Reign of Pride

by A. G. Kirkham

  “I have no wish to have alliances with this family. They do business like savages. Morettis do not do business like that,” Marco declares.

  “My final stipulation,” I uncover my main point, “is that I want a marriage between our families to bond us forever. Viale and Moretti as a union. This is tradition going back to our ancestors to marry between families for peace, and both you and I believe in tradition.”

  “I will not give you Grazia,” Don Moretti says.

  “Please, no offense. Grazia is a lovely girl, however, I am looking for someone more mature. My only concerns are that she be a strong member of La Famiglia over the age of twenty-five and of average attraction,” I state openly.

  Nero pipes in, “Most of our women marry before the age of twenty-one. What you are asking may have some limitations.”

  “The only girl I can even think of is Giorgio’s sister,” Luciano says, shaking his head.

  “Reno would never agree to Anna,” Marco replies.

  “Why not? Is she ugly, bedridden, previously married with children?” I ask.

  “None of those,” says Nero. “She is shy, quiet. Not into clothes, makeup, just a bookworm. She’s a schoolteacher for God’s sake.” He shakes his head in disbelief.

  “Is her father adverse to her marrying?” I inquire.

  “No. However, Anna is very introverted. I’ve met her many times and I think she is a sweet girl, she’s just not chic or elegant. She’s plain,” Nero says.

  “I would like to have a picture of this Anna sent to me. I will also like one of my men to follow her for a few days to gather my own information to see if she would fit my needs for a wife. At that point, we will continue our conversation on this matter. If Anna proves sufficient, we move forward, if not, we will continue to expend our efforts in finding someone suitable,” I state.

  “This is your word, Reno. This truce,” La Famiglia Don states.

  “Absolutely,” I say while Sebastian hands over a document with the upcoming shipments I would like to move through their territory. “Once these shipments come through, we are at peace. However, the marriage must take place in three months.”

  Nero and Marco pore over the document before Marco assures me that this would not be an issue, tucking it into his breast pocket.

  “Nero, would you like to go wake your wife while Marco and I enjoy a brandy for our union?” I query.

  “Yes, I look forward to working alongside of you, Reno. You have shown us respect and honor and I will remember this,” Nero says as he makes his way to the door.

  Nero gets his wife and I will have mine.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Home Is Where You Are

  Nero

  * * *

  I approach my wife, immediately noticing the bandage on her temple and the bruise beneath it. I touch her cheek. “Dolce.”

  “Nero?” she asks, eyes still closed.

  “I’m here, baby.” I touch her hand and hold it gently before I kiss her cheek.

  “I didn’t tell them anything.”

  I pick her up. “Shh, dolce. You were very brave.”

  “They killed Dario. Your uncle and another man—they shot him. I fought as hard as I could.”

  “It’s okay, baby. Dario’s alive. He’s not out of the woods yet, but Livio found him and got him taken care of.” I turn toward the door. I need to get my wife out of here and to our doctor for a check-up before I’ll stop worrying about her safety.

  She grips my arm. “I have to tell you—”

  “Later, baby”

  “No, now,” she insists.

  I look down at her. “What is it, dolce?”

  “I need to tell you—I, um… I don’t expect you to say anything back, but after what happened, I really need to tell you—” She bites her lower lip.

  “What, dolce?” I want to murder the men who caused this pain I see in her eyes.

  “I love you, Nero. If I’d died today, my only regret would’ve been not telling you that I’ve fallen in love with you.”

  My heart fills with happiness. I believed Felicia was having the same feelings for me, but it is so much better to hear the words. I softly touch my lips to hers, not wanting to hurt her further. “I love you, too,” I whisper against her lips. “My whole life I knew I would marry for the Famiglia. I knew my destiny and yet you came into my life and I knew then that you were meant for me. I would have waited an eternity for you to love me as I love you. Now, let’s get you home.”

  “Amate did this to me,” she confirms.

