Gio sighed and released me. “We will be out there shortly, Salvatore.”
Sal nodded and left, closing the door behind him.
“Who could it be?” I asked as Gio went to the dresser and reached for his gun, watching as he placed it behind his back. Turning to me, he simply said, “My guess? The head of the Capribella Family.”
“Dario?”
Gio shook his head. “No. The real power behind the family. Come,” he added, extending his hand for me to take. Placing my hand in his, we both walked out into the living room.
I stopped dead in my tracks as I stared at a ghost.
30
Giovanni
I knew many things being an Italian and head of a vast family, and the main thing…nothing was as it seemed. So, when I walked out of the bedroom with Layla and saw Don Victor Alonzo Capribella sitting on the couch, surrounded by several members of his family, including Carmine and Dario, I grinned. “You honor me, Don Victor. Thank you for seeing me.”
“Don Giovanni,” the old man said, his eyes solely focused on Layla. I said nothing as he continued to stare at her, and when his eyes watered, he whispered, “You look so much like my Giovanna. Come here, child. Let me see you better.”
Layla looked at me, and I nodded.
Releasing her, I stayed where I was as she walked over to the old man and sat next to him. Nothing was said for several minutes as Layla and Victor looked at each other. Then again, I didn’t expect Victor to say much. He was a man of action, not words, so when his frail hand reached up and cupped Layla’s face, I moved forward a step.
“You can relax, Giovanni. I will not hurt my great-granddaughter.”
When he said those words, I quickly looked at my brothers and Dwayne, who were all smiling.
“If I had knownBella. I would have done everything in my power to protect you. You are all I have left. My preciousBambina.”
“I thought you were dead,” Layla whispered as a tear fell down her cheek.
Victor smirked, “Not when I have you to live for.”
“But the paper?”
“Lies,Bambina. All lies,” Victor said, taking her hand in his as he turned to look at me. “You have brought myfamigliahome to me, Giovanni. For that alone, you have your alliance. What do you need from me?”
All the air fled my lungs.
Taking a deep breath, I absorbed his words as an enormous weight had been lifted from my shoulders. Everything, years of bloodshed, was over. Our families were at peace. We could now come home. My mother could visit the land of her birth. I could finally see the land my ancestors worked, touch the very soil they walked upon.
I was finally home.
My brothers and cousins hugged each other, elated that the feud was over. Everything my father worked for was finally done.
I took a seat across from them and tried to hold in my emotions. I had worked so hard to fulfill my father's wishes, trying everything I could to end this feud, and thanks to the beautiful woman sitting next to Victor, I had finally achieved my greatest dream.
We had peace at last.
“With your permission, I would very much love to marry your great-granddaughter.”
Victor smirked as I saw a twinkle in his eye, “If this was solely my decision, I wouldn’t give you the time of day. I know nothing about you, but alas, this isn’t up to me,” he said, then turned to Layla. “The decision is yours,Bambina. Do you want to marry this young man who has caused your family years of trouble?”
Layla laughed and looked at me as I rolled my eyes. Don Victor may have put an end to the feud, but he wasn’t above placing blame, and the funny thing was, I was okay with that. If he wanted to blame me for my family’s part in the feud, then let him blame away as long as I got Layla.
Of course, when Layla narrowed her eyes and grinned wickedly, I stilled. “Well, Gio can be a bit bossy at times.”
I growled, “Keep it up,Tesoro,and you’ll see how bossy I can get.”