by K. L. Myers
From Past To Present
Vicci Crime Family Series
K.L. Myers
Contents
1. Gabriel
2. Angelo
3. Gabriel
4. Angelo
5. Gabriel
6. Gabriel
7. Angelo
8. Gabriel
9. Gabriel
10. Angelo
11. Bethany
12. Lincoln
13. Angelo
14. Victoria
15. Gabriel
16. Victoria
17. Victoria
18. Gabriel
19. Victoria
20. Gabriel
21. Angelo
22. Gabriel
23. Victoria
24. Gabriel
THANK YOU
About the Author
Other Books By K.L. Myers
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Copyright © 2020 by K.L. Myers.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the authors’ imaginations. Any resemblance to actual persons, things, living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental.
Editor: Julia Goda – Diamond In The Rough Editing
Proofreading by: Autumn Blevins Proofing
Cover Designer: JM Walker – Just Write Creations
Formatter: Heidi Jo Bellus - Small Town Girl Formatting
1
Gabriel
I stood in the doorway of the spare room in Angelo’s home and watched as my daughter slept in Jefferson’s arms. He’d fallen asleep reclined against the headboard with Giovanna tucked in nicely beside him, her head resting against his chest and his arms tightly wrapped around her. She was sleeping peacefully despite her split lip and bruised face, and it hit me how differently tonight could have gone if Jefferson hadn’t been here.
I’d had my doubts about whether the boy would ever become a soldier for the family. After all, he hadn’t grown up as part of the Vicci or Rizzuto family. I applauded Angelo and Bethany’s choice to shelter him. Hell, if it had been me and I’d had the opportunity to leave the family for a good woman, I’m sure I’d have done the same. But tonight, Jefferson proved that you don’t have to be of blood to be a Vicci soldier. I inwardly chuckled and wished I’d been there to see him pull the trigger earlier, though part of me preferred he’d have never learned to use a gun. The father in me had always prayed Giovanna would find someone outside of this lifestyle, not within the family, and get far away from the possibility that she’d be collateral damage one day because of who I am and what I do.
There had been a chance oh so many years ago that I could have lived an everyday life. I’d been in love with a sweet girl, one not born into the Cosa Nostra. After high school, we’d dreamed about leaving New York and envisioned ourselves living somewhere like Arizona or Texas, where going to college would open doors for me far away from the Vicci family. That all changed the night my father died. In the days that followed, Mr. Vicci and Mr. Rizzuto vowed to my mother to take care of me. Mom had been fighting cancer for months, and the treatments weren’t working. I knew her days were coming to an end, and all my mother could think about was what would happen to me when she passed. She made both men promise that they’d keep me out of the system, and they graciously did. Little did I know that having both men watch out for me meant the end of my life with the girl I had been in love with, and the end of my chance of not following in my father’s footsteps as a soldier to the family.
Protect her with your life, Jefferson, I thought to myself as I turned and made my way down the stairs and out to the backyard. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out the pack of cigarettes that I’d been craving all night. I opened the box, plucked one out, and placed it between my lips before opening the lid of my Zippo and running my thumb down the rotating barrel. A few sparks later, my lungs filled with smoke, and I closed my eyes as I savored the instant gratification the nicotine provided. With a snap, the lid on the lighter shut, and I held it in my hand. It had belonged to my father, the silver scratched, and the intricate scrolls were now worn, showing its age. It was the one reminder that my father was always with me.
I pulled out a chair as I tossed the cigarette pack and lighter onto the table before me and relished in the silence—the calm before the storm. Everything would change soon. There would be a price to pay for killing one of our own, and the Mancini family would soon want revenge for the bloodshed down by the docks. Francis’s greed had started a war that wasn’t going to end well for one family, and if Angelo or myself had anything to say about it, the Viccis would be the victors.
The smell of smoke lingered in the air with every exhale. Before long, I’d consumed three cigarettes in a matter of minutes. It was odd for me to chain smoke, and I wasn’t sure why tonight, of all nights, I couldn’t seem to quench the craving within me.
“Are you trying to die from cancer?” Angelo’s voice startled me.
Laughing out loud, I responded, “Unfortunately, I’m certain I’ll die from lead poisoning before cancer.”
Angelo’s brows drew tight briefly before he smiled and spoke. “Let us pray neither of us dies from a bullet, my friend.”
We sat in silence for a bit as I watched Angelo stare off into the distance. I knew the wheels were turning in his head as he contemplated our next steps. After a few minutes, he spoke.
“We’re pretty fucked right now.”
“I think that is an understatement,” I replied
“We can’t trust Francis; he needs to be our main focus moving forward. Until he is no longer in power, we can’t rely upon anyone other than those who were loyal to Mister Vicci and my father.”
Angelo was right; with Francis still in control, he had power, which needed to change quickly. Right now, we had the upper hand, but that wouldn’t last long unless we acted swiftly.
