He nodded, then his gaze moved over each of us. “We’re on the brink of another war with the Vitales. If we don’t work with them, this city will turn into a bloodbath again. And that’s bad for business.” His dark eyes hardened around the edges as he spoke. “I want to avoid that this time. I’m getting too old for this shit. My sons are too old not to be married. So we need to settle the beef with the Vitales.”
“Fuck, no,” Angelo growled. “Carlo Vitale is the one who gave me this fucking scar.” He pointed at his right cheek. “I say we kill that whole fucking family. Wipe them off the map.”
Stefan grunted in agreement. “Fuck the Vitales.”
Dad pointed his finger at them. “You better shut your mouths until I’m done speaking.”
“Sorry, Papa,” Angelo muttered.
“Mi dispiace,” Stefan added.
“Paulie and I sat down with the Vitales last night,” Dad continued. “We’ve come to an agreement that benefits our families.” Then his eyes shifted to me. “Nico will marry Vittoria Vitale.”
The air drained from my lungs.
What the fuck?
Me?
The bastard son.
Before I could speak, Paulie Amato entered the room and shut the door behind him. He was my father’sconsigliereand had been for the past twenty years.
But it was time for a new regime.
My dad motioned for Paulie to take the chair next to Dante. “I was just telling my sons about our idea.” Dad scratched the stubble along his jaw. “It’s a solid plan.”
“The only plan,” Paulie agreed. “Vincenzo Vitale can’t find anyone to marry Vittoria. So he’s getting desperate.”
“Because she looks like a fucking witch,” Dante shot back. “She’s hideous.Bruttissima.” He turned in his chair, his eyes flicking to me with one of his signature smirks on his smug fucking face. “Perfect for Nico.”
I ran my knuckles over my chin and looked at my asshole brother. “Vaffanculo, stronzo.”
“Basta,” Dad shouted. “No fighting. We have to come together as a family.”
“I’ll do whatever you need, Papa.”
I sought his approval for my entire life and needed him to accept me. So whatever he asked of me, I did it without question. So if he wanted me to marry the ugly duckling of the Vitale family, I would do it.
What choice do I have?
Dad nodded. “You always do the right thing, Nico.”
I needed to hear that.
And I hated it.
“Bravo cane,” Angelo muttered in Italian.
Good dog.
I gritted my teeth, holding my tongue in front of our dad. He didn’t like when we spoke out of turn in his office.
“The marriage is not a done deal. But it’s a possibility.” Dad tipped his head at the door and flung out his hand. “Go, I have business to discuss with Paulie.”
When my father issued an order, we followed it. We finished our glasses and left them on the bar on our way out of the room. My brothers didn’t look at me, let alone speak.
Business as usual.