Surrender To Me

CORINA

I was rocked by finding out that Dante’s enemy, the person he swears he hates, the person who killed his sister, is my father. I don’t know how to process it and don’t think I ever will. My mother never told me who my father was, and she died without telling me. I used to ask her about him, but she would either not respond or tell me to shut up. I was even angry at her about that for a long time. But by the time I was old enough to do something about it, I no longer cared about him. I figured if he cared about me, he would have looked for me, but he didn’t. Over time, he became just a sperm donor to me.

What shocked me more, however, is that Dante knew, and he never told me. It had to come out by accident. All the time, he knew who I was and never bothered to tell. There was something about it that bothered me more than anything. The ruthlessness, the cold calculation one has to go under in order to be with your daughter’s enemy, the progeny of the man who killed your sister and not explode. Or maybe that is his intention. Defile his enemy’s daughter for his pleasure. Whatever his motives are, I am just a pawn to him and I can’t believe I had forgotten that.

With those scales removed from my eyes, I am able to see him for what he is. An opportunist. All his pleas don’t affect me. His apology, or should I say none apology, means nothing to me. I can tell that it’s just another weapon in his arsenal. When he saw that it wasn’t working, he changed tactics. Using his seduction while we were dancing, and that almost worked on my weak-willed body until his brother came over and took him away.

I watch them now as they talk. I can’t hear what they say, but Nico seems to be talking fast and making frantic hand gestures. Dante is stone-cold absorbing whatever he’s saying with a cool demeanor that betrays none of his emotions. The exact opposite of Nico. A few moments later they come towards me. Nico looks worried. Dante only slightly so. If you didn’t know him or look closely, you wouldn’t notice.

“You need to leave,” Dante says. He doesn’t give me the chance to respond. He railroads through. “Go with Nico. A helicopter is waiting for you a few minutes away from here.”

“Am I allowed to ask why?”

His features soften. “Can you do this one thing please. It’s for your sake.”

“Sure, whatever. It’s not as if you telling me will change things anyway. I’m still going to do what you tell me to do.”

“Corina.” His voice is soft and pleading, and his eyes are warm. It’s disarming and I almost give in. Almost. He’s a hard man, I remind myself. “Fine.”

“Go with Nico.” He puts a hand on Nico’s shoulder and whispers something in his ear. Nico looks at me as his brother speaks. I look away, feeling a little under the microscope. I wonder what he’s saying to him. “Make sure she doesn’t run.” Or something to that effect.

I feel a tap on my shoulder. “Let’s go,” Nico says. I follow him as we go to the parking lot with Rob trailing behind us and we enter Nico’s car. A few minutes later, we are on an open airfield where a helicopter is waiting for us. He leads me in and a helicopter ride later we’re at the airport and the jet is waiting. “We’re going back?” I ask as we enter the jet. “Yes,” Nico replies. “Something came up.” Behind him Rob is giving instructions to the pilot.

I take my seat and Nico does the same, sitting opposite me. I still can’t get over how similar he looks to his older brother. His features are a little softer, a little more boyish, but that Morelli gene that runs through all of them is distinct and present in his features. “You know you could have told me that back at the wedding and not make it into a whole cloak and dagger event.”

Nico frowns. “Dante didn’t tell you anything?”

“No.”

He shakes his head. “I’m sure he thinks it’s for the best.

He received the news so sudden. He wants to protect you.”

I scoff.

“It’s true. You may not think so, but my brother cares about you.”

“Sure.”

“I’ve never seen him act the way he does with you, when he is with any other woman.”

“Doubtful.”

“The way he looks at you. I’ve never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you.”

“Are you sure? It’s not because he’s making sure his pawn doesn’t escape.”

“You’re the first woman he’s ever brought to a family event.”

“Then why did he lie to me, if he cares so much?”

Nico shrugs. “I hope you’re not mad at me. I’m sure you didn’t want to find out the way you did. About your father, I mean.”

