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“Let’s get you something to eat before we talk. I can only imagine the shit they fed you in there.” Dano’s lip curls in disgust. “What are you in the mood for?”
“I don’t care. I just want to go home and get changed into something that fucking fits.” And that’s the truth. Most of my shit is too small now after bulking up so much. The sweatpants I’ve got on are bordering on fucking indecent.
Dano squeezes his hands into fists, but I turn away and stare out the window, thinking about what Nova said. I don’t know how or why I’ve let her get under my skin. I don’t let people close because, as a general rule, I don’t like people. That doesn’t mean I don’t like playing games with them. Toying with people amuses me. I love watching how people react to certain situations and stimuli, maybe because I don’t react to much of anything anymore. Or at least that was true until Nova.
Maybe it’s because she poked at the one soft spot I haveleft—my family. They might have steered clear over the years, but they didn’t cut me out, and right or wrong, they are the only people left connected to my mother and sister.
Now Nova has me looking at Dano differently, but instead of being mad, I’m curious. It makes me want to break her apart, to look inside her and find what makes her tick. How she was able to capture my attention like nobody has before, I don’t know. She’s become somewhat of my obsession over the last two weeks, flitting in and out of my brain like an exotic butterfly whose wings I’d love to rip off so she can’t escape me.
The ride home is quiet, the car teeming with tension and unasked questions I have no desire to answer. Closing my eyes, I let the hum of the engine pull me into a light sleep, comfortable enough to know I’d wake the second either of them touched me.
Hopefully, they won’t try something that stupid, though. I’d hate to have to rip Dano’s arms off and beat him with them. He is my brother, after all.
When I feel the car come to a stop, I open my eyes and sit up. “I thought you were taking me home.” I know for a fact that my apartment has been cleaned and fully stocked for my arrival.
“Father wants to see you.” Dano climbs out, leaving me to curse.
I shove the door open and get out, turning to glare at Dano over the hood of the car. “And it couldn’t fucking wait until after I got changed?”
“Father waits for nobody, you know that.”
Dano might do as he’s told, but I was never one to follow the rules. He can say what he wants. It’s my unpredictability and thirst for violence that made me such an asset to them, after all.
The house is quiet when we enter. I look around and see nothing much has changed since I’ve been gone. Still the same silver and green pinstriped wallpaper and the same collection of antique furniture I was forever breaking and getting beaten for as a kid. Most people feel a sense of peace being home, but this place was never that for me. There was never a whole lot of happiness or laughter to be had within these walls, even less so after my mother and sister were killed.
I couldn’t wait to leave this place and did as soon as I could. Still, there was a part of me that felt something when I walked through those doors. Not comfort, maybe nostalgia. I feel the presence of my mom and sister, and that makes coming back here at least bearable.
I follow Dano to my father’s office and wait as he knocks on the door and opens it when permitted to enter. Dano sits in one of the empty chairs facing the desk as I meet my father for the first time in ten years. He’s aged well, I’ll give him that. Giovanni Moretti was not a vain man, but he liked to look good, and at sixty-five, he still did. Looking at my father gives me a glimpse of what I’ll look like in the future.
With his dark eyes so like mine, he takes me in and grimaces at all my tattoos.
“Vice, it’s good to see you, boy.” He stands from his desk and walks over to embrace me in a lackluster hug that lasts about as long as my first time with a woman.
“Father,” I greet simply, taking the chair next to Dano when my father returns to his seat.
“My boys, back together once more.” He grins, opening a silver cigar box and offering one to Danoand me.
I pass. I’d rather celebrate with my men than here with people who forgot I existed for a decade.
“A lot has happened while you’ve been gone. I trust Dano to fill you in on most of it. I just wanted to touch base and see if there was anything you needed.”
“A hot shower so I can wash the stink of prison off me, followed by some decent food.”
“Of course, of course. And I won’t keep you much longer.” He leans back, considering me for a moment as he lights his cigar. “You’ve been out of the loop, so to speak, and I wanted to be the first to let you know that I’m retiring. I know both you and your brother are underbosses, but given the circumstances, I’m going to promote Dano to don when I step down.”
Dano jumps in. “It’s nothing personal, brother. You’ve been gone so long, and people know me. They trust me. Of course, you’ll remain on as underboss. That was never in dispute.”
“Of course.” I bite back the sarcasm. “Anything else?”
“That’s it?” My father asks, surprised.
“I just got out of prison. I need sleep, food, and a shower, not necessarily in that order. If you were worried I’d fight Dano for the role of don, then don’t. You’re right, he’s the better man for the job. I need to spend some time adjusting to the outside world. And like you pointed out, a lot has changed in ten years.”
Both of them just stare at me. My father seems disappointed. It’s like he expected more of a fight. And Dano just looks pissed. Why, I have no clue. He’s just been given exactly what he wanted. Maybe he wanted me to shed a few tears.
“Well, if that’s all… I really want to go home and sleep in my own bed.”
“Of course, of course,” my father says with a nod of his head as I make my way to the door. “Have one of the drivers take you. I expect to see you next week for dinner. We have some things to discuss,” he adds.