  “I know, my love, and he will pay with his life,” I tell her. I help her to her feet, but she’s unsteady. That damn concussion—Amate will suffer before I kill him. “I’ll carry you to the car.”

  “No. I’ll walk. Morettis are strong and I will walk to the car.”

  I link her arm in mine and guide her to the door. All the men at the table stand as Felicia and I approach.

  “Felicia, it has been a pleasure to have you with us. I wish it were under better circumstances,” Reno says.

  “Thank you for your kindness. You have been a charitable host and I am very lucky that I fell into the hands of gentlemen. Sebastian and Dante, thank you for the tea.” Felicia quirks her lips in a shy smile. She then turns to my father. “I’m so sorry for any inconvenience I have caused, sir,”

  “Felicia, these men will pay for the pain they have caused you. I vow that they will suffer greatly,” my father says, glaring at Felicia’s wound. “Luciano, will you take Felicia to the car?”

  I don’t want to let her go. I just got her back, but we must seal the deal. We wait until Felicia is safely in the car, and Luciano hides her view by standing in front of the car window.

  Reno hands over the letter with the names of the garbage we need to take care of.

  “I am sorry to say that the first person on the list is family,” Reno reveals.

  “I know. Felicia told me about Amate,” I acknowledge.

  “I’m afraid he is just a pawn. Yes, he deserves death, but the instigator will be a blow to you, Marco, and for that I am sorry.” Reno turns his attention to my father.

  My father rips open the letter. His face drops, then a menacing cold ruminates around the room. I look at my father waiting for his words, but, instead, he hands me the paper.

  I read it, finding it challenging to maintain my calm demeanor, however, the moment I get back, there will be no place for them to hide.

  “Reno, I will ensure that our pact is honored. I will send you a picture of Anna in the next day and if you let me know when to expect your man, we will treat him as family as he does his research,” my father states. “I choose my son to take the cut, Reno, since he will be the next Don and you will both reign longer than my life. Does this suit you?” he asks.

  “Your word is Nero’s word,” Reno replies.

  Reno and I remove our jackets and roll up our sleeves. I pick up the blade and make a cross on my forearm, then hand the blade to Reno, who does the same. “I bleed with you,” I say.

  Reno repeats, “I bleed with you.”.

  A few moments later, we are back in the car, my father in the front, Luciano driving, and me in the back with Felicia at my side. Where she is always going to stay from now on.

  Reno’s brothers lead the way out of their territory. My father is quietly seething in the front seat. He’s been texting up a storm but says nothing with Felicia in the car. She doesn’t need to be subjected to this aspect of our life, and it is one of the reasons I love and respect him. He has always stayed true to my mother and has ensured that nothing touches our women. The breach of trust exhibited by this list of names is unforgiveable.

  My phone chimes for an incoming text. My father’s does as well. His eyes meet mine in the rear-view mirror. Reno has sent the recording electronically. Once again proving his seriousness for this truce.

  As much as I want to look at it, I will wait until I’m alone before hearing it because I don’t know tha
t I’ll be able to control my reaction.

  We all climb out of the car, to find Enrico and his wife Mariana waiting for us at the door. They must have come back from their trip and was told of Felicia’s disappearance. Mariana wretches a handkerchief in her hand with trembling lips, eyes welding in tears. Enrico rushes to help my father from the car, then opens the door for me. I can see his relief at seeing Felicia, then see his eyes turn to stone as he sees her bandaged face. One of the many reasons Enrico is with me is his ethics and moral fibre to La Famiglia.

  As we near the entrance, Mariana embraces Felicia.

  “I’m okay.” Felicia hugs her back.

  Mariana pulls back to analyze the damage, still holding her hands.

  “I promise you; I am good,” Felicia repeats.

  “I will make you something to eat. I will make you Stracciatella soup,” she announces then runs to the kitchen, probably so we won’t see her cry.

  “I know you need to rest, Felicia, but I need to get your account of what happened today,” Father says to her as he leads us to my den.

  I take Felicia’s hand, guiding the way.

