I stared out of the patio door into the blackness that was my backyard. Some nights I could see the ocean from here, but tonight all I could see was black. 

In the reflection of the glass, I had seen Charlotte, terrified and trembling, as Angelo led her out into the hallway. Even as he whispered to her, her eyes were locked on me. I could feel them burning in to me, begging me to come to her. To tell her what was going on. To drop the act and stop forcing her away. I couldn't do that, though. If I did, if I faltered for even a second, I wouldn't be able to resist her and my plan would fail. For the entire plane ride, I tried to psych myself up for what I had to do. To choose between Charlotte and Antonio--an absolutely impossible decision. 

So instead of choosing my side, I decided to takes the coward's way out. If I treated her terribly, showed her how gruesome and crass and mechanical I could be, then she would decide to leave all on her own. She'd find out eventually anyway--I couldn't hide this side of me forever and honestly, it was best she found it out now.

If she had any sense, she'd run. Run so far away and so fast that she'd forget all about me and my men and this place. I had to make her despise me, to not want to spend another second under the same roof as me, and I knew if I gave her even the slightest peek into the monster I could be, that would suffice. I had expected her to be hurt and confused and shocked by my anger, but what I hadn't expected was the reaction her hurt would churn in me.

I swallowed the growing lump in my throat. The moment she shrank back thinking I was going to hit her,  I felt like all the wind had been knocked out of my body. I had been met with faces of fear a million times before but nothing like this. It wasn't some low life woman beater or spineless traitor that was staring back at me. It was Jocelyn. The girl who I used to chase frogs around the retaining pond with. The girl brave enough to jump out of the oak tree when all of us boys chickened out. The girl I watched feed her vegetables to the dogs underneath the table every night. The girl I thought was gone forever, but was now trembling in my arms. What would that little girl think of me now?

"Here." Angelo said, suddenly appearing next to me and thrusting a cool wash rag at me. "For your head."

"It's fine." I grumbled, just wanting to be left alone to wallow at this point.

"Fine. Don't take it, bleed out for all I care." He rolled his eyes.

I turned around to face him, raising an eyebrow at his courage to speak to me like that.

"What the fuck is your problem?" He spat before I could even get a word in.

"I don't have a problem."

"You come tearing in here piss ass drunk, scaring Charlotte half to death and then I watch you on the surveillance camera almost hit her?" Rage filled his voice. "Have you lost your God damn mind?"

"You seem awfully protective of her." I quipped, reaching for the bottle of scotch.

"Don't give me that bullshit." Angelo ripped the bottle out of my hands. "You've had quite enough for tonight."

I groaned, turning my back to him. I knew he was right, but I certainly wasn't in the mood to admit that.

"Now," Angelo said filling my glass up with water instead and handing it back to me. "When you're done having you're little tantrum, tell me what you found out in Italy so we can get to work."

He crossed his arms and leaned back against the counter as if to say he'd wait all night. I inhaled deeply and then gulped down the water in the cup. I needed about ten more of these if I wanted to avoid a raging hangover in the morning.

Jesus, where should I even begin? The girl we've been harboring is actually our long lost friend? Jocelyn isn't really dead, she's actually fast asleep upstairs? I can't be with Charlotte because her dad said no, and did I mention her dad is our fucking Don?

"She's not who we thought she was." I managed to whisper, my voice cracking a bit from both exhaustion and hurt.

"Well, that's good, isn't it?" Angelo asked. "If she's not Silvano's then..."

"Let me finish." I said, raising my hand to silence him.

Angelo stared at me silently.

"Do you remember all those years ago when Elena and Jocelyn were murdered?" I breathed out slowly, trying to maintain my composure. Out of all my men, Angelo was the one who I felt like I could even remotely break down in front of.

"Of course." He said, pain written on his face.

"Antonio lied. They were never killed." His face contorted into a strange expression and he looked back at me waiting. "He sent them away to protect them, to have their own lives away from all of this. And he moved on as if they were dead."

"What...what are you saying?" Angelo stuttered.

"Elena married a man from Rhode Island, Josh. They raised Jocelyn, changed her name, and had another little boy named Noah. Elena told her that her father left them long ago, and then was killed in a car crash along with her two older brothers. Sound familiar?"

He was starting to catch on, I could see it in his eyes. I didn't speak and let all of that sink in for a minute.

"That can't be right, can it? I mean we saw... She was dead, Luca. We were at their funeral. We... They're dead." Angelo was scrambling for words, just as blown away as I had been.

"We believed what we were told. We had no reason to question it. And we were children." I ran my fingers through my hair.

"That's why so much was missing before her fifth birthday."

"Because Charlotte didn't exist until then." The ramifications of all of this were swirling in my mind. It went so far beyond even my relationship with Charlotte and her protection. If they were alive, everything would change. 

"And that bastard has been tracking her all these years, his own fucking daughter. Do Gabe and Seth know?" He questioned.

