Marcella came toward me with a puzzled look. “Why are you smiling? Did you and Dad clear things up?”
“We did, sort of, and I’m smiling because I’m thinking of taking a vacation.”
“Only if you take me with you.”
I touched her waist. “For sure.”
Luca unlocked the van and swung open the door. Peppone almost toppled out. He must have been the one banging against the door. When he spotted Luca, his face briefly lit up before he spotted me.
“Take them both down into the cell,” Luca ordered.
“Capo!” Peppone called but Luca ignored him as the two bouncers grabbed Peppone and a still unconscious Drooping-Eye and dragged them inside the Sphere.
Marcella took my hand and began to pull me inside as well. “I want to hear what they say.”
Peppone didn’t look as arrogant when he stood in the center of the cell. Luca circled him like a lion regarding its prey.
“Sit,” he ordered.
Peppone sank down on the creaking wooden chair without hesitation. Drooping-Eye groaned briefly but didn’t move apart from that.
Luca glowered down at his surviving men. “You tried to kill Maddox?”
Peppone pressed his palms together as if he was about to pray, not to a God but Luca. I leaned against the doorway, curious to see where Luca would be going with this.
“We did it for the Famiglia, Capo. He’s the enemy, having him in our rows is a risk. He’ll eventually betray us. They don’t have a loyal bone in their bodies. He’s not like us and he won’t ever be.”
His words were feverish in their conviction. I gritted my teeth, wanting to defend myself but holding back because this was Luca’s interrogation. The words Peppone said were the exact words Luca had voiced in the beginning and probably still thought.
I was sick of it. Marcella linked our hands discretely behind our backs. She still mostly avoided physical contact when her father was around.
Peppone didn’t even try to deny anything. He admitted to everything without Luca having to resort to the barest hint of torture—what a shame. I really would have loved to see Peppone suffer.
“Don’t you see that he’s our downfall? We have to get rid of him before he dishonors the Famiglia as well.”
“I hope you’re not hinting to me being dishonored, because I don’t feel the slightest bit less honorable,” Marcella said in an icy tone that did her Vitiello genes proud.
Peppone only briefly glanced her way before he faced Luca again. “Capo, we did it for you and the Famiglia.”
“My word is law. You went against a direct order from me and attacked one of ours. Maddox isn’t the enemy and I won’t allow him to be treated like one.”
I almost choked at his words. Hearing them from Luca’s lips I briefly doubted my sanity.
Luca turned to his brother. “Call the soldiers in for a meeting in the Yonkers power plant.”
Matteo nodded and went off with a twisted smile that still sent a cold shiver down my spine no matter how often I saw it. He was a crazy fucker.
Peppone shook his head frantically. “You’ll lose the support of the majority of your men if you do this!”
Luca didn’t look impressed. “The majority of my men trust my judgment, Peppone, and those who don’t will be reminded of the consequences.”
I had no clue what all of this meant.
“What’s this supposed to mean? Why a meeting in a power plant?” I asked Marcella when we walked out.
“That was where the last bloodbath in the history of the Famiglia happened. Most people are calling it Gateway to Hell because of it, and because it’s rumored to be the place where Dad likes to make his bloody statements.”
“Bloody statement, huh?”
“Yeah, he ripped the tongue of somebody out who dared to insult Mom. Tonight, he’ll publicly punish your attackers.”
Marcella gave me a small, tense smile. “Dad will make sure that this won’t happen again.” I took her hand and kissed her palm then bent down to whisper. “Maybe you know of a way to make me forget the shock and pain until then?”
Marcella rolled her eyes, but I didn’t miss the flicker of excitement in them. “Maybe.”
To my utter surprise, Luca allowed Marcella to accompany me to my apartment so I could change clothes and treat my wounds before the meeting in the Yonkers Powerplant. Luca needed to set everything up in the meantime, but he sent Matteo to take us there and probably make sure that we didn’t get up to anything naughty.
Matteo pulled into the underground garage and got out of the car.
“Come on, Matteo, you don’t have to follow us upstairs. Maddox isn’t a danger for me.”
“Oh I know. Your dad probably worries more about his wandering hands.”
Marcella blushed. “That’s ridiculous.”
“Not from the way he looks at you,” Matteo said simply.
“It’s our private matter,” Marcella said.
Matteo looked me in the eye. If he wanted me to swear that I didn’t touch Marcella he could go fuck himself. The second I was alone with Snow White, I’d touch and kiss and lick every inch of her body.