“Why?”
“Because they know William Doherty raped Giovanna Lucia Capribella, the only child of Victor Alonzo Capribella, Don of the Capribella Family. She soon found out she was pregnant. Against her family, she had the baby. Angelo Sebastian Capribella was born on December 25th, 1969, in Sardinia, Italy. Everything was good after Angelo was born. The family doted on him, loved him. However, when William Doherty learned he had another son, well, that’s when shit went sideways. William Doherty had Giovanna murdered, and his own son kidnapped. For years the Capribella family searched for clues to the boy's whereabouts. They are still looking for the man who killed Giovanna and whoever took her son. There is an open bounty, a very sizable bounty to anyone who has any information. The family has vowed to eradicate any and all family associated with her death and Angelo’s kidnapping.”
“We had nothing to do with that,” Salvatore stated, looking at his brother, who just stared at me from across the room.
“I know that, and you know that, but the Capribella’s don’t. You see, over the years, they’ve been hunting. Searching for anything on what really happened, but when they centered their search on the man who raped Giovanna, that’s when they got their first lead. They tried unsuccessfully to apprehend Angelo, now known as Diablo, but when they tried, Diablo killed them. He didn’t know that he had killed his own family that day. When he learned the truth, it sent him into a tailspin and on a path of revenge that has lasted decades. Now the family wants Angelo disposed of because if he is ever linked back to Capribella Family, it would be bad for business.”
“That still doesn’t tell me why I am in danger,” Gio asked.
I sighed, shook my head, and pointed to Player and Massacre. “It’s because of these two.”
“What did we do?” Massacre asked, confused.
“When you left your family years ago and joined the Golden Skulls, the Capribella Family believes that your father, Gio, helped in the murder of Giovanna and the abduction of her son to the Golden Skulls. Your family is nothing more than innocent bystanders in this Giovanni. Still, with no fault of their own, because Player and Massacre joined the Golden Skulls, the Capribella Family believes that your family is a part of this whole mess.”
“What?” Player gasped, looking to Gio.
“Fucking hell,” Massacre cursed as he took a seat.
“We didn’t know any of this. We left the family for different reasons. It had nothing to do with the Capribella’s. I swear.” Player added, pleading with Gio to believe him. I could see it clearly on his face that he was sincere, and just looking at Gio, I knew he believed his cousin too. This was all a big misunderstanding, and now it would cause death and destruction to both families, the Valentinetti’s and the Golden Skulls.
Gio turned to Luciano and said, “Call Marko. Tell him to pull his brother now.”
Luciano ran from the room, doing what Giovanni ordered.
“Pull who?” Player asked.
“Giorgio Simonetti. Marko’s half-brother.”
“He’s just a kid,” Massacre said, slowly getting to his feet. “Where is he?”
“He’s a member of your club. I had to keep tabs on you somehow. Giorgio volunteered.”
“What did you do, Gio?” Player gasped.
“There is no one from our family in the club but us. I would know,” Massacre stated, looking at Player.
“He was just a skinny thing when you both left. I was worried. Giorgio changed a lot after you left. He offered to go. Sal and I helped him change his appearance. When he left, he looked nothing like the skinny kid you would remember.”
“Who is he? What’s his road name,” Massacre growled, getting in Gio’s face.
“Axel.”
“Holy fuck!” Player shouted right before Massacre punched Giovanni in the face. “He’s a kid. Our cousin! And you sent him into the lion’s den. You stupid mother fucker!”
“Oh God,” Player whispered, collapsing into a chair. “Gio. You don’t know what you’ve done. If Reaper finds out, Giorgio is dead. He will kill him.”
Salvatore, Antonio, and Lorenzo rushed to help Gio, who wasn’t fighting Massacre. He was letting his cousin beat him. Why? What did he have to atone for? It wasn’t like him to not fight back. Yet, it was over before it started, as Salvatore had Massacre pinned against the wall while Lorenzo and Antonio cared for their brother.
“Let him go, Sal. He has every right.”
“He could have killed you!” Salvatore shouted.
“But he didn’t. He was pulling his punches.”
“The fuck I was, asshole!” Massacre shouted vehemently.
This was getting out of hand. Stepping forward, I said, “We don’t have time for this. The Golden Skulls are about to raid a compound in Louisiana come sunrise. They need your help. Do you still want an alliance with the club? Because now is your chance. Help Reaper save Matrix’s son, and he will be beholden to you.”