"I didn't stick around to talk to them. Antonio said they know, that they did whatever they had to do to protect their sister."

Angelo was stunned. "Wow. I didn't see that one coming."

"Yeah, neither did I."

"So now what?" He said. "You've got to tell her, right?"

"Antonio doesn't want us to. He wants to see how things pan out with Silvano. He also made it very clear that he doesn't approve of my relationship with her." I sighed.

"Is that what your little charade was about? Trying to push her away?" Angelo scoffed. "Fuck Antonio, Luca! He's got no right."

"He's got every right, Angelo. He's spent years trying to protect her. Not only is he my boss but he's her father." 

"Bullshit, he wasn't trying to protect her." Angelo was enraged again. He never got along with Antonio, and anytime he tried to control what we did over here, Angelo lost it. "He let them leave because it was convenient. For Christ sakes, he let another man marry his wife and raise his daughter, Luca. It was easier with them out of the picture because he didn't have to deal with the repercussions."

I hadn't thought of it that way. I had automatically assumed he had had everyone's best interests at heart, but Angelo had a point. With how powerful Antonio is, he could have protected them. He could have fought for them if he had wanted to.

"He's a coward, Luca. He doesn't want her to find out because he'd have to explain himself." Angelo growled, a scowl drifting over his face. "You're in charge around here. If you care about her, don't let her go. Start acting like a fucking man and show it, because God knows her father didn't."

Angelo left me alone in the kitchen, heading to blow off a little steam. I wanted to believe he was right, and that I could make this work with Charlotte without her father's approval. But it didn't change the situation we were in. If I lied, and it eventually came out, she'd never forgive me. And if I told her the truth, I could lose everything I worked my entire life for. And God help, I was considering it. 

I still wasn't exactly sure what I was going to do, but I started up the stairs to my room, hoping to find her asleep in my bed. I threw the door open only to find it neatly made and Charlotte no where to be found. I walked a little farther down the hall to one of the guestrooms, and tried to turn the door but was met with resistance. It was locked.

Shit. Of course she was scared f me, I acted like a completely moron downstairs. Slinking against the wall until I reached the floor, I put my head in my hands and pulled slightly on my hair. What the fuck had I been thinking? I was lying to myself if I thought that I could follow through with this, hurting her until I pushed her dar enough away. Just what happened tonight was ripping me to shreds, and I had never felt so ashamed.  I had to talk to her, to apologize, to beg her to forgive me.

I knocked furiously on the door. "Charlotte, it's me."

Silence.

"Please open the door. It's me, Luca." My voice broke as I spoke through the door.

"I know who it is." She grumbled on the other side. "Go away."

"Please let me in. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Goodnight Luca." She said softly.

"Please, Tesoro." I pleaded. If I could just get inside, I could make all of this better.

She didn't say another word and eventually I gave up.

I slinked back down to the floor, laying my head against the wall and shutting my eyes. There was no way I could let her go. I would honor Antonio's wish and not tell her yet, but I was in too deep now. My choice had been made the second I walked into her gallery.

Charlotte

When I woke up the next morning, I felt alone. More alone than I had in a long time. Slowly, last night started coming back to me in cloudy, but embarrassing, details. The games, the booze, the screaming and shattering glass, the petrifying look in Luca's eye as he stood over me hauntingly. Then had come his weepy and apologetic pleas around three in the morning. Part of me wanted to answer the door, but I didn't. I needed a little bit of clarity before I could approach him, and I was beginning to think it was better to keep things professional between Luca and I, and stop whatever this was before things got out of hand. 

That wasn't what I wanted, but I also didn't want to be treated the way I was last night. He was upset, and that was okay, but he had scared me. That side of him was something I never wanted to see again, but was that realistic? It felt less and less likely, despite how I felt about him. 

I reached for my phone and dialed my moms number. Obviously I couldn't get into the gory details with her, but maybe just talking to her would make me feel better. 

"Hello?"

"Hi mom!" I said, trying to sound as cheery as possible.

"Char! How are you? Hold on, Noah and Josh are right here, let me put you on speaker."

"Hi Char!" Noah squealed.

"Hi honey!" Josh greeted.

"Hi guys! What are you up to today?" I threw the covers off of me and walked out onto the veranda. Waking up here was like a little slice of heaven. 

"Nothing really. Just some stuff around the house. Noah is planting some vegetables in the back and mom and I are fixing the shutters. That last storm knocked them out pretty good." Josh said.

"Sounds like a nice day." I smiled, wishing I was there right this second.

"And we're going to grill tonight! Dad said we could go down to the shore later and catch some crabs for dinner!"

"Wow! Got room for another?" I laughed.

"Absolutely! Thinking about making the drive down?" Mom asked.

"I was thinking about it. I need a little break from things." That was the understatement of the century. 

"Josh, why don't you take Noah out to get started?" My mom said, concern evident in her voice.

