Dante held out his hand and Leonas handed the gun back to him with a proud smile. Dante ruffled his head then stood. “Now go to the dining room.”
Leonas rushed out, grinning as if this had been the most fun game. I closed the door for privacy.
“He’s too young,” I whispered harshly.
Dante loaded the gun calmly then put it into one of his holsters. He shook his head. “If the attack proved anything, then that no one is safe. Not even children. We can’t coddle Leonas. He needs to learn what’s necessary to survive in this world.”
“Why? You and your soldiers are here for his protection. Anna and I aren’t wielding guns either.” For which I was glad. I hated them, even if they were a necessary evil in our world. Yet, I didn’t want Anna to have to carry one, not even now. Even with a gun, she wouldn’t stand a chance against someone like Remo because she lacked what those men had: no scruples and cruelty.
“Because I need to prepare Leonas in case I ever don’t return to all of you.”
I took a step back. “Don’t plan your death, Dante. We’re trying to have a third baby and you’re considering dying? What am I supposed to do without you? And what about the Outfit? They’ll be thrown into chaos. Who’d lead them if not you?”
Dante came toward me and pulled me against him, but I didn’t soften. I was angry and scared. “Val, I don’t intend to die any time soon, but death lurks at every corner. I need to prepare Leonas so he could take over at a young age.” Seeing my horrified look, he kissed me gently. “Not now, not in five years, but I want him to be strong and ready to lead the Outfit once he comes of age.”
“Could you have led the Outfit at only eighteen?”
“Maybe. Not the same way I do now. I would have made mistakes but I would have learned from them. Hell, I’m still making mistakes, even age doesn’t protect you from error.”
I shook my head. “He’s just a boy.”
“He’s the future Capo of the Outfit. He can’t afford to be a little boy.”
I closed my eyes, pressing my forehead against Dante’s suit. “When… when will you induct him?”
Dante touched my head and pressed a kiss to my hair. “At twelve.”
I shuddered. “How will you prepare him? How will you make him strong?” I opened my eyes, searching Dante’s face. His blond brows pulled together. “He’ll learn to fight. We have our fight centers for a reason. He’ll fight with older boys who won’t take pity on him. He’ll learn to shoot. Eventually he’ll have to be present at interrogations… at killings.”
“You won’t torture him to make him strong,” I said firmly.
“I won’t torture him.”
I pulled Dante’s head down to me and kissed him desperately.Samuel and Pietro looked horrible. Dark shadows spread under their eyes. Pietro had started smoking again. A habit he’d abandoned for Ines.
I joined Pietro outside on the patio. He stared up at the sky, blowing smoke out. “When you first told me about Falcone’s demand, I would have agreed without hesitation. I’m still not convinced I’d say no if I were face to face with him.”
“He won’t give her back to us even if we promise him Minneapolis. He knows it can’t work. A territory can’t be gifted. It has to be conquered with sheer brutality. He’d have to kill every Made Man in your city to really own it. Remo is someone who wants to conquer. He’d never accept a territory that he didn’t bleed for. This is his game, Pietro.”
Pietro took another deep pull from the cigarette then threw it to the ground and stepped on it. “I swore to Ines I’d never start smoking again. She didn’t even comment when I did. Seeing Ines suffer… fuck, this is torture.”When I talked to Remo next time, my suspicions were confirmed. Despite his played disappointment over my refusal to answer to his demand, eagerness rang in his voice. He had more planned. He loved his audience’s reaction more than the game itself. Maybe he’d lose interest in his game and Serafina if we didn’t play the game by his rules, if we acted level headed.
We didn’t have many other options at this point.
Samuel approached me a couple of days after the call, and I could tell from his expression that he hadn’t accepted my decision like Danilo and Pietro had. “Can we talk?” he asked, an edge to his voice.
“Of course,” I said and followed him toward my make-shift office in a former guest bedroom. Now that I had to do most of my business from Minneapolis and not Chicago, I needed an office. I’d returned to Chicago only twice since Serafina’s kidnapping. Val, too, mainly stayed in Minneapolis with the kids to support Ines.