Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

This is an adult story. 

 
It will contain many of the following themes just like part I:

• Age difference/Power Dynamics
• Dubious consent 
• Jealous & possessive behaviors
• Mild to explicit language
• Erotic moments (mild to explicit) 
• Size differences
• Unhealthy relationships
• Mafia crime bullshit (cuz duh.) 
• Violence (mild to explicit) 
• Minor character death(s) 
• Religious symbolism
• Racism & sexism (mild to explicit)
• Homophobia (mild to explict) 
• Abduction

These will be mentioned again at the start of a new chapter which ever warning shows up. 

Also, many of the themes I mentioned will be delved into more than they were in part I. I won't be naming the chapters in parts any more. 

I don't know if I should mention this, but in my writing, I tend to imply or lightly reference some major plot lines. I just don't want anyone to be confused at any point in the story! 

Have a good day/night! 💐

Chapter Text

....


Starla had a handful of tasks left to get done before the day ended, and by the looks and sounds of the weather outside, the storm wasn't going to stop any time soon. She thought about the maids, and wondered if Valentina had checked on them prior to the storm. 


"I'm gonna run to the girls' boarding house," she mentioned to Luca who finished brushing the last mare, put away the brush, and peeked his head around the corner of the door way. 


The sky was angry. Black and groaning in a way it hadn't in a long time. Luca had his jacket with him, and grabbed it from the crate in the corner, handing it to Starla with a gentle smile. 


"I know it isn't much, but it will keep you dry for a minute." 


Starla kindly declined the offer and plucked one of the oil lamps off the wall before running from the safety of the stables out into the muggy rain. The girls' boarding house wasn't too far from the estate. It was just past the front gate, and down the hill a little ways, near Luca's cozy residence. 


She was soaked from head to toe after pushing open the door, meeting Emilia and Lucia in the small foyer. 


They were two of the oldest maids, and they were friends of Valentina's. They looked after the other, younger estate maids. 


"How are things here?" Starla was dripping where she stood, and Emilia tasked Lucia with fetching a clean towel from the closet in the hallway. The older maid gave her a gentle smile and touched her shoulder. 

"Things are well, love, the girls are settling in for a while until the storm passes." The foyer was clean, smelled of fresh-picked lavender and rain. The decor was minimalistic, much like the lighting, but it still held plenty of elegance. After all, the boarding house was on Torrisi's land. 

Starla smiled brightly in return, and Lucia came back with a linen towel. 

She eyed Starla suspiciously, making it a point to hand the towel over to Emilia instead. 

"Leave, Lucia." Emilia ordered only once and the maid was gone. 

"Thank you for coming to check on us, love." She said softly, using the towel to pat Starla's visible skin, her arms and face, before helping ring out her long blonde hair. Silently admiring her, but she could tell by the look on her face that she was concerned about the way Lucia had looked at her. 

It had Starla thinking. 

"What happened to...Clarissa?" Her aqua-green eyes met Emilia's wide chocolate-brown eyes quick, and they stayed. Unwavering. 

Emilia swallowed and took Starla's hair, parting it, and laying the semi-damp lengths over her shoulders. Her dark eyebrows twitching. Lost in her thoughts. 

"You...shouldn't speak her name anymore." Emilia said quietly, making sure that only Starla heard. Some of the maids liked to sit in the hall to chat and enjoy the morning sunshine while the others liked to rearrange the flowers that Cesare would regularly bring in and giggle over some of the gossip they'd heard about him. 

"Why not?" Starla took a step back, bumping into Lucia. Outside the windows, the black skies roared loudly as the rain hit the wooden shutters. 

"Clarissa is gone because of you!" Lucia spoke in almost incomprehensible english, prompting Starla to turn around, and stole the towel from her. 

Emilia stepped in to keep any unnecessary spite from turning the women on each other, telling Lucia to leave in Sicilian. That time, Starla didn't care to listen and try to make out the words. She only wanted to know where Clarissa was. And why it was apparently her fault that she was "gone".

Lucia left again. But her absence didn't put Starla's mind at ease. Not in the slightest. 

