He smiled. “You’re going to that meeting, son. And you will either convince Sienna to put you forward or make your own case. I’m going to assume it will have to be the latter.”
“Why would they even consider that? I’m not—”
“But you are,” he said sharply. “You’re a part of that family in every legal way but blood. You did fuck her, didn’t you?”
I caught myself before I flinched. “Yes.”
“Then it’s binding and legal. You are a part of that family, and since Giovanni never had sons, you’re the first option.”
“And what if Sienna puts herself forward?” I asked calmly.
Sal snorted. “A woman has never been Don in the history of the Italian mafia. Of any mafia. No one will support her.”
I wasn’t too sure about that. Sienna had grown up among her people, unlike me. I had been kept separate until it had been the right time. But Sienna had trained with her father’s men. She’d grown up with them and worked for her father the past few years, basically as another underboss right beside Mateo.
Mateo.
“What if they decide to vote in Mateo instead?”
My father smirked. “Mateo cannot be Don, no matter what.”
“And why’s that?” He was making me uneasy. I knew that look on his face. I’d seen it way too many times. That face meant he knew something I did not.
“Because Mateo is only half Italian. They wouldn’t put a mutt as Don. That much you can be sure of.”
To cover the surprise, I moved to sit in the chair in front of him. Casually, I relaxed against the back, crossing my legs. “We still have to deal with this Snake. Even if I’m elected as the next Don, they might come after me next.”
He held my gaze, darkness crossing his face. “When you’re elected Don, I will make sure that nothing will threaten your position. You can be sure of that.”
“So then let me get started now,” I pressed. “Give me some contacts, resources, anything to go after this man and take him down before I’m elected.”
My father brushed aside my words with a wave of his hand. “There’s no time. We will deal with it after. Right now, I want you to focus on your case to put before the Commission. I will be there and will support you. I’ll also push for some of our allies to support you as well, though the Rosanias have more when it comes to the Commission. It will be a battle, and I expect you to be at your best by then.”
He moved back around his desk to his chair, a clear dismissal. So, that’s how it was going to be. I knew him helping us was a long shot. I knew he would never willingly lift a goddamn finger to help any Rosania. But I thought that me being his heir would hold some sway with him. Clearly, I was dead wrong.
“Fine,” I said, moving towards the door once again, “but when the Snake becomes an even bigger problem, don’t say I didn’t try to do anything to stop it.” My reply was a risk. Those words could have gotten me killed, but I knew he wouldn’t risk handing the empire to Killian. That was probably the only reason I was able to walk out of that door alive.
I made it three steps before my mother’s hand gripped my arm, stopping me. She glanced back at the door nervously before pulling me into the library.
“Ma—”
“Shh. Here.” I felt the soft edges of a folded piece of paper as she slipped it into my hand. “You might think I don’t know anything, but I know more than I let on. This man should help you. He has contacts everywhere.”
“How do you know him?” I didn’t know how I felt about my mother getting involved with people like that.
She looked away. “Doesn’t matter. Just give him a call and tell him you’re my son.”
My son. Not Sal’s. Hers. Which meant this wasn’t one of my dad’s contacts—it was my mother’s. Tucking the paper into my pocket, I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.
“Thank you,” I said, meaning it.
“Just be safe,” she replied uneasily. “And don’t let your father know I gave that to you.”
“I won’t, I promise.”
She patted my cheek lightly before leaving the library. I knew I needed to get back to Sienna soon. She’d be wondering where I was, but there was just one more thing I had to do. Pulling out my phone, I sent a quick text. Within ten minutes, Killian’s head poked around the library door.
“You couldn’t have just walked to my room?”