“Great, you’re talking about a handful of men, Angelo.”
“I’m talking about a handful of men here, but he doesn’t control the high seat. That, my friend, will always remain in Sicily, and I have their support and blessing to do what is necessary. Francis crossed the line when he got involved with Mancini; anything to do with drugs or trafficking is taboo for the Vicci family.”
Angelo was right. The Vicci family never dabbled in drugs and refused to be part of anything that involved trafficking. Our family wasn’t above murder, extortion, gambling, loan sharking, or even racketeering, though. Things were so different twenty years ago—there were rules everyone played by, and if you didn’t, you had to answer to the commission. Thank the FBI for fucking that shit up. Now, each family was out for their own, and they didn’t care whose feet they stepped on.
“Do you ever think things were simpler when there was a commission of the families?”
“Not simpler, my friend, just accountable. But here’s the thing: the Vicci family may not be obliged to the other families in New York, but we are answerable to the council, and Francis seems to have forgotten that.”
And that is where Angelo’s leverage came into play. A family member of blood led the Vicci family council back in Sicily. All Vicci crime family branches had to account for their discretions to Dominick Vicci, regardless of
location. Angelo was the only member of the United States branches that had blood relations. His blood gave him power, within reason, since he wasn’t officially the head of the family in New York. But that would soon change.
2
Angelo
“Our families are not safe, Gabriel. Until we deal with Francis, everyone will be a target of his revenge for what we’ve done tonight.”
I knew the minute we stepped foot into the Mancini family warehouse on Dock Nine that I’d sealed my fate with Francis. One Capo, Carmine Simonetti, and nine soldiers expected we’d show up with the missing drugs. I tried rationally to explain to Carmine that Francis had played him, that he’d been the one to steal their drugs. The Capo for the Mancini family didn’t give two shits about why Francis double-crossed him; all he wanted was his drugs back and, of course, Francis’s head on a platter for betraying him personally.
“You listen to me, you cocksucker,” Carmine spit out. “You bring me Francis’s dead body, or I’ll come and sever your motherfucking head. Right after I kill your wife and children. Capisce?”
Simonetti knew what he was asking of me, and he had no right to ask it. Not without the blessing of Anthony Mancini. Yes, the commission ended back in the eighties. It would have taken approval from all five families’ heads before someone could kill a boss during that time. But no Capo had the right to request what he had. If he wanted Francis dead, he needed to do it himself.
“You know you have no power to ask that of me, but I will allow you to accomplish your request without retribution from the Vicci family for Francis’s murder.”
I left out the part about coming for his firstborn and those of the other Capos once I was in charge. I’d told Anthony if I ever caught his family moving drugs through our borough, I’d end the life of each of the firstborn children to the Mancini Capos. I didn’t care if Anthony had no idea that Carmine had done such a thing. He was ultimately responsible for keeping his men in check.
“Tomorrow at eight a.m., I’ll ensure Francis is at Scopo Cucina Seminterrato. You’ll have one chance while he is on the street. After that, once inside, he’ll know I’m aware that he was behind the drugs, and I cannot promise what will happen from there.” I turned to walk away but stopped and looked back. “One chance, Carmine, to take your revenge. Make it happen, or you will not get the chance again.”
Now I sat on my back patio with Gabriel, not sure if I was going to be able to keep my promises. “You know Francis will be questioning why he hasn’t heard from Switch or Lefty yet.”
“I know. I’ve been expecting to see more soldiers any time now. I’m sure he would have dispatched several already, unless his plan wasn’t to kill Giovanna or Jefferson but to hold them hostage if we survived the meeting with Simonetti. He may not be expecting to hear from those dumb fucks for some time, especially if they were to transport the kids to another location.”
Gabriel was more than likely correct. We still had time to swing this situation in our favor. “It’s time to have a little chat with Switch. I think we offer him his life for information.”
“Angelo, we can’t trust him. His loyalty lies with Francis.”
“No, my friend, we need to convince him that his loyalty belongs to the Vicci family and not to just one person, and I know just how to do that.”
It didn’t take long for Switch to flip. Gabriel was right. He sold out within minutes, and his lack of loyalty, though working in our favor, disgusted me. However, I’d deal with that issue once Francis was no longer a concern. It was time for me to make the call to get the ball rolling for tomorrow morning.
“Angelo?” I heard the surprise in Francis’s voice when he answered his phone.
“Francis, I need your help. Someone has taken Jefferson and Giovanna. Gabriel and I returned home to a mess. Someone got the jump on Remi and Nicco, and the kids are gone.”
“Tell me how I can help, my boy.” It outraged me that he called me his boy. If the situation were different, I’d have welcomed the term of endearment; now, it was patronizing. “Whatever you need the family will provide. You’ve taken care of the family for years, and now, the family will take care of you.”
