PART 6
DANTE
Word about Orazio’s disappearance spread like wildfire in the Outfit. Pietro had tried to exert damage control but the men who’d worked with Orazio had obviously spread speculations. Rubbing my temples, I stared down at a report about an attack on a storage facility and lab near Cleveland.
“When’s my father going to be here?” Valentina asked, carrying Leonas against her chest as she stepped in. He was only in diapers and a shirt, and already twisting on her arm to get back down and undress more. She looked tired, which wasn’t surprising because her worry over her brother had kept her up at night and during the day Anna and Leonas kept Val busy so she couldn’t try to catch up on sleep then. With the escalation of the Famiglia situation and Orazio’s defection, my workload had doubled and even as I tried, I wasn’t much of a help. I stood and walked over to her. “Do you want me to take care of him for a bit so you can take a hot shower and have a coffee in peace?”
Val raised her eyebrows, looking down at herself. “Do I look that bad?”
I touched her hip, my thumb slipping under her cashmere sweater to feel the smooth skin beneath then I leaned down to give her a lingering kiss. “You are beautiful as always, Val.”
She pursed her lips. “I don’t feel it right now. I feel like a mess.”
“This is difficult,” I said quietly and took Leonas from her. His eyes snapped up to me and he grinned. “Daddy, play in garden!”
“So when’s my father going to be here? I know you’re going to discuss the Orazio situation with him again.” This was another reason for Val’s sleepless nights.
“In ten minutes. Your brother isn’t our only topic. The war with the Famiglia is taking up many of our resources.”
Val nodded slowly. “You don’t have any hints where he could be.”
“Not yet.” Val regarded me as if she wasn’t sure I was telling the truth. She had every reason to be wary. While I didn’t have a trace to Orazio’s whereabouts yet, I wouldn’t have told her even if I had. When I caught Orazio, I wouldn’t tell Val. Giovanni and I had agreed on that.
Leonas squirmed in my arms. “Please down!”
I set him down and he stumbled toward my desk chair, trying to climb on it.
“Okay,” she said. “I’ll grab a shower now.” With a last glance at Leonas and me, she slipped out of my office. I glanced down at my son, remembering Giovanni’s shaken expression when he’d found out Orazio had run off. Giovanni didn’t know it yet, but I wouldn’t tell him if I ever caught his son either. Maybe Orazio was clever enough to go into hiding somewhere we didn’t have contacts, Scandinavia or Asia would be good options. The desk chair was spinning around itself, making it impossible Leonas to climb up. I walked over to him and held the chair by its backrest. Leonas finally managed to pull himself up then throned on my chair with a proud grin. His blond hair was all over the place, definitely in need of a cut. So far it hadn’t darkened much, but when I had been his age my hair had been lighter too.
I tried to imagine how I would feel if he’d run away from his family, from his duties. The mere idea hit me like a punch in the stomach. Maybe Giovanni should have been more lenient when it came to Orazio’s wish to be with Lucy. But the Outfit would have been against the union no doubt. An Asian woman, or really any woman without Italian ancestors, would have a hard time being accepted in our circles.
I hoped this would change by the time Leonas was old enough to fall in love.
The bell rang. Anna’s delighted scream followed and despite the tension in my body, I couldn’t help but smile. I picked up Leonas and walked toward the front door where Giovanni was hugging Anna to his chest and lifting her up while Gabby held open the door for him. He seemed to have aged ten years since the news about Orazio’s disappearance. “There’s my favorite princess,” Giovanni said as he kissed Anna’s cheeks. She beamed all over her face then grinned at me with flushed cheeks. Giovanni headed my way, the smile becoming tenser. He set Anna down then pressed another kiss to the crown of her head. “Your dad and I have business to discuss, bambina, but I’ll read you a story later, how about that?”
Anna pouted but nodded. I stroked her head. “Why don’t you help Gabby?”
Anna nodded even though she looked disappointed. Giovanni tousled Leonas’ head who giggled in response.
Gabby grabbed Anna’s hand and led her into the kitchen.
Giovanni peered down at Leonas squirming in my arms. “He’s already grown so much.”
I handed Leonas to Giovanni who cradled him to his chest with a wistful smile. Leonas calmed down for a moment. “I remember when I held Orazio for the first time…” He fell silent and I could tell he was fighting with himself. I squeezed his shoulder. “Maybe it’s for the best if he stays in hiding. Right now, we don’t have the resources to waste on searching for him.”
