Beatrice Costello

My brothers were there for me, the first to speak was always Hunter

"Need help with the cleanup?" - His look is careful, concerned.

The green eyes analyzing every exposed part of me made anger fill the chiseled face with square jaw and full mouth.

The decision I made will affect all of us in one way or another, and this is your way of showing your support.

“Just the garbage bag by the door.

He turned and walked to the door taking the bag out of the house, we all silently watched the movement back and forth. Until he was standing next to the workbench again as if waiting for an order or a request.

"Okay, what's the plan?" - Jack turned sideways sitting on the sofa now with his body turned towards us asking what was going through everyone's mind.

The dark hair in contrast to our blond ones, the well-shaped face, with full lips and perfect teeth, the slightly crooked nose and the usual sarcastic expression.

"We need a story," Hunter replied without taking his eyes off mine.

— We faked their deaths – Giacomo said and for the first time I looked at everyone there realizing that Bianca was missing.

- Why she did it? – I whispered without really wanting confirmation of my thoughts.

"Apparently Stefano wasn't the only one to disrespect an Italian wife," Jack roared. “I had to talk to her so that she could share her death with us, and I found her tied up like an animal in that apartment.

The tension in each of the three's bodies revealed more than words, yet I felt the need to confirm.

"What did you do Jack?" - I asked scared afraid that the plan was for the sewer.

"What could a brother do, seeing his own blood like that?" – He snorted – When Salvatore Riina arrived I spent a few hours having fun with him.

- You idiot, the soldiers could have seen you entering the building - The fear of losing my brother took over me.

Hunter laughed and waved me down, as if it was obvious he wasn't going to let Jack have all the fun for himself.

— I helped the idiot to forge the scene, in the end it will look like it was a coordinated attack so we need to act fast, in a few hours our phones started ringing informing us of Riina's death and Don will order to clean up the city looking for the traitor – He stopped with a sigh.

— We need to be home right now – Giacomo decrees — Don Sartori will probably notify me of Bianca's death personally, as a way of showing his appreciation.

Giacomo is one of Sartori's most trusted men, and he deserves the post. Always hardworking, loyal, being the executor of his Don, never disobeying a single order. The guilt for putting them in a position of betrayal hit my traitorous heart, they are the only family I have and among all possibilities, among all shit to know that we really are a true family, which my brothers never hesitated to follow a dazzling plan to free me and now free Bianca, only made my love and admiration grow.

That loyalty is ours alone, and I doubt anyone else within the Mafia is as loyal as we are to each other.

"I'm causing you to lose the honor of your names." I sighed, knowing this must be like torture for honorable men.

“Don't think about it Beatrice, defending my blood is the only honor I need. Your husband and Bianca's husband should honor them, I won't forgive myself for taking them to the altar and handing them over to these disgraced ones. - Giacomo spoke with a tone of regret.

— Besides, the family rule is clear, wives should not be treated that way and Don Sartori certainly knew about the actions of Riina and Stefano, his son and his nephew, the two trained by himself. Jack snorted.

— The rules are for everyone, we're just going to put the house in order, Cosa Nostra is only going to undergo a little cleaning – Hunter smiled darkly and there I understood.

They've been there for me through it all, through all our flaws and over every stupid sibling fight, which for some reason I was sure one of them would end up doing this, killing Stefano Sartori for me.

But she didn't need to be protected, not anymore.

— For all intents and purposes, Bianca died at dawn in an attack, along with her husband Salvatore Riina – Giacomo continued — The poison that Hunter obtained has a twenty-four-hour effect, it will feel like a cold body and that's the time we need to do it. the closed casket funeral.

— Enrico should show up here at any moment to announce Bianca's death, the hypothesis of a betrayal will be confirmed when his body is found and not Stefano since only we capos know the addresses of each member – Jack breathed — We need to kill the soldiers who are in security.

The door slammed and in the middle of the warm conversation, surprising us with the unexpected visitor, the soldier's short hair and always well-composed suit.

— No need, I've already done that - Frank's voice cut the silence, Hunter already had the gun pointed in his direction.

“Why would you do that? – Giacomo questioned the Sartori family soldier.

"Your sister knows why." He stared at me with green eyes.

I discovered his secret a few years ago, the first few days he seemed to expect me to tell Stefano until one of the few times we were alone in the car, I assured him that no one would know.

Apparently, that's his way of retribution.

— Beatrice has my loyalty, if you want to kill me, do it now, but know that you would be a good ally.

I considered the possibilities, I need help, protection and none of my brothers can do that, they won't be able to be available all the time, I don't have the slightest idea of what life is like outside this house or outside the mafia.

