Chapter 23

No matter how bad things got with my family, I always had Caterina to calm me down.

But then things got a shit-ton worse.

One afternoon, I was about to go find Caterina and drag her away for a quickie when Niccolo intercepted me in the hallway.

“Come into the parlor,” he said grimly. “We need to have a serious discussion.”

Shit.

I figured he’d finally gotten around to chewing me out for that crack I made about the bomb in the panic room.

As I followed him into the room, I protested, “Look, I didn’t mean to...”

I trailed off when I saw Dario sitting behind his desk in the corner.

He only did that when something big was about to go down.

“Mean to what?” Niccolo asked as he shut the door behind us.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“Sit,” Dario said in his mafia don voice.

Like, Do what I say or there will be consequences.

I sat down nervously in one of the chairs.

Niccolo sat on the sofa and stared at me grimly.

“Why is everybody being so serious?” I asked.

“We sent Massimo to Venice to court the Widow as an ally,” Niccolo answered. “That’s why he’s protecting Signora Fioretti’s granddaughter – so that if we get the chance to argue our case before the Council, we’ll have the Widow on our side.”

The Council was a meeting of the most powerful Cosa Nostra families in Italy. It didn’t happen very often; in fact, it had only happened a few times since I was a kid, back when Papa was still alive.

The night of Adriano’s wedding, when we found out Fausto had betrayed us, Dario had suggested calling a meeting of the Council.

At the time, Niccolo had said we needed more proof.

Maybe we had enough proof now...

But I still didn’t understand why that would stress Nic and Dario out so much.

“Why do we need the Widow on our side?” I asked.

“When the Council hears a case, every family gets a single vote. However, five of them –Rome, Venice, Sicily, Naples, and Milan, the five most powerful families – get two votes apiece. If they vote together – which they often do – then they can overrule the rest of the Council. So it’s crucial that we peel off as many votes as possible from the Five Families.”

That was interesting. I’d never known that before.

“Since we’re the ones bringing the case, we don’t get a vote,” Niccolo continued. “And as the accused party, Fausto and Aurelio won’t get a vote, either. Which means we need as many people on our side as possible.

“We can count on the Oldanis from Genoa since Alessandra is their granddaughter.”

That had been a big surprise – finding out that Alessandra was actually a secret mafia princess. Her father had been a servant for the Oldanis; after they fell in love and Alessandra’s mother got pregnant, they ran away to start a new life. Alessandra had grown up not knowing anything about her grandparents.

“But some of the families can be bribed,” Niccolo continued. “I’m absolutely certain that Fausto paid them off, so we need as many of the Five Families to back us as possible. Hence sending Massimo to Venice.”

“Okay – but why are you guys acting so grim?”

Niccolo sighed. “We’ve made overtures to Don Vicari of Sicily. Do you remember him?”

Hell yeah, I remembered him. Scary motherfucker with a big, bushy black mustache. I’d seen him at several weddings when I was a kid. What I remembered most about him – other than the mustache – was how all the other mafia dons gave him a wide berth. When Don Vicari’s name got mentioned, Papa would mutter under his breath and cross himself.

Sicily was the birthplace of the Cosa Nostra, and Don Vicari was old-school mafia. Coldblooded as fuck. No mercy, no quarter.

“I remember,” I said. “What about him?”

“He’s agreed to throw his support behind us... for a price.”

I laughed and scoffed at the same time. Made sense he’d try to extort us. “How much does he want?”

Niccolo looked pained. “He doesn’t want money.”

“Then what? Part of our territory?”

“No.” Niccolo paused. “He wants a husband for his youngest daughter.”

I frowned. “But what does that have to do with...”

I trailed off as soon as I realized exactly what Niccolo meant.

“ME?!” I shouted in disbelief.

Niccolo didn’t say anything. Neither did Dario –

But their silence was all the confirmation I needed.

“What the FUCK!” I roared. “Why ME?!”

“Dario’s married. So is Adriano. Massimo is...” Niccolo paused. “...out of contact at the moment.”

“What about Roberto?!”