I sigh. “It’s not your fault.” He was just an accidental messenger, after all. There was something about his sad eyes that made want to forgive him. Besides, it isn’t him I’m mad at after all.

“He’s doing all of this to protect you, remember that,” Nico says.

“From himself? That makes sense, I guess.”

“No, from your father.” He swears under his breath.

“What did Saccone do now?”

“I’ve already said too much.”

“You might as well say it all, then.”

He takes a deep breath and I almost think he’s not going to tell me until he says, “We got intel that Saccone knows who you are and is coming after you.”

I don’t know what to do about that, especially knowing what I know now. “So he’s trying to protect me from my father? Funny that.”

“Saccone is a bad person.”

“And you’re not? And Dante is not?”

“Dante doesn’t run a sex trafficking ring.” That gives me pause. He continues. “I know what my family does. We color outside the lines, but we do not kidnap and sell women. Saccone does and even though you’re his daughter, we don’t know what he wants to do with you.”

“Maybe he just wants to get to know me, father to daughter.”

“Maybe. But you’re not the first progeny of his that he’s looked for and found.”

“What do you mean?”

Nico takes a deep breath. “He has other children. Well, we know at least one. We grew up with her. She was in the same class as my sister. And then one day she told us, my sister at least, that she her father was looking for a match for her. She didn’t want to marry the guy, of course, but he forced her into the marriage.”

“Oh, kinda like how the bride of the marriage we just attended was forced into the marriage.”

“That’s different. Vannucci’s daughter could have said no and we would have respected it. That girl wasn’t given a choice. The man she married was old and abusive. She was young. Very young. Barely eighteen. A few months later, she died.” There’s anger in his words that’s hard to miss. I don’t need him to tell me he cared for this girl, whoever she was.

“Saccone doesn’t respect women,” he adds.

“Nico.”

“He’s a bad man. You may hate us, you may hate Dante, but you must know that when it comes to Saccone, he has his reasons.”

“And you. You must hate him, too.”

“I loathe the man.” His voice shakes with anger. He grips the seat so tight, I’m sure the leather will break. Now I understand why Dante wants revenge so badly. If I were in his shoes, I would be just as driven to anger and hatred as well.

“You must hate me too.”

He shakes his head. “You and him are very different people. I could never hate you. Dante doesn’t. We all don’t hate you.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I do. Dante doesn’t show his emotions, but from what I

can see, all I see is a man who cares deeply for you.”Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“So, what are you going to do?”

“We’re going to make sure Saccone doesn’t lay a finger on you.” I was alone with Rob back at the penthouse, feeling like I was in perpetual limbo. Nico stayed for a few hours, got a call, and then left. But not before reassuring me that I would be safe with Rob. “The casino is practically a fortification.

Dante made sure of that.”

“Do you know when he’s coming back?” I ask.

“He’ll call you.” Nico leaves before I can ask any more questions. I wander around the house after he’s gone, feeling restless. Calming down is difficult when you know that your sex trafficking father is out looking for you. Maybe if I call Jesse and ask her to come over. She certainly enjoyed being here last time. She sounds more than happy to come over when I ask her and, in a few minutes, the doorbell rings. Rob, who’s sitting with me in the living room while I watch tv, looks up from his phone. “Did you order room service?”

“It’s probably a friend of mine,” I say, getting up. He does the same. “You weren’t supposed to call anyone.”

“I don’t think Jesse is a threat. She’s been here before.” Rob stares at me, unsure of what to do. He looks like he’s trapped and I hate that I put him in this position. “I’m bored, and I need someone else to talk to. Are you going to be that person?” His face falls at the idea of chatting up with me. “Fine,” he puts a hand to his gun tucked in at his back. “But I’m the one who opens the door.” He marches over to the foyer with me right behind him. Jesse is standing there when he opens it. He looks out behind her and when he sees that she’s alone, his posture melts and he ushers her in. Jesse is surprised by this and immediately says, “What is going on?”

“He’s being a little cautious, that’s all.” I take her hand and lead her to my room.

