Chapter 4
Vincent walked into the chamber.
Celeste remained in the chair.
That was deliberate.
She wanted him to look at her sitting where Salvatore once sat.
He did.
His disgust was immediate.
She smiled.
“Still pretending furniture makes men?”
Vincent’s eyes narrowed.
“You've been in this family nine months.”
Celeste lifted one shoulder.
“And I've learned more than some people learn in forty years.”
Vincent looked toward Donna.
Then the bruise on her forehead.
His face hardened.
“What happened?”
Celeste answered first.
“She made a mess.”
Vincent looked at her.
Celeste smiled.
“She cleaned it.”
Donna said nothing.
Sebastian stepped in.
“Oh, don't start.”
He looked at Vincent.
“Rocco already performed the dutiful-son routine.”
His voice became mocking.
“Mother cries.”
“Boss punches somebody.”
“Everyone remembers family values.”
Rocco looked at him.
Sebastian smiled back.
Still certain.
Still provocative.
Vincent asked:
“Why was I invited?”
Celeste finally stood from the chair.
“Because you know your nephew is changing.”
Rocco’s face stayed still.
Celeste continued.
“He spends more time protecting feelings than territory.”
“He lets Donna interfere in household command.”
“He keeps old men in seats they no longer deserve.”
Vincent glanced at Rocco.
Then back.
Sebastian added:
“And because after the wedding, someone needs to explain to the old guard that this family becomes stronger.”
Rocco’s voice came quiet.
“Under who?”
Celeste looked directly at him.
“Under us.”
No shame.
No attempt to soften it.
Donna inhaled.
Rocco did not.
Celeste smiled.
“You wanted honesty.”
“Here.”
She spread her hands.
“I didn't marry into this family to spend twenty years asking your mother whether I may change the curtains.”
Donna looked away.
Celeste continued.
“I didn't bring Hale men behind your name to be treated like decoration.”
Her voice sharpened.
“And I certainly didn't agree to become second woman in a house where a seventy-six-year-old widow still thinks every room belongs to her.”
Donna whispered:
“I never asked for your place.”
Celeste turned.
“You didn't have to.”
Her smile became cruel.
“You've been occupying it since before I arrived.”
Vincent's jaw tightened.
Celeste looked at him.
“See?”
“She speaks.”
“And every man waits.”
Donna’s eyes filled.
Rocco’s voice dropped.
“Leave her out of this.”
Celeste laughed.
“She is this.”
Her finger pointed at Donna.
“She is the reason this house never changes.”
Then she looked at Rocco.
“You think loyalty means preserving every old person’s comfort.”
“I think loyalty means not kicking my mother in the head.”
Silence.
Celeste’s mouth tightened.
Sebastian stepped forward.
“She should never have touched Celeste’s shoes.”
Rocco looked at him.
Sebastian did not blink.
“And she should have known better than to follow us.”
Donna looked up.
There.
Another slip.
Rocco caught it.
“Follow you?”
Sebastian’s face remained calm.
Celeste turned toward him.
A tiny warning.
Too late.
Rocco stepped closer.
“Donna didn't say she followed anyone.”
Silence.
Sebastian smiled.
“She didn't need to.”
Rocco shook his head.
“No.”
His voice became softer.
“You knew she saw you before she told me.”
Sebastian’s nostrils flared.
Vincent watched.
Rocco continued.
“That means you were watching her.”
Celeste interrupted.
“Of course we were.”
Everyone turned.
Her arrogance saved Sebastian from the silence.
Celeste lifted her chin.
“She snoops.”
Donna looked stunned.
Celeste continued.
“She wanders through rooms that no longer concern her.”
“Touches things.”
“Asks servants questions.”
Then she smiled.
“So yes.”
“I told people to watch her.”
Rocco’s face hardened.
“You had my mother followed inside my own estate.”
Celeste corrected him:
“Our estate.”
Rocco stared.
She smiled.
“Soon.”
Vincent laughed once.
Bitter.
“There's your problem.”
Celeste looked at him.
“You think the wedding makes you Bellacorte.”
“No.”
Vincent shook his head.
“You think it makes Bellacorte Hale.”
Her expression hardened.
Then Donna whispered:
“She asked me about the bell.”
Rocco turned.
“What bell?”
Donna looked toward the passage ceiling.
“The old chapel bell.”
Vincent’s face changed.
Rocco saw it.
Donna continued.
“She asked what happens when it rings after midnight.”
Celeste’s eyes sharpened.
Rocco looked toward Vincent.
“What happens?”
His uncle hesitated.
“Nothing anymore.”
“That isn't an answer.”
Vincent exhaled.
“In Salvatore’s time…”
He glanced toward the old chair.
“…three rings after midnight meant every armed man on the estate moved to the chapel.”
Rocco slowly looked at Celeste.
May you like
The wedding was scheduled in the chapel.
And Celeste had been asking how to summon every Bellacorte gunman into one room.
