Page 20 of Temptation
However, the way family was valued in my life has always been different from that of conventional families.
While Sundays for everyone else were a time to cherish moments together,—when kids would play games and enjoy the warm embrace of their families—our Sundays were indistinguishable from any other weekday, and our father was usually absent from home.
This was until my father decided we were old enough to be initiated into the family business. From then on, Sundays were subsumed into the relentless cycle of work that defined our existence. Each sibling, in turn, was absorbed into the empire my father had meticulously crafted, and the boundary betweenweekdays and weekends blurred until it disappeared entirely - it simply didn't matter.
My wife never demanded much from me, never asked me to change my ways or alter who I was.
However, when our children were born, I made a promise to her. I swore that our kids would not grow up feeling the absence of their father.
I made the same vow to myself and the children after Lexi's death—I would do everything to offer them a semblance of a normal childhood filled with the warmth that had been scarce in mine.
I resolved to spend as much time as possible with our twins, ensuring they felt loved and supported. Yet, instead of enjoying a leisurely Sunday morning with my kids, I find myself driving to anurgentmeeting with my brothers.
It’s rarely a harbinger of good news when Marcello summons us on such short notice, maybe that’s why I already feel the air thickening with tension as I step into his house. Foregoing any formalities, I stride directly toward his office. Our younger brother, Romeo, is already there, his expression as grim as Marcello’s, though neither of them are known for their smiles or cheery personalities.
“What the hell happened at the school?” Marcello demands the moment I cross the threshold.
Fantastic. Of course, Dad has already spilled the beans.
“It’s quite obvious you already know,” I reply, my voice tinged with frustration.
“If I did, I wouldn’t be asking, would I?” Marcello retorts sharply.
Romeo, sensing the impending escalation, raises his hands to halt our brewing confrontation. “First things first… before you two start knocking heads, how are the twins?” he asks, his tone full of concern.
“They’re fine, don’t worry, everything’s fucking fine,” I reassure him.
“Again, what the hell happened?” Marcello insists.
“There was an attempt to kidnap them,” I explain, my voice steady but grim.
“And?” Marcello’s impatience is now palpable, his voice sharper.
“Nothing. Nothing happened, since I arrived before it could, but I still need to find out who was behind it,” I say, frustration seeping through as I grapple with the unknowns.
“Someone just walked into the building, and what? Tried to take the twins with them?” Marcello inquires further. “How the fuck can something like that happen? They’re supposed to have staff looking after the children.”
“They do. Their teacher was with them,” I respond, keeping my answer as brief as possible.
“And what happened to the teacher?” he presses for more information.
I hadn’t planned on revealing that I took Sienna with me, so I simply shrug, hoping to deflect the question.
“Fabrizio,” my brother’s voice drops to a low, warning growl, “what the fuck happened to the teacher? You—we can’t afford any—”
“She is fine,” I retort quickly. “There won’t be any issues with the school. Seriously, she is nothing to worry about.”
“Because you’re saying she’s unharmed and safely tucked away at home?” Romeo inquires, his lips curling into a mischievous smirk.
“Exactly,” I reply sharply.
My little brother’s eyes lock onto mine. There’s a glint of amusement mixed with a knowing look in them. “Her home or yours?”
“Mine.”
“Oh,pleasedon’t tell me you kidnapped the teacher,” Marcello exclaims, barely able to hold in his discontent.
I respond with another shrug, a nonverbal admission. “What was I supposed to do? Leave her there?” I counter, feeling a surge of defensiveness.
