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“Yes. I guess this is why you fought Fabiano so viciously when he wanted you to take your place in thefamiglia.” I nodded. “Well, he’s not here anymore. I hope you find the idea of working for me more appealing,littlebrother.”
Goliath growled. “Neither of you motherfuckers thought this was worth mentioning?”
“It was Garon’s secret to share, brother, not mine. I wasn’t even sure he knew the truth about his birth.”
I frowned. “Oh, trust me, there wasn’t a day Fabiano Caputo let me forget.”
Giovani nodded slowly, silently understanding. “I always paid attention to see if he was treating you badly, but there were no signs.”
I buried all the signs. “He just liked to talk shit.” I lied. “So where does this leave us?”
“What do you mean?” Giovani asked.
“I’m not your brother, Gio. This family is united by blood and legacy and I don’t have either.” I wanted to say more, but a well placed fist coming from Goliath connected with my jaw. “What the fuck?!”
“You say one more time you’re not our brother, I’m knocking you out for good.” He threatened me, but there was no anger on his face. “Do you think we’re proud of being his kids, Garon? That fucker ruined me to keep his secrets. He destroyed the best thing in my life just so no one would know he was a man with no honor who fucked his best friend’s wife.”Chiara. We all knew how much Goliath loved her, but henevertalked about it. He broke up with her when Father declared war to the Fiori clan, all because of his filthy affair with Salvatore’s mother.
“The two families are on good terms again.” I pointed out.
“She’s married. I won’t do what Father did. This is the legacy you’re missing. He was a miserable man with a fragile little ego. Be grateful he’s not part of you.”
Giovani cleared his throat to get us back to the subject. “Do you want to tell the rest of the family?”
“I have to. I promised Pina I would and it’s only fair. I have no right to take my place in the business, not unless all of you know and are fine with it.”
“No one gives a shit, Garon.” He made it clear. “Being Fabiano’s children is not what makes us family and you are still entitled to your place just like everyone else. Fabiano didn’t make thefamiglia. He was Don for a while, but the Caputo name was powerful before him and it still is with him in the grave. And no matter who fathered you, you are a Caputo.”
I shook his hand to seal his words. My face was stoic, too afraid that if I give into emotions I’d end up embarrassing myself in front of my brothers. I felt like after a life spent on the bottom of the ocean, I was finally coming out for air. The worst of me was out in the open and despite all expectation, I still had my brothers. Not only that, but I felt the connection between us stronger than ever. Even with all my flaws on the table they still had my back.
Goliath returned to the wheel and Giovani kept watching me, a faded smile shadowing his face.
“How long have you been torturing yourself with this secret, Garon?” He asked me.
“A while.”All my life.
“You didn’t tell us because you thought we’d cut ties with you?”
“Yes. The family is one of the few things I care about losing. I wasn’t ready to take the risk.”
Gio shook his head. “That only means we’ve done a shitty job being your older brothers.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” If anything, I was the one who failed the task.
“There’s nothing that could break us. Whatever father said to you, it’s bullshit. We’ve got you, all seven of us, no matter what.”
A knot formed in my throat.
“Pina pointed out that I wouldn’t be able to get rid of Grazia even if I tried.” I joked to lighten the mood and both my brothers laughed, knowing damn well it was true. Our sister was the beating heart of this family and she always fought the hardest to keep us together. “Giovani, I need you to do something for me.”
“Name it.”
“Can you let the rest know that I’m not Fabiano’s son? I can’t go through this again.”
“I will if that’s what you want, but I’m telling you now, no one will care. This changes nothing.”
“I know, but I need to focus on Pina and the baby. I just want this over with.”
“Okay then.”
