Page 100 of Mafia Scars

“So, you want to be the way we were prior to that? Clean and normal. Poor?”

“Normal doesn’t mean poor.”

“It doesn’t mean filthy rich either. If feds come here investigating and whatever shit, I’ll kill every last one of them. I’m not giving this place up, and I’m not giving up my cushy way of living just because you want to be clean.”

“That’s not going to happen. I wouldn’t do it that way.”

“What way would you do it, then?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t thought that far ahead. Plus, when I say clean, I don’t mean to become some shmuck with a pea brain.”

“Luc, I get that you love this woman. But we live the way we do for a reason. We’re not cut out for a normal life. We take things into our hands. You do. You definitely do it when it comes down to it. And you’re worse than me.”

“I’m not worse than you.” I wasn’t. Claudius enjoyed power and didn’t care about killing. “I’ve made my money. I don’t need to run rackets or do the books. I don’t need to hurt people anymore.”

“So, the business, who’s gonna have it?”

I smiled at him. “Well, when Raphael goes, Amelia takes control. She doesn’t want any part of it, and neither do I, so there’s only one person I can think of who can do the job.”

Him.

“Me?” He pointed to himself as I gave him a pensive stare.

“Yes.”

“You’re serious about not wanting to run things. We both worked hard to get the damn thing.”

“Things change,” I pointed out.

I valued what Amelia had said this morning. That she trusted that I would always do what I thought was right. It seemed to be a moment of understanding. Understanding of me and that I couldn’t simply sit back and let life take whatever course it took, especially in circumstances like the one we were in.

Claudius made a good point, but as long as I had that to hold on to, I knew that she would understand my choices and actions.

That was all that mattered, right now.

The kinks we could work out later. If I got the chance.

Time to get serious.

I sat up straighter and gave my brother a good long look. I’d always thought we didn’t get on a lot of the times because sometimes he could be a prick. Truth was, we got on more often than not. We probably just acted the way most brothers behaved with our disagreements.

When it came down to needing each other, though, we were there in a heartbeat.

Always.

“Claudius.”

“No.” He shook his head.

“You don’t know what I’m going to say.” I held my hands open and shrugged.

“Face looks serious. You’re going to tell me some shit about death. Like you might not make it. I’m not gonna accept that.” He grinned.

It was like we shared the same mind. Some things didn’t need to be said. This was something I needed to talk about though.

“Claudius, if I don’t make it, I need you to take care of Amelia. Don’t let Victor get her, and don’t allow her to lose her dreams.”

“You heard me. I’m not gonna accept you not making it. Out of the question. I will, however, protect her because she’s important to you.” He nodded.