They need to show that they are looking for the sisters' killers.

“Hunter has enough poison for Frank too” My brother looked in my direction in exasperation “Frank will come with me.

"Do you trust him?" Jack looked suspicious.

— Yes, and he has no reason to stay, if Don Sartori finds him alive with the disappearance of his son he dies, if he betrays me I'll make sure his secret is discovered, that would lead to his death too – My brothers looked at each other for a few seconds , Hunter lowered the gun.

Frank watched, knowing my every word was a silent threat, just because I was pious once doesn't mean it would be a second, especially given the new life I intend to lead. I give you this chance as a vote of confidence for going to warn Giacomo of my captivity, something I've never had the courage to do in all these years.

I analyzed the whole scene set up by the house with the blood smeared on the hideous green carpet, I stretch out my hand making sure to leave the dirty fingerprints against the wallpaper remembering the nights next to the man I swore to love.

I sigh, turning my face away and finding my brother's fury just the incentive to finally make my voice heard. It's incredible how arrogance blinds men to the point of not realizing that a woman never loses her power, a woman doesn't lose the war, and when she wants to, she's capable of destroying everything.

That was Stefano's biggest mistake, not causing my death when he had the opportunity, having armed himself with arrogance and all the machismo, always putting me below himself, imagining my inability to reciprocate that perverse love, karma is a bitch treacherous and this turnaround was only possible thanks to his exacerbated egocentrism thinking he was indestructible. And my biggest mistake was thinking I was capable of love, I'm not, and I missed any opportunity to give birth to some feeling in here.

Beatrice Costello

I can't understand the motives of the faces concerned with how to follow the plan even though I know that declared war at the moment is impossible, the way their eyes analyze my every move is irritating.

Who spread around that women are fragile?

I shake my head, trying to clear the blind irritation that builds in my chest at continuing to be judged by men, when their only use in the world is to be born and raised by the care of women. I am aware of every possible flaw within that plan but right now taking down every deal made is more useful in raising resources than confronting Don.

—The Don won't believe this Beatrice – Giacomo decides to pronounce after his long minutes analyzing my steps — We can get a few months, but at some point Sartori will put two and two together, especially when he only finds Stefano's bones.

It's a valid point, I know that but I can't move the pieces without their support and if you have to appeal to an emotion that no longer exists I don't see any problem.

“I know, I just can't live here, can't stay here anymore. - I say, intoning my voice with desperation.

The best lies are always based on the truth, I don't deny for a single moment the fear of losing the opportunity for revenge and the fear of taking the risk of losing them, my family. My legs shake just thinking about that possibility.

- Giacomo will make our revenge prosper, the name of the Sartori will be erased - I observed Jack's confidence in wanting to avenge our family.

His support being a crucial point in moving Giacomo a little more towards the board rather than feeding his lust for carnage.

“I'll give my life so they can pay, sister. – Giacomo replied hitting the hammer on our destinies he is the only one who can act secretly on both sides, I felt confident with the affirmation in his voice.

The Italian mafia wouldn't accept a woman in charge, even though the bastards deserve to be chained to wooden logs and whipped on their white asses by women to realize how much they're just men, but right now all I want is to be free for the first time in life.

Being able to breathe the air contaminated by their spilled blood and not by my pain reverberating on the walls of this house.

"If you don't make their security work, I'll make sure your body becomes food for the fish myself," Hunter snarled at the soldier, his hands going into his pockets and pulling out a small bottle. “Jack go get another syringe from the car.

Jack left obeying the order, while Hunter my brother took a syringe from his dress pants and filled it with half the liquid in the vial. I analyzed every part of the place, seeing the disposition of the food that I barely touched while still on top of the counter.

"Giacomo, spill that food across the room, make it look like you tried to defend me." He waved, getting up and walking around the counter.

That way the scenario is perfect, the food being thrown and the plate being broken giving the appearance of having been dragged through the small space between the kitchen and the hallway to the bedrooms.

I walked, standing at the exact spot where most of the blood had pooled on the rug when the kicks were too intense for the body to withstand, at that exact moment when Stefano killed the last spark of hope left, Frank is still standing in the middle of the room, I organized my thoughts, taking a deep breath, ready to order, let out the phallus.

“Frank, I need you to punch me.” The man's gaze widens at the same time my brothers stiffen in place, Jack closing the front door with a glare.

I decide to rush the explanation to appease the testosterone radiating the place, it's not like one of the three is able to raise a hand against the little sister so the duty falls to the team's rookie.