"Oh love..." Emilia touched her cheek, hoping to bring her some comfort, but she was gently pushed out of the way only to watch Starla leave and disappear outside into the storm. 


The maids knew not to bring up Clarissa's name 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 again. Lucky for Lucia, Emilia cared about all the girls and didn't want to see any of them get hurt. Without the boarding house, they had nowhere to...live. If Don Torrisi wasn't respected at all times, they would all face the same consequences as Clarissa — death or worse. Spreading their legs for greedy men every night under Don Spadaro's protection. 


Starla couldn't know the truth. Don Torrisi kept them all safe from Spadaro, and for that, they were some of the luckiest women in the valley. 

. 

It seemed that the rain was slowing down now, and just over the hills, the dark clouds were slowly but surely dispersing from the wickedness of the storm. All that remained was a few lingering groans of thunder and a rather cooling, but light, rainfall. 


Starla was wet again but not soaked. She'd returned to the stables, exhaustion already seeping into her bones, to find that Luca wasn't there. 


Nobody but the handsome stablehand was there, and he was usually too nervous to say more than two words to the American girl. 


All she did was wave as she left, stopping dead in her tracks when she looked toward the fountain and saw Don Torrisi getting ready to leave in his car with Luca and Tino. 


Was he just going to leave without mentioning anything to Starla? He'd already done that once, no - 𝘵𝘸𝘪𝘤𝘦 - before. 


She didn't mean to hurry up her steps and practically whimper when she stood beside the car, bouncing anxiously on her toes. 


Torrisi couldn't help smiling at her sudden, overly giddy appearance. 


The top was pulled over the car, seeing as it was still raining, albeit lightly, and he opened the door, putting his hand on his lap, offering her a place to sit for a moment before he had to leave.


Tino sat in the passenger side beside Torrisi's driver puffing on his pipe. Luca on the other side of Torrisi. 


Starla's face flushed when she climbed up into the car and sat close to the Don. 


His regular smell of bergamot was stronger than she remembered it being, and it kept her focused on him. No matter how badly she wanted to give Luca a smile. 


"Don't miss me too much, 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦, I won't be gone long." He looked her over, noticing her damp and dingy clothes with a judgmental glint in his eye, and caressed her chin with his thumb before pulling her up to him for a peck on the lips. As much as Torrisi loved letting everyone in the valley know that Starla belonged to him, he kept his public affection to a minimum. 


Nobody was foolish enough to mess with her, even when he wasn't around. That's why he had Enzo and Cesare keeping an eye on her whenever she was too far from the villa. Working in Porto Almaro, or helping folks out in San Celeste. 


Starla touched her hand to his and smiled, kissing his stubbled cheek before carefully stepping out of the car, using Torrisi's hand to guide her down. 


"Be good." He said, and closed the door. Driving through the wet dirt and right on past the iron gates. 


It was nearing midday, which was Starla's favorite time, especially after working hard. 


As per usual, she filled up on a delicious meal at the Trapani's residence with Enzo, Cesare, and Isabella, and afterwards enjoyed a much-needed siesta. Some days she'd sneak away with Cesare to nap under a lean-to, or very carefully make her way into Isabella's room and cuddle her in bed. 


Things were still a bit...uncomfortable with Enzo, but she'd found him smiling at her like he used to, and she'd smile back. Things were slowly returning back to normal for her and the boys. 

Chapter Text

.... 


Don Torrisi had put too much trust in Enzo, and in Cesare, but like he'd said to Starla, he wasn't going to be gone long, and, as a result of...last night's events, both of them had proved themselves worthy of the soldato title. Again. 


Torrisi's stab wound was going to take some time to heal, but with the proper care, it was going to be just fine. 


After siesta, Starla was tasked with cleaning some of the debris outside the villa with Enzo and Cesare. That included the heavier debris, which the storm had left behind. There wasn't much to clean up; just a few fallen branches, a mess of fallen oranges and lemons, and random piles of dog poop left by the stray dog that had wandered onto the property. 


