Waiting to see if anyone can outbid me, I say, “When we expose you, you are out of the oligarchy,” and with that I see no one in the room nodding.
“End it now,” I demand to end future excuses. I’m done negotiating and he knows it.
He nods to the auctioneer to accept the bid and raises my hand to declare me the winner.
All eyes are on us as the bidding stops.
Luciano and I agree on a price that is palpable to him. It’s enough to make things right with us, and he’ll have plenty of euros to line his pockets. He knows that if he fucks up again, his family is dead.
Applause erupts in the otherwise silent room. A faint whisper of, “it’s the highest bid ever made,” buzzes around the room. I’m relieved to have beat out all the competition salivating over the gorgeous picture of my future bride.
“Is that what you are after? Access to the oligarchy?” Luciano asks as his grey eyes meet mine for the first time.
“Partially.”
“If I turn my seat over to you, questions would be raised and an inspection demanded of all of our dealings, yours and mine.”
“It could also prove to be deadly if you don’t comply.” My voice is low but no less commanding, and I smile at the men in the room as we lower our arms.
“Are we even?” he asks to close out our negotiations.
“Not by a long shot. But the money from the auction should make you right with my family, you made some money, and Valentina will have a life of luxury. But if there are more problems, there will be consequences.”
He turns and we shake hands, his are as cold and lifeless as a dead fish.
I must say, it’s a weird way to meet my future father-in-law.
“I assume you’ll muscle into my decisions and information from the twelve,” he says, the quiver in his voice giving away his nervousness.
“Perhaps, but it’s a small price to pay in order to spare your only son’s life, isn’t it?”
“He has nothing to do with it,” he barks as if to warn me off his son; a few men look our way.
“We’re done here,” I say, handing him a card. “My attorney will work with yours and we’ll put this to bed before midnight. Otherwise, you and Giovi won’t see another sunrise.”
He pauses like a mouse standing in a trap that guarantees death. He understands the painful process in which his son would have died: slowly, tortured, and without Luciano’s fix, his wife’s future is in jeopardy as well as his daughter’s.
Human nature predicts he takes the path that guarantees life for both his children. This doesn’t have to play out like a Greek tragedy.
“Fine,” he growls. “As you wish. I only request that Valentina gets to have one last Christmas at home.”
“Fine, deliver her in January, at Dante Micheli’s wedding.” And I almost laugh at how ironic it would be with two ‘brides’ in the same room. “But I don’t want her to know about me, I’ll tell her myself. You can tell her she’s going to be wed in the new year.”
It’s getting late so we move towards the front of the room where the lighting is better. Only now do I notice the lines and dark circles around Luciano’s eyes and, for a split second, I believe he might be telling the truth about the missing contraband.
But rule number one is, everyone lies. Until he’s proven where the corruption is and who’s accountable, I’m still taking him as a liar and following my rules.
I’m the victor tonight. Luciano is no longer the cocky, confident Sicilian. He will recover by morning, but this is one moment he’ll never forget.
As I make my exit, I stare his man in the eye, knowing they want to pounce but have no choice but to stand down.
Slipping upstairs, I find Savio in the main room. The music has stopped and it’s our cue to leave before the intermission ends and the pomp and circumstance begins.
“What’s up?” Savio inquires with wide eyes.
“We made a deal. I was the highest bidder, and Valentina is to be my bride. There’s no way I was going to let that thug with the tattoos on his neck outbid me. Valentina has until January to join me. In the meantime, Luciano can get his house in order. If not, it won’t be pretty.”
“Ouch,” he says, flinching. “Still, he’s a lucky man.”