12. Celso
CHAPTER TWELVE
Celso
“ I t should have been you he killed instead of your mother. It’s the only reason he favors you so much - because he regrets what he did to her.” Masaccio spits.
“Masaccio! What the fuck? ” Tuomo hisses.
“We’ve all thought it at one point.” Mas snaps.
“My mother ?” I ask, barely a whisper. “He killed her?”
“No man, it’s a stupid rumor.” Tuomo glares at Masaccio with an intensity I don’t understand.
“Did our father kill my mother?” I breathe darkly.
Masaccio runs his hands through his hair and squeezes his eyes shut for a second.
“No. Sorry. Uh. I was trying to piss you off.” Masaccio is backing off, clenching his jaw as he turns his back on me.
We are all in my father’s living room even though he is away on business. Tuomo stands up, walking over to me. “Mas is confused why dad is sending you to talk to Franco Greco instead of him, as the oldest in the family and the next in line to take over - it just - it didn’t make sense.”
“Greco is a key part in how we run this city. If you fuck up this meeting, you fuck up a lot of other things for the family.” Mas growls. “And it’s already all a fuck up - did you leak those photos?” He stares at me with accusation.
“Oh fuck off.” I snarl.
Masaccio doesn’t know that I pleaded with my father to let me represent him at this meeting with Greco while he’s out of town - because I have something else I want to present to the man.
But what Mas said is all I can think about.
Did my father kill my mother ?
A crime of passion?
A crime of hate?
They are so closely interlinked it could be either or both.
I shake the thought from my head. It can’t be. My father loves me because he loved my mother. He always regretted it when she left. I think if he could have he would have chosen her over his wife.
But maybe that’s why he had to kill Amelia.
His wife, Francesca, his family, the kids - in Cosa Nostra you don’t abandoned your family for your mistress. And maybe her death was the only thing that could seal his choice not to be with her?
My heart churns. I might understand that - if that happened.
He killed her because he couldn’t have her and the thought of her still being out there - with someone else - he couldn’t live with it.
But - did my father take my mother from me? All these years - did he do that?
“Celso.” Mas snaps. “I said this is important . ”
“Yeah, fuck sakes. I heard you. I know what to say. I know how to fucking handle my business, Masaccio.” I snarl, turning my back on him. He’s an arrogant fuck. Right now I can’t even look at him. “I’m leaving.” I snap, heading for the door.
Before I close it behind me I hear Tuomo. “What the actual fuck, Masaccio?”
Driving towards Franco Greco’s place I’m thinking about Neve.
She was still off to me when I bumped into her at Da’Vinci yesterday. Obviously I knew they were because I followed her there.
She’s still fighting me though. Not giving in to what is going on between us.
That’s fine.
I’m done playing nice and giving her the choice. At this point it’s time for the men to negotiate and she will have to fall in line and do as she’s told.
One of Greco’s campaign guys is waiting for me when I climb out of my car.
“Mr. Vece, Mr. Greco is ready for you in the sun room. If you will follow me.” He gestures with his hand towards the high arched entrance of Greco’s over the top mansion. The man likes luxury, that’s clear. I’m hoping that pushes him to say yes to my proposal. He wouldn’t want to lose all of this - and all of his other little luxuries.
“Thank you.” I nod towards the guy and follow him through the house, up the stairs and into the sun room where Greco is standing by the window, his hands clasped behind his back.
He doesn’t turn to look at me when I walk in. Luke, his son, is sitting by the sofa’s. He nods at me politely.
“Mr. Vece, sir.” The guy announces my arrival.
“Vincent - I can’t thank you enough for—” Franco turns and his face falls.
“My father is away on business, so I am here to represent the family and our business relationship with you.” I say, taking a seat, folding one leg across the other and sitting with my arms draped on each arm rest.
I stare at Franco with a smirk.
“I’d rather deal directly with your father.” He says, looking nervous and angry .
“Well, you have me. If that’s not good enough for you perhaps you would like to find another mafia familia to fund your bad habits?”
Greco’s mouth pulls tight as he walks towards me and sits down in the chair opposite.
“Can I get you a drink?” he asks, tense and polite.
“No, thank you. I’d like to get straight to business.”
“Good. Yes.”
Franco Greco is a wreck. His eyes are sunken beneath dark circles. He looks exhausted and he won’t stop fidgeting. He keeps clenching his jaw and biting at the inside of his cheek. His eyes are darting left and right, unable to focus on anything.