"The Don won't be happy about this." Cesare said, sighing as he handed back Enzo's water canteen, continuing to pet the scroungy dog with Starla. One knee wet from crouching in the field. 

Starla let out a pitiable sound and looked up at Enzo. He stopped mid-drink, lifting a sweaty eyebrow. 

"We have to let Isabella see him before we have to take him away!" She then looked over at Cesare and back down at the dirty dog, scratching his belly. 

The only evidence of there ever being a storm in the valley had been the soggy earth, the cathartic smell lingering in the air, and the almost unbearable rise in humidity, but even then, much of the valley was used to such temperatures, no matter how damp with sweat folks got. 


Starla certainly didn't always like it. She wasn't used to it, but she appreciated the constant, unwavering sunshine. It felt good on her skin. And besides, Isabella had made her a paste to rub on her ivory skin before going outside. 


Cesare stood up and touched the top of Starla's hair with his fingers. 


"Hm, I don't know if that would be possible, 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢," he said with a shrug, crossing his arms, watching her continue to pet the wet dog, "my uncle is back by now, and the smell of the dog will definitely set him off." He looked toward the estate, squinting through the beaming sunlight, and put a hand on his hip. 

Enzo shrugged and offered Starla a drink from the canteen. 

"But we will smell like the dog." He was right, and Cesare turned to him, smiling cheekily, and threw an arm around his neck. 

"Ohh, I got the 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 idea!" 

Starla lifted her chin, immediately shooting him a suspicious look. 

Enzo gave him one too. 

"You have a tub and running water, right?" He gave Enzo's chest a quick pat and leaving it there to stew in the heat of his skin. 

He nodded. "You know I do." His honeyed eyes met Cesare's. Lips curling slightly in the corner. 

"Well there you go, boy! Take your 𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪 to your place!" He teased and took Starla under his opposite arm after she stood up, ruffling the back of her hair. 

The dog rolled back over onto it's feet and barked, it's unusually fluffy tail waggling back and forth as it looked up at the others. 

"See, even Pedro wants to go!" Cesare already had a name for the dog, and Starla giggled, kneeling to pet him. Enzo shrugged again and got down to do the same. 

He looked at Starla, smiling faintly, and brushed his hand over hers. She batted her eyes and returned the smile. 

"We should...go and wash up." She said and the boys nodded, Pedro barking again. "But not at Enzo's place, it has to be somewhere closer," Starla stood up and put her hand over her eyes to point them in a new direction down in the valley. 

"How about there?" 

Both Enzo and Cesare looked over to where she was pointing, stood up, and Cesare gave her a little chuckle. Putting his hand around her waist.

"𝘌𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦 choice, 𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘻𝘻𝘢!"

. 

It didn't take the three of them, plus Pedro, long to get to the little stream on the outside of Torrisi's property line just underneath the bridge that led to San Celeste. 


Nobody came down here. Not regularly, so the chance of them getting caught in the nude was quite low. 


Enzo wasn't usually comfortable stripping outside in the open, but Starla managed to boost his confidence with just a smile. 


Cesare took no time at all getting out of his clothes, even his underwear was thrown in the pile over the rocks. 


"I bet it is nice and cool!" He stepped into the crisp, slow-moving water, avoiding the bigger rocks and happily shivering at the cool kiss of the water on his skin. He didn't bother to remove his chain. Finding a good spot just under the shade of the bridge to sit down. Pedro lying in the grass nearby. 


His face was still bruised, lip still cut, and with sharp breaths, his ribs creaked as a result of his brawl with Torrisi last night. But he was hoping that, after this, a good woman would ease all of his ailments. 


Cesare watched her with Enzo, jealousy swelling deep inside his gut. Dipping his cupped hands into the water to collect enough to spill over his head. He never got jealous. Never got emotional over a woman. But Starla wasn't just any woman. She was a foreigner who belonged to his uncle. 


From the beginning, Cesare knew he'd have her for his own. And still, after a year, he was fighting to claim her. 


