Page 40 of Forbidden Pregnancy (The Buffalo Italian Mob Family #2)

Acknowledging his age brings more tears to Leandro’s eyes than acknowledging my father’s murder. I don’t bother affirming Leandro’s old age, especially since I’m hoping to get married today rather than pissing him off.

“I respect your wisdom, uncle.”

“Good,” he says. “And you trust that I would never make inappropriate demands?”

I nod, but mostly because I don’t have a fucking idea what he means.

“I’ve had a long time to think,” he says. “I want to step down from my role but… I worry. About you and Luigi. About the rest of them.”

“I can assure you, uncle… I won’t have cause to step out of line today. If you accept my humblest–”

Leandro raises a flattened palm to stop me from talking. I suspend my sentence.

“You were vicious,” he says. “Calloused. Cruel. You took your father’s life, Michael. Do you understand what that means?”

Our eyes meet and this time, I don’t know what Leandro’s thinking at all. This meeting doesn’t feel like it’s a punishment, but that in itself strikes me as suspicious. This murder has made me far too paranoid.

“I’m willing to accept the consequences of my actions to keep my family safe.”

“And how far does that family extend in your books?” Leandro asks. “Would you kill me to protect that woman?”

I can’t bury my frustrations, even if keeping silent might be in my best interests.

“She’s not ‘that woman’,” I respond. “She’s the mother of my child and the most important woman in my life. I have loved Myra for over a decade. I never stopped loving her. If my father killed her…”

Leandro’s hand rests on my shoulder and it worries me that his touch is strangely comforting. Am I that comfortable with my fate? If I die, Luigi swears he will carry out my wishes for Myra and our daughter. She will always be safe. Always…

“Myra will be safe,” he says. “It’s my life I worry about, Michael.”

What does he mean?

“I want you to work as my underboss.”

“Do you have another point, uncle?”

“No,” he says. “You make hard choices better than my son. I want you loyal… and that comes by extending you a taste of my power. Direct ownership over your fathers shares in our joint company, control over protection costs for five neighborhoods in South Buffalo, and an apartment complex downtown with its own project management.”

I quickly crunch the numbers.

“That would increase my net worth by millions.”

“Yes.”

“Why wouldn’t you keep that wealth in the family?”

“You are family, Michael. I loved your father. I will always love him. But my boys are dark little cocoa beans.”

I can’t tell if the comment is racist or not, but I certainly would never call somebody mixed race a little cocoa bean.

Uncle’s heart is in the right place and he’s offering me a life that I never dared to dream of.

I always assumed he would choose his son as his right hand.

Leandro puts his arm over my shoulder, drawing me close to him.

“I can’t have a man who would kill them sharing wine and bread with me. I would have preferred Luigi to respect my wishes, but now that the babies are here… it’s different.”

“I understand.”

“Make sure that you do,” he says. “Luigi may need your guidance one day. It’s important to protect your family and to let the world know your protection will be ruthless.”

It hits me – why the offer is so good. I’m right to have some suspicions.

“I don’t have a choice, do I?”

“Correct,” Leandro says, moving away from me and smiling.

This will make my position in the mob more dangerous. In some ways, Myra might be more vulnerable. This is the trade off I’ll have to make.

“I accept your offer, uncle.”

He takes my hand in an old-fashioned handshake.

“Good luck, Michael. If this is the girl you’re willing to fight for, I trust your judgment. From what I’ve heard, she’s a smart cookie and a good girl.”

“Yes.”

“We’ll meet after the honeymoon and talk business.”

He hugs me and kisses me on the cheek. “You’re more like your father than you realize,” he says. “Don’t let his bad traits screw up your memories.”

“I won’t.”

A few minutes after Leandro leaves, I have another visitor. I’m out of alcohol, so I don’t mind seeing someone who owes me walking through the door.

“You smell like liquor. Mint?” CC reaches into her tiny bag for three white mints, which I eagerly stuff into my mouth.

“Thanks.”

“Myra is totally freaking out. She wants me to check on you.”

“I’m fine and I don’t need to be checked on.”

“That’s what I said,” CC says. “You don’t look bad. For a grumpy monster with one eye.”

“Careful.”

“Fine,” CC says, rolling her eyes. “You look good.”

I grunt and give CC a once over. She looks a lot cleaner than I’ve ever seen her. Seeing CC wearing something other than sweatpants, dungarees or weird trendy clothing makes this wedding seem more real.

The clock in my dressing room seems to go slower than regular time.

I need to see Myra. I have no interest in an Italian Catholic wedding.

It’s just what my mother wants for me and I owe her this last wish.

She believes the cops’ public story about what happened to dad, so her grief over losing my father has been genuine.

I hurt her badly enough with what I’ve done, the least I could do is put up with a Catholic mafia wedding. The priest, Father Barzini, performs all the masses for our family.

“Is the priest here?”

“Yes,” CC says, approaching me and straightening my tie. “You’re almost ready to marry my former tutor… all thanks to me.”

“Remorse would be a more appropriate response.”

“I’m sorry I hurt Myra,” CC says. “Don’t get me wrong. But I always wanted her to be a part of my family.”

“You’re very strange.”

“Whose fault is that?” CC asks, her face falling momentarily. “It doesn’t matter. I came here to tell you something. I can’t let you get married without telling you.”

“That’s worrying.”

CC pulls away and sighs as if she had to work up courage to get to this moment. I wait for her to unveil whatever future problem she plans on causing for me.

“It won’t be,” she says. “I’m going to Canada.”

“Are you?”

“I got into McGill’s business program. I thought I wanted to use this degree to escape but… I want to come back when it’s all done.”

“You’re welcome to come home anytime, CC. I’m proud of you.”

Tears well up in her eyes, but CC holds back. I sense more of a request coming, and I wait for her to speak up. I have always done whatever I could for this woman – as difficult as she might be.

“Would you help me with the costs, Michael? I can pay you back when I come home, and I never thought I could ask dad for help but… I want to be more than a sex slave sold to benefit the mob. I’m smart and I want to prove that.”

“I have never doubted your intelligence.”

“Thank you.”

“And… I don’t approve of what you did to Myra, but I will help you with your studies. I’ll have my terms and conditions, but I’m sure you’ll find them reasonable.”

CC squeals and wraps her arms around me, nearly knocking the wind out of me as she clings to me.

“THANK YOU!”

“I need to breathe, Cosima.”

“THANK YOU!” she says. “I’ll have the highest GPA in the whole school, I promise. I’ll never get drunk… I’ll come home every month for the weekend… I’ll do whatever you want.”

“Stop hugging me.”

CC slowly releases me, grinning from ear to ear.

“Will you really do it?”

“If you never hug me like that again… yes.”

We both smile at each other.

“Will you look after Myra while I’m gone?” she asks.

“Yes. Obviously. She’s my wife. ”

“Almost,” CC says. “I’ll let everyone know you’re ready.”

And I am. Ready to get married. Ready to spend the rest of my life with Myra. Ready to take on this new position as Leandro’s underboss.