She moves to sit between my legs. I cradle her between them and wrap my arms around her, kissing the top of her head.
“I like when we don’t think,” she murmurs as if lost in thought now.
“But?”
“No buts. I like when we don’t think. We all think too much.”
“Yeah, but that’s who we are.”
“What if we let all this go? What if we found a place and lived our lives. Fuck Riccardo, fuck this thing. He hasn’t been made, why not let it go?”
“None of us would be happy with that. We’re owed,” I say bitterly.
CHAPTER 42
He’s Ready
Lucas
Two years later…
“He’s ready,” Ava says as she runs her hand up my bare chest.
I should have known we wouldn’t get to enjoy the afterglow for long. Gio has made waves. He has the attention of everyone in America and quite a few here in Italy.
Blocking this promotion any longer is going to get his attention soon. He’s twenty-eight and some of these kids are being made for less.
This is the real reason for this trip. Riccardo is starting to turn his head back in Gio’s direction. My son is smart. He’s made his connections look as if they belong to his grandfather. That has kept him in the shadows all this time. However, his moves are becoming larger and gaining him more presence.
“I agree. I’ll go talk to my uncle.”
She sucks in a breath and sits up, still running her hand over my chest. “I was thinking. Make it all three boys. I hear there’s a problem in Brooklyn. My boys scratch his back, and the books open to all of them. Bring it up, make him aware of them. I’ll handle the rest.”
“I remember thinking you were too pretty and smart for Frances,” I murmur.
“You were right. He did me a favor.”
“I’m sure if he knew who I truly was, he wouldn’t have dared.”
“That’s always been my ace. I wanted great sons. I needed to give them a great father. You, Lucas, are Italy royalty. I don’t care what last name you go by. Your blood is your blood.”
I sit up and grab the back of her hair as I capture her lips. I want to make the most of the trip. We can talk later.
CHAPTER 43
Don Ferrari
Lucas
“Have you told him who he is yet?”
“My son’s arrogance can walk beside him. If he knew who he really was he’d flatten all of America and Italy to take everything over. No, this is best. Gio will learn who he’s connected to when the time is right.”
“Mm,” Don Ferrari nods. “This is true. I’m impressed with him. He reminds me of Michelangelo.”
“My father would be proud of him.”
“Yes, his great-grandparents would be proud.” My uncle gets a distant look in his eyes.
“Does Riccardo Esposito still believe he’s Michael Corleone?” He snorts.
“He’s still plotting against things that don’t belong to him.”
He narrows his eyes at me. “But he still doesn’t know who Gio is? Who you are?”
“He only knows of my connection to the Cipriani family. He hasn’t figured out whose son I am. No, he knows nothing.”
He nods. “I think it’s time to open the books for him. I want him untouchable. Barbieri will be out of the way soon. Then we set my great nephew loose.”
“My youngest two have put in work with their brother in the last year.”
“Ah, Rio the Butcher and Dante the Italian savage, a.k.a. Dante the inferno. I’ve heard. Do you think they have the discipline?”
“I will give them the discipline. They also look up to Gio. They’ll be fine.”
He nods. “I’ll be watching. If they prove themselves, I will open the books to them all, but Gio’s time is now.”
“Why are you doing this?”
This may be my uncle, but Riccardo felt he could come to him for a reason. I’m still not sure how much we can trust him. He did go straight to Don Giuseppe but I’m still always going to stand on the side of caution when it comes to my wife and sons.
This thing makes you question everyone. And I mean everyone.
He narrows his eyes on me. “Riccardo never does his research. He sets fires without having facts. Giuseppe and I had plans. We saw this thing would take a turn. I couldn’t have imagined the effect technology would have on earnings, but the drugs and then those RICO laws in the States in the seventies started the beginning of the end as we know it.”
He shrugs and continues. “Barbieri protects Riccardo to spite me. You stepped into this unknowingly, but you gave me the hand I needed. It will be my blood to burn it all down.”
Well, damn. I look into my uncle’s acid-burned face. I’ve seen pictures of him when he was younger. He looked as handsome as my father was. Identical twins with the looks of Roman gods.