Forbidden To The Mobster
img img Forbidden To The Mobster img Chapter 5 FIVE
5
Chapter 8 EIGHT img
Chapter 9 NINE img
Chapter 10 TEN img
Chapter 11 ELEVEN img
Chapter 12 TWELVE img
Chapter 13 THIRTEEN img
Chapter 14 FOURTEEN img
Chapter 15 FIFTEEN img
Chapter 16 SIXTEEN img
Chapter 17 SEVENTEEN img
Chapter 18 EIGHTEEN img
Chapter 19 NINETEEN img
Chapter 20 TWENTY img
Chapter 21 TWENTY ONE img
Chapter 22 TWENTY-TWO img
Chapter 23 TWENTY THREE img
Chapter 24 TWENTY-FOUR img
Chapter 25 TWENTY-FIVE img
Chapter 26 TWENTY SIX img
Chapter 27 TWENTY SEVEN img
Chapter 28 TWENTY-EIGHT img
Chapter 29 TWENTY-NINE img
Chapter 30 THIRTY img
Chapter 31 THIRTY ONE img
Chapter 32 THIRTY-TWO img
Chapter 33 THIRTY THREE img
Chapter 34 THIRTY-FOUR img
Chapter 35 THIRTY-FIVE img
Chapter 36 THIRTY-SEVEN img
Chapter 37 THIRTY-EIGHT img
Chapter 38 THIRTY-NINE img
Chapter 39 FORTY img
Chapter 40 FORTY ONE img
Chapter 41 FORTY-TWO img
Chapter 42 FORTY-THREE img
Chapter 43 FORTY-FOUR img
Chapter 44 FORTY-FIVE img
Chapter 45 FORTY- SIX img
Chapter 46 FORTY- SEVEN img
Chapter 47 THIRTY SIX img
Chapter 48 FORTY EIGHT img
Chapter 49 FORTY NINE img
Chapter 50 FIFTY img
Chapter 51 FIFTY ONE img
Chapter 52 FIFTY TWO img
Chapter 53 FIFTY-THREE img
Chapter 54 I trust only you, Catarina. I won't allow anyone else to operate on me img
Chapter 55 The room plunged into semi-darkness img
Chapter 56 Dante, you've crossed every boundary. img
Chapter 57 Tell me, what weighs on your soul, Catarina img
Chapter 58 I could swear I heard... img
Chapter 59 Have you decided on something img
Chapter 60 Who cut off Adam's ear img
Chapter 61 What are you doing here img
Chapter 62 Do you love Adam more than you loved me img
Chapter 63 Cliché img
Chapter 64 Are you kidding me, Dante img
Chapter 65 The computer img
Chapter 66 I can't accept that, Dante. img
Chapter 67 Thought I was joking, Catarina img
Chapter 68 The impeccably white hallways img
Chapter 69 Stop it, Catarina img
Chapter 70 Dante, how did this happen img
Chapter 71 The train glided smoothly img
Chapter 72 Vince img
Chapter 73 How did you two meet img
Chapter 74 Dante and I were kissing img
Chapter 75 ADAM'S POV img
Chapter 76 It was supposed to be us img
Chapter 77 The village img
Chapter 78 secret door img
Chapter 79 Plan B img
Chapter 80 Who are you img
Chapter 81 Do you not remember me, Catarina img
Chapter 82 Limbo img
Chapter 83 Amnesia img
Chapter 84 Why do you want to know about Dante img
Chapter 85 Trust me img
Chapter 86 Russian roulette img
Chapter 87 Who are you to me img
Chapter 88 DANTE'S POV img
Chapter 89 DANTE'S POV img
Chapter 90 DANTE'S POV img
Chapter 91 DANTE'S POV img
Chapter 92 Well, things have changed img
Chapter 93 What's your name again img
Chapter 94 Good morning img
Chapter 95 Piromalli img
Chapter 96 Who is Adam Scott img
Chapter 97 I slipped back into my black nightgown img
Chapter 98 Do you not trust me img
Chapter 99 we're leaving the mansion img
Chapter 100 Why are we here, Michele img
img
  /  2
img

Chapter 5 FIVE

After the intense fight with Dante, Don Salvatore ordered Federica to take me back to my room, so I could take a bath. I knew I had lunch with the other young women from the families belonging to the 'Ndrangheta, and I couldn't show up for the occasion in my current state.

Federica prepared the bathtub while I removed my blouse and capri pants, revealing the contours of my body tired from the fight. I got into the tub and sighed as the warm water relaxed my tense muscles.

Federica, concerned, began to question my choice to fight Dante. As the water enveloped me, I raised an eyebrow and replied, "I beat him, Federica."

She shook her head, visibly nervous, and continued, "But what did you gain from it, Catarina? What did you two accomplish with this fight?"

I sank into the bathtub and took a deep breath, pondering her words. "I gained his respect, Federica. He won't call me Bambi anymore."

Federica sighed, looking worried about my attitude. "Catarina, you shouldn't have done this. It was reckless."

I shrugged, accepting that it might seem insane to others, but I knew what I was doing. "It might be crazy, Federica, but at least I put Dante in his place."