“Franco, we can help you solve this mess. We can put enough money towards your campaign to recover your standing with the public. We have the access to the best PR team, and you won’t have to worry about a thing. Just show up when they tell you and do what they ask.”
Franco’s eyes dart onto me, glimmering with hope. “You can do that?” he stammers .
“We can do that.” I nod, reassuringly. “But you have to do something for me in return. For my family.”
“What?” he says, tensing again. Whenever it comes time to return the favors, these type of men suddenly clench up. They are all the same. Happy to take, take and take - and they act shocked when you ask them for something in return.
Luke shifts in his seat but hasn’t said a word - as though his father forbid him from doing anything but being present.
“What is it we can help you with?” Franco asks tightly.
“Your daughter, Neve, will marry me.” I say - as clear as day. Leaving no room for misunderstanding.
“What the fuck?” Franco leaps from his chair and glares at me in anger. “Are you fucking insane? Neve isn’t going to marry into the mafia - the - are you?” He clasps his hand over his chest and starts to breathe heavily. “My - daughter - will never - marry - I’ll never - allow it.”
Luke stands up, unsure what to do .
He rushes to his father’s side.
I stand up as well. Angered by his reaction. His disgust. His distaste. His disrespect.
“I’ll give you some time to think about it. But unless you agree to that we will not be helping you with your campaign again.” I say stiffly, with one last look at Franco as he gasps and clutches his chest, fighting for air - I leave. Luke’s eyes are on me when I leave, I can feel them, heated against my back.
I chuckle as I walk out of Franco’s house, savoring his shock, enjoying his torment. He knows he has no other options. Either his campaign tanks or his daughter marries me. But his reaction tells me he might choose the wrong option. He might let his campaign die in order to not give away his daughter.
I sneer, angry again, as I climb into my car.
He looked terrible and I’ve obviously added stress to an already stressful situation. All I can do now is wait. Wait - and hope that the universe proves to me that Neve and I are together by making it possible .
My phone buzzes as messages come through from my father.
Vincent: How did the meeting go?
Me: He’s considering our offer and will get back to me by tomorrow afternoon.
Of course, my father knows nothing about what I have set as a requirement in the offer.
This morning I might have felt guilt over this, keeping things from my father when it comes to business - but ever since Masaccio slipped up and told me that small, insignificant truth - the truth about what he did to my mother. Well, let’s say I don’t give a shit about what he wants anymore.
Vincent: They like to pretend they have a choice and that they are in charge of the situation. Let him take his time, but he always chooses the same thing. He’ll take the money. He knows we own him.
Except this time I don’t think he’s going to. The way he responded was a lot more intense than I expected it to be. He was adamant that he would not agree to his daughter marrying me. Well, if that is the case he will lose everything.
The guy practically had a panic attack though.
“Fuck.” I shout, slamming my hands against the steering wheel.
If this plan doesn’t work, I might kidnap her. Fuck it. It’s not ideal - but what choice do I have. She is mine. She belongs to me and she should be with me.
I take a few deep, slow breaths, forcing myself to calm down.
I can’t act rashly now. Not after I’ve been so patient for so long.
The universe wants us to be together.
It will make it happen.
And that evening - my theory is proved.
The universe does what us to be together.
I pick up the remote control and turn the volume of the TV up.
“Mr. Franco Greco, the man who was head of the poles for the last three years running, has passed away of an apparent heart attack this afternoon. We are just hearing that his son, Luke, was by his side at the time of his death. Luke has a few words to say to our viewers.”
The screen switches to an image of Luke, Neve standing by his side outside their father’s home. “My sister and I are devastated by this loss. We ask you all to respect our privacy and grief during this time, but I also want you to know that I will be taking over his campaign and working very hard to recover our family name. What my father did, his choices and his actions, are not a reflection of our family. He acted alone and we hope that all the people who supported his campaign understand I still believe in everything it stood for. I want to make our people proud….. ”
I flick the mute button and while Luke’s mouth continues to move, no sound comes out.
“Greco - you were too weak.” I chuckle, sitting down on the sofa and still watching Luke silently make his plea to his kingdom to allow him to run for office.
Politics.
I sit back, spreading my legs out and draping my arms over the back of the sofa. So, Luke Greco is the new man of the house. He is the one who will make the choices now.
And he is the man who I am going to be negotiating with.
I wonder what he thinks of my idea.