Chapter 6

Marco Complications are something I consider a natural hiccup that comes from making too many changes in one go. The woman, yes, that one woman who walked into my home minutes ago is an indigestion stuck in my fucking chest and she is not going away. I have sealed that with my brother's marriage to her sister. "You looked surprised to see my sister, I know I mentioned she was coming." Filippo misses nothing when it comes to his siblings, and I am certain he didn't miss my surprise when she walked up to me and called me Mr. Catelli. What the fuck is that all about? And why is she wearing such sexy clothes? Is she secretly seeing someone? Must be Gabriel, the fucker was too excited when he heard she was coming. "She looks like a woman, I thought she's a kid." Filippo smiles and touches my shoulder, "She was never a kid. Only now she is ready to show us what we always knew no?" The reminder of the 12-year-old girl with a gun in her hand flashes in my head. If the thought does anything, it reminds me of the real reason I chose Camilla in the end and not Aliyana. Only at the time, I wasn't aware that Camilla Moretti was the girl I lost my heart to 6-years-ago. If that isn't a sign I'm not sure what is. The thought makes me smile. Following Filippo inside the house, I don't miss the man lurking in the dark waiting for me beneath the staircase. We weren't done with our meeting. "I'll see you all for lunch." Filippo flicks his hand waving me off as I retreat to the man, who was mostly a ghost. "Let's finish this in the library," I say as I begin walking in the opposite direction of all the noise. The Ghost doesn't make a sound when it follows behind me. Opening the double doors, I welcome the smell of wood, rosemary and my favorite, books. "Knight is not going to like it, but I'll do it if it means you owe me a favor " The Ghost voices and I turn to look at the boy. He is still in his early 20's and what I hear, the ladies love his pierced, tattooed Goth look he wears like a second skin. No matter how much he covers himself in, he can't hide the blue blood staining his very existence. Nor can I hide the cursed one coating my own. "And Jack Creston? Still think the fucker is lying?" I'm curious as to what the Ghost has to say about the guy who possibly had a hand in killing my brother. "Got the asshole in a fucking hole down South, Ribs thinks the man ain't gonna say shit knowing he has backup so high up the food chain." His face doesn't change, so I have no idea what is his real take on the situation. However, I suspect the Ghost did not believe Jack had anything to do with Ren's death as Deno convinced the Misfits that night in the Warehouse. But we had one more card to play with Jack before we let him free. "The best bet we have is to reel his son in and play a dirty game of cat and mouse. Aliyana and Gabriel would be able to help with that." "She's turning 20 in 12 days, don't you think that should be her only priority for now?" The Ghost brings up the one thing I have avoided since he arrived this morning. "I'm sure your brothers are thrilled to hear the exciting news." "Michael, yes. David has his head too far up his ass to even say hello." I smile staring at the boy who never felt a thing in his life besides a deep need to protect those unfortunate or in Aliyana's case, duty bound. "Well, her life is soon to become filled with more men than her small form can handle, let's hope it's all smooth sailing and nobody gets hurt." "People are going to die. You wanted to marry her for the same reason many would want to kill her. Getting hurt is just a small part of it." "Sometimes love and duty blinds the honorable." "There is nothing honorable about you, Marco. If I could feel anything for that girl, it would only be sorrow." I stare at the boy who saved my life more times than I would ever count. Sometimes I wonder if he was made with the image of an angelic soldier in mind. His sculpted face matches his concrete belief. "Then you will be the only one. Aliyana is quite capable of handling herself. She has the Misfits and will soon be much more than Sartini Capello's daughter " "Whatever you think she is, just make sure you remember that you are as much apart of the Shadows as all of us. Your new title won't protect you from your duty." "My duty is to protect my daughter." The Ghost walks toward the library door. I think he is ready to leave. He turns to face me and I see nothing but his blue gaze he got from his mother. "If you wish to protect your daughter you should start by protecting your Queen. The Shadows will be arriving soon, I suggest you start preparing. And that woman of yours should learn that snitches get stitches." "Then I'll see you soon," I say as he leaves. My mind rumbles with questions and plans. What if, what not, all circled around one person, a woman who just a few days ago was a girl who stood on the roof top of a building, barefoot in a green dress gazing at the stars, not know that the stars were bowing to her. My attention is drawn to my desk that sits in the apex of the room. And like I have done since I got here 2 weeks prior I walk toward the antique and sit in the brown leathered chair. Pulling the draw open, I put a hand inside until I feel the lever at the back. A click is sounded and I open the small part in the middle of my desk that has now shown itself. In it is a leather woven journal I have had since my grandfather handed it to me many years ago. I unwrap the leather binding and open it to a blank page, and grab the black parker pen. Mischa The moon is a beautiful sight when it is caught in its perfect form, but so is a beetle when you are chasing it. "Marco, you are being unsociable," Camilla's strong voice filters through the room. I close the book and smile up at the woman who would forever be mine until the day she died. I am not certain why it doesn't sound as appealing as it once did. "I'll be out in a minute. Have you met Aliyana? Or is she creating havoc with Gabriel?" I ask and though I say nothing, I don't miss the twitch in Camilla's red lip smile.