Giovanni looked up, realizing what I was saying. I wouldn’t actively search for Orazio. That was my gift to him and Val.
“If you catch him, he’ll be seen as a traitor…”
I sighed. “We’ll cross that bridge when we reach it. As of now, we don’t know if he did anything that can be construed as betrayal.” Running away from the mob was betrayal but if that was his only crime, maybe I could be lenient, even if that would send a fatal message to other Made Men considering defecting their duties. As it was the best outcome for all of us would be if Orazio would never show up again.
I led Giovanni into my office and he sank down in an armchair with Leonas on his lap who freed himself and stormed toward my desk chair. This time he managed to climb up without my help which caused the chair to spin around itself with him. Leonas laughed in delight.
Giovanni sighed. “What are we going to do once I retire? Who’s going to be Underboss?”
“We still have many years to decide on that. You won’t retire anytime soon.”
“I’ll do my best. Livia already tortures me with a low-carb diet. As if a real man can’t deal with pasta and bread.”
I stifled a smile.
Rocco would arrive in thirty minutes for our meeting. I always met with Giovanni a bit earlier because I trusted him the most and because I enjoyed our conversations.
“The attack on the Cleveland lab was a success,” I told him.
Giovanni nodded distractedly as he stood and spun the desk chair around, causing Leonas’ laughter to grow in volume. Luckily, he was still too young to understand the majority of what we discussed. Once he got older, I’d have to be careful what I shared in his presence until he reached an age that allowed him to deal with the problems of our world and keep secrets. Val wanted Leonas to remain shielded as long as possible but I needed to prepare him.
My phone rang. It was Rocco, which made my pulse speed up at once. He wouldn’t call so shortly before a meeting unless something had happened. “Yes?”
“I’m on my way, Dante. I have bad news.”
“What is it?”
“I’ve been reaching out to the MCs in Famiglia territory. They are impossible to negotiate with and stupid as toast but they can’t keep their big mouths shut. And they mentioned a very unfortunate development…”
My patience was running thin quickly. “Spill.”
“Orazio has found shelter in the Famiglia. Rumors has it he’ll take their tattoo and serve under Vitiello.”
My eyes darted to Giovanni who watched me with a small frown. Despite Leonas’ loud protest, he stopped spinning the chair and came toward me.
I swallowed. “Is this certain?”
“They mentioned a pregnant Asian cunt, their words not mine, at his side. They moved into an apartment building in the Upper East Side. High security.”
I looked away from Giovanni, feeling as if someone had punched my stomach. My fingers on the armrest tightened as fury and trepidation overwhelmed me. This was the worst possible news.
“I’m sorry, Dante,” Rocco said. “I know what it feels like to be betrayed by family. The Famiglia has stolen too many of ours. I’ll be at the mansion in ten minutes.”
“All right.” I hung up, then stared down at my fingers clutching my phone. This war had become very personal. More personal than I’d ever thought it could be.
“Dante?” Giovanni asked quietly.
I met his gaze, wondering how I’d tell him that his son had betrayed us in a way that made it impossible for me to show mercy. And to be honest, I had absolutely no intention to do so, even my love for Valentina didn’t change that. “Orazio has defected to the Famiglia.”
The color drained from Giovanni’s face. He shook his head slowly then stared toward Leonas.
I could only imagine what he felt now.
“I can’t tell Livia. I just can’t,” he rasped as he sagged down in the armchair. “She’s already been broken-hearted when she only thought he’d run away, but now… this? God.” He covered his eyes with hand and took a deep breath. When he looked at me after a couple of moments, his expression was more controlled. “What are we going to do?”
“We have to tell Val and Livia. News about this will spread. It’s impossible to keep something of this proportion a secret.”
Giovanni nodded but he didn’t say anything. His hands were shaking. I considered saying something to ease his pain but words seemed meaningless. What could I possibly say that would make losing your only son easier? Especially because I was the man who’d have to hunt him down and kill him.
Giovanni stood and I did the same. He came toward me on unsteady legs and straightened his shoulders as if he’d come to a decision. “I’ll step down from my position as Captain. I don’t have an heir… my son… my son’s become a traitor to the cause. Our men will ask you to find a new Captain who can take over.”
