“Then it’s settled. Given your family’s background, your Captains and Underbosses are in favor of the union, I presume.”
“They follow my judgment, but arranged marriages are very popular in the Famiglia, of course.”
Arranged marriages were still popular even among the Camorrista. “Have you chosen a woman for me yet?”
Luca’s mouth tightened. “It won’t come as a surprise if I tell you that most of my Underbosses and Captains aren’t eager to send one of their daughters to the Camorra. The name Falcone has a certain reputation.”
“I’m perfectly capable of fulfilling my duties as a husband. I can provide protection, father children, and money isn’t a problem either.”
Luca grimaced. “I don’t give a fuck about that. What I want to know is if I will have to attack Vegas to save one of my cousins from you and your brothers.”
“You won’t have reason to save anyone, and even if you tried, Las Vegas is too strong for you. But I assure you, my wife won’t suffer violence.” I paused. “And must I remind you that it’s your family who upholds the tradition of bloody sheets and not ours? That forces any husband’s hand on the wedding night.”
“Some traditions can’t be overruled.”
“The question remains: Do you have someone in mind?”
Luca nodded. “One of my cousins is of marrying age. Her guardians suggested her for the union. She won’t be sad to leave the Famiglia.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Guardians? What is wrong with the girl?”
“Nothing. She’s more than capable of becoming a wife, but her father, my Uncle, was a traitor, and many people won’t let her forget it. She grew up with our Aunt Egidia.”
“A traitor’s daughter for us. Some people might consider that an insult.”
“Will your brother Remo be one of them?”
It was always hard to say with Remo, but he didn’t give a fuck about family history. “Remo judges people by their own actions, not by their parents’ wrongdoings. And she is still your cousin.”
He reached for his back pocket, and I lifted my hand to my holster.
Tension shot through Luca’s body. “Phone.” He pulled out his cell, and after a moment he turned it to me. On the screen was an image of a young woman with dark brown eyes and almost black hair but her naturally olive skin was rather pale, which suggested she didn’t leave the house very often. “This is my cousin, Kiara Vitiello. Nineteen. An honorable woman.” The last was said with a hint of warning.
“She will do,” I said.
Luca put his phone back into his back pocket. He nodded once then sighed. “Then it’s settled.”
I returned late that night to our mansion. Remo was awake as usual. He never slept more than a few hours. He got up from the sofa the moment I stepped into our game room. Savio and Adamo were busy playing a video game, some kind of race. Adamo was in lead; just like in real life, he knew how to drive a car.
“And?” There was a hint of eagerness in Remo’s voice. I wasn’t sure if he hoped Luca had disagreed after today’s meeting so we could attack the Famiglia or if he really wanted peace. Remo only ever thrived in chaos and violence.
“He suggested one of his cousins, Kiara Vitiello.”
“If her last name is Vitiello, her father must be one of Luca’s traitorous uncles.”
“You are right. Her father was killed for betraying Luca.”
“So he gives us the daughter of a traitor?” Remo asked in a low voice.
“We don’t care about these kinds of things.”
Remo threw one of his knives at one of the armchairs, and it wedged itself into the leather. There were more holes in it already. “But the Famiglia does. The arrogant asshole probably wants to send some fucking message with the marriage.”
“Perhaps Nino is meant as a punishment for her,” Savio mused as his car crashed into a wall, his brown eyes alight with what I assumed was amusement. Adamo didn’t seem to care that he won the game. He put down his controller and regarded me with a face that was probably supposed to convey boredom.
“Sometimes I think Nino is my punishment as well,” Remo said. “It makes sense that Luca would punish his cousin by giving her to Nino.”
I had considered that option as well, but Luca wasn’t the type to punish a woman like that, especially an innocent woman. “If it wasn’t for me, you would be long dead.”
Remo shrugged. “Maybe. We’ll never know.”
“So you’re really going to marry?” Adamo asked. His hair had grown too long and fell into his eyes so he had to push it back constantly. Unlike me, he never put it in a ponytail or styled it back.
“I am.”
“But you haven’t even met the woman. What if you can’t stand her?” Adamo asked.
Savio rolled his eyes. “Could you sound any more like a pussy? You really need to get fucked.”