“He’s on official family business in Hong Kong.”

“So?!”

“So Don Vicari has requested an immediate audience.”

“Make him wait until Roberto gets back!”

“One does not tell Don Vicari to wait,” Niccolo said darkly. “Besides, Roberto handles all the money for the family. We can’t afford to lose him.”

“Well – YOU do it, then!”

“I’m the family’s consigliere. I’m not moving to Sicily.”

“Then make her move here!”

“That was another one of Don Vicari’s conditions: that her husband stay in Sicily with the family.”

At that, I jumped up from my seat. “NO!”

“Valentino – ” Niccolo warned.

“FUCK THAT! I have a life here! I have shit going on! I’m not just going to – ”

“Valentino,” Dario growled from the corner.

A shiver went down my spine.

It was like hearing a wolf snarl ten feet away from you when you hadn’t even known it was there.

It was the only thing he’d said since he’d told me to sit. I’d almost forgotten he was even in the room.

I immediately got quieter and more respectful, but I kept on talking.

I knew who I had to convince... and it wasn’t Niccolo.

“Dar– ” I started, then immediately caught myself when he narrowed his eyes. “Don Rosolini... please... I’m begging you. Please don’t make me do this. Please.”

Dario glared at me, then looked at Niccolo.

Sort of like, YOU handle this.

My stomach dropped as I realized maybe it was Niccolo I had to convince...

Which meant it was a lost cause.

Once Nic decided he wanted something done his way, he never compromised. He was like a pit bull with a bone.

I had to try anyway, though.

“Why Don Vicari?” I pleaded as I turned back to Niccolo. “Why can’t we cut a deal with the families in Rome – or Naples, or Milan?”

“Because none of them will talk to me,” Niccolo said coldly. “I tried calling all of them dozens of times. Don Vicari was the only one who responded.”

“Try again!”

“What’s the fucking problem here? We’re not asking you to cut off your left nut – we’re asking you to go live in a palace in Sicily!”

“What if I don’t want to go live in a palace in Sicily?” I said angrily.

“‘What if I don’t want to go live in a palace in Sicily?’” Niccolo mimicked me, making me sound like a whiny little bitch. “Everyone else has been called on to sacrifice for the family. Now it’s your turn, so man the fuck up.”

“Who’s fucking sacrificed for the family?” I shot back – and immediately regretted it.

Niccolo looked livid. “Well, for ONE, Dario took the fall for all of us and went to prison!”

I winced. “Yeah, okay – ”

“He spent four years in that shithole San Vittore while Camorra assassins tried to slit his throat!”

San Vittore was the worst prison in all of Italy.

The Camorra was another organized crime group in Italy – and the sworn enemies of the Cosa Nostra.

“I know, I know,” I said regretfully, knowing I’d fucked up.

But Niccolo was just getting started.

“Adriano nearly got killed by Mezzasalma in Florence! Massimo is currently putting his life on the line so we can get the Widow on our side! Lars, who’s not even our flesh and blood, could be dead for all we know!”

“And Roberto’s having to sign a bunch of contracts in Hong Kong,” I said sarcastically.

“Don’t fucking start about Roberto,” Niccolo snarled. “When you’ve carried the entire family’s finances on your shoulders, then you can say something.”

“What about you?” I challenged him. “What the fuck have you sacrificed?”

Niccolo stood up from the sofa, his face a mask of fury.

I had to admit, he looked intimidating as fuck.

“I’M the one who keeps the family’s continued existence forefront in my mind, day and night! After Dario, I’m the one who bears responsibility for whether we live or die while you’re off fucking the help!”

“Don’t talk about her that way!” I yelled at him.

Niccolo looked shocked –

And then he burst out laughing.

Which just made me angrier.

“Is that what this is all about?!” he asked incredulously. “You don’t want to stop banging that kitchen girl?!”

“SHUT THE FUCK UP!” I roared.

I was so enraged, I cocked back my arm to punch him in the face.

I saw a flash of surprise in Niccolo’s eyes –

But before I could do anything, Dario roared, “VALENTINO!”