He'd tried winning her over with her favorite American candies, shown her a good time with his two favorite boys in San Celeste, and last night, he'd put up a damn good fight with his own uncle. She was still determined to stay friends. 


Starla stripped to her underwear and made her way over to Cesare under the bridge already washing off the smell of sweat and dog from his tanned skin. Enzo followed close behind still wearing his seaside pinstripe pants. 


He was always a sight to behold. Possessed the ability to turn every head just like Starla, like the resurrection of a saint. 


"The water's nice!" Starla said with a little giggle stepping into the center of the stream and getting down to her knees as comfortably as she could, letting herself enjoy the feel of the water washing over her body. 

Enzo sat down beside Cesare, hunched over his lap to play with the rocks. Pedro let out a bark before moving to sit closer to the pair. He ran his hand down Pedro's ashy-colored back, looking at Cesare. 

"I know you love her," Cesare mentioned, keeping his eyes focused on the girl lying in the water. Enzo stopped petting Pedro and pulled his hand to his lap. Finding it easier to stay quiet than admit that it was true. 

"I love her too, brother, but with you, I'm willing to share." Cesare brought his eyes to Enzo and grabbed his shoulder. Squeezing it. 

Enzo's eyes met his for a moment before focusing back on Starla. 

"I...want a family." 

"You have us, Enzo. Isabella too." Cesare turned his body to him. Enzo's eyes noting the random scars, the impressive amount of body hair, the shine of the water, and the bruises which he could've only earned from last night's brawl. 

Enzo gave a little smile and looked down. 

"I know Cesare, but I want a son, maybe a daughter too." He day-dreamed too loudly. 

Cesare went quiet and let his hand fall from Enzo's shoulder naturally before lying back, and crossing his arms behind his head for needed comfort. 

"She's a foreigner, boy." 

Enzo furrowed his brow and stood up to undo the front of his pinstripe pants. He pulled them down his slim hips, finding Cesare looking over, and flashed him a snarky grin before boldly stripping out of his underwear and getting into the water with Starla. 


It would be best for them all if they just started heading back to the estate, but Cesare wasn't the kind of man to turn down a good time with the ones he cared about the most. 

.

Starla hadn't planned on being with Enzo or with Cesare. She had been focusing a lot on Don Torrisi, frustrated that he still had issues trusting her, but she was beginning to understand why.

She was always to blame. 


Enzo was gentle as ever when he handled her this time, surprising her in every way. 


He'd first claimed her lips in a tender kiss, lifted her in his arms before lying her down in the grass under the shade of the bridge. 


Cesare watched, overcome with a mess of emotion that made him mad and undeniably hard. 


"Enzo...we can't do this." She knew what she said, but her body told a different story. Her breath matched his, their lips parted, bodies wet and warm. 

"I love you." He cupped the side of her face with his hand, brushing back some of her wet hair from her face with the other, and gently rutted against her. Cesare had taught Enzo well, but he still had plenty to learn. 

Starla bit her lip and wrapped her hand around his arm, and touched his chest, eyeing his tattoo and his hanging cross pendant with a familiar heaviness in her darkened eyes. Wiggling underneath him. 

"I..." 

"You don't have to say it back, just let me make you feel good...please." He cupped her face harder, moving his thumb over her lips, his cock twitching at the look in her eyes and the flush of her cheeks. 


She was gentle as she squeezed his pec and lifted her head to kiss his fuzzy jaw. 


Pedro let out another bark and laid down in the grass after shaking, remaining on guard. 


Cesare wet his lips with a quick swipe of his tongue, ran a hand over his hair, and half-smiled as he crouched beside them. Putting a hand on the back of Enzo's neck and the other on the back of Starla's head as she nuzzled Enzo's cheek. 


"𝘔𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦, look at you both. You're fucking me up." He groaned, meeting Enzo's dazed eyes before leaning forward to kiss his lips briefly, only to part from him and claim Starla's lips in a similar kiss. 


So quickly, all of them were drunk on each other. 


Starla knew what they wanted, and she knew exactly what she wanted, what her body quivered and thrummed for, but she couldn't give herself to them like this. Not if Don Torrisi didn't know. She couldn't do these things behind his back anymore. 


