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She leaves me to last, coming to stand between my spread legs as I recline in the hard plastic seat.

“For you,” she says softly, passing me the cup.

“Thank you, my darlin’,” her face lights up at my words and I pull her onto my lap. There are no more seats available and that’s excuse enough for me.

Francesca sits on my lap, arm around my shoulders, as various capos, soldiers, and family members come to speak to me. I’m being reckless. I shouldn’t be letting them see that there is anything between us.

Elio’s stormy face a few seats away tells me that he is not happy with the situation. A part of me thinks he has no one to blame but himself. But, I understand that even if he doesn’t want the leadership or Francesca, he is embarrassed by me seeming to take them both in front of everyone.

The capos have all gone home and Peta isn’t talking to anyone. She just sits watching the door that he was taken through so many hours ago. Heartbroken and afraid that the inevitable time she will have to live without him is about to begin.

“Massi,” I beckon him over. “Take Francesca home. I’ll call you as soon as we hear anything.”

Francesca has drifted off to sleep with her head tucked into my neck. I kiss her forehead and gently wake her up.

“Come on, Ches,” Massimo holds out his hand to her. She looks at me, unsure if she should go.

“Go home, baby,” I call her ‘baby’ quietly to see the spark in her eyes again.

“Will you be okay?” She whispers to me and I nod, my heart melting at how sweet she is.

She pauses, looking into my eyes and then down at my lips. I know she wants to kiss me, but that would be pushing everyone a bit far at this point. I shake my head just slightly and press a kiss on her cheek instead.

When she walks away with my little brother my heart feels like it splits in two. Like I am watching part of it walk down that corridor. I’m in uncharted territory.

Elio is sitting on the opposite side of the corridor, a few metres away, facing me. His thunderous expression is quite clearly aimed at me and I sigh, knowing I need to deal with this.

“How’s it going, Elio?” I ask.

“Oh just fine. All fucking good, G. My Dad had a stroke, we took out four men tonight, my sister is cracking on to my fiancee, and everyone thinks I’m a fuckin’ joke,” he hisses at me, anger etching ugly lines in his handsome face. But it’s more than that; he’s sad. The misery is oozing off him like he has dropped the charm curtain and exposed the raw hurt behind it.

“Well, when you put it like that…” I joke, misreading the moment. “Sorry, not the time,” I mutter. He just directs his deadened gaze to a spot just above my head.

I try again. “Eli…I love you. You know that. You three dickheads have always been the most important people in my life. You gotta know I’m never not on your team.”

“Except when you’re taking everything from me?” he snarls.

“I’m not going to let you get away with that, brother. You don’twantto lead this family - behind the scenes or in front. I can see you hate it. And, you’ve not been able to shut up about not wanting to marry Francesca. I don’t know what is happening with us, but I do know she deserves a fuck load more respect than what you’ve shown her.”

He knows. He doesn’t want this life. Just like I don’t like the one laid out for me. But it is the hand Dad has dealt us. For whatever reason. I’m increasingly questioning his judgement on this one.

“Get fucked,” Elio replies under his breath and that is how I know I’ve won the argument.

“Here’s hoping,” I say with a wink and he can’t help but snort. He isn’t ready to concede though. He’s hurting and I’ll give him room to hurt.

Our tense cross-corridor conversation is interrupted when a nurse appears through the door Peta has been staring at.

“Family of Alessandro Marino?” she asks us even though we are the only ones here and probably the only ones in the hospital dressed like mob bosses.

“That’s us,” I stand and brush the creases out of my pants.

“Alessandro is doing well. He is awake, but very fragile. I’ll take one of you in now, but we don’t want to overwhelm him,” she gives us the good news in one rushed breath.

Everyone looks at Peta. “You go, Pete,” Matty pipes up and I give her a small smile of encouragement.

Elio and I are next to go in. We both inhale sharply when we see the frail old man in the hospital bed. This is the bloke who we never doubted could move mountains. The pillar of strength and infallibility in our lives. Age is catching up with him rapidly and even though it looks like he will pull through this time, this wise old cat is running out of lives.

“I’m not dead yet,” a quiet bark is directed at us. “Don’t fuckin’ walk in here like you’re paying respects to my corpse.”