, he had a need for me, and, well, I needed his skills. Together we were a force to be reckoned with.

“I think you’re right. I have to make sure everything is settled here in Italy. Grab the asshole and bring him to me, would you?”

“When we get there, where do you want me to put him?”

I smiled at the fact he didn’t think he would lose. “I’ve got a deep hole he can go in, until I’ve decided how I want to deal with him. Let him sit and think about his actions in the dark.” I had time. I needed to get him off the streets, and didn’t want to rush his demise. He deserved the full force of the famiglia for daring to touch something that wasn’t his.

“I wouldn’t want to be caught dead in a dark hole. He’s in for a crazy surprise.”

“Let’s keep it that way,” I said, a bit distracted with my plans for my future wife. “Appreciate you.”

“Always, boss.” Samuel hung up with his new orders intact.

He would keep watch of Darren until we knew what he was planning. In the meantime, I had a wedding to prepare for. My soon to be wife was getting her vows earlier than expected for sure. I was going to make sure everyone knew who she belonged to.

Mya Caputo.

It had a nice ring to it.