I froze and looked over at him.

Dario was standing behind his desk.

He looked angrier than I’d ever seen him before.

I dropped my arm.

Nic asked in an ice-cold voice, “Were you about to hit your consigliere, Valentino?”

“No,” I snarled, “I was about to hit my brother, who’s being a fucking asshole.”

“Because he said something about the servant girl you’re sleeping with,” Niccolo said sarcastically.

I glared at him. “Her name is Caterina.”

Niccolo burst out laughing again. “Oh – excuse me! ‘Caterina.’ I didn’t realize you two were about to get married.”

“We’re – no – ”

“Are you two serious, or not?” Nic demanded.

I felt like I was standing naked on a stage with a spotlight on me.

“Well... no, but – ”

Niccolo immediately became angry again. “Well, if you’re not serious, then what the fuck does it MATTER if you marry Don Vicari’s daughter?!”

I squinted as I tried to remember. “Have I ever even met her? She never came to any of the weddings, did she?”

“No,” Niccolo conceded. “Don Vicari was very protective of her. Apparently, she’s never left Sicily.”

“So you want me to marry some girl I’ve never even seen before?! How do I know if I could even fall in love with her?!”

Niccolo reacted like I was insane. “Do you even know what an arranged marriage is? It’s not about love – it’s an alliance between two families! That’s it.”

“Yeah, but I’m the one who has to stay married to her forever!”

Niccolo sighed in exasperation. “Jesus, are you that naïve? You fuck her, she pops out some kids, Don Vicari’s happy, and we get a long-term ally. In the meantime, you can bang all the kitchen girls in Sicily you want on the side. It’s a win-win.”

“Dario didn’t have an arranged marriage!” I shouted. “He married for love! So did Adriano! So did Papa and Mama – ”

“What’s your fucking point?” Niccolo snarled.

“My point is, when I get married, I want to get married for love!”

Niccolo laughed. “Ohhhhh – now you’re Mr. Romantic. And I suppose you’ll be completely faithful to this hypothetical wife?”

“Yes!”

“You have to be fucking kidding me,” he sneered. “You’ll fuck anything that walks by in a skirt – ”

“NOT SINCE I’VE BEEN WITH CATERINA!”

My outburst took even me by surprise.

It was the first time I’d admitted it to anyone in my family.

Once again, Niccolo looked at me in total shock. “You really are serious about this girl, aren’t you?”

“I...”

I trailed off.

It felt like it was too much to say that Caterina and I were serious.

As much as I liked her – as much as I wanted her – I couldn’t bring myself to go that far.

“Valentino,” Dario said quietly.

Both Niccolo and I looked over at him.

He walked out from behind the desk and stood in front of me. His eyes seemed to bore straight into my soul. “Caterina is Alessandra’s best friend. She was the maid of honor at our wedding.”

“Yes,” I agreed, not knowing where this was going.

“I don’t relish the prospect of breaking the heart of my wife’s best friend,” Dario said grimly. “So if you agree to marry Caterina today... I’ll call off the deal with Don Vicari.”

I stared at Dario in shock.

MARRY her?

“Dario!” Niccolo hissed, but immediately fell silent when Dario raised one hand.

He didn’t even look at Niccolo; the entire time, Dario kept his eyes focused on mine.

“You mean... I just have to agree to marry Cat?” I asked in shock.

“No. I mean, you marry her today. I’ll call in a priest from Florence to officiate. We can get the forms taken care of through a judge on our payroll. We’ll have the marriage here in the house this afternoon. Just us – just the family.

“Not only that, but you swear to me you’ll be faithful to her your entire life. No other women, no affairs. I’m not risking our family’s future on a sham marriage you agree to just so you can sleep with dozens of other women.

“You agree to all that – the marriage and lifelong faithfulness – and I’ll call off the deal with Don Vicari.

“So... what will it be?” he finished.

“I...”

I couldn’t make my mouth work.

It just...

Moving this fast...

It was insane!

“Well?” Dario asked.