"Bye sweetie, see you later. Love you!" Josh yelled.

"Bye Char!" Noah echoed. "See you tonight!"

My mom switched it off of speaker phone so the interrogation could begin.

"Is everything okay, Char? You sound down." She could always tell.

"Nothing's wrong, mom." I lied. "I'm just tired I guess. I've been busy."

"Busy doing what? Certainly not working at the gallery. I called a few times and Jenni told me you're taking a leave of absence. What's up with that?"

Perfect. "I'm not taking a leave of absence." I groaned. "I just haven't been in the gallery ll that much, but I'm painting from home. I signed a big deal with a client and have more inspiration here. I've been seeing someone and..."

"You're seeing someone?" She ignored all the other things I said. 

Because I knew you'd react like this.

I decided to go with a more appropriate answer. "We're taking things slow. I didn't want to tell you if it wasn't going to pan out into anything."

"But now you think it will?"

"It could." It couldn't.

"Bring him with you tonight." She squealed with delight.

"Oh, mom. I don't know..." Jesus. I never should have mentioned anything.

"I insist, Char. It'll be fun. We'll grill on the beach. I promise Josh will behave." And what about you, mother?

"Mom, I..." I rubbed my temples trying to come up with a plan quickly.

"Baby, please indulge me. You never come to see us, all I want is to meet the man you're dating." Great, the guilt trip.

"Fine." I sighed, out of excuses.

"Oh wonderful!!" I could almost hear her smiling. "Come whenever, we'll eat around four."

She was gone before I could even protest.

Fantastic. Now I was going to have to convince Luca to make the three hour drive to Jamestown for a backyard cookout with my family. Considering how the night ended, that was going to be easier said than done. 

I grabbed my robe and wrapped it tightly around my body before opening the door. I tripped over something in front of me, and I went flying head over heels, face first into the carpet. "Ah!"

"Fuck." Luca grumbled from behind me.

I pushed myself up on my elbows and scowled back at him, lying shirtless on the floor staring back at me.

"If you're trying to kill me, I can think of more efficient ways." 

"Remind me to ask you about those later." He stood over me with a strange look on his face. It was almost creepy, and then he bent down offering his hand for help me up. Reluctantly I took it. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." I dusted myself off once I was standing. He kept staring at me uncomfortably and softly stroking my cheek. It was a completely different person than last night and his Jekel and Hyde act was really starting to freak me out. "How's your head?"

He touched his forehead and winced as if he has no idea the cut was there. "It's okay."

"It's still bloody. So much for Angelo helping you get cleaned up." I said sarcastically, and grabbed his hand leading him into my room. I gestured to the bed and went into the bathroom and opened the medicine cabinet. Luckily it was stocked. I grabbed some alcohol spray, gauze, and a bandaid.

Luca was sitting on my bed a little dazed when I came out, his eyes never leaving me as if he was searching for something. I sat next to him, dipped the gauze in the alcohol and patted it on his cut.

"Jesus Christ!" He groaned, leaning away from me after the sting.

"Oh come on, you big baby." I was not up for his dramatics this early in the morning.

Luca chuckled, and sat up a little straighter so I had a better angle. This time when I put the cloth to his head, he gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, determined to stay still. Once all the blood was gone, I put the bandaid on.

"All better." I teased.

"Thank you." He smiled. "You didn't need to do that. Especially after I was such an asshole last night."

"Well, you've got that right." I raised my eyebrows.

"Char, I'm sorry. I would never... I could never hurt you. I swear. I was just drunk and upset." He tried to defend.

"What happens if you get drunk and upset again?" 

"I'll figure out a way to deal with it. Look," he got off the bed and kneeled in front of me taking my hands in his. "I have never done anything like this before. I keep screwing it up, I'm probably going to for awhile. But I promise, if you stick with me, I will work on it everyday. And I will do everything I can't make sure you're safe and happy. Please don't leave."

I looked down at his genuine eyes and cracked a small smile. "I'm not leaving...yet. But that means that what happened last night can't ever happen again. I get who you have to be at work, but that's not the man I want to be with. If it happens again, I'm out."

"You've got it." He planted a soft kiss on my lips. "It won't happen again, I promise. What can Id o to make it up to you?"

"Well, funny you should ask." I smirked. "I just got off the phone with my mom and I might have let it slip that I was dating someone. She asked if we would drive down for dinner tonight."

"Your mother." Luca repeated, a bewildered look on his face. "Elena. Your mother."

"Yes. Her name is Elena. I don't even want to know how you know that. Anyway, if it's too soon, it's no problem. I can go by myself."

"We can go." Luca smiled softly.

"Really? Are you sure? She's a little overbearing. She means well, she just..."

"Charlotte, would you stop?" He chuckled. "It's fine. I'd love to meet your family."

"Great." I smiled, but couldn't help but notice the wave of panic that washed over him. Something strange was definitely going on.