  She sits on the small sofa and I take my place beside her while Dad sits opposite us in the armchair.

  “Can you tell me what happened?” Father asks.

  “Dario and I were running. I needed to rest for a minute and then I heard a shot. Dario lunged for me but he was hit. I dropped beside him to see if he was okay, but—” she takes a breath. “It was horrible. He was bleeding and I couldn’t stop it.” Tears well in her eyes. “Then someone grabbed me from behind. I tried to get away, kicking and scratching whatever I could, but he was too strong. And then someone hit me on the head.” She rubs her head. “They said I was a casualty of war and was going to wish I were dead.”

  “Felicia, I know that I am asking a lot of you, but I need to know their exact words.” Father wants to hear it from Felicia. He needs to hear this from her lips. “Do you remember what they said, exactly?”

  Felicia raises her eyes to mine. “They told Reno to rape me.” Her lips tremble. “Then to… whore me out to his men.” A tear runs down her cheek. “Then they wanted me to call you while I begged for death. But I wasn’t going to let them do that. I’d already decided I would take my own life before I did that to you,” she said, gripping my hand. “They wanted to have me sent me back in pieces.”

  I tighten my arm around her waist and hold her hand tighter. “They will pay,” I say, my jaw clenched tight to stop from shouting.

  “What about Reno? Did he treat you right?”

  “He was tough in front of Amate and the others but had me moved to that little room almost immediately. Then he came to talk to me and explained what he was going to do so I wasn’t frightened. Then the doctor arrived and took care of me and they gave me tea and asked me if I wanted to eat. I couldn’t eat because I knew I couldn’t keep it down; my head was pounding so badly. Reno kept his word. He said I would be safe and returned to Nero by the end of day, and here I am,” Felicia recounts.

  “Amate said these words to you?” Father wants confirmation.

  “Yes, sir. I’m sorry,” Felicia quiets her voice.

  “You have nothing to be sorry about. I promise you that they shall suffer greatly. I am the one who is sorry. This should never have happened,” my father says. “I want you to know that you will always be protected from this moment forth, and I will see to it that this family is realigned to understand my wrath.” Father stands and says to Luciano, “Take me home.” He then nods to me. “You look after your wife today. I will prepare for tomorrow. I will have them all at the Stable by noon. I will see you then.”

  I nod then walk my father and Luciano out.

  “Don Moretti,” Luciano interjects, “As you know, Corrado is awake and has confirmed Sal’s part in this plot. He has also asked to be present during the inquest. And since he almost gave his life for us, I would like to ask on his behalf that he should be allowed to face his attacker.”

  “He will not be able to participate because of his injuries, I presume?”

  “Right. He just would like to see the attack avenged.” Luciano replies.

  “Then he shall be allowed.” My father takes care of his own. “I have texted Mario on our way back, and he, Teresa, and Emiliano want to see Felicia. Let them come for dinner to put their minds at rest. She needs her family at this time.”

  “I agree.” Although I want her to myself, I realize that today is not about me.

  I return to the den once they are gone and tell Mariana we are having guests for dinner then head into our bedroom to finally have the chance to hug my wife the way I want to.

  The way I need to.

  * * *

  “I knew you would come for me. I love you, Nero,” she says, more tears brimming in her eyes.

  “I was lost here without you. I lost my cool. Luciano had to reel me back in. My home is where you are, my love. I may not be demonstrative in public, but I need you to never doubt my feelings for you.” I stroke her back.

  “My home is here,” she says as she lays her cheek onto my shoulder.

  Tonight, we will celebrate her return with her family. Tomorrow, we begin the cleanup.

  Chapter Nineteen

  You Are Not My Family

  Nero

  * * *

  The cleanup crew is doing their work. And there is much work to do. Blood splatters across the walls, floor, and even the ceiling. Luciano drives my father and I back to my apartment on the other side of town from the Stable. Father has been silent for the better part of the drive. Today, he’d lost a man he’d respected and who had been with him for years. He’d lost an underboss and brother-in-law, weak-minded and terrible in his role, but family. And if this was not enough, he’d lost his only sister.

