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I had to control the smile that wanted to break free as I understood Lucca’s actions. He knew Anthony would speak up from the pain of losing his son, just as Sal knew. But it gave Lucca the opportunity to crush the rumors that could rise to hunt for trouble within his Syndicate by voicing out Ugo’s betrayal. In this life, it meant death. There were many people who had protection from La Famiglia, I was one of those without asking for it. For Ugo to come into my home, he’d gone against the rules. No one would no longer care what had happened to him because in their mind, Ugo was now a traitor and deserved what was handed to him.
And Lucca had taken out one of Davina’s targets by doing so.
The Moretti Famiglia.
My attention was no longer on Lucca’s words or the voices that voted in the distance as they mimicked each other in an echoing. “Aye.”
I pledge my loyalty, blood, and life to the Mafia. Each sentence I recited after Lucca stripped a part of me as I sold my soul to the underworld.
It wasn’t until I was sitting in the passenger seat of Arlo’s car, staring at the handgun in my hands, that the events of the night finally cleared and for time to slow to its usual pace. Sal had handed it to me, the last thing done before everyone made their way downstairs to welcome me. There were too many faces and voices to put together and learn in such a short amount of time. Everyone spoke Italian, and thankfully, I understood every word, but my speech needed to improve if I wanted to gain their respect.
“It’s a lot to take in,” Arlo’s voice brought my attention to him. “If it makes you feel better, I hardly remember mine.” He continued talking as he drove through the dark streets. “The thing I recall the most, is how I almost pissed myself in a room filled by mafiosos.” He chuckled darkly.
“How old were you?”
“Seventeen.”
Twenty-Five
Davina
I woke startled and gasping for air as I tried to escape from the lurid and vivid nightmare Ugo had trapped me in. He now inhabited a piece of my conscience with no sight of disappearing. A constant penance for my sin.
Quickly, my gaze fell to my hands, expecting to find his blood running and sweeping into the living world. But as I stared at my trembling hands, I was the one brought to existence.
Today, my fate will be sealed.
Twenty-Six
Ilias
Two hours left before the charity gala would start, and the tension inside the house continued to rise with each passing minute. Maybe I was the only one who noticed because as the staff quickly walked from one end of the home to the next, adding the final touches, they were clueless of the other side.
The side that walked into the light, but only knew of the shadows. The ones who really held power in this world.
My neck ached from the tension and the constant watch I’d kept on everyone around the house.
With each minute that passed, the sun descended, and soon, I wouldn’t be able to see the outskirts beyond the house with my naked eyes. Lucca said New York would not cause trouble tonight, but I highly doubted it would be that easy. La Cosa Nostra may be divided between families and territories with a said bond, but how together were they?
It was clear Miami and New York had bad blood years before Lucca even stepped in as boss, and with the current situation only adding to its weak bond, one wrong move could fracture the peace between the families.
My phone vibrated inside my jean’s pocket. Stepping outside the front door, I checked the caller ID as I made my way down the steps and away from listening ears.
“Brat.” Brother, I answered.
The line stayed quiet, causing the corner of my lips to twist the longer I waited.
“I should be there.” Viktor’s tone made it hard to recognize his mood, and yet I understood his troubles.
“It’s for the best.”
“I heard—” Viktor stopped talking, cleared his throat and continued, “that congrats are in order.” This time his annoyance spoke clear through the line. “But in the end, I was naïve to believe I could keep you away from it.”
“What do you mean?”
“Nothing. Welcome to the family.”
“That doesn’t sound too sincere.”