Before things could go too far, Starla reclaimed her power and offered the boys something that would make them each feel good. 


They sat in the grass, breathing hard through their slick lips, stroking themselves as Starla danced around for them. Every inch of her flushed, freckled naked ivory body on display just for them. She allowed them to touch her if they needed. 


"Cristo, ragazza, you swell my heart so much!" Cesare got on his knees and gently grabbed her ass, kissing her hip, Enzo panting as he caressed her stomach, appreciating the small amount of weight she had put on. 

"You are so beautiful..." He looked up at her, so needy, so powerless under her control. He stroked himself, long and slow, squeezing the head, only steadying himself after meeting Cesare's fiery gaze. 


Starla lifted her arms up and swished all of her hair with the motion, moving her hips around again to the beautiful tune playing in her head, closing her eyes when she lifted her face to the sky. 


"Here..." Cesare ghosted his lips over Enzo's trembling lips, and grabbed his hand, putting it on his cock. All the while wrapping his hand around Enzo's and pressing his lips hard into his. Enzo's face was red, and his heart was racing, but he couldn't help letting his own pleasure consume him. 


He wanted more. They both did. But they took what they could get. 

. 

After nightfall hit the valley, Starla found herself in Torrisi's room, laying on his bed and chatting with him in Latin and in Sicilian. 


She appreciated his private history lessons. Both of the languages and the people. His people. He was a very intelligent man. Her respect for him growing every day. 


Respect earned respect. 


She knew how to play him, as well as love him genuinely from the heart, but it was a two-way street. It was a game they both played. 


"I want to feel like I belong here, Don Torrisi." Starla sat up when he moved over to the bed, dressed in his favorite night gown, and looked down at the burgundy sheets underneath her weight. 

He grabbed her chin, stroking it gently. His honeyed eyes taking her all in, slowly. 

"You belong, my love, you are just something to behold. Take it as a compliment." He rolled his tongue harder tonight, making it slightly difficult for her to understand his english. She looked over at the drink in his hand with a frown and took it from him. Setting it down on the nightstand. 

"Tell me more about...Rosa." She scooted over and patted the bed beside her, smiling up at him as he stood there, frozen. His jaw flexing. Fingers twitching. 

She wanted to know more about Clarissa's disappearance, but it was late, and Torrisi had a bit too much whisky. 

"Little one...you're precious, but not tonight." He just about turned around when she sat up on her knees, wrapped her hands around his arm, and urged him back to her. 

The lighting in the room was warm and welcoming. 

"Please lay next to me." 

He couldn't deny her any more. 


Torrisi carefully got into bed beside her, lying on his back, and stiffened for a moment when Starla brushed her body against him, folding her leg and arm over his burly frame. 


She smelled his sweat extra tonight. And the stench of foreign whisky. 


"...she was beautiful, Rosa. Both inside and out." Starla said softly into his chest, her fingers twirling in the sweaty mess of his chest hair, her eyes slowly closing. Exhaustion, emotional and physical, taking over. 


Torrisi hummed emotionlessly and put his arm around her, staring up at the high ceiling through the canopy of his bed. 


He couldn't let her fall asleep here while he was on the verge of the same thing. 


The dreams of Rosa kept him awake. They kept him from experiencing deep sleep. And some nights, they had him cursing himself awake, damp with his own cold sweat.

Chapter Text

.... 

Starla woke in her bed, her legs twisted up in the satin sheets, her skin a bit damp. She touched her hand to her chest to feel how fast her heart was beating, sitting up on her hand. Looking at the door. 


Her body felt spooked, but her mind couldn't figure out why. Nightmares weren't something that she had experienced in a long time, but bad dreams were almost a regular occurrence. She didn't want to linger in the silence too long. Afraid that she might remember traces of what she'd forgotten upon waking. 


