Page 188 of Revere: A Legacy Novel

Ah.

Yeah, that.

Cross shrugged. “Let me worry about that.”

“I know the rules.”

“I’m working on it, Zeke.”

“Mmhmm,” his friend murmured. “I saw what you were working on up here.”

Cross smirked. “Working on that, too, yeah.”

“Fucker.”

“When are you going to settle down and get your ass married, anyway?” Cross asked.

Zeke damn near turned as white as a sheet. “Don’t turn this around on me.”

“Maybe I want my underboss settled into family life. Kids, minivan, and the whole—”

“Fuck you, Cross,” Zeke uttered.

Cross laughed loudly. “I wouldn’t.”

“Oh, thank God, there’s Dad.”

Cross was still chuckling to himself as Wolf made his way into the VIP area. He took a seat on the other side of Cross with a smile, and glanced between the two men.

“What is wrong with my son? He looks like he wants to puke.”

“Marriage, kids, and minivans,” Cross explained.

Wolf nodded. “Ah, I see.”

“He can’t do that to me, right?” Zeke asked. “He can’t make me do that, can he?”

“I mean, as a boss, he can—”

“Cross, I swear to God. I did not help to save your ass for you to throw me into that hell.”

Wolf laughed.

“I said I wouldn’t,” Cross replied. “Stop being a cafone.”

“You ready for tonight?” Wolf asked.

“Yeah,” Cross murmured, peering into his empty glass. “It’s been a long time coming, hasn’t it?”

“It has,” his old mentor replied. “It’ll be good, Cross. Your father decided to take the Donati famiglia in a direction that would benefit you, even if you didn’t realize he was doing it. That’s why over the years, the older generation of men was slowly replaced by men like Zeke, and others who respected you as much your father. Men you grew up with as … friends, of sorts. Or what you might consider a friend. They know this is coming. They’ve been waiting for it.”

“We’re kind of springing it on them with no warning, though.”

Wolf waved it off. “Only ignorant men will see this as a surprise. It’s already been done. It was basically done when your father made you his underboss a couple of years back. All that’s left to do is for you to—”

“Take over,” Cross finished.

“Exactly. The ring is a good fit, I see.”