Chapter Text
Frank Rizzoli tapped his fingers against the steering wheel of his truck, nervously checking his mirrors every few seconds. Had that car been following him for a while, keeping the same distance the whole time? He could feel the sweat beading on his forehead. Of course he was being followed. They had always been following. This wasn’t just going to go away. He had made a deal and now he had to deal with the consequences.
“But my boys are too young!” Frank protested, his eyes darting between the men surrounding him.
“Not your boys, your daughter.”
Frank swallowed the lump in his throat, wondering once again how he had managed to get himself into this situation. He knew the answer though, he had gotten greedy.
By the time he pulled into the small driveway of the Rizzoli home, he was a nervous wreck, his back was soaked from sweat. He hurried into the house, his eyes darting up and down the street, searching for an unfamiliar car.
“Ange?” he called once the door was safely locked behind him. “Ange?”
“In here!”
Frank made his way into the living room and was greeted with the sight of his family. Ten year old Tommy lay on his stomach on the floor, his chin propped up on his hands, his eyes glued to the TV. Fourteen year old Frankie could be seen in the kitchen hunting for a snack, no doubt his adolescent appetite keeping him searching. Eighteen year old Jane, sprawled across the sofa as she also watched the TV. Angela Rizzoli was sitting in an armchair, a magazine open across her lap as she flipped through it.
“How was your day?” Angela smiled warmly up at her husband but her face instantly dropped at the sight of him. “Frank, what’s wrong?”
“Boys, go upstairs,” Frank croaked out, his gaze lingering on the open curtains of the window. Quickly he walked over and pulled them closed, trying to keep the world out.
“Pop?” Jane asked quietly as she pushed herself up into a seated position.
“Boys, upstairs!” Frank urged them. Frankie and Tommy shared a look before disappearing from the room, their footsteps on the way up the only sound in the room.
“Frank?” Angela reached out to gently touch his shoulder. “What’s going on? You’re scaring me.”
Frank swallowed again as he studied Jane who wore the same expression of concern as her mother. “I…uh…I got into some trouble,” he started and cleared his throat, one hand rubbing at his stubble.
“What trouble, Pop, what did you do?” Jane stood from the couch to join her parents.
Frank looked down at the floor and blinked away the few tears that tried to fall. “You’re getting married, Janie.”
Jane frowned, exchanging a worried look with her mother. “No, I’m not.” She shook her head.
“Yeah, you are.” Slowly Frank looked up at his firstborn, his baby he had just promised to someone else.
“What are you talking about?” Angela demanded. “Did you hit your head?”
Frank glanced towards the window again. “I’ve been working for Paddy Doyle,” he whispered, too scared to say it too loud. The gasp that left Angela’s lips was enough to make him recoil. “I uh…I may have wronged him so he made me a deal.”
“No.” Jane shook her head as she took a step back, her mind having already connected the dots. “No way am I marrying that man, how could you, Pop?”
“Not him.” Frank shook his head. “His daughter. You have to marry his daughter, Janie, or he kills me,” he pleaded. He hated himself for taking the deal, for offering up his daughter's life for his own, but choice did he have? That was what he was telling himself, he had no choice.
“No, tell me you didn’t, Frank,” Angela whispered, a hand going to her mouth. “You promised our daughter’s hand in marriage?”
“I had no choice!” Frank tried to defend himself.
“I won’t allow it!”
“Ange, you don’t understand,” Frank pleaded as he reached for his wife’s hands, hers pulling away.
“I’ll do it,” Jane whispered, surprising both herself and her parents. “Ma, if I don’t then he’ll kill Pop. You’ll lose the house. How will you look after Frankie and Tommy then? We can figure this out, okay?”
“Jane, you don’t have to do this. We can find another way.” Tears had begun to stream down Angela’s cheeks, both for the betrayal that her husband had committed and for the courage that her daughter was displaying for the family.
“Ma, we don’t have a choice.” Jane shook her head sadly and let Angela take hold of her hands. “It’s Paddy Doyle, he’s true to his word. I’ll marry her, it’ll keep a roof over yours and the boys' heads.”
“Janie,” Angela whispered and pulled her daughter in for a tight hug.
“It’ll be okay Ma.” Jane tried to keep her voice much more confident than she felt. What choice did she have? Frank had already sold her. He had chosen his own life over hers. If he had asked her, Jane probably would have agreed to save her family, she always would, but Frank had already made that decision. Now Jane had to live with it.
—
Maura sat at her desk, reading through the list of books that she would need to start at BCU in September. The summer holidays had only just started but of course she was already preparing for September. She wanted to be ready. She wanted college to be different from school. She wanted to make friends. She wanted to make a difference, be remembered. Finally, she would be in charge of her own life.
She barely looked up when she heard the knock on her bedroom door, just calling “Come in,” as she continued to read down the list of books. The sound of the door opening and then closing behind someone could be heard. Maura expected to hear the housekeeper moving around as she brought fresh laundry but instead the room was filled with silence.
Maura turned her head, her lips curling into a frown to see Paddy Doyle stood in her bedroom. She had found out a year ago that the famous mob boss, Paddy Doyle, was her biological father. Her adoptive mother, Constance Isles, had known who Paddy was Maura’s whole life and had kept it a secret. It would still be a secret now if Maura hadn’t accidentally stumbled over the information and connected all the dots. Once the secret was out, Paddy had decided that it meant he was allowed to be a part of Maura’s life, even through her protests. Constance and Arthur weren’t very present in her life so her pleas to them went unnoticed. At first, Maura had been ecstatic to find out who her birth father was, until she had read up on Paddy and met him for the first time. Her excitement was quickly replaced by disgust and the wish that she had never found out. She had come to realise that one of Paddy’s men was always watching her, they had been her whole life. There was no escaping this man.
“Why are you here?” Maura demanded, pushing her chair back to stand.
Paddy didn’t flinch at his daughter’s harsh tone of voice, he never showed any emotion to her. “I’ve found someone for you to marry.”
Maura recoiled at the thought. “Marry?! I am not marrying anyone! Especially not someone that you have chosen for me.” She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest.
Paddy gave a small nod of his head, he knew she wouldn’t agree right away. “Maura, you need someone to look after you, protect you. I wouldn’t let you marry someone who I thought wasn’t good enough.”
“I don’t need to be looked after! I don’t need protection!” she yelled. She wasn’t some fragile doll. She was more than capable of looking after herself. “I’m not marrying anyone. Mother won’t allow this.”
“She already has.” Paddy glanced at his watch. “They’ll be here in an hour. I suggest you get yourself ready.” Without giving any more room for argument, Paddy turned and left the room, leaving Maura reeling in his wake.
Instantly she rushed out of her room towards her mother’s, ready to plead with her not to go through with this. She didn’t want to get married, she had so much to do before she even considered the idea. Maura threw herself at Constance, begging her to reconsider the agreement or whatever it was. She would not get married.