Page 216 of Bitter Poetry

I grin.

Leon shrugs. “I told him to go fuck himself.”

Blunt.“And how did he take that?”

Leon returns my grin. “About as well as you’d expect. He said if we sent his brother and their men home, we would be free to leave the country, that he wouldn’t pursue us so long as we never set foot on American soil again.”

“Magnanimous of him.”

“Yeah, I thought so too. There was a time when I thought I might have been able to build something with Edoardo, but, you know, there’s something’s off about him. I don’t trust him any more than I trusted Ettore.”

“You think he knew what Ettore did?”

“I told him that I had evidence Ettore orchestrated the hit on Cedro’s wife. He did a poor job of faking surprise. He hung up when I explained that couriers had delivered evidence to all the capos.”

“I agree. It sounds like he already knew. He was probably straight on to them, checking if you were bluffing, and then trying to put a spin on it when he realized you weren’t.”

“The fight is about to get dirty,” Leon says. “We’ve just carved a large chunk out of an empire and declared it ours. There will be retaliation. But, fuck it. We’re ready… How was Christian? And Carmela?”

“Christian was sleeping when I left. But we both know him, and he will bounce back. Carmela was wearing her guilt like armor. But she has her sister and Cedro with her. I’m sure they have a lot to talk about. Her father has a lot of self-recrimination, too.”

His eyes turn distant. “We’ve all got some regrets to work through. But I don’t regret that this brought matters to a head. Sure, it might have gone better. But it could’ve gone a hell of a lot worse. The capos have the evidence and can decide for themselves. That Cedro is with us will lend weight to our case. We handle most of the money laundering. Without us, their cash flow will come under significant pressure. That will work in our favor. Still, the family is fractured. I don’t underestimate the task ahead of us.”

There are a lot of permutations of how this could play out.

All of them carry risks.

“At least it’s an open fight,” I say.

“It is,” he agrees. “And, finally, Christian is where he belongs, at our side.”

When I return to the house, it’s the early hours of the morning.

Cedro is waiting for me.

I’m not in the mood for this conversation. I want to check on my brother and Carmela, but I sense he won’t let me brush him off.

My update is succinct. This is not his show anymore, but I’m in love with his daughter, and out of respect for that and his former role as don, I give him this much.

“I want Ettore.”

“Oh, no, Cedro,” I say, a warning in my voice. “You don’t get to make demands.” I already have plans in regard to Ettore, so fuck Cedro. He can wait for news like everyone else. “Make no mistakes, Leon is my don in every way that matters. Not you.”

His eyes glisten.

He nods. “You’ve changed, Dante.”

Undoubtedly, I have.

“I want to be there when you kill him.”

A tired smile finds my lips. “You are very pushy.”

His return smile is rueful. “I was used to being a don in my previous life. Sometimes a little of that slips through… Will you ask Leon for me?”

“I will.”

“You’re only doing it because I’m the father of the woman you love, but I appreciate it either way… At least I presume that’s why, and you still have feelings for Carmela?”