“I need my face marked to look real since I'm all bloody and you need to have some mark that shows an attempt at protection.

Hunter arched an eyebrow, Giacomo chuckled, and Jack continued to stare as if seeing a stranger.

"Who are you and what have you done to my sister?"

It's like Jackson is really seeing me for the first time after so many years of being tied down to this marriage sucking every last bit out of my soul. Being half a man in love but not enough, he would never be able to love me enough despite having my heart in his hands, I sigh keeping a straight face.

- I present to you the monster forged and created by the Devil himself - I opened a smile in the corner.

They finally seem to understand that what Stefano had done to me in recent years was not something so banal, the dedicated, happy and obedient wife at family parties was just a facade. Their gazes meet in silent exchanges that I recognize, even after so long away from each other, not physically, but we were separated by mafia laws, yet, I recognize what is happening in each look.

The empty shell molded to support her needs, the trophy of her conquests to be displayed in public, the marks across my body not visible so no one would suspect that one of the mafia princesses was treated like the poor bastards trafficked into the clubs of the family.

When I looked into the abyss, I fell madly and deeply in love with the executioner of my prison, the executioner of my soul will always be my love and the taste of retribution is still sweet on my lips.

And for the first time in my life the scars will help something, with my bloodstained body the bruises still evident through my white skin will do all the work of looking like an attack, Stefano Sartori's beautiful wife cruelly bruised to the point of not resisting . Too young, without heirs, a regrettable loss for the organization. I wake up from these thoughts with the authoritative voice calling my attention.

"Beatrice, I need you to pay attention!" – Hunter approached with the syringe — This poison will make you pass for dead in the next 24 hours, Bianca has already been like this, for about 5 hours. We need to speed this up, we're going to exchange the bodies for any indigent and we're going to demand the closed casket, you'll wake up at the security location.

— Let's see some things that help you to disguise yourself, New York will only be safe again when we take power, even so, no one can suspect that. Nobody can suspect that you and Bianca are the brains of our family. - Giacomo drew a smile from me with his statement.

Jack is good on the streets, Hunter is good at closing deals legal or illegal, and Giacomo has always been the brute force.

Frank snapped out of his inert state, as if he'd finally made the final decision.

— Sorry – The man seems sad to have to comply with the order.

The punch came heavy and hard, my face turned to the right with the impact and I felt my vision blurring, nothing worse than what I had received before. I felt the hands holding me and the sting came soon after, being laid with my head turned to the side on the floor in a few moments still conscious noticing its movements around the house, feeling the burning rising causing a slow numbness of the senses listening to Jack complain about the punch and perhaps he took the opportunity to take the adrenaline out on the poor soldier.

Naked with all the marks exposed by the body, the recent open scars and only a robe covering the nudity.

Darkness has finally kissed my senses like an old friend, isn't it scary especially when you love the darkness of your soul.

My only fear at the moment is that everything could go wrong and my brothers could end up dying because I'm too selfish to keep waiting for Stefano's love to reach its peak to kill me.

Beatrice Costello

I feel like my head can weigh a ton so drugged the almost painful feeling wanting to embrace the darkness again, I end up having terrible difficulty trying to open my eyes with my heavy and inert body. last week, your passionate kisses mixed with the taste of the cigar right after the beating, the firm and harsh words culminating in the abortion, the painful hunger for the blood of the only man I loved and finally the pleasure of seeing his eyes widen in fear and become furious when he found out who his tormentor would be.

The savory taste of our declarations of love as sick as the way I arranged for his death, covering every one of the doubts and fears mixed with the confused feelings trapped in that cell called home, a sweet taste involving my tongue making the monster nourished for so many years finally breaks free, taking his place in the sun claiming ownership of this filthy soul I carry, wanting to expose his exploit to the world the way he wants more blood.

Fear arises from an old friend who confronted hope at every turn, did anyone find out?

Would my brothers be dead by now?

Bianca where are you?

- Finally! - The sweet voice answered my thoughts and then I opened my eyes.

Bianca, my twin sister with hair as blond as mine, and the dark eyes inherited from our mother shining in the place with a yellowish lighting without being able to hide her beauty. Our souls always so connected talking in silence, doubts so clear and secrets so deeply sealed by our lips in mutual agreement.

— I love you, and I love you even more for having the brilliant idea of dying - His irises shine as the laughter reverberates through the place.

And I'm finally able to feel something slamming against my mind, so many sensations blending together, I feel the tears running down my cheeks and for the first time I know it's not from pain or anger, just genuine pleasure in being alive.

