ROM
Adrenaline still pumped through my veins by the time I returned to Cosimo’s. I’d gotten more out of Jenny before I left—two guards were stationed with Mia. Taking them out wouldn’t be hard, but if Morales had backup, there could be trouble. I didn’t want to risk firing a gun with Mia nearby, which meant I needed my own manpower.
I wasn’t taking any chances. All that mattered now was getting her out—fast and clean. If something had happened to her, if she’d been hurt in any way, Morales was a fucking dead man.
I found Cos pacing in his office. He was visibly agitated, and he wasn’t alone. Mother sat on the sofa, dressed head to toe in black, and Alessio stood nearby, his fresh cast slung over his chest.
“Romolo,” Cosimo snapped, “you missed quite a show. Mom arrived here just as I got a call from our lawyer. Turns out, there’s a page missing from Dad’s will.” He stopped in front of her. “She was about to explain how that happened.”
The words I’d planned to say—I don’t have time for this—froze on my tongue.
What?
This morning, just before sunrise, Cosimo and I had gone out to the backyard to get some air. We’d sat at the picnic table under the tree and ate cold leftover pizza one of the capos had ordered. When he’d brought up that summer again and asked what happened, I’d finally told him.
It should’ve been the most uncomfortable conversation of my life—and in some ways, it was. But it was also cathartic.
I’d talked. Cos had listened. When I’d finished, he cleared his throat and said he wished I’d come to him back then.
I’d told him there was no changing the past. But from now on, I wasn’t following Mother’s orders.
He’d nodded. “Good,” he’d said. “Because I’m the don now and the only person you answer to is me.”
Mother’s gaze flicked to me and then back to him. The lamplight made her silver hair glimmer in a disconcerting way. “I don’t know what happened.”
Cosimo crossed his arms. “Don’t know? The safe where the will was kept has only three keys—one with Father, one with the lawyer, and one with you. There’s a record of you accessing the safe yesterday. You didn’t even bother hiding your tracks.”
Mother didn’t flinch under Cosimo’s glare. “I was there to get jewelry for the funeral. I didn’t touch the will.”
Cosimo scoffed. “The missing page specifies who gets control of the family. What are you playing at?”
“I’m not playing at anything. But without that page, succession has to be a discussion.”
I let out a sharp breath. The fucking audacity of this woman. This was a new low. Did she really think this blatant attempt at a power grab would work?
“That’s insane,” Alessio said. “Everyone knows Dad intended Cosimo to be the don. The capos are ready to follow him.”
“Maybe your father changed his mind,” Mother said, smoothing her palms over her mourning dress. “He was disappointed with Cosimo’s immaturity regarding his upcoming marriage. A person ready to lead this family wouldn’t behave like that.”
“That’s bullshit, and you know it.” I stepped closer to Cos, who looked like he was barely restraining himself from snapping her neck. “Dad never expressed any doubts about who should succeed him.”
“Maybe not to you,” Mother countered. “But he did privately to me. And I agree with him. Cosimo still has growing up to do.”
I shook my head. It was all bullshit. Dad may have given her an unusual amount of power, but he’d groomed Cosimo to take over as don from basically the day he was born. “None of us have time for this pointless discussion. We all know Cosimo is the don. Did you really think Alessio or I would take your side?” I turned to Cos. “I’ve got a lead on Mia. I have to—“
“Mia?” Mother interjected.
“Yes, Mother. Mia.” Cos and Alessio already knew the abridged version of our story—I told them before I ran out to search for Mia earlier.
Mother was about to get an even shorter summary. “She’s mine. Off-limits. Forever.”
Her gaze narrowed. There was a time when that look from her would have made me feel two feet tall, but incredibly, now it barely registered.
“Ah,” she said. “That explains your utter incompetence when it came to her. I didn’t expect Morales’s daughter would be smart enough to outmaneuver you. But maybe you’re not as smart as I believed.”
“Thanks for the opinion no one asked for,” I said. “You can think whatever you want about me, but if you so much as touch a hair on Mia’s head, I’ll rip you apart with my bare hands and feed you to the fucking dogs.”
Her face paled. She wasn’t used to anyone standing up to her, and it showed. Satisfaction unfurled inside me at how quickly things were changing. Funny how sometimes change seems impossible, but really, all it takes is a single leap of faith.
“We’re a family, Romolo,” she said. “Or did you forget? With your father gone, all we have is each other.”
“Spare me,” I snarled. “It was never about our family. Not for you. Family doesn’t fucking do the things you’ve done to us.”
“I raised you,” she bit out.
“No. You used me. I was your tool. But I’m done being useful to you. My loyalty’s with Cosimo. The fucking leader of this family. And if you’re trying to undermine him, then you’re not family anymore.”
Deep lines marred her forehead. The fact that she was losing was finally hitting her. “Cosimo doesn’t have what it takes. I do. I’ve led alongside your father for almost thirty years.” Mother’s eyes flicked between us before she dropped her final card. “Here’s the hard truth. None of you have any idea what you’re up against. You’ve tried to figure out why the Santoro family is targeting us, and you’ve found nothing. That history’s been erased. I’m the only one who knows the full story.”
Cosimo walked around his desk and sat down. “We’ll figure it out.”
“You won’t.” Her voice rang out. “The Santoro family killed Gino, and this is only the beginning. I know them. I know I can lead us past this threat. But without me, you’ve already lost.”
I exchanged a glance with my brothers. We were all thinking the same thing.
“We’ll take our chances, Mother,” Cosimo said, cold as ice. “Get out. I don’t want to see you again.”
Mother stared at him, fury twisting her face. “You’re making a big mistake.” She grabbed her purse from the coffee table and stormed out, slamming the door behind her.
“Fucking finally,” I muttered. I had to get out of here. “Morales is keeping Mia locked up in his apartment. I’m taking a few guys and getting her out.”
Cosimo nodded. “Take who you need.”
It didn’t take long to gather the men. We got into three cars and hit the road.
Within an hour, Mia would be with me. And if Morales thought he could stand in my way, he was about to learn just how far I’d go to protect what’s mine.
