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“What? You mean to tell me the all-knowing mafia Don doesn’t know something?” Holly smirks.
“Make no mistake, dolcezza. I would have found out eventually. I always do when it concerns this family.” I push to my feet and walk out before I say something she’s not ready to hear.
* * *
I lookaround the dining table that has had to grow in size over the years. My children and grandchildren are all talking at the same time, each one trying to speak louder than whoever they’re conversing—or arguing—with.
“Just once, I’d like to have a dinner that doesn’t involve a screaming match.” My voice rises over all the noise, and everyone’s eyes land on me.
“Sorry, Nonno.” My granddaughter is the first to speak up.
“It wasn’t you, Tilly. It was the rest of them,” I tell her with a wink.
“It’s never Tilly,” Enzo huffs while trying to hide his eye roll.
“Right, well, dinner was fantastic as always, dolcezza. Theo, Matteo, Romeo, Luca… and Neo, my office. Now.” I stand and deposit my napkin on my plate. Before I walk out of the door, I turn back to the table. “If your parents’ names are Matteo and Savannah, don’t leave this house until we’ve spoken.”
Lorenzo, Enzo, and Aurora groan in unison as I exit the room.
* * *
Sitting behind my desk,I wait for the last of my sons to arrive. Romeo. “Shut the door,” I instruct him as he enters.
“What’s going on?” Theo asks me.
“I trust you’ve all made arrangements to take the required time off for your mother’s trip to Italy?” I direct a hand at the four of them.
Neo stands silently in the corner, his back against the wall and his hands in his pockets, while all four of my boys nod their agreement—well, I guess they’re not exactly boys anymore. Haven’t been for a long fucking time.
“Good. I want you all on your best behavior over there. Your mother is looking forward to this trip, and if any of you ruin it for her, I will shoot you myself—ya hear me?” I give them my bestdon’t fuck it uplook.
“What’s really going on?” Theo questions, his eyes narrowed as if I’ll give something away before I’m good and ready.
“Nothing. Your mother wants a family vacation and we’re going to fucking give her one,” I tell him.
“Okay.” He nods his head. I can tell he doesn’t believe me, but thankfully he drops it for now.
“I’ve decided to retire. I’ll be handing over the reins to Theo, officially, during our stay.” I look at my oldest son, checking for his reaction. Other than the shock that’s evident on his face—at least to me it is—he doesn’t seem fazed. Though I take note of how his shoulders have straightened. “You are ready for this, Theo,” I tell him.
“Why are you retiring? You’re not that old,” he says.
“Because I can.” I shrug.
“Ah, not it.” Matteo raises a hand in the air.
“Not itfor what?” I ask him with a brow raised in question.
“I’m not moving up to his position,” Matteo says, pointing to his older brother.
I glare at him. I was anticipating this. I’ve always known Matteo wasn’t going to be the one stepping up. Don’t get me wrong, he does more than enough for this family, but I know the strain it would put on his marriage if he took the title of underboss. It took Matteo a long time to get his wife on board with his lifestyle. Savvy doesn’t judge it; she fears it. Her biggest fear is losing her husband or one of her children. And I get that. It’s my biggest fear too. The difference is I don’t allow my fears to dictate my life.
“I would never ask you to do something you didn’t truly want to do or that I thought you weren’t capable of handling,” I tell him. “Any of you.” I look at the other three to reiterate my point.
“We know that, Pops,” Theo replies.
“I’ll do it,” Luca says.
“You’ll do what?” I ask him.
