Love and War Read Online Free Page A

when Caprice approached the table.
    “ Ahhh , mia bella figlia ,” Domani gushed and kissed both of Caprice’s cheeks. Caprice smiled. She recognized the Italian for “my beautiful daughter”. Her Italian was getting better since she lived with Maria and Nico and was around it every day.
    “Hey Dad. Uncle Paolo,” Caprice acknowledged the other man. “What’s up?”
    “You tell me, bella .”   Domani made room at the booth for Caprice to sit. “Nico tells me that you’re upset with me.”
    “Upset is putting it mildly. Why the hell can’t I go to Keisha’s birthday party?”
    Paolo sucked in his breath and shook his head at the defiant girl sitting across from him. He was appalled by her nerve and desperately wanted to slap some sense into her. No one got away with speaking to Domani that way, especially her…his illegitimate half-breed daughter.
    “You know the problems we’re having in Queens,” Domani answered. “Until Nico and the boys get a handle on the situation, you don’t need to be over there. I’ve explained this once, Caprice. I will not explain it again.”
    “I’ll be fine,” Caprice insisted. “That party is the perfect opportunity for me to talk to Aries. He’s Keisha’s cousin. He will be there.”
    “Your father said no,” Paolo snapped. “Aries is family business.”
    “I’m family.”
    Paolo sneered. “Not really.”
    “Fuck you!”
    “Caprice!” Domani bellowed. He only lost his cool when she crossed the line. Caprice folded her arms across her chest.
    “What?” she huffed. “I am your child. I’m more family than he is!”
    “You ungrateful little shit!” Paolo spat.
    Domani slammed his hand on the table so hard that the patrons at nearby tables stopped talking and looked up in fear.
    “Stop it!   What the hell is wrong with you?   Caprice, apologize for being disrespectful to your uncle.”
    Caprice said nothing. Instead, she glared at her “uncle”, waiting for him to grant her the apology that she’d been waiting on since she came to New York.
    It was no secret that Paolo had a bug up his ass about Caprice. He didn’t like her being around for two reasons. One, she was a female. As a general rule of thumb, women stayed at home and did not get involved in the business of men. Caprice wasn’t typical.
    Since she arrived in New York with her six designer suitcases, she had practically chained herself to Nico’s hip. Nico and Domani were soft on the girl. She knew too much and had seen too much. If things ever went south, she’d be the first to crack under pressure. Women always did.
    Second, no matter who her father was, Caprice did not come close to being Italian. She was not one of them. She lacked the heart and loyalty that came from a pure Italian bloodline. Her very presence irritated Paolo and every chance he got, he let her know it.
    “Caprice!” Domani snapped. “I said apologize!”
    “Fine,” Caprice sighed. “Sorry.”
    She looked at her dad, not completely understanding why he always took Paolo’s side. Domani was the Boss. Paulo was just his underling…his second in command. He was too old to run anything anyway.
    “You need me,” Caprice said to her father. “I’m the only one who can get close enough to Aries to find out what he’s up to. Obviously, Nico can’t do it or Aries would be dead by now.”
    “Paolo,” Domani said, “I need to have a word with my daughter. Could you excuse us for a minute?”
    “Sure thing, Boss.”
    “Bye Paolo.”   Caprice waved two fingers at the departing man and smirked.
    “Stop asking me for this,” Domani said when the coast was clear. “You and your brother better stop this shit. You think I don’t know what you’ve been up to?”
    “What have I been up to?”
    Domani’s icy glare told Caprice that she was in big trouble. She should have known he would find out about the girls. He had eyes and ears everywhere.
    “Are you going to lie to my face and tell me you weren’t