Page 135

The air suddenly grows even more tense. Paul looks around anxiously and several men begin to fidget. Even Elio swallows slowly and nervously.

“Tradition is important to our family and we are all committed to protecting our way of life, but… not all change is bad,” Giovanna begins confidently.

“My father will have told all of you how I was his right-hand girl growing up. Most of you will have seen it. He has probably told you all that had I been born with a dick between my legs I would be the perfect heir.”

A few men nod and chuckle.

I snort loudly and give my daughter a wry smile.

“But, I don’t have a dick so the role fell to my younger brother Elio. My brother is brilliant, intelligent, and a legal genius…but he is not the right person to lead theFamiglia,” a collective sharp intake of breath can be heard, but Elio looks passively on.

“He does not want to be our don. We have discussed this and he has decided to step aside for me to take over… I was born to do this. You all know it. We need stability as we move into this next phase and I bring stability. You are our leaders, our family. I invite you to speak up now if you have any objections.”

There is a small pause and then struggling out of my chair to stand, I face Elio, Giovanna, and Matteo.

“You have my support,” I say, a slight crack in my voice. “You are right, you have always been the perfect heir. Though that does leave us with the problem of needing a Rossi to be married to you…”

“I’ll marry a Rossi, Dad,” Giovanna grins, knowing that everyone is trying to figure out how that will work, but there is a slight challenge in her voice. “Francesca has agreed to marry me. We will go ahead with the wedding in three weeks.”

There is a hush and then Fat Tony roars with laughter. My heart leaps into my throat, but his laugh doesn’t sound menacing.

My eyes dart around each of the faces around the table. Some seem amused, others are pensive, and a couple look angry.

“We are good Catholics, Giovanna…I suspect if God can forgive what you are about to do to David, and the many things like it we havealldone, he can cope with you having a wife,” Fat Tony jokes, breaking the ice and causing several of the capos to join in his laughter.

“Thank fuck for that,” bellows Champ Brown, slapping his thigh.

“God love you, son,” he says to Elio, “but you had us worried!”

Elio has a grin plastered on his face and it brings a smile to mine. Maybe my boy will shine now that he isn’t the square peg in the round hole.

Chapter Sixty-Two

Francesca

I spent just over a week in the hospital after I woke up. Plenty of time for the Marinos to track down Uncle David. They didn’t have to do a lot of actual tracking. A few days after the shooting, Elio received a call from Allegra’s brother Tommaso. He is taking over more and more of the Melbourne business from Alberto.

Tommaso informed Elio that David had shown up back in Melbourne and was seeking protection from Alberto. He invited the Marinos to come and collect the “piece of shit” because the Romano Famiglia had no place for him.

The Romanos wanted to make it very clear that they had no hand in the actions of either Stefan Rossi or David Rossi. Incidentally, there has still been no sign of Allegra and her children.

It is difficult to know whether Sydney or Melbourne should be accountable for the actions of the two Rossi men. They were after all the brother and son of Paul,consigliereof Sydney, despite having worked for the Romano family most recently.

In the end, the Marinos and the Romanos agreed to a handover of David and to call it even.

When I left the hospital today I was given firm instructions to take it easy and give my body a chance to heal. But, for the next few hours, I am more focused on a different kind of healing. The kind that often gets called ‘closure,’ but I am not afraid to call vengeance.

As promised, after carting him back from Melbourne two days ago, Giovanna held David under the warehouse until I was well enough to leave the hospital.

I thought she would put up more of a fight when I demanded to be there to witness his execution, but I think my explanation convinced her.

Ineedto see him die, but even more, I needhimto know I am there witnessing his death.

Naturally, my wife-to-be isn’t particularly thrilled that I will see her killing…again, but she won’t let anyone else do it either. She swore that she would kill him if he harmed me again and she is a woman of her word.

She slept each night at the hospital with me. At first, she attempted to sleep in a chair next to my bed as she had done when I was unconscious, but I eventually convinced her to get up on my narrow bed so I could sleep with my head on her chest. I’m sure she barely got any sleep, but she was stoic about it.

I was anxious about seeing Elio, but when he visited me in the hospital he was relieved as I am that we aren’t getting married. He seems genuinely happy for me and thrilled that he can get back to being a Casanova without the unfortunate baggage of having a fiancee.