I looked helplessly between him and Niccolo.

“Your don asked you a question,” Niccolo snapped.

“I... I just... I’m not ready to settle down yet,” I said miserably.

It was the truth.

Caterina was great –

She was amazing –

But I was only 22 years old.

I hadn’t thought I’d get married until I was at least as old as Dario.

I had my entire life to live...

And I didn’t want to trade away all my freedom.

As soon as I said it, Dario’s shoulders dropped the tiniest bit.

Like he was either relieved...

Or disappointed.

But he didn’t say anything.

Niccolo was a lot more vocal.

“FUCK you!” he snarled at me. “This isn’t about Caterina – this was never about her! This is about you being an immature asshole and not being willing to do your part for the family!”

I was once again considering punching Nic when Dario snapped, “Consigliere – you’re not helping.”

Niccolo immediately went silent.

Dario turned to me. “In an effort to make you see our point of view, I’m going to tell you everything – but you are not to repeat it to anyone else. Not even to Adriano, and certainly not to Alessandra or Bianca. Do you understand?”

“...yes,” I said, suddenly very nervous.

“You already know that Massimo and Lars are out of contact. We obviously hope it’s not the case, but we have to face the possibility that they’re both dead.

“What you don’t know is that Fausto extorted and blackmailed various bank officials. The morning the assassin shot at me, those bank officials helped Fausto transfer 28 million euros out of our accounts. He essentially destroyed our finances in one fell swoop.”

I stared at Dario in shock. “We’re broke?”

“We have enough money to last another month, if that. Roberto is in Hong Kong trying to get back the 50 million euros we invested with the gambling syndicate so we’ll have the resources to keep fighting. If Roberto doesn’t succeed, then Don Vicari’s support might be our only chance at survival.”

What Dario was saying was horrifying...

That we were crippled and on the verge of death...

And yet, I still couldn’t bring myself to agree to what he wanted.

“I wouldn’t ask you to do this if the situation weren’t dire,” Dario said.

“Then don’t ask me,” I pleaded.

He sighed sternly. “If you won’t honor my request, then you will follow my command. You will marry Don Vicari’s daughter. Am I understood?”

There was nothing more I could do or say.

My don had spoken.

“...yes, Don Rosolini,” I whispered.

Dario patted me on the shoulder consolingly, then walked towards the door. “Say your goodbyes, but make it quick.”

“What?” I asked in shock.

“We’re flying out in half an hour,” Niccolo said sourly.

I stared at him in shock. “Half an hour?”

“What, is that not enough time for one last fuck for the road?” he sneered.

I was going to break his jaw, I swore to GOD –

“Niccolo,” Dario said sharply as he opened the door.

Niccolo sighed resentfully. “Alright... you can take a little bit longer than half an hour.”

Dario nodded, then left the room.

“And what’s this ‘we’re flying out’ part?” I asked in alarm.

“You and I are going to Sicily,” Niccolo said.

GREAT.

“I thought we couldn’t fly anywhere,” I said, trying to weasel my way out of it.

“Roberto and I flew to Hong Kong.”

“Yeah, and Lars said you were taking an insane risk!”

“Don Vicari sent his own plane.”

“It’s already here?!” I asked in astonishment.

“Yes. And he has personally guaranteed our safety.”

“And you believe him?!”

Niccolo smirked. “Here’s the first lesson for your new life: when a Sicilian swears to you on his mother’s life, do not question his integrity. It will not go well for you.”

The idea of going to live in Sicily –

Of getting married to some girl I’d never seen before –

Of leaving Caterina –

It made me physically sick.

“Go say your goodbyes,” Niccolo ordered.

“What the fuck am I supposed to tell her?” I asked, panicked.

“I don’t know – tell her it was fun. Tell her it’s not your fault. Tell her you have to fulfill your duty to your family. I don’t care what you tell her – just GO!” he snapped as he pushed me roughly towards the door. “And make it fast!”

I shuffled out of the room like a zombie.

It was like my feet were encased in lead...

And my heart felt even heavier.

It only got worse from there.