- We did it? - I sighed feeling a lethargy to say maybe an effect of the drug.

Taking a deep breath wanting to get some news from the three fools, the only men I'm now sure ever loved me.

"Not yet." Frank's voice sounded serious, drawing my attention to himself as he turned his face.

I admired the tall man sitting in an armchair next to the bed, his muscular body jutting out from the small seat while his strong arms being displayed by the sleeveless shirt with a steady green gaze, armed with doubts. He understood the silent questions breaking the expectation with the firm voice.

“Your brothers need to take down the Sartori so we can breathe in peace.” His statement made memories rush through my mind.

I turned my eyes to the ceiling of what appears to be a small apartment, the plaster of the room half moldy amidst walls with a worn and dirty wallpaper, I took a long breath to be able to answer.

— We need to help them somehow, I can't bear to know that they died because of my selfishness.

Yes, my selfishness is the cause of our being here in the same way that destiny linked to a family like mine was the reason for being Stefano's wife after all, that's why I was born to serve my husband and I still failed. A flaw within the mafia's perfect organization, something completely intolerable that must be sending Donatella Costello shivers down her toes.

Bianca, in the middle of the parallel conversation, seemed to understand the distress gnawing at my chest, folding her body over mine and resting her hand on my left cheek.

— I don't know how I can help, until two days ago I was just a trophy wife – She sighed — Yes, I know, you fainted a day too much, I almost went crazy thinking you might have died.

The caress of his hand hit a sensitive part, which must be a bruise from the punch.

— The two can start helping if they change faces – Frank snorted — The problem is if they discover the plan, then they'll catch us here, otherwise the two can stay living here.

The harsh words are the reality, but this soldier's plan didn't seem to please my sister, nor is it my goal, not after tasting death between my fingers savoring every moment of that hold's cruelty.

I need to find a way to make the De Angelis turn against Don Sartori, the two biggest families will kill each other to make way for the traditional Costello family, now reduced to three members. It's a simple way to sum up everything I want most.

I have the notion that Bianca attended all parties accompanied by Riina to be shown off like a perfect doll, while she only went to parties in the very rare moments when Stefano declared that she had behaved well, she must know about single girls who can close agreements by marrying our brothers.

It's their destiny, and honestly, I don't feel the least bit guilty, as Jack had said: They follow family rules, honoring their wives.

My brothers would not be like Riina or Sartori, the future of the family and that thought brought a smile to my aching face.

Bianca watched as if she wanted to discover my thoughts, but I didn't try to hide them.

— I need black ink, blue ink, scissors and some pink ink too – Frank raised an eyebrow — We'll need new documents, maybe Jack has already provided.

Frank huffed as if he was having a nervous breakdown keeping his face in a contortion of lips letting silence prevail in the room.

Bianca and I were waiting for the man to fall hard to the ground, but he just got up, finally getting rid of his disgust and exasperation.

— Ah Beatrice Costello, it's not possible that you don't know – He said it as if it were obvious – Let's play it cool since we're in the same boat.

I nodded, becoming completely curious as he calmed himself down by sitting back in the chair, I swung my feet off the bed, taking in the flawed hardwood floor and worn wallpaper next to a small window to the side.

— What you and Bianca have in beauty, your brothers have in muscles, the Costello family should have at least run for the chair of Consiglieri and not even that your father, before he died, tried to do. – He stopped in an impressively dramatic way – Because he didn't want to tarnish the family name with the intelligence of his brothers.

And it was at that point that Frank won me over, the soldier ripped out an almost infinite laugh with his sincerity, I felt my eyes watering with laughter and my cheeks hurting. I don't make a point of refuting or clarifying certain details about your speech, some things deserve to remain buried with our parents. I looked at Bianca who seems to be desperate to find out that our brothers are stupid, but this is nothing new. Not even for her.

Now, if Giacomo had had an ounce of intelligence, I wouldn't have married Sartori but De Angelis, it would have been more profitable for the Costello cocaine trade to have joined a family that has great distribution power.

Soon the soldier and my sister seemed ecstatic with my burst of laughter.

— Tell me something new Frank, that I know. - I said trying to control my breathing, wiping the tears that ran down my aching cheeks. "Do you really think that when Giacomo offered to kill Stefano, my beautiful beauty wouldn't have already planned everything?"

I kept laughing and realizing that fools didn't understand, a woman always discredited, her voice not heard and her presence dismissed in front of business. Donatella and Antonio didn't just raise my brothers, they raised me too, they instilled at every precise point what it means to be a Costello and that's the kind of lesson you don't forget.