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CHAPTER 3 – MARCO (6 Weeks Later)
“...ashes to ashes. Dustto dust,” the priest intones in a weary voice.
I step up to the casket and toss the white rose onto the coffin. Briefly, I pause in front of the beautiful, dark-haired woman with red, pouty lips and swollen blue eyes. She casts her mysterious glance at me, and I can read everything she’s thinking in that gaze.
My eyes flick sideways, and she shutters out all the emotion before she bows her head again.
“I’m sorry for your loss, Maria.”
She nods, and I move on to Johnny’s daughter next as the person beside me exchanges a hug and condolences with Maria, my late cousin’s wife.
My cousin Johnny died in a car accident. The idiot had been drinking and driving again, as was his custom, on a rainy night. He’d had one too many drinks and had driven into a tree. Luckily, no one else lost their lives in the accident. There was a woman in the car with him, but she’d survived and was still in the hospital recovering.
The graveside service doesn’t last much longer, and before I knew it, we’re in the car being whisked to our next destination; a meeting with some of the other family heads.
After the meeting, I know we’ll return to Maria’s home. Despite her appearance as the grieving widow, I know the minute that no one is looking she’ll be all over me. It’s always been that way with us since we were teenagers.
We don’t love or even like one another that much anymore, but our sexual chemistry is undeniable. I’m no stranger to her body just as she’s not one to mine. The order for my cousin to marry her was nothing more than a distraction to keep me away from her. My father had greater plans for me but that didn’t stop me from fucking her whenever I could.
Not even their move to America interfered with that. Not when I came to the States for a visit. My cock tightens in my pants as I think about what I’ll be doing as soon as this meeting is over.
“Marco!” my father’s tone snaps me out of my reverie, and I pull my gaze up to meet his as he occupies the car seat across from me. Tony sits at his right, and Alessandro is at my right.
“Yes?”
He glances at my brothers, and Tony grimaces with an uncomfortable look while Alessandro appears impatient.
“There will be some changes that will directly impact you.”
“Changes?”
“Yes. Your cousin Johnny’s death has left an irreplaceable void in our hearts,” he says, staring blankly at me. “There are some responsibilities that cannot be filled.”
His silence after that statement lets me know that he saw the visual exchange between Maria and me.
“And?” I prompt impatiently.
“There are others that can be filled.”
“Such as?”
“His position as the capo of the southeastern region based here in Atlanta.”
“The fuck?” I explode.
“The order came directly from the don.”
Tony shakes his head. “What?” I challenge.
“Your fucking temper is worse than Ales’. I don’t understand why he thinks you could be in charge of anything,” Tony says.
“Antonio, your place is at my side learning from me. Why do you envy your brothers’ positions?”