Leonas hopped off the chair and stumbled toward us. He hugged my leg, grinning up at us. I grasped Giovanni’s forearm hard. “I won’t allow you to give up your position, Giovanni. You have a duty to fulfill to the Outfit, to me, and to our family. I don’t care what anyone says. My word is law and I want you as my Underboss. No discussion.”
Giovanni hesitated then he inclined his head. “If that’s what you want.”
“It is.”
“I have to go to Livia now. You are right. She needs to hear it from me and I need some time to come to terms with the news too. You don’t have to bring me to the door. Take care of Leonas.” Giovanni stroked Leonas’ head with a pained smile before he hurried out of the room.
“Daddy! Grandpa, leave.”
“I know,” I said quietly. Leonas frowned then he rushed back to the chair.
Valentina appeared in the doorway, looking confused, her hair still damp and piled on top of her head. “I hurried so I could say hi to my father but he practically fled the house. What’s going on?”
I wasn’t sure how to tell her the horrible truth. My eyes darted to Leonas in my chair. He yawned and rubbed his eyes.
Val stiffened. “Dante, you’re scaring me… is this about Orazio?”
I moved closer. “Let’s bring Leonas into bed for his nap and then I’ll tell you.”
“Dante,” Val whispered.
I touched her shoulder. “Later.”
Val nodded mechanically and watched as I picked up Leonas who rested his cheek in the crook of my neck, a clear sign it was time for him to rest. “Come, Val.”
We walked in silence upstairs and I lowered Leonas into his bed. I brushed his hair out of his face then straightened. Without a word, I led Val into the corridor and stepped close to her, cradling her face. Her eyes swam with fear. I wished she didn’t have reason to feel that way.
“Our contacts in Famiglia territory informed us that Orazio showed up in New York where they took him in.”
Val’s lips parted but she didn’t say anything. Disbelief followed by horror flashed across her beautiful face.
“I’m sorry, Val.”
She shook her head slowly. “That means he’s a traitor…? I don’t understand why he’d join the Famiglia. Why not run away?”
“I think he might have been working with them for a while.”
Val pressed her forehead against my chest, shuddering. “Why couldn’t he just run?”
“His girlfriend is pregnant.”
Val peered up and realization settled on her features. “He wants to protect them. Being on the run with a child is impossible. He probably thought they’d be safest in the Famiglia.”
I kept my face neutral. Val needed to make sense of this and her reasoning certainly had merit. Orazio had probably acted with the goal to protect his pregnant girlfriend, but he was far from safe. He would be hunted. I couldn’t sit back when the son of a high-ranking Outfit member defected to our enemies. I needed to eliminate him as soon as possible to make an example out of him. This could spin out of control if I wasn’t careful.
Val searched my eyes. Even without saying a word, I knew what she was hoping to find, but not this time. Mercy wasn’t going to wait for Orazio once I got him. “You’re going to hunt him now, won’t you?”
“I have to.”
She shook her head. “You don’t. You are the Capo. You can determine what direction the Outfit takes in the future. Why plunge everyone into a bloody war that won’t lead us anywhere? Why can’t we just ignore each other? There doesn’t have to be peace between the Outfit and the Famiglia as long as we just don’t kill each other.”
“Because Luca made this personal. He killed one of my men, he kidnapped Rocco’s daughter, and now he took in my brother-in-law. I won’t ignore this, Val. My men expect me to show strength, and accepting when others disrespect me and the Outfit isn’t showing strength. They’ll be met with the full force of my brutality and vengeance.”
Val stepped back and slowly made her way into our bedroom where she sank down on the bed. “What did my father say?” Her voice was forced calm, and I hated that she brought up a barrier between us. I followed her. Her gaze was directed at her hands which fumbled with her sweater. She didn’t want me to read her.
“He’s going to tell your mother now. He understands the consequences of Orazio’s actions.”
Val huffed. “Consequences of his actions. Could you sound any more blasé?” Her eyes flashed up to mine, full of anger and anguish. “This is my brother, Dante. It’s not an enemy, not a traitor, not a name on a list that you can cross out as if it never meant anything. And no matter what Papa says, this hits him hard. And Mamma…” Val turned away from me once more, gripping the edge of the bed tightly, her shoulder shaking.
I forced down my own anger and frustration. Val had a lot to stomach, not to mention two small demanding children to take care of. She was exhausted and emotionally vulnerable. “I’m aware of that. What do you expect me to do, Val? I’m Capo. My men expect me to lead them through this crisis. A crisis, which I might add, might have been made worse by Orazio’s actions.”