  The main traitor through this entire time was Zia Silvia, spurring on her easily swayed husband and secret lover, Sal. My father is hurting, yet no one would know. Now he and I must keep the burden of this secret from my mother and Grazia. Being a Don and keeping his family clean of the business is exhausting and I can see the haunted expression in his eyes.

  We shower and put on clean clothes before heading back to our families. I pull out a bottle of scotch, my father’s favorite, and pour a glass while Luciano finishes up in the bathroom.

  “She begged me to forgive her and give her a chance to redeem herself,” Father states. But he’d been out of his mind with anger and had said, menacingly, “You are not my family.”

  I knew he couldn’t forgive her. It was his sister, his blood, but the Famiglia comes first. You cannot commit a crime as grave as this and expect it to be swept aside. “You did what you thought was best.”

  “As a child, she was the same. Always wanted more, asked for more, took it, even if it wasn’t given. Stole from my pile of sweets to suit her needs. I thought that, once she was married, she would understand that family was everything. That family should be her future, and she would change. Instead, she plotted against me, against you and your rightful place as our future Don. She took an innocent woman and condemned her to torture and certain death,” he says. “As a child, I overlooked her maliciousness, but as the leader of our Famiglia, I will not. Today, I have proven that our family will look after our own and will punish anyone who betrays us. I showed her mercy by killing her with a bullet to the brain. She did not suffer, but that was all the mercy I could give her.” My father is ferocious and unyielding with his words, yet I know this must be tearing him apart inside. “That woman was not my family. And probably never wanted to be.”

  “Amate’s greatest suffering was from Dario. He was very brutal today with his knife,” I recall. Dario had wanted to be the one to have the final blow against my uncle, and so, he’d sliced him time and time again, having him bleed out slowly and painfully. Each carving of the blade had wrung a guttural cry for mercy from my uncle… and then, finally, for death. Amate had pissed off the wrong man when he’d left Dario f
or dead. Plus, Dario is still carrying the burden of failing Felicia while he’d been on duty. And even though I forgave him, he has not yet forgiven himself.

  “It was nothing less than what he deserved,” Father spouts.

  Luciano re-enters the room and pours himself a drink, then drops onto the seat beside me.

  “A toast to the new underboss.” Father raises his glass.

  I follow suit. “To our new underboss.”

  “I will do you proud, sir,” Luciano avows “I’m sorry it had to come about this way.”

  “Sal had wrapped his noose around Amate’s neck and was slowly pulling it tight, but Amate didn’t even notice. He was a poor excuse for a leader, and I am sorry I let Silvia convince me he would change. I can’t believe she was fucking that slimy loser—and that he’d do whatever she said.”

  “He got his, sir,” Luciano says.

  “He had every bone broken and the fucker had the nerve to tell me that if Reno hadn’t deceived them, my wife would be servicing him and he would’ve asked for the right to plunge the first blade into her.” My blood races at the memory of his venomous description of how he wanted to disgrace my wife and then gut her. I ended up cutting his dick off and feeding it to him as he’d bled out. “How does it taste, fucker?” I asked as I watched the life drain from his eyes.

  I’m not sure who enjoyed the show more, me or Corrado. I saw the gleam in his eye with each crack of Sal’s bones. Corrado had asked why Sal had killed his friends and partners. Sal had sneered and said it was no great loss to La Famiglia, and he was only sorry he hadn’t made sure Corrado was dead, too. If Corrado had been more mobile I would’ve let him inflict his own vengeance.

  Mario had held his temper in check even when Sal had spoken of Felicia—but he’d spat on Sal’s corpse as he’d left. Mario left to attend to the police and the “home invasion” that took the life of a couple who had a guest over for dinner. That’s the story that will be told. The bodies will be disposed of and the funeral will be a closed casket as the assailants were merciless.