Chapter 48 Carlo
Carlo
"Ihate this goddamn place," Father complains from his hospital bed.
I smother a chuckle. "Who doesn't? You're going home tomorrow."
"Hmm. Is your wife here?"
"I believe so. Why?"
"I blame her for this."
"Excuse me?"
Father shakes his head, chuckling at my outrage. "She got me so agitated at the reception."
"Don't you fucking dare blame my wife for-"
"Calm down or they'll hook you up to one of these machines. What I mean is when she chastised me over Giulia, I couldn't believe how brazen she was. Brian Donnelly's daughter… That girl has more steel in her little finger than that skulking rat bastard has in his entire body."
"What are you talking about?"
"She didn't mention it?"
"No. What do you mean?"
He tells me, and I feel my heart doing one of those strange little stutters that only she can evoke. My wife.
When I step into the hallway, Francesca is sitting with Mother and the girls.
"Father wants to see the girls," I tell my mother. I don’t miss the way Giulia clings to my wife’s hand until the last possible second before following the others.
She’s been my sisters’ rock for the past thirty-six hours.
When I first started pursuing her, I fantasized about my spirited, red-haired siren.
I liked the idea of spoiling her, of listening to her singing in the shower after I’d spent half the night fucking her.
I wanted to possess her in every conceivable way, but I never considered the whole woman and what that meant.
She’s a better wife than I will ever deserve.
“Go home and rest, mia moglie. I’ll have someone drive you.”
“You could drive me. You need rest. If they don’t need you here, I’d like to have you home with me.” She clings to my hand the way Giulia was doing with her.
“I wish I could, but I have a meeting to attend.”
“Yes, they’ll officially name you the new Don. That’s more important than coming home with me,” she says, twisting her hands together nervously.
“It’s important but not more important. I promise I’ll come home as soon as I can.”
With a resigned nod, she leaves with one of the guards from my parents’ house. Faro’s been busy on my behalf after Luca had to return to New York due to the news about our father. Sometimes, everything seems to happen at once.
Russo rises from his seat in the waiting area where he’s been patiently waiting for his opportunity to take charge. “I hear your father will make it. My wife and I have been praying for such news.”
I keep my expression blank, not commenting on the absurdity of men like us praying for anything.
“We could delay this meeting if you wish, Carlo. No one would blame you with your father still in the hospital. I could handle matters for you during the transition while-”
I give my father’s Consigliere a harsh smile that doesn’t reach my tired eyes.
“No, Russo. I’ll renew my oath tonight in front of the Underbosses and Captains.
My father had already agreed to retire. We’re simply moving the timeframe up.
We wouldn’t want a temporary vacuum of power to tempt anyone into making unfortunate decisions.
I’d have to answer any such treasons with the utmost brutality. ”
Russo clears his throat before hurrying away to make the necessary calls. “Grasping bastard,” Luca mutters, watching him go.
“But a smart one who likes to play it safe. I’m making him Underboss of Philadelphia. With Roberto and his sons dead, it will put a hopefully loyal man in his place, but I’ll be naming you my Consigliere at this meeting. Don’t look so surprised.”
“Carlo, I appreciate your faith, but no one would mistake me for a voice of reason.”
“I’m more reasonable perhaps, but you will serve me better than that dried-up windbag. Will you accept?”
“Sì.”
“Bene. There is, however, a condition…”
“I don’t like the sound of that.”
“No, you won’t. In order to smooth any ruffled feathers with Russo when I dismiss him from his current position, Father suggested we reinforce our bond with his family in other ways. I agreed. His daughter, Livia, is old enough to be promised…”
“Fuck, no,” he snarls.
“I danced with her at my wedding reception. She’s a pretty girl.”
“She's a child. Renato goes to school with her and says she’s bitchy like her mother and grasping like her old man.” I wait patiently, knowing Luca needs time to accept the inevitable. “Fuck it, I’ll do it. Father was going to make me marry some bitch of his choosing anyway, wasn’t he?”
Chuckling, I nod. “She’ll learn to control her bitchy, grasping ways around you, just as you’ll learn to control your temper around her. She won’t be eighteen for another couple of years, so you’ve got some time at least.”
“You got to pick the girl you wanted. Both times.”
“I chose Sofia because of the peace agreement. I chose Francesca because I wanted her.”
“You may be lucky if your desire for her doesn’t lead to a war.”
Grimacing, I wish I could be certain he’s wrong about that.
The insulting opinions regarding Francesca that I killed for are probably shared by others less bold about speaking their minds.
Roberto's son trying to knife me during a mission likely means I’ll be ripping weeds of treason out of my garden again soon.
I’ll do what I must. For twenty-eight years, my father kept his hands clean as our Don, but I’m not opposed to getting bloody for the Trio or for her.
Beyond hidden enemies, the brG is growing active again outside the boundaries of Boston. I’m certain Ronan Donnelly has had a hand in that. The Bratva are a more immediate, blood-thirsty enemy, but I won’t dismiss any potential rival or threat to my power. That includes inside my own home.
“Did Ettore determine where the listening device came from?” I ask Luca, quietly. After the penthouse was swept for bugs, I was disappointed but not surprised to hear one had been found in my office.
“Government,” Luca answers, grimly.
I don’t doubt Ettore’s opinion. I sigh, weary and heartsick over what it could mean. “Pest control is a real problem these days. Does anyone else know besides Faro?”