She pushed up to her feet once more. “He did it for the woman he loves and his unborn child. What would you do to protect our children?”
I jerked her against my chest. “I’d do anything to protect you, Anna and Leonas. Absolutely anything, which is why I need to make sure the Outfit stays strong. Luca won’t hesitate to tear down everything I built. The Outfit is Leonas’ legacy. It’s our family’s legacy. I won’t go lenient on people who risk the safety of our family.”
“Maybe we’d be safer without a war…”
“Val,” I growled. “Luca began this war and I’ll end it eventually, on my terms and when the Outfit comes out on top. Don’t blame me for what your brother did. He knew the consequences of his actions and he accepted them. How do you know he didn’t pass on information about you, about Anna and Leonas to Luca? We don’t even know the extent of his betrayal yet.”
Val considered my words but I could see that she didn’t want to believe it. “Do you really think Orazio would have told Luca anything about Anna and Leonas?”
I cupped the back of her head until she looked at me again. “I don’t know and that’s the problem. Now that Orazio is in New York, you can be certain he gives Luca anything he knows. He needs to stay useful to warrant protection.”
Val sank against me and let out a shuddering sob. I wrapped my arms around her as she cried. I understood her sorrow and it pained me to see her like that, but I didn’t feel anything but anger for Orazio’s actions. He wouldn’t be met with mercy if I ever got my hands on him. He was no longer family. He was the enemy, even if Val couldn’t see it that way.
VALENTINA
My stomach tightened painfully when Enzo pulled up in front of my parents’ house. Anna bounced excitedly in her seat and even Leonas, who had been bawling the entire ride, looked delighted when he recognized the house. I’d only briefly talked to Mamma on the phone last night. Her voice had sounded hoarse from crying but she’d tried to sound composed.
I took Leonas out of his seat and Enzo helped Anna out of the car. The door of the house opened and Mamma stepped out, dressed in black as if she was already mourning Orazio’s death. Maybe this was her way of dealing with the situation, pretending he was dead so she wouldn’t have to worry about his fate anymore. If the Outfit ever caught him, death definitely wasn’t the worst option. Bile traveled up my throat considering Dante might torture my own brother.
I couldn’t linger on the thought, not if I wanted to keep my sanity.
Anna ripped away from Enzo and stormed toward her grandma. I kissed my mother’s cheek and gave her a shaky smile. Her eyes were puffy and red, but her expression was proud and determined as she turned to Enzo. “Why don’t you go ahead to the kitchen. The staff’s having lunch.”
Enzo nodded then glanced at me for confirmation. I gave a small nod then followed my mother and Anna, who told her everything about her new finger colors. Leonas was particularly fussy today and the moment I sat on the couch, he slid off my lap and discovered the living room. My mother had a vast collection of expensive vases and porcelain figurines and usually she followed Leonas wherever he went to stop him from smashing one of them. Today she didn’t even glance his way, which showed how shaken she was.
Anna sat happily on her grandma’s lap.
“How are you?” I asked softly. We couldn’t really talk with Anna in the room. She understood more than enough already and this situation was definitely too much for a child her age. I kept an eye on Leonas but so far he hadn’t grabbed anything.
Mamma shrugged, another thing she never did unless seriously out of it. Shrugging wasn’t something a lady should do. “I try to focus on the positive. On you and my beautiful grandchildren.”
“And Papa?”
“He’s trying to be strong for me, but for a man to lose his heir, his only son… especially like this.” Her voice died away. “What about Dante?”
I considered my reply. “He’s trying to protect the Outfit.”
“As he should. Your father and Rocco are helping him, that’s a good thing.”
I wasn’t sure really. Rocco, in particular had been trying to stir up the conflict between the Outfit and the Famiglia since Liliana ran off with Romero. He wouldn’t be the voice of reason, and my father was too shaken to make wise decisions. Dante wanted revenge. He wanted Orazio’s death, even if he didn’t say it outright, at least not to me. While I understood him, my heart was torn apart by conflicting emotions. I couldn’t bear the idea that Orazio might be caught and tortured to death for what he’d done. On the other hand, I was furious on Dante’s behalf. Orazio should have chosen another way, not the Famiglia. He knew how much Luca and Dante hated each other. It was like a slap in Dante’s face that his brother-in-law was now part of the Famiglia.
How much more would this war take from our family?
