Antonella Santoro-Luca was born and raised in Staten Island, New York. Her father, Leonardo Santoro, is a third generation Italian mobster. Her husband, Enzo Luca, is part of a family that affiliated with the Santoro family. The Luca family owned the popular restaurant called, “Pete & Sam’s” on Grandview Ave. Named after their beloved grandfathers that have long passed.

The Luca family got into some money troubles in 1974 and their namesake restaurant was going under, quickly. Leonardo, being the wealthy and giving man that he is, offered to bail out the Luca family and help them out financially. Anthony and Marie Luca, Enzo’s parents and owners of “Pete & Sam’s”, knew what taking a life changing offer like this from the Santoro’s meant. It meant that they would forever be in debt and in partnership with them and the only way out of the agreement was death for them and possibly their children.

Anthony and Marie, undoubtedly, took the offer from Leonardo. Five months later, their restaurant was thriving and having the rich and wealthy dine in every night. Marie could see how her husband was changing. Her father warned her he could get in with mobsters as they got older and especially being in a business. “Tesoro mio, you have to watch for Anthony. He is a good man, but he is bribed easily.”, her father would say.

Anthony Luca soon joined in on the organized crime and was laundering money through his restaurant, upon his wife’s disapproval. At the age of sixteen, Enzo, was a solider for the Santoro family and took orders straight from his father.

Antonella lived the complete opposite of a sheltered childhood. Her mother smoked cigarettes while cooking breakfast. Her father would come in at all hours of the night, usually this started a fight between her parents, and more than once it ended in a visit from the police. Her mother would scream, “You smell like a fucking pussy - Seriously, Leonardo, you told me you were done with your whores - There’s fucking pink lipstick on your shirt, you moron”. At a young age, she was exposed to violence, physically, verbally and mentally. Her mother often said to her, “Men like your father only want one thing. That’s a slit between the legs and to make money. We’re here for decoration. To make your father look better.” Antonella never denied that her mother was right or wrong. She only knew that she wanted a different lifestyle then a husband that only wanted strippers, whores and money.

Antonella and Enzo spent a lot of time together as children. “The Family” often had cookouts at different locations that were usually at a house of an uncle that wasn’t really their uncle. They were family and “The Family” liked to keep their version of family together and ever-growing. Antonella and Enzo were more or less prearranged for marriage.

The Santoro and Luca family became one on October 3rd, 1981, when Antonella and Enzo vowed to be together until death do them part. The wedding was extravagant, the reception was catered by “Pete & Sam’s”, everyone had an amazing time, and the honeymoon was at a tropical island for two weeks. All of this paid for as a gift from the “Santoro” family. Two weeks is a long time to spend with one person. The newly married couple spent lots of time on the beach, dining at the resorts exclusive restaurants and having deep conversations about their future. Antonella, drunk, in her muted red string bikini and straw, floppy hat, asked her husband if he ever thought about living a different life. She mentioned she had dreamed about it since she was a little girl. “I remember my mom screaming at him all night. They would get violent.” She said. “He left most nights in the middle of the night and my mom always said he had a girlfriend. Uncle Lorenzo gives me the creeps, always telling me to sit in his lap.” They laughed together about the last part because they both knew it was true. Uncle Lorenzo was creepy.

The day after arriving home from their tropical escape, Antonella awoke and walked out of her bedroom and into the kitchen, to her new husband and father having a conversation. “Good morning”, she said as she kissed both men on the cheek. She poured herself a glass of orange juice and walked into the main living room, opening the blinds to let the sunlight in and discreetly listening in on the conversation happening in the other room. All she heard was broken pieces that she couldn’t make sense of, so she finally went back into her bedroom to undress and take a shower. Antonella always woke up in the morning and made herself presentable. It was one of the things that brought her happiness.

She steps out of the shower to dry off and she can see Enzo sitting on the edge of the bed, looking as if he is upset. Antonella quickly dries off and walks over to him. She lets her towel drop to the floor and straddles him with her partially wet and naked body. “What’s wrong love?” She asks him. Enzo is the type of man that has a hard exterior but, on the inside, he is soft as cream and more times than not Antonella has used that to her advantage. “I’ve been promoted Antonella”, he says in a concerned voice, “to underboss.” Still wet, naked and straddling her husband Antonella, realizes the life they talked about on their honeymoon was out of reach. She knew the offer Enzo received was non-negotiable, but she still asked her husband, “What did you say to him?” Out of all of the years she has known Enzo, she has never seen him cry. With tears in his eyes, Enzo replied, “You know well what I said, Nellie.”

The next day Antonella Santoro-Luca woke up and was determined to escape. TBC