21. Anna
Anna
A tall dark haired but graying man walks into the waiting room.
Saint closes the door behind him and returns to his post outside.
The man’s jeans and the tucked in Henley have clearly seen some traveling days, but those eyes and those features, so sharp and alert and much like Vincenzo’s and Nicolo’s.
Vincent Nicoli DeLuca is a man who men in the criminal underworld have talked about for years. I can remember hearing about his power, greed, and ruthlessness as a young teenager when Papa thought Sophia and I had long gone to sleep.
He doesn’t look nervous as he strides toward us but instead determined. Lanah stands and walks to her father and his arms fold around her. “My precious little girl,” he says, stroking her long dark hair. “I missed you.”
She looks up at her father with glossy eyes. This day has been emotional for everyone but the men of the DeLuca family are far better at covering up their feelings than Lanah. “I missed you too.”
He keeps his arm around his daughter as he approaches the table.
Vincenzo stands and gives his father a brief hug.
“It’s good to have you back,” he says, gesturing to his chair as a sign of respect to his father.
Vincent shakes his head and instead walks around the table as his other three sons stand to greet their estranged papa.
Nicolo gives him the same clap on the back hug that Vincenzo did, while Agosto and Gianni give him a more traditional hug.
He takes the empty seat in between Agosto and Gianni, and gestures for Vincenzo to take his seat back.
“When can we see Ma?” he asks.
I clear my throat. “It’s going to be a while. She just got out of surgery for a complication but she’s doing well now. The team will let us know when we can go back in to see her.”
He looks to Vincenzo. It’s the first time I’ve seen him look anything but cool. “You’ve seen that she’s okay for yourself, right son?”
Vincenzo nods. “The surgeon gave us an update not long ago and I personally walked down to make sure she was recovering. She was sleeping like an angel. They want her to rest, Pa. This is why we employ the best of the best.”
He nods, the anxiety in his face residing. “This is why you’re now the boss, my son. I can trust that this family is in good hands.”
“Thank you. We all take care of each other. It’s how it works.”
DeLuca’s head is nodding but his eyes are focused on me, more specifically on my hand which Vincenzo has taken into his own. “You must be the lovely Anna Cassone that I’ve been hearing so much about.”
Vincenzo clears his throat. “Actually, Pa meet Anna DeLuca, your new daughter-in-law. We were just married.”
If DeLuca senior is surprised, he covers it well with a knowing smile.
“I see you’ve had the wedding without me.
My apologies for missing your special day.
I knew from the time my son told me about you that you would be coming into the family fold in the near future.
Vincenzo is not known for letting the grass grow around his feet. Welcome to the family, Anna.”
Never in a million years did I ever think Vincenzo’s elders would agree to a marriage much less have his father outright welcome me as though it was the best thing that ever happened to his son or their family. “Thank you, sir. That means a lot coming from you.”
Vincenzo takes my hand beneath the table and strokes one finger against the length of my palm. “It means a lot to both of us.”
Nicolo’s dark eyes meet his father’s. “What happened?”
The elder DeLuca nods. “Time to come clean with the family. I knew the day would come. I was just hoping it would be under better circumstances when I could come back and see you again. Not something like this.”
Agosto moves the plastic lid from his soda cup with his fingers on the table. “We’d all like to know what happened, Pops.”
He sighs. I guess it’s time. “When I went back to Italy to meet with the elders, they told me about a skirmish between some of our cousins and another family headed by Salvini Massini.
They had set up a meetup between the two and asked me to attend as one of the representatives from our family.
It went well, at least I thought it did.
Three days later I was out in the vineyard with one of your uncles and all the soldiers below us by the gates started yelling and putting shots up in the air.
We had our pieces and took cover in the trees making it one length at a time to get down there.
Our soldiers were on top of things and there wasn’t an enemy standing when we got to the gates. ”
Nicolo’s eyes are wide. “They had the fucking audacity to hit Uncle’s place in broad daylight? Did they not know they would be massacred?”
His father gives a slow nod. “Exactly son. It was orchestrated. Someone sent those boys in with a vengeance knowing they wouldn’t be coming out alive. They wanted nothing but blood on my hands.”
Gianni’s eyes narrow. “I’m not tracking here.”
“The fuckers wanted a piece here in the states. Of course, Salvini Massini always wanted whatever I had, always since a little boy. No matter they had plenty, it was never enough for him. After I married your mother, just something he didn’t have that I did.
He was now in a position to push for the elders sending some of his family into our territory.
“He didn’t get what he wanted and slapped back by bringing a war to our family’s door intentionally.
He was smart this time though. He had already aligned with one of our family’s allies in the old country.
His ask was simple. My life or grant him the right to move into our territory in the United States which would have put our entire family here in war.
“Our family didn’t get to be where we are by not out sneaking the foxes though.
Your uncles had a plan and it worked. We went into the battle and when he shot me in the vest, let him think I died with blood packs and the whole works.
” He laughs at the memory but not one of his sons or his daughter is laughing at all.
Nicolo takes a sip of his coffee. “So where is this bastard now? Why let him live and you have to go into hiding? That’s bullshit.”
Vincent DeLuca takes his son’s wrath in stride. “It’s complicated, it had to be dealt with one piece at a time in order not to push away the family’s largest allies in Italy. You do that and you don’t ever get it back, capisce?”
Vincenzo understands this, as do I. I’ve heard it from my pappa’s mouth so many times. Allies make the deadliest enemies if they turn. Vincenzo meets his father’s gaze. “Are you going after him?”
“I waited until the elders got things straightened out with our allies, but I waited too long. Something spooked him and sent him underground. I’ve been on his tail for almost a year, but it’s like a ghost chasing a ghost. We both have many loyals all willing to give us what we need to stay in hiding. ”
As soon as I know your mom is out of the woods and I’ve had a chance to let her know I’m alive, I’m going to need to head out.
I hate like hell not being able to spend more time with any of you, but if I get caught before I catch that bastard it’s not going to be good for the family.
I’m going to slip out the first chance I get, but once I tie up loose ends and know that fucker is not a threat to my family, I’ll be home for good.
If I don’t end him and he finds out I’m alive, all hell breaks loose when he demands to come stateside. ”
Saint opens the waiting room door to allow the surgeon entry. “Sir, your mother, she’s awake and asking for her family.”