She got out of bed, made it up nicely, got dressed in a prettier, button-up blouse, a pair of women's faded-blue fitted pants, and her new dark brown Italian leather work boots that molded around her shins like clay, decorated lightly with feminine motifs - they were another gift from Isabella - and put up her hair, not forgetting to rub on some of the fragrant skin cream that Isabella had made for her. 


Why in the world did she ever let herself feel like she didn't belong here when she was treated like royalty. Most days. 


Was it her confidence fading? Had her original humble and kind idea of herself been shaped and molded into something...dirty and foul? Was she changing because she wanted to, or was it everything around her turning her into someone new. Someone who wanted to belong. 


In lost Heaven, she always felt like she was at home. 


Here, the sky was always blue, and the hills were always green, but the people made her feel...afraid. She was a foreigner to them. Wasn't one of them, and yet everyone gawked at her like they'd never seen a woman before. Their eyes shimmered like diamonds whenever she was near. 


Starla didn't want to be just a "priceless foreign toy" to them. If she was going to be here for many more years to come, she wanted - 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘥 - things to change. 


She left her room smelling of pine needles thanks to the skin cream, silently noting the two soldati playing cards at the small table at the end of the hallway, smiling faintly when another ray of warm sunlight bled through the tall window into the hall and kissed her face.


The upstairs hallways were always cooler than the rest of the home, but the heat of the sun gave off a comfortable warmth. Starla knew that she wasn't allowed to interact with Isabella, not any time soon, but she found herself knocking on her bedroom door, fearless about whatever consequences may come from this. 


Almost immediately, the door opened, and Isabella's face was wet with tears. Underneath them, her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes puffy. 


She must've been crying for some time. 


"Oh thank goodness it is you!" Isabella grabbed her arms and pulled her over the threshold, shutting the door quietly, hoping that none of the soldati had noticed. 

Without a second thought, Starla lifted her hands and held Isabella's face, wishing she could take her pain away with a single touch. 

"Why are you cryin'?" She looked up and furrowed her brow, feeling the wetness of the tears under her thumbs. 

"M-My father...he knows about V-Valentina...!" Isabella sobbed harder, wrapping her hands around Starla's arms, and shaking her head. She didn't deserve this pain. 

"I am here for you, okay?" She gently lifted Isabella's head and gave her a smile, hoping to see one in return. "I won't let 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 make you feel this way again." Starla shook her head, and Isabella revealed her teeth when she smiled, grabbing both of her hands. 

"My father will not appreciate seeing you in my bedroom, but I believe you. You have my heart, signorina." 


Not long after those words had left Isabella's mouth, she tenderly pressed her rosy lips to Starla's cheek before sliding them over slowly to the corner of her mouth. She felt Starla fidget and grabbed her face, Starla's hands falling to her sides, and closed the space left between them with a warm kiss. 


Starla didn't expect it, but she wasn't displeased. It was a long and genuine kiss, one that she was going to last her a lifetime, but they couldn't stay in this position forever. Besides, the snot and tears running down Isabella's face was getting all over their lips. 


"Oh no...I am so sorry, 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘰," Isabella apologized after she moved back from Starla, using her handkerchief to hastily wipe her face. 

Starla was left giggling. 

"Don't be, there are way worse things that I could get on my face—"

She immediately caught herself, her eyes wide when they looked up into Isabella's. 

"Oh 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘰...I don't want to know what that could mean, but I have an idea..." Isabella used the soft handkerchief on herself before laughing into it, her cheeks flushing now for different reasons. 

Starla didn't mean for her words to paint such a crude picture inside their heads, but they did.

 
After all of Isabella's tears were wiped away, and she'd lightly powdered her face, and dabbed on some blush, Starla asked her about Torrisi. 


"He is in a meeting right now with the Baron. Just down the hall." Isabella said, standing up from her vanity and taking Starla's hands into hers. 

"What Valentina and I share isn't what you think." She started, and Starla looked up, ready to listen to an entire story if Isabella was willing to tell one. 

She nodded for her to continue and was led over to the loveseat overlooking the courtyard where the sunshine was warm, and the birdsong was as magical as ever. 

