Deadly Nightshade by Sem Thornwood

Chapter 4

Isabella

“You are coming!” I insisted. “It is my sweet sixteen.”

I could hear Salvatore’s frustrated breath through the phone. After he went to Minneapolis, he decided it was a good idea to form relationships with all the Underbosses. So, he was hardly home anymore. At this point, it is not even about avoiding Mia.

“I know it is important, Bells that’s why I bought you a sick car.”

Oh no, there is no way he is not coming to my birthday. “I don’t want a car. I want you.”

“So, should I return it?” He asked mockingly.

There is no way I am backing down. “No, don’t. I could use it to drive you to the lake house. I mean, come on, we haven’t been there in so long.”

“You go there almost every month!” He said. It was not true. I went there every two months.

I accepted it anyway. “Yes, I do, but it’s only Mia and me. I want all of us there for my celebration.”

“All of us?” He asked, and I could almost see him arching one eyebrow.

“You know who ‘all of us’ is. You, me, and the Mazzoni’s.” We’d go to the lake house a lot when we were younger. Those days were the happiest of my life. We’d go on swims and make bond fires at night. Then it all stopped. Now it was only Mia and me. It was fun, of course, but not fun as before.

“Not Valerio and Verona?” He joked. I didn’t even answer. He very well knew I had no intention of letting my nine-year-old siblings ruin my birthday. When he spoke again, his voice was serious. “So, if I don’t come, it will only be you, Mia, Antonio, and Alessio?”

I made a confirming sound. “Though I am not sure about Antonio, he might find it too warm and fuzzy for his liking. He gets colder and colder by year.”

He didn’t laugh as I expected. He only let out a frustrated growl. “Fuck Bells, now I have to come.”

I wanted him to come but still didn’t understand which part of my speech made him say that. “Why?”

“Why?” He repeated with a voice like it was the most ridiculous thing to say. “I cannot leave Alessio and you alone.”

I understood what he was implying, but I didn’t want to understand. Salvatore was always easygoing with me. He never insisted on the rules of our world to me like my father or my mother. I didn’t want him to start now. “Mia is going to be there too.”

This only fueled his anger. “Like Mia is any protection.”

I couldn’t help but mirror his rage. This was too much. “You know Alessio cares for me. He’d never do anything to dishonor me.” Words sounded believable, but at the same time, they left a sour taste in my mouth because, for a while, I was wondering about it. I was wondering if he’d do something considered dishonorable in our circle if I asked him to. I didn’t have a straight answer, but even if I did, I was not going to share it with Salvatore. Mia was the only one who knew about my intentions.

“It’s not that,” Salvatore said. His voice sounded calmer. “There is a fire between you two, Bella. Always has been. And I am afraid it is going to burn you in the end. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

Tears slowly formed in my eyes. I hated crying. I never cried, but seeing Salvatore’s softer side was a rare occasion. Also, his words hit me too because I knew they were right. I knew I should stay away from Alessio so my heart wouldn’t break. Unfortunately, there was no way for me to stay away from him.

I tried to stabilize my voice by clearing my throat. I couldn’t answer his words, so I only said, “Please come to my birthday.” And this time, he accepted.

“I still cannot believe you bought me this,” I said, examining my red Ferrari. “I feel like a rich little princess.”

Salvatore wrapped an arm around me and put a kiss on my forehead. “Well, you are a rich little princess.”

I shoved him hard as another car pulled up to the driveway. Because of my eagerness, we were the first ones in the lake house. I wanted to play with my new toy. I even challenged Alessio to a race, knowing very well I’d lose. He didn’t want to do it, though, and earned a satisfied grin from Sal. After that, I didn’t even try Antonio. He was even more logical than my brother and Alessio to agree to a race with me.

I’ll wait a year then. After that Mia, and I can race.

Alessio was the one who got out of his car. “You are a terrible driver Bella.”

I held out a smile. “I am a fun driver Alessio.”

His gaze turned to Sal. “How was it to getting scared for your life for the whole ride?”

Sal didn’t smile. “Not as bad as getting scared for hers.”

I rolled my eyes, but Alessio didn’t find it amusing or annoying. He only answered with a knowing look like through the whole ride that was what he thought too. It was still irritating, but Alessio’s concern also created few butterflies in my belly.

When Antonio’s car pulled up, Mia almost jumped out of it before it stopped completely. Unlike the men who held worry in their faces, she was grinning wildly. “That was amazing, Bells!” She shouted. And then she announced, “On the way back home, I am driving with Isabella.”

“You are fucking not!”

With my brother’s voice, I stilled and looked at Mia. After the fiasco at their betrothal, Mia forgave me pretty quickly, saying best friends cannot stay mad at each other for long. She didn’t forgive Salvatore, though. Her feelings towards him were very complicated. Right now, she looked at him in a way that held both love and hate. She built walls to keep Salvatore out so he can’t break her heart again.

I didn’t know how strong they were, though.

Even if Salvatore felt her coldness, he didn’t let it affect him. “Actually, you two should never drive alone. I don’t trust you together.”

This time Mia didn’t hold back her eye roll. She made a frustrated sound at the back of her throat and made her way inside. “Give me a break Sally.”

She knew he hated to be called that, and even with her back was to us, she very well knew the face Salvatore was making towards the nickname and her attitude. He was angry. Yet, he was not as mad as I’d guess. He was always a hotheaded guy, so right now, he seemed very calm. He only took out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it up before taking our bags out of the car. He did have a high temper, but it seemed like he had no intention of letting a fifteen-year-old girl drive him crazy. I kind of respected him for being able to control his temper once in his life.

They didn’t let me carry my bag. Mob men had an alpha complex. I didn’t say anything. I was used to them at this point. I was just happy that we were in the lake house without any bodyguards.

And I voiced that thought.

Antonio looked at me dead in the eye. He usually looked at me like that, to be honest. “Mia, and you spending a night alone in here only mean trouble, you know, that right?”

“The house has a good security system,” I insisted. Just like any house owned by a mobster, it had the latest of everything.

“You are right,” he accepted. “But the lake doesn’t. Our enemies can attack you very easily when you are in the lake. You two would make very valuable hostages.”

A shiver went down my spine at the thought. “I wish there weren’t people who dream of kidnapping me. I mean, I wouldn’t make a good hostage. Father would prefer them killing me than giving them anything.”

I didn’t have time to see any of their expressions since Salvatore answered in a heartbeat. “He wouldn’t.” When I looked at him with wide eyes, he explained, “That would make him look weak. He could kill you himself, but he wouldn’t let his enemies do it.”

Antonio nodded in agreement. Alessio, on the other hand, looked at my brother like he wanted to chop his head off. I didn’t know if he was angry because he put that thought on his head or because he shared it with me. Luckily both meant well.

“Anyway, let settle in,” Salvatore said when no one spoke. “We are tired, so maybe we can have a little bonfire tonight and do the celebrations tomorrow?”

I nodded smiling, and took the stairs to my room. I was excited for all of us to be here.

I was excited about the celebrations and taking a swim on the lake.

What I was most excited about was my presents though, because there was one present I already had in mind.