You have no idea of what family is, what loyalty means, I thought to myself but kept my words silent. “Thank you, Francis. Can we meet tomorrow morning at eight a.m. at Scopo? It’s the only place I feel is safe; I can’t trust anyone but you right now. Someone knew I wouldn’t be here tonight to protect my family.”
“We can meet tonight, Angelo.”
“No, tonight I’ve got to settle my wife down and reassure her everything will be fine. Me leaving again will just upset her more, and I cannot deal with that.”
“Understood. See you tomorrow.”
I turned to Nicco and Remi. “It’s time for us to plan. Gabriel and I will meet you in the training building in ten minutes.” I watched as both men walked out the back door. Once the door closed behind them, I turned to Gabriel. “I don’t trust Carmine. I’ll need you to be close by in case he gets greedy and decides to kill me as well. If that happens, you end his life immediately. Do you understand me?”
3
Gabriel
Life as I now knew it would change tomorrow. Angelo would take his rightful place as the boss of the family. Something he should have taken when his father passed, but I understood why he didn’t. He believed he could live a normal life, one without family involvement. Even I knew back then that it wouldn’t last. The family controls everything, and I’m living proof.
My father was a soldier for Anthony Rizzuto, and Mr. Rizzuto was one of the most feared Capos, second to Francesco Vicci. Gino DeBrizzi ran the family back then, only because Mr. Vicci had been too young to take the role when his father had passed. But everyone knew that one day, Francesco would be in charge. Angelo and I had been in our teens then and well on our way to fulfilling our destiny.
When we both turned thirteen, we started getting our street education. By the time we were seventeen, the family had us collecting insurance payments and running errands. We spoke when we were told to and kept our mouths shut when instructed. Because both Angelo and I were large for our ages, it wasn’t long before our orders came, to hurt people who didn’t pay came.
Then one fateful day, two men walked into Scopo and opened fire. When my father heard the first bullet fly, he sprung from the table, drawing his gun, ready to defend the family. Angelo and I took cover at Mr. Rizzuto’s order, and that’s when it happened. My father took a bullet to the head and dropped to the floor in front of me. Everything had been playing in slow motion until that moment, but once my father died, it seemed that everything was on fast forward. The two gunmen lay on the floor, dead along with Mr. DeBrizzi and my father.
And just like that, Francesco Vicci became the head of the family, and my fate was sealed. I’d grow to be a soldier for the family as well. The only consolation was that Angelo would be there right beside me. Together, we were like pasta and meatballs. You didn’t get one without the other. Angelo came to be known as Mietitore, aka The Reaper, and I became Panzy. Those who didn’t know me thought it was because I was weak. Little did they know it was just short for Panzica.
Brooklyn was Vicci territory, and everyone respected Mr. Vicci. Sundays at Sopo’s was family time. When I say family time, it meant time when the community could come to see Mr. Vicci, and if you were lucky enough to get an appointment, whatever you needed, he’d provide for you. He was their risolutore di problem, and they adored him for it.
Sopo’s was my Achilles heel, though. Twice in my life, I’d been devastated while sitting in that restaurant. The first was the time my father died. The next was the day Mr. Rizzuto and Mr. Vicci told me to end my relationship with Victoria Devecchio. Angelo and I had been sitting at a table near the front door of the restaurant. Mr. Rizzuto had come out of the banquet room and took a seat at our table.
“Son, take a walk and let me speak with Gabriel.” Without question, Angelo stood and left,
leaving me alone with his father. It was odd that he’d want to speak to me only. Rarely did an order come from the family that didn’t include both Angelo and me. “Gabriel,” he said as he looked at the table across the way where Victoria sat with her mother having dinner. “I know you’ve become quite fond of the Devecchio girl; Angelo says things are getting serious between the two of you.”
“Yes, sir. I’m in love with her.”
“You’ve become a second son to me, Gabriel, so it pains me to have to tell you this. The family can no longer condone your relationship with Victoria. It would be best if you ended it.”
His words hurt more than the day I lost my father. Victoria was the one good thing in my life after my father passed. She stood beside me and helped me through my pain, even at her mother’s request to stay away from me.
“But sir, I’m in love with her. She could be the one; I’m almost sure of it. When I think about my future, she’s in it.”
“Gabriel, I’m not asking. It is an order from Mr. Vicci. You have until the end of the week. Enjoy the time you have left, but you must end it, or the events that follow will not please you. Do you understand me?”
I pushed away from the table, but Mr. Rizzuto’s hand grasped my wrist before I could stand. “Gabriel, do you understand?”
I glanced over at Victoria and caught her looking at me. Her face was that of an angel, sweet and innocent. She smiled briefly at me before turning back to face her mother. My eyes narrowed and filled with hatred for the first time at my quasi-father before I spoke. “I understand.”