"It was an accident...in the church. Her hand brushed against mine, and...something came to life in both of us." Isabella smiled small as she told her story, blushing slightly at how invested Starla seemed. 

"And I feel so awful for Luca...he knows about it. I am the reason why he has been so miserable lately..." She shook her head and rubbed her temple with her palm, but Starla grabbed her hand and held it tightly in hers. 

"No, you're not the reason, I'd...overheard them arguin' a few days ago near the veranda," Starla dropped her chin and looked at their hands. Breathing in their mixture of feminine smells. Feeling the heat of Isabella's tanned skin. 

"Apparently Luca wants certain things that Valentina isn't willin' to give him. I wish I hadn't been around to hear them, but..." She finished with a sigh and a shrug, instantly getting spooked by the soft rap on the door. 


They both got to their feet, and Isabella had mentioned that she was in the nude, which worked on everyone but Cesare. 


"It is just me!" He whispered into the thick wood of the door, prompting Starla to giggle and Isabella to roll her eyes before hurrying to open the door. 

She yanked him in by his open collar and shut the door. Crossing her arms. 

"Uhm, am I...interrupting something, cousin?" He lifted an eyebrow and smiled cheekily at the both of them, earning himself a swift slap in the chest. Raising his hands in mock surrender. 

"Don't be a pervert, Cesare." Isabella groaned before returning to her vanity. Starla just leaned against the door, looking at her nails. 

"I came to tell you that Leone is having a little celebration at Enzo's place this weekend and you are invited." He tried to keep his voice low, but his excitement was hard to keep down. 

Both Starla and Isabella looked at Cesare at the same time, shooting him a slightly menacing look, and he raised his hands again. Chuckling. 

"𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵? What is it this time?" His glances shifted between them. 

"You know that I am not allowed to leave the house unless I am with my father or with that 𝘣𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘰, Gennaro!" 

That was true. 

"Don't worry your pretty head, cousin, I have already talked to uncle, and you are a free woman this weekend!" He widened his arms and his stance, showing off his teeth when he smiled. 

Starla made a face, and Isabella looked down at her vanity, confused. 

"Ei, don't think too much about it, me and Enzo have everything covered." Cesare swooped in behind her and grabbed her shoulders, resting his chin atop her head and staring at her reflection. Smiling. 

Starla couldn't help smiling. Cesare was good to Isabella. Always did his best to include her in his...endeavors.

"Hmm, well, what does my 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦, Starla, think about it?" She turned in her chair, and looked at Starla with a pretty smile, Cesare looking questionably at them both, mostly at Starla, rubbing his chin. 

She was immediately put on the spot. 

"I-I wasn't gonna go at first, but Cesare's good at persuadin'." She shrugged, playing with the ends of her ponytail. 

"Yeah, this 𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘻𝘻𝘢 wanted to stay home alll weekend and do chores. I said fuck that!" Cesare put his hand on Isabella's shoulder, smiling, though something else still lingered in his gaze when he looked at Starla. 

"But where will my father be during all of this?" Isabella moved her head back and forth between the two. Her teardrop ruby earrings swaying. 

Cesare moved slowly across the floor to where Starla was. His charm had dissipated. But it soon returned when he looked back at Isabella. His arm Starla's waist. 

"At the opera house in Palermo." He made sure he stood close to her, feeling her squirm ever so slightly against him. 

"Oh. Well, that is good. So I guess I am completely free to go along!" Isabella put her hands together and smiled beautifully. Moving over to them to peck them both on the cheek before kindly sending them away. 

Starla was relieved to see only a few soldati and a couple maids occupying the hallway. Don Torrisi must still be in his office with the Baron. 

"So..." Cesare stood back with his hands on his hips, eyeing Starla like she had just said something offensive to him. "What were you doing in there with my cousin, girl? You know that you're not allowed to see her right now." He sounded a lot like Torrisi right now and it was upsetting. 

She groaned and brushed past him. But he was quick to grab her and pull her back. 

"Uh uh, you don't get to do that to me anymore. I am in charge of you!" He easily took control by grabbing her jaw and squeezing her wrist. The maids tried not to notice, and it wasn't like Lucia cared anyway. The soldati couldn't care less, either, too focused on their card game. 

