The only problem I have with acquiring Prosecutor Beaumont, unlike all of my other assets, is that I have no idea yet what I intend to do with her once she’s mine.
Once she’s mine.
I don’t bother questioning the thought. Because that woman has tested every ounce of my patience, and unlike my normal enemies, I enjoy her efforts.
I file that away for another time because now, I have family business to deal with.
A year ago, the Don made a proclamation. A proclamation that frankly makes me uneasy.
He wanted the Shadow found. And once found, it was clear what would happen. The Shadow made a mistake. He declared war by taking a shot on someone the Don accorded protection. And for that, the Don wants to kill him.
Shadow’s been hard to track down, unsurprisingly, but rumor has it that he’s in Jersey for a few days. The men are talking full advantage of that to try to find him.
This would be fine if it were anyone else. But the Shadow is my brother, the same way the Don is. They’re both my brothers. And I can see a war looming that isn’t going to end well.
I’m usually responsible for making the hard decisions that keep every member of my family safe. I keep the peace, working from behind the scenes to ensure everything goes smoothly.
The Don trusts me, and I can’t afford to betray that trust. But I’ve been caught in what feels like an impossible situation.
The scales are tipping. It’s pretty clear for anyone with eyes to see. They’ve been pretty well balanced so far, but with the introduction of all the new players, I’ve been left to deal with the unforeseen consequences.
So I make the calls I’m supposed to make. I organize the men, prepared to deal with the fallout. In the process, I wonder when protecting the family stopped extending to our eldest brother.
Salvatore and I will still have the conversation. He will explain his decision to me and I will counsel him as best as I can. But it will be a cold day in hell before I order my men to kill Dante.
A year ago, I could have been assured that he would heed my counsel. But things have changed since he met Valentina, mynew sister-in-law. My brother has drifted away from me. And I’m not sure how to feel about that.
I don’t hate Valentina. When Salvatore claimed her, she became a Vitale, just as well as the rest of us. She’s family, but she has a hold over him that I don’t understand.
The common man would call it love. And I’m sure it is. Therein lies the problem. I don’t understand feeling something like that for another person.
Love through blood is a concept I’m familiar with. I feel it with my brothers and with my son. Love through choice, however, feels like something people use to explain their erratic, irrational behavior. In my opinion, it never really lasts. The best version of it was the one I saw with my parents.
But I consider that a rare occurrence. Something not everyone can attain.
I’m glad Salvatore has a queen. He seems happy about it and regardless of anything else, I want my brothers to be happy. But owing to that fact, the scales have been tipped. Things have changed. And I’ve never been too comfortable with change.
“Boss!” someone calls.
I glance upward at the sight of Roscoe approaching. He’s a huge, beefy man and just a little shorter than me at 6’3”, so he cuts an extremely imposing figure. I’m unimpressed as he comes to stand in front of me.
“What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be at the house.”
“I heard about the witch hunt. Thought I’d come over and lend some manpower. According to Marko, we could catch the Shadow tonight before he leaves the country.”
The Shadow’s something of a legend in theCosa Nostra. Someone to be feared and respected. I guess there’s bound to be some excitement about taking down someone that powerful.
At the end of the day, men will always aspire to tear down their betters. Which is why as their betters, we can’t afford any slip-ups.
“He’s not going to be caught,” I state. “Dante’s not dumb.”
Roscoe has nothing to say to that. Using the Shadow’s actual name must have reminded him that he isn’t just anyone. He’s a Vitale, same as me. People tend to forget that. Which is probably the crux of this entire situation.
“Leo?” I question.
“He’s fine, safe. You know I wouldn’t leave him without adequate protection. I watched his nanny put him to bed; he was out like a light within seconds.”
I nod, taking in that information.