“Shouldn’t you be at some super exclusive rich people’s wedding in Tuscany or whatever?”

“I was. Now I’m back. Wait? How did you know I was in Tuscany?” She’s in the middle of picking at the dresser, picks up a bottle of perfume, and shrugs. “Isn’t it common knowledge?”

“I don’t think so.”

She shrugs. “Maybe not to you. He probably wanted to keep it a surprise, a romantic gesture of some sorts. But the entire casino knew. Well, the top floor, at least. How was it?”

I called her here, wanting to tell her about my father and who he was, but as she stands there now, a niggling part of me is saying I shouldn’t. “It was okay.”

“Okay? It had to be more than that, I’m sure. I heard that the who’s who of the,” she leans in and whispers, “underground mafia world,” then raises her voice again, “was there.”

“Well, not exactly the who’s who, but a lot of people were there.”

“And is it true about the whole arranged marriage thing? I think it’s a little archaic, don’t you think?”

“You seem to know a lot about this?”

“Uh. Sal told me about it.”

“Sal?” She looks like she’s said something she shouldn’t have said and puts down the perfume bottle she’s been playing with. “Are you dating Sal?”

Her shock says more than I need to know. “Why would you say that?”

“I’m right, am I?”

Her face falls. “Who told you? Did Dante tell you?”

“No one said anything to me, I’m just wondering why you never said anything about it.”

“What about you? You hid a lot more from me.”

“You hid your money from me! I got in trouble because of you!”

“Oh come on, I doubt your boyfriend cared that much.” I wish now that I had told her about the true nature of my relationship with Dante and not created this facade. “He did care,” I tell her.

“And did he punish you? You’re still alive.”

“Doesn’t matter. I think you should have told me about Sal, that’s all.” Now why am I feeling like I’m the one in the wrong? She’s the one who hasn’t been forthcoming about anything at all. However, her mood changes and she marches over to me. “You’re right. I should have told you. What should my penance be? Coffee at the cafe downstairs?

I could tell you all about it?”

“I don’t think I can leave right now.”

“Oh. Come on, why not? It’ll only be a few minutes.”

I’m still thinking of a way of telling her no without making her suspicious when I hear voices coming from the living room. They sound like they’re arguing. They sound familiar.

“Wait? Did Sal follow you here?” I ask Jesse. “No,” she looks away from me, “Why would he?” “Isn’t that him arguing with Rob?” I say.

She shrugs. Something is off. Off with her. Off with her mannerisms and the way she’s speaking.

“Are we going out or not?” Jesse says.

“Wait here for a sec,” I tell her. “I’ll be back.” She doesn’t do as I say. She follows me to the living room, where we find Rob and Sal arguing.

“What’s going on?” They both turn around at the sound of my voice.

“You see,” Sal says pointing at us, “she’s with her friend. She knows what’s going on.”

“What is going on?” I turn to Jesse, but her face is cryptic and turn back to Rob. “What’s he talking about?”

“Apparently, the boss called and said you should leave with Sal. I don’t believe him.” I turn my gaze to Sal. There’s something about him that I’ve never liked, and it’s apparent now more than ever. Something at the back of my mind, or maybe it’s Jesse change in mood, telling me not to trust him. “Did Dante say anything to you?” I ask Rob. He shakes his head.

“Dante said I should stay here, so I’m going to stay,” I say to Sal.

Sal looks exasperated. “I don’t have time for this. I’m doing this for your sake. If it weren’t for the boss asking me to take care of you, I wouldn’t be here right now. I have better things to do than protect Saccone’s daughter.” Jesse’s eyes widen.

I cross my arms. “I’m staying here.”

Sal looks down, shaking his head. “Fuck it, you gave me no choice.”

The next moment happens so quickly and yet so slow. Sal takes out his gun and shoots Rob in the head. I can’t do anything but scream as I stare at Rob’s lifeless body crumble to the floor. Then Sal marches over to me and knocks me in the head with the butt of his gun. The last thing I hear is Jesse screaming.