And it was always best not to get involved with personal family matters. 

"Ces...let me go. You don't have to act so mean. I did nothin' wrong!" Starla wiggled around and pressed her hand to his chest, but he didn't budge. 

"Oh really?" He moved closer into her space. The smell of cologne a bit overwhelming. "If I see you with my cousin again, I will go straight to Don Torrisi. Do you understand?" He growled out, pinching her cheeks. Letting her wrist go. 

She nodded just to get him to back off, but that wasn't the end of his unnecessary pestering. 

"Luca has some work for you to do in the stables." Cesare casually walked beside her down the stairs and out into the sun, sighing as he plucked the cigarette from behind his ear, lighting it as he sat down on the decorative iron chair to enjoy his break. 


Starla glared back at him, and all she got in return was a wink. 


Cesare could really be a pain in her ass, but it wasn't too often that he got vicious like that. She took in a calm breath and pushed the uncomfortable feeling into the foreground of her mind, finding Luca outside the stables talking to the stablehand. 


"Ah, signorina McKinney, good to see you ready for work!" Luca never failed to make her smile, even when she didn't want to. 

He was the epitome of a good man. Too good of a man at times. It was certainly a curse and a blessing because sometimes Starla just wanted to push him up against a wall and kiss him until he forgot how to speak english. And other times, she wanted to...

"Signorina, are you all right?" His gentle touch shook her from her daze, and she let out a nervous laugh, rubbing her arm. Rolling up her sleeves. 

"Y-Yeah, just a little hungry, I guess." 

"What? Hungry? Oh 𝘊𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰! I had sent Cesare to get you and make sure that you ate something. Well, not to worry! I'm sure we can find you something 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘪𝘰𝘴𝘰 inside!" His smile was contagious. 

Why did Valentina not give him what he wanted? He was more than deserving of a good, proper fuck from his wife. What more could he want that was so horrible to her? It didn't make sense. 

"No, I just want to work, sir." 

Luca came to a sudden halt. Looking straight down at her. 

"There is no need for you to call me sir. I am Luca." He gently squeezed her shoulder and she swallowed. Pinching the sides of her pants between her fingers. 

She nodded. 

"I-I didn't mean to." 

"There is no need for that either, 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘰. Tell me, what is really on your mind, ei?" He turned back away from the estate and walked with her back to the stables, getting Vivianna ready to ride. 

Starla watched him saddle her up and whisper sweetly to her. 

"The Don is in a meeting with Raffaele Fontanella, but he doesn't require my presence, so I thought we could take a little ride around the vineyard, pass out fruit and check on the workers, if that is something that interests you?" 

Starla was greatly surprised that Luca had planned to spend time with her. It made her heart swell immensely. 


Cesare watched as the two got on the horse and rode off past the front gate. Enzo made his appearance after finishing up something for Tino. Leaning against the wall and waving away the cloud of smoke from Ces's cigarette. 


"Ahh, what is that girl's problem!" Cesare yelled and flicked his half-smoked cigarette, leaning over his lap to hold his head in his hands. 

Enzo grabbed his shoulder to steady him. 

"Everything is alright, Cesare. Come on, there's a mess over in the orange orchard that needs cleaned up." 

. 

They weren't headed for the vineyard, but the ride was lovely, nonetheless. 


"I...wanted to further apologize for what I've done. I know that I haven't been very professional as of late, but I intend on changing that!" He said over the trotting of the horse's hooves, pulling back gently on the reins. 

She knew where they were going now. His house was just up ahead. 

"And since you haven't had anything to eat, I thought we'd stop and have something tasty, plus, you will get to see the boys! Samuele's been over the moon about the flowers you'd picked for my family last week! It was very sweet of you!" The mare fell into a gentle gallop, under Luca's control, and Starla was moved forward, her cheek briefly pressed into his back. 

She sat up again, her hands shaking a little as she gripped his gun belt. 

"I'm glad you liked them."