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“Oh no, she doesn’t have children of her own. She’s my godmother. Our parents are good friends. Well, there’s more to it than that. But I’ll explain as we go.” She looked me up and down. “Are you ready?”
“I think so.” I took in a deep breath.
As soon as we left the building, and I climbed into the back of her black SUV, she began with what she called my Midtown High indoctrination. Students used a car service to get to school. No school bus here. And public transportation was out of the question. For lunch, Adaline Hall offered excellent choices, but since I was a senior, going off campus was also an option. She also informed me that Signoria Vittoria and Mom had taken care of the school uniforms.
“I have a to wear a uniform?”
“Yes. You’re in House Alfera, so your sweater and vest will be blue.” She opened the door to a small restaurant that smelled of freshly baked pastries and coffee. “They have the best veggie quiche here.” She beamed at me as the hostess escorted us to a table in the corner near the window.
“Can I get you anything to drink?” The server appeared as soon as Penny set her big designer purse on the floor next to her.
“We’re not here long. Could you bring us a little bit of everything and a bottle of Champagne?”
“Of course.” The server didn’t even bat an eye at Penny’s order.
“You do know I’m seventeen, right?”
“Yes, of course. Me too.” She smiled.
“They serve minors here?” I raised my eyebrows in surprise.
“They serve the Society here. Did your parents not explain?” She scoffed. And for the first time since she arrived, she seemed impatient. “I’ll show you around so they know who you are. But Aurora, you’re part of the Society now.”
“What is the Society?”
“Have you ever heard of the five original crime families?” She sat back and waited until the server had poured two glasses of champagne.
Signoria Vittoria had mentioned the five original crime families when she treated Mom and me to a day of shopping. But she hadn’t really explained anything, other than confirm she was mafia.
“Not really. I know they were mafia.”
“They are. Present tense.” She sipped from her glass.
I did the same because I had a feeling this day was about to get weirder than a day of shopping with the dragon lady. “What are they really?”
“Over a century ago, the five original families formed an enclave to protect each other. Over time, it grew stronger and bigger. During Prohibition, they made a pact to go underground and manage all illicit activity from the shadows. Our families are the most powerful.” She stopped to study my face. “You already know about the Alfera family. There’s also Valentino, Buratti, Salvatore, and Gallo.”
“My father works for Don Michael Alfera.”
“I know. He’s your sponsor at the school, which is why you’ll be in House Alfera.”
I laughed because what Penny was talking about was farfetched. Sure, I knew of organized crime. I sort of grew up around it in Las Vegas. But this level of organized crime? A secret society with its own mobster school.
“I thought I was going to high school. What do I do with a career in mafia?”
“I know you know that’s not what we do. You’ll learn the usual subjects. But for instance, the Alfera House also offers a pathway that caters to the automobile industry.”
Dad sold luxury cars back at home. Was that his connection to Michael Alfera? Was that how they met and made this deal that changed our lives?
“What house are you?”
“I’m House Salvatore, which is why Signoria Vittoria asked me to show you around.” She rolled her eyes. “Really, Mom volunteered me for the job. She’s been trying to get back in Uncle Michael’s good graces for a while now. She figured his new protégé’s family might be the way in. I’m telling you this because I want you to understand that your success is tethered to my family’s.”
“Success in what?”
“Staying in line, upholding the Alfera name, and honestly just overall, not getting your parents killed.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
