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“Once I say it, there’s no going back.”
I take his hand. “I trust you, Alessandro.”
“I know,Dolcezza.” He exhales. “I’m the head of the Moretti Mafia.”
Icy dread fills me. He’s in the Mafia?
“Is that how you know Giosuè?”
A dark look flickers across his face at the mention of my ex, but he shakes his head.
“No, I know Caruso because of the Brotherhood.”
“Brotherhood?”
He says, “I’m an Elite Member in The Defiant God Brotherhood.”
My heart is pounding.
“Is…is that some kind of secret society?”
“It is.” His gaze searches mine. “Ask away,Dolcezza. I’m sure you have questions.”
“This is just a lot to process. So you’re in the Mafia, but you’re also in a secret society? How does that even work?”
“I was in the Mafia first. Born into it,” he clarifies. “In college, I was recruited for the Brotherhood.”
“Why join a secret society? Like, what’s the point of it?”
Because everything I’ve ever heard about secret societies hasn’t been good. Illuminati. Knights Templar. Heck, there’s even an old movie from the early 2000s about how bad secret societies are. Realization jolts through me, my gaze going to his left ring finger. The tattoo beneath his wedding band…that’s the mark of the Brotherhood.
He says, “I joined because it was an excellent opportunity. Because of the Brotherhood, I’ve been able to expand theCosa Nostra.”
“How did they even find you?”
“I’m a legacy member. My father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were members. Because of my legacy status, I was also in line to become an Elite Member.”
“What’s an Elite Member?”
“The Elite Members are a group of five who make all the decisions for the Brotherhood.”
I’m trying to keep up with all this information, but each time I get an answer, I end up with more questions.
“You said when you joined you were in line to be an Elite Member. What made you an Elite Member?”
“Someone died.”
“Of course they did.” I shake my head. “This is a lot. So you’re in a secret society and that’s how you know Giosuè?”
He nods. “He was trying to join.”
“Wait. I think I remember him talking about it with his uncle. Something about how it was going to change his life. Vinny didn’t seem very pleased about it.”
“I suppose someone like Vinny wouldn’t be a fan of the Brotherhood. It hurts his bottom line.”
“None of this makes sense. What kind of bottom line does Vinny have?”
“Surely you know he’s crooked.”
