Chapter 8 The Meeting
Eight
The Meeting
Eros
Luciano told me Serafina and her mother were safe, and I believed him, and still, I had to force myself to leave.
The pain medication made Serafina drowsy, so before I left, I carried her upstairs to rest. I can’t understand how Giusto could have been so brutal with his own sister.
Serafina’s a sweet thing, perhaps a little too caring for her own good.
Her mother talks about how she loves kids. Her nieces love her dearly. Pictures that the girls drew for her are displayed in her bedroom. Vera tells us Serafina’s an excellent cook and baker, and her daughter blushes profusely whenever she’s paid a compliment.
I can’t understand how Serafina and Giusto grew up with the same parents and yet be complete opposites.
My sister and I had different interests and friends, but we both had the same values.
Miranda could be stubborn, and I know I am for a fact, but when it came to family, we’d do anything for each other.
Meanwhile, hearing that Giusto was holding out to sell his sister off, and to a man twice her age, makes me want to inflict as much pain as possible before I end his life.
Giusto was sentencing his sister to years of heartache because it suited his plan.
I guess Vera’s age and health worked in Serafina’s favor.
I’m going to have to summon all my restraint to get through the meeting without wanting to rip Giusto to shreds, if he even shows up.
Last I heard, Marco finally got him on the phone and told Giusto that his presence was mandatory.
I’m waiting for the call from his wife to tell us he’s ill or has been called away.
Giusto won’t make the call himself because he’s a coward.
It’ll come down to whether he’s more afraid of the consequences of not showing up over his desire to retain his underboss title.
Either way, he’s a dead man. Normally, if an underboss doesn’t achieve what has been set as his targets, he dies. It’s Marco’s relationship with Egidio that has given Giusto the rope he’s now using to turn into a noose for himself.
My father sits quietly next to me in the car. He’s been like this most of the day. Dad gets quiet when he’s contemplating the past.
“Dad, are you okay?” I ask, glancing at him.
He turns from the window to look at me. “If Giusto can do the damage he did to Serafina, his own sister, there’s no doubt in my mind that he’s the one who raped your sister.”
“Did you ever have a doubt?”
“No,” he says firmly. “But I always wondered if it was a moment gone out of control. Or a misjudgment of strength. I don’t know.
” He rakes a hand through his gray hair and blows out a breath.
“Egidio was a well-respected man. Vera is a loving wife and mother. I would never forgive Giusto for what he did to my baby girl, but I could at least understand that it happened in the heat of passion. Instead, today showed me that he is a violent man who cares for no one but himself. He always had his eye on Miranda. I figured he’d come and ask for her hand, and our two families would join.
But Giusto had other ideas and took what wasn’t his to take.
He took my daughter’s innocence, then her reputation, and finally her will to live in a world so cruel that a man could rape a young woman and get away with it. ”
“He’ll pay. I swear to you, Dad, he’ll pay.”
“He’s tricky. He doesn’t play by the rules, and who knows what kind of games he has in store for you. I don’t want to lose my son too.” Dad’s voice wavers, then he clears his throat.
“He’s a bastard who can’t be trusted. Nero is having him tailed wherever he goes.
Tonight, while he’s sitting in the meeting room with the rest of us, Danilo will put a tracking device on his car.
Luciano is going to be with me everywhere I go for a while.
Giusto’s not going to last long before he makes his move.
I’ll be ready for him when he does,” I tell him.
I’m not sure if this makes him feel better or not, but I do get a smile from him.
“I know you will, figlio mio.”
I change the subject because this thought has been weighing on me all day.
“I want the wedding date moved up. No long engagement. A month, two at the most. I don’t want Serafina and her mother living on their own.
Bodyguards or not, I want them in a house with high security.
What happened today will never happen again. ”
“Your mother and future mother-in-law are going to lose their minds. They’ll never be able to have the grand wedding they were planning in two months,” Dad replies.
I give my father a sly grin. “That’s what you do best. You can get Mom to agree to anything.”
“This is her only son, and she wants a big affair.”
“She can have it, as long as we can do it soon.”
“Eros, she wants a lavish wedding. Moving up the date will cost a fortune. Vera doesn’t have that kind of money. Egidio left her well, but—”
“I have money. I have enough money for three lifetimes.”
“It’s not our way—”
“Vera needs to save face. I get it. I’m going to ask Marco to give her the money and tell her it’s what her husband had set aside for Serafina.”
Dad rubs his chin. “I’m not sure she’ll buy it.”
“I’m not waiting a year. Two months at most. Will you help me?”
Dad waits for me to pull into the parking space and shut off the car.