I continued to bathe, feeling the water run over my body as I reflected on the moments of the fight. There was something in Dante's eyes, the closeness of our faces during the confrontation, that had stirred something in me in a strange way.

Federica insisted, "You need to be more careful, Catarina. Don Salvatore didn't like any of this, and you can't afford to upset him."

I nodded, understanding Federica's concerns. After all, she was more than my lady-in-waiting; she was a close friend and confidante. "I know, Federica. I'll be careful. But I couldn't let Dante challenge me without a response."

Federica seemed resigned to my response, but still concerned. She continued to take care of me, helping me wash my hair and skin.

As the water flowed, the images of the fight filled my mind. Dante's face so close to mine, his heavy breath against my skin. There was something about that confrontation that had affected me in a strange way, something I couldn't fully understand. It was as if beneath the surface of anger and rivalry, there was an unexplained tension between us.

I knew I had a lot to face on my path in the mafia, including my own brothers. However, I was not willing to back down. I was a Piromalli, a Mancuso, and I was determined to show that I belonged to this family as much as any of them.

***

After my relaxing bath, Federica helped me choose a new outfit for the lunch with the other young women from the families belonging to the 'Ndrangheta. I opted for an elegant beige dress that highlighted my femininity without being too flashy. I felt confident and ready to face the occasion.

Once I was considered appropriate, I made my way to the driver, who promptly opened the door for me to get into the Maserati Levante. The mansion faded into the distance as I headed towards Tribeca, the location where the lunch would be held.

Upon arriving, I was met with a group of young women who exuded power and influence. Fioreza Pelle-Vottari, Antonella Nirta-Strangio, Cinzia Barbaro, Elma Condello, Donatella Morabito, and Giulia Ruga were all present. Each of them was roughly my age and were the daughters of the heads of the most important families in the 'Ndrangheta. This lunch was not just a casual meal; it was a way to mark territory for the Mancuso family and, of course, for myself.

With a warm smile, I hugged each of the girls. After all, mafia politics didn't exclude camaraderie among the young women. It was indispensable to maintain good relations, even if we knew that in the future, our paths might cross in more complex ways.

During lunch, we talked about various subjects, including my upcoming birthday. Elma Condello enthusiastically mentioned that it would be the event of the season, and I nodded with a smile.

Fioreza Pelle-Vottari, always practical, mentioned that she had already prepared her outfit and mask, as the party would be a masquerade ball. Donatella Morabito, with a curious look, asked if we should wear masks the entire time. I smiled and explained, "No, girls. The tradition is that we only remove our masks at midnight. Until then, everyone maintains anonymity. It will be a surprise for all."

Antonella Nirta-Strangio, always with a touch of humor, quipped, "That means we'll only kiss someone after midnight to avoid the risk of kissing an ugly guy."

We laughed together, sharing a complicity that only the daughters of 'Ndrangheta families understood. As we savored our lunch, the conversation among the girls continued lively. Giulia Ruga made a provocative suggestion that made us all laugh.

"If we organize ourselves, girls, it's possible that each of us will leave Catarina's birthday party with a Mancuso!"

Fioreza Pelle-Vottari, with a mischievous smile, added, "That's true, Catarina has four brothers. There are Mancusos for all of us!"

The others, Antonella Nirta-Strangio, Cinzia Barbaro, Elma Condello, and Donatella Morabito, excitedly agreed. The girls exchanged knowing glances and then shouted in unison, "Dante!"

The discussion became heated, and they began debating who had mentioned Dante Mancuso's name first.

I rolled my eyes at the conversation, finding it all rather futile. "Girls, stop this. Dante is not all that."

They looked at me surprised, and Cinzia took the lead, arguing, "Catarina, you only say that because he's your brother. You can't see him the way we do."

Intrigued, I asked, "How do you see him, then?"

One by one, they began to list Dante's physical attributes. Fioreza praised his defined chest, comparing it to something from a magazine. Antonella excitedly agreed, admitting she almost fell off her scooter when she saw him running along the coast. Elma described his smile as perfect.

I furrowed my brow, incredulous. "Elma, you're lying. Dante doesn't smile."

Cinzia intervened, defending her friend. "I was there when he smiled, Catarina. Once, at a party, he was super friendly."

I shook my head in disagreement. "That can't be Dante. Dante is grumpy, boring, annoying, likes to tease, he's insufferable!"

Fioreza laughed and said, "Thank goodness Catarina doesn't look at Dante with different eyes, or we wouldn't stand a chance against her."

I laughed along with them, but then commented, "Even if I saw him that way, he would never look at me like that. Dante always made it clear that he can't stand me."

Cinzia then pondered, "Sometimes, his anger can be just repressed love, you know? You're siblings, even if it's by adoption. Sometimes, the way he acts can be a weird way of showing affection."

I shook my head, disagreeing. "No, I don't believe that. Besides, he's much older than me. I bet he sees me as a little girl."

The other girls continued to debate the relationship between Dante and me, while I maintained my conviction that he was simply insufferable and the idea of any different feelings on his part was completely absurd. Nevertheless, the lighthearted conversation about the subject made me think about Dante in a way I wasn't used to, and a strange feeling began to stir within me.

            
            

COPYRIGHT(©) 2022