Mafia's Redemption: Terzo - Chapter 28: Chapter 28

DANI
The chance of getting out of this city didn’t exist. That I was certain, it seemed that this city belonged to the Siciliano. Not a neural place. I was in their territory, and my father came to see me, and somehow, there was a truce between the two mafias.
My father had known that Terzo killed my brother, yet he didn’t do anything to make Terzo pay. Instead, he used me to do a bargain in an arranged marriage with another mafia. That was how I valued him. My life was worth nothing to him unless he got what he wanted.
And now Terzo was planning to kill him.
“Just like that. You killed my brother, and now I belong to him.” Was that even possible? “Right, eye for an eye.” I dragged myself out of bed. I was drunk, I could feel it. My whole body was hot, and my words slurred. My whole world began to spin.
“Dani, are you okay?” He seemed genuinely sincere, but yeah, I was just a pawn to him, too.
I pointed a finger at him, and his face just became two. God, I was so drunk. “You—” And I just threw up.
He gasped and stilled. “Jesus.” And caught me before I fell on my face.
I groaned and stretched out. The bed felt different. The smell was masculine. But it was already morning. I knew it. The sun nearly blinded my eyes as I tried to crack my eyes open.
I sat abruptly, disoriented. God, I felt like someone just slammed my head against the wall.
I wandered my eyes around. The room was huge, elegant, and timeless, and reminded me of a classic mid-century noble home. The wall had a softer color tone compared to the fine cheery wood furniture, a capitonné bed with gold and silver hand-carved by an artisan. The refined overlap and Italian curtain shielded by eyes from the sun from going blind.
“What the hell?” I vaguely remembered everything last night aside from getting drunk, almost got kidnapped, and then— “Shit.” I was talking to Terzo until— “Yup. The headache was killing me.” It all became crystal clear.
Talking about crystal. God, the crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling was ginormous.
I looked at what I was wearing, not the same clothes I wore yesterday. Somebody changed me into this silky and soft pajama set. I didn’t feel my privacy was violated, knowing I just threw up on Terzo’s shirt.
I dragged myself out of bed to look for the bathroom. I found the door in the left corner. It was indeed the bathroom. There were new toothbrushes and toothpaste. I suppose whoever owned this house was hospitable and generous.
I used the toilet, brushed my teeth, and washed my face because my makeup from yesterday had smudged all over my face. I looked for some bottles of Tylenol in the cabinet, but I found nothing.
“Enough playing a guest, Dani.” I needed to get out of here.
My plan quickly crumbled down the moment I stepped out of the bathroom. I stopped midway to see a woman in her late twenties glaring at me. I could see the resemblance to Terzo, the same eyes and nose.
Gosh, they definitely had great genes. She was beautiful in her own way. She was nothing like Maverick, though, because there was nothing soft about this woman. She looked tough and might as well know Karate.
“You shoot my brother again, I swear to God, I will garrotte you myself while doing a selfie in the mirror.”
“A mirror selfie.”
“Whatever. How’s your head?” Her features slightly softened.
I just stared at her. I didn’t even want to be in the same room with her because if looks could I would have been dead minutes ago.
“Hungry?”
I shook my head.
“Wanna get out of this room?” She had an accent, unlike Terzo, almost gone when not talking to his people.
“Look, as much as I wanna kill you in your sleep, my brother won’t let me. I love him so much, I will donate my kidney if he needs it.” The moment she took a step close to me, I stepped back. She stopped and chuckled. “Relax, I just wanna hug you.”
She did hug me without my permission, and then she giggled. “Welcome to the family. I always wanted a sister. When I found out I had a sister, I was so ecstatic, even if I was in bad shape, one of the darkest days of my life.”
I was still stiff after she let me go.
“You met Maverick? She’s pretty, right?” She pursed her lips. “She’s closer to T than me, though, and probably loves T than me.”
“I’m sure she loves you both the same.”
“Thanks, but I’m fine with it. I put Tylenol on the bedside and bottled water. Go take it. I know your headache is killing you. Come out. You need to eat. I’m sure you’re starving after the most enjoyable night you had last night.”
I let go with a shuddering sigh when she walked towards the door.
Then she paused and looked at me. “I don’t blame my brother for protecting his family. I know you can’t forgive him, but try. He cares about you, Dani. Right now, he’s risking his life again for his family.”
“What do you mean?” I finally found my voice.
“You’re our family now. You’re a Siciliano.” She tipped her chin at a sliding door. “I brought some of my clothes. Change.” So where were my suitcases?
I took the Tylenol and drank a lot of water. Then I changed into a shirt and jeans. Her clothes were a little bit bigger, but she brought a belt. I found my shoes on the floor and I put them on.
I was surprised to see the house. It was bigger, like a modern mansion. I guess being in the mafia made you rich. That was why people would kill for it.
I walked down the grand staircase and met his sister, whose name I didn’t know. She didn’t introduce himself.
“Where’s Terzo?”
She turned to me and smiled. “Going on a suicide mission. They fit.”
“Thanks.” Alarmed, I asked, “What do you mean by going on a suicide mission?”
“That’s exactly what he’s about to do.”
“I need to talk to him. Where is he?” I walked past her even though I didn’t know where to go. The house was big, so I followed the door and passed by the living area. “Terzo?”
I made it to the receiving area. It was spacious like a ballroom. There was a classic black grand piano.
“Dani, wait.”
I looked at the window to see another house, then another. It looked like they were living in a compound. “Great. I’m lost.”
She came. “He’s in that room. His office.”
“Thanks.” I walked towards the door.
“It’s not a good time right now, Dani,” she warned me, but I ignored her.
“When is the good time when it comes to your brother?” I unlocked the door and pushed it open.
Two men were inside yelling at each other and abruptly stopped the moment they figured they were not alone anymore. One was older, in their sixties. I could say the older version of Terzo, and the other was him staring at me.
I stood still with my face flushed in embarrassment. I wanted someone to grab me and take me away from their gazes, or why could the floor not just swallow me when I needed it the most, so that I would not face further humiliation? Mafia or not, Don or not, he needed a little respect from me. I was in his home, and I just walked in uninvited. Why in the hell didn’t I knock? Oh, yeah. I didn’t.
“Dani, you’re awake.” There was an enthusiasm in Terzo’s voice. He was angry, but his features softened as seconds passed by.
“I-I uh. I’m sorry. I should knock. I’m leaving you now. My apologies, Mr. Siciliano.” I dropped my gaze and pulled the door.
“Danielle,” the old man said. “Please, come in.”
Crap. What do I do now?