He places a hand on my shoulder. “If that’s what you want, Eros, I’ll talk to your mother.
” He scans the warehouse and sees that Marco is waiting for us, with Nero standing with him.
“Time to make you an underboss officially,” he says with a chuckle.
The room holds over thirty men, and most look extremely concerned that our capo is calling them together.
I don’t see Giusto anywhere, and Marco is maintaining his stoic expression, but underneath, I know he’s seething.
Nero is standing next to his father, motioning for the men to gather around.
Luciano is at the door, keeping watch, with several of his own men.
This particular warehouse has been attacked several times in the last couple of months, and when we have our capo with us, we don’t take any chances. Is it a coincidence that Giusto is never around when his men are being assaulted? I don’t think so, but it’s one more thing to look into.
Just as Marco begins to speak, Giusto walks in with his two bodyguards by his side.
His dark hair is slicked back, he’s impeccably dressed in his expensive suit, and his hands wear more gold than Liberace.
He has a cool smile plastered on his face, a facade, of course, but he looks directly into my eyes as he comes closer.
The two men on either side of him seem nervous. These are young soldiers. I’ve never seen them before, but they must have been vetted at some point. Nevertheless, I want to know everything there is to know about these men and make a note to find out.
Giusto comes straight to me and clasps my shoulder.
“My soon-to-be brother-in-law. This is good news. My Serafina will have someone to look after her,” he says with a loud laugh.
I want to wrap my hands around his thick neck as he did his sister and make him gasp for air and feel the same pain.
What fucking nerve he has to call her my Serafina. Serafina belongs to me.
The room erupts with applause and whistles. Marco allows this for a moment, then raises his hand. As soon as he does, the room goes quiet.
“There is much to celebrate. However, that is for later. Business comes first. Giusto is going to be working on a special project for a while and, as such, will be stepping back from his responsibilities as your boss. Your new underboss is Eros Palloma. I expect you to give him the same respect and dedication as you show me.” Marco commands.
“I feel a change is needed. There have been too many incidents in this territory, and a fresh perspective is required. Do I make myself clear?”
A skinny young man, who is in no shape whatsoever to be a soldier, raises his hand like a kid in high school.
Who the hell decided this boy was ready to serve and protect La Famiglia?
Marco narrows his eyes when he sees the young man, then immediately turns to Giusto, probably thinking the same thoughts as my own.
However, being Marco, he nods his head and gives the young man permission to speak.
“I’m doing my best, sir. I promise to do better, I swear,” he says.
“Your name?” Marco demands.
“Cassio Piemonte, sir.” Cassio’s voice stutters.
“Attilio’s son?” Marco asks.
“Yes, sir.”
Marco’s jaw clenches. “Your father was a fine man and an excellent soldier. I’m sure you’ll follow in his footsteps.” The young man relaxes his worried frown. Marco scans the faces of the others in the room. “Now’s the time to speak up if you have questions or objections.”
Another man stands up. “Eros abandoned us, and for this, his reward is to become an underboss? I’m not challenging your decision; I simply want to understand it. I have the utmost respect for you, Capo, but how can we follow the command of a man who turned his back on us?”
Fair enough. I automatically like this guy. He’s not some idiot to follow blindly along.
“Eros never left us. He was on a mission. It was one that only I, Nero, Luciano, and his father were privy to. It was kept this way for his protection as well as ours. His visits to his parents were infrequent and his contact limited. His sacrifice for La Famiglia is something that cannot be easily quantified. I will say this: if not for his latest efforts, we’d be fighting a war with the Russians and the Triad.
We still have enemies, but the imminent danger has passed,” Marco replies.
“Can I have your name?” I ask.
“Alessandro Montebello.”
“I commend you for asking the question that all are thinking but none have the courage to ask. Trust takes time. You don’t know me, but you will.
I lead by example. If you’re in danger, I’ll stand by your side.
However, if you choose to serve under another underboss, then ask for your transfer, and I will readily agree.
I only want men who want to be here. In return, we will prosper.
The decision is yours. I can rebuild a team of men.
It won’t be the first time I’ve done it, and I can do it again.
Don’t stay because you’re being told. Stay if you’re ready to reap the rewards of your hard work,” I tell them.
“Mr. Palloma, I choose to stay,” Alessandro replies.
“Eros,” I insist. “I’m not a formal guy.” I chuckle, and others join in.
“That is all for this evening,” Marco concludes. “Now, we celebrate. Eros and Serafina are to be married, and the union of two families is always a joyous occasion, as well as presenting your new underboss to La Famiglia.”