“No. He has his opinions about the matter, and I’m sure he’ll give them to you the first chance he gets.”
“I don’t doubt it.”
He'd been leery when I married her. He was even more so after her meeting with her brother. The listening device has convinced him Frankie means to betray me. If Faro’s proven right… that’s not something I want to think about.
***
“Carlo Vicini, do you pledge your life to our cause tonight?” Luca asks, holding the blade to my palm as three dozen men watch. Renato stands by his side, holding a lit candle.
“I do.” A quick slash and the candle flickers when I make a fist, letting my blood drip into the pool of hot wax.
“May I burn in hell if I betray our family,” I recite in Italian.
I put the flame out with my palm and smear my blood over my Trio tattoo to complete the oath.
I took the same one when I was fourteen.
I renew it today as their Don. I mask my emotions better than my brothers manage to, but the same undeniable sense of pride fills me that I see in their eyes.
“Alla tua salute, Don Vicini,” Russo says, the first to congratulate me.
I hope his best wishes for my health are sincere.
He took his change of position with good grace.
His daughter will be my brother’s wife, and his son will someday become Underboss of a major city after him this way.
“Perhaps we might celebrate a wedding between our families by this year’s end?
” he adds, always keen to advance himself sooner rather than later.
“Luca will not marry an underage girl. A couple of years will be soon enough. It will give my mother and your wife plenty of time to plan.”
With a bow, he steps back so the other men may step forward. I catch Luca’s scowl, knowing what he thinks of his future father-in-law all too well. That may be a battle for another year but not today.
***
I’m nearly home when Faro calls. “Our informant was right. The rat bastard suggested she might help them. There’s more-”
“Come over.”
“Bene. I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”
I end the call. Considering the listening device, it’s best we avoid too much chit-chat over the phone for the time being even if I’d rather be alone with my wife.
It’s quiet when I enter the penthouse. The piano is silent.
The kitchen is dark. The guard on duty is seated on the terrace.
He gives me a nod and leaves, knowing from my expression that’s what I want.
I’m at the top of the stairs when I hear the shower running… and the soft sounds of my wife sobbing.
My hand grips the banister as anguish like I’ve rarely known tears through me.
Only that miserable handful of hours when I thought she might have cheated hurt quite this way.
I thought we’d turned a corner after our reception, but perhaps she was only pretending.
What choice does she have except to pretend she’s content in this marriage I forced on her?
She knows I’ll never let her go. Unless she sells me out to the Feds, escape is unlikely.
I force myself to keep walking. Broken heart or not, I’m not a fucking coward.
I’m standing in the doorway when the water shuts off and she reaches for her towel.
She yelps in surprise then surprises me by hurrying across the marble floor, wet and naked with fresh sobs choking her.
Worry overwhelms my crueler nature. I wipe away her tears and pull her into my arms. “Are you hurt?” I ask.
She shakes her head, noticing my palm. “You’re the one who’s bleeding. I’ll get your shirt wet,” she adds between sniffles.
“I don’t care about the shirt. I want to know why you’re crying.”
With a final sniffle, she squares her shoulders and lifts her chin. “I have to tell you something… and I’m scared you’re going to hate me once you know.”
Love and hate can be strangely linked, but I could never hate her.
Taking her hand, I lead her into the bedroom and seat her in my lap, wrapping the duvet around her shoulders as I cradle her close. I’d like to enjoy her sweetly innocent lavender scent while she confesses her sins.
“Wait… that’s all?” I ask once she’s told me the entire tale of Harper and the confrontation with the FBI.
The outsider was everything I should fear, but it doesn’t matter. I could kick myself for discounting the potential threat a female agent might pose. I won’t do that again.
I committed murder practically under her nose, I think, not sure if I should be more alarmed at my rash actions with Chris or amused that the young agent missed the opportunity to catch me in the act.
“All? It’s horrible. They wanted to use me against you. My father thought I’d help them for his own selfish reasons. I feel so used and manipulated.”
“Francesca,” I say, catching her chin with my fingers. “I'm sorry if you’re wounded by this, but what did you tell them about my business specifically?”
“Well… nothing. I don’t know anything, but I wouldn’t do that to you.
I know who my father is, and you probably don’t believe me for that reason, but I wouldn’t betray you, Carlo.
Most people would condemn all of us for the lives we lead.
I’m not most people. This is my life, my family, and I’m loyal to them and to you. ” My heart fucking leaps in my chest.
“Loyal. Yes, you are.” I gently kiss her forehead and then nuzzle her neck, wanting nothing more than to make love to her after the stress and exhaustion of these past two days.
“You're not angry like I feared.”
“Why would I be angry?”
“I was stupid about Harper. I thought I could trust another girl. I can’t trust anyone.”
“That’s not true. You trust your family. I hope you learn to trust me even though I’ve not always given you reason to. You may have been a little na?ve, but you’re young, and you wanted a friend. I won’t condemn you for that. You wanted to experience a normal life.”
“I don’t think I can have both, our marriage and that normal life.”
It pains me to tell her the truth. “No, not fully. But you can still go to school if you want and-”
I freeze mid-sentence when I hear the quiet beep indicating someone entered the penthouse. I stand, shoving Francesca behind me and pulling my gun when Faro calls out from below.
“Fuck, I forgot I’d told him to come over. Wait here. I’ll be back soon.” There’s no way I’m inviting him up to our bedroom when she’s naked.
Pale and trembling, she nods in reply.