Page 42

A breeze carries away the faint hint of cherry tobacco, a scent impressed upon my mind as that of my father. His life and legacy live on in our hearts and through our actions. Dominic is our leader now, and all of us know he was the right choice. Things are running more smoothly with him at the helm. Dad’s medical issues prevented him from being the leader he wanted to be.
“So the wedding…” Dom says. “You’re running security?” He puffs on his cigar and eyes me. The bright red cherry of flame burns brightly and then fades as he lowers it from his lips.
“Yeah…I'll be handling security,” I reply, taking another drag from my cigar. “We've got a lot of high-profile guests attending. We can't afford any slip-ups.”
“You know your stuff, that's for sure.” He nods and takes another puff from his cigar. “I'm glad you're on the job. No one else could do it better."
His compliment strokes my ego. Not like I need an ego stroke, but it's good to know my leader has confidence in me, and it's good to know my brother is proud, even if he didn't exactly say those words.
"And the war?" I ask, knowing it's not over.
Dom's brow furrows and he takes a long drag from his cigar before setting it down in the ashtray Bianca purchased so we don't leave cigar and cigarette butts out here. He looks away, off into the distance, as if lost in thought.
"The war is far from over," he says matter-of-factly. "We are still outnumbered and outgunned. But we will prevail. We have to." His voice is filled with determination as he speaks, and I can see the fire in his eyes as he stares off into the horizon, brooding.
My mind drifts away from the conversation as I ponder my own thoughts. I think about how far we have come and the challenges that lie ahead. I remember all of the people who have died in this war for territory and prominence, and those who are still fighting for their lives. And then I think of the women who have come into my life, the ones who have taken our hardened hearts and made them soft. They have given us a sense of purpose and understanding that was never there before, and it is because of them that we continue to fight with strength and resilience.
"It's quiet now, but when they get organized, they'll come with vengeance." Dominic's cigar ash blows in the wind and he turns so it doesn't catch on his jacket. The valley between his eyebrows is deep, worn in by years of hard-earned wisdom and experience.
"We'll be ready," I say, knowing that we will never give up until the war is won.
He nods and takes a final puff from his cigar before extinguishing it in the ashtray.
"The Italians will never give up," he says. "They have a thirst for blood and a persistence that is unmatched."
I agree with him, knowing that the Italians will never stop until they have achieved their goal. They are relentless in their pursuit of victory, and no matter how bloody things get, they won't back down.
My concern is for Bianca, but I will protect her with my life. She is the one person I can't bear to see hurt or taken away. She has become my rock, the light at the end of the tunnel, and having her in my life has made me a better man.
"What will we do when they strike?" I ask, knowing that the war is far from over.
Dom takes a deep breath and looks me in the eye. "We fight," he says simply.
Behind us we hear the door open. I turn to see Bianca there, happiness in her eyes. Dominic sighs and slaps my arm. "I'll see you inside."
He turns and walks towards the door, leaving me alone with Bianca. She smiles as she approaches me, her eyes twinkling in the moonlight.
"I'm glad I found you," she says, wrapping her arms around my waist. "I've been thinking about you all day."
I smile and pull her close, taking in the smell of her hair and the warmth of her body.
"How are you feeling?" I ask, my voice gentle yet concerned. She looks up at me, her eyes filled with worry.
"I'm scared," she admits softly. "I'm worried about my brothers finding me."
I tighten my arms around her and look into her eyes. "They'll never touch you or a hair on our child's head," I reassure her. "We'll protect you with everything we have, and together we'll make sure you're safe."
She looks up at me, tears in her eyes, and I pull her close and kiss the top of her head. She buries herself in my chest and I can feel the fear radiating off of her.
"Nothing will ever come between us," I whisper into her ear. "No matter what happens, we'll always be here for each other."
Bianca sniffles and takes a deep breath before she looks back up at me with determination in her eyes. "We'll make it through this," she says firmly, a newfound strength in her voice as she speaks.
I smile down at her and nod. "Yes, we will," I agree.
We both know that the battles ahead won't be easy, but with the strength of our love and the support of each other, we'll make it through. We may have lost some battles already, but there are still plenty more and if we fight together, side by side, there is no doubt in my mind we'll win them all.
"Let's go inside." I nudge her and she pulls away and takes my hand.
Bianca's strength and determination is inspiring. She may have been scared at first, but she has a courage that I've never seen before. She is a force to be reckoned with, a warrior in her own right, and I am proud to stand beside her.
"Ah there they are!" Nanette greets us and says, "Lunch is ready. Let's go eat!"
I take Bianca's hand and walk toward the dining room. Dominic is right. The war is far from over and the next battle will be our fiercest yet. They'll come in strong, but we will be stronger, because we are Bratva, and the Gusev name can't be tarnished.
"Coming..." Bianca calls.
Now, to make sure her brothers stay away and our business keeps booming.