Page 31 of Veil of Vengeance

“Anything I should know about?” I ask him as we make our way into the living room. Romiro doesn’t reply until we’re sitting on one of the couches.

“The doctors said that Dominico might be waking up sooner than they thought.”

“Any news on Thalia?”

Dominico’s wife has been in critical condition for the past two months, and it doesn’t look like she’s improving any time soon. She was already stressed about Dominico’s coma when she herself was shot by the Terranovas.

“No, man, I really hope she gets better, or Dominic will wipe out the entire Terranova clan,” he tells me.

I blow out a breath, trying to find a way to get us out of this mess. The Terranova clan ruled over a large part of New York before the Camorra swiftly disposed of most of them. They still control some important routes that we occasionally use, and we’ve been in a silent truce for the past seventy years, but Thalia had been in unchartered territory when she was injured. This is going to be a problem if we want to maintain control without stretching our resources.

Romiro continues, “We can’t afford two wars on our turf. We need to make our demand clear with the Morettis so we can get our revenge.”

Our revenge. God, it feels like everything is finally falling into place. I nod and place my elbows on my knees.

“Mara wants to go back to New York. She said she can’t keep doing online school,” Romiro says, and my nostrils flare. The reason I moved them to New Hampshire is to keep them safe. After my pop’s death, New York had gone through so much to the point it became unsafe for them to even be in our territories.

“Fuck no, not yet. We still need to establish power over New York. Everyone thinks they can fuck with us because my dad is gone,” I say. Romiro leans back and sighs.

“Listen, Eli, I understand your apprehension, but life goes on. And if they want to attack, let them, and we’ll fucking show them who the Camorra is. Besides, I’m sure everyone isn’t too keen on getting your attention, not after that day,” he says, running his hand through his hair. I grind my teeth as I let what he said seep in. Romiro rarely mentions the Fourth of July massacre. So, the fact that he’s mentioned it twice is suspicious.

“Is something going on? This is the second time you’ve mentioned the massacre in two days.” My voice comes out casual, but Romiro knows better than to think that.

“You seem on edge. You have that wild fucking look every time you talk to Valen-”

I lift my hand up to cut him off.

“Don’t mention her. Her name being said is enough to make my fucking blood boil,” I say harshly. Romiro’s face is a mask of cool indifference.

“See, you’ve got that look again. Listen, I'm just saying, the faster we can get what we want from the Morettis, the better for us.”

We’re interrupted when my ma, Valentina, and Alessia walk into the living room, still talking.

“Who said she can leave the fucking office?” I stand up, my voice full of rage.

“I did, so stop your bitching. I didn’t raise you like this.” Ma’s voice is sharp as she makes her intentions clear.

“I don’t want Valentina to go back to the cell.” She crosses her arms over her chest.

“Ma, you can’t seriously suggest she doesn’t go back to the room she was in.”

Ma narrows her eyes. “That ‘room,’ as you like to refer to it, isn’t a room. It was a cell. You know it, I know it, Romiro knows it. Everyone knows it. She’ll be staying in Mara’s wing.” Hell will freeze over before I let the enemy sleep in my house comfortably, let alone my sister’s wing.

“No. She will not.” My refusal makes Ma harden her expression, “If you insist she doesn’t go back to the cell, then she’ll stay in my wing. No one else's.”

Ma looks appalled by the suggestion, Valentina looks like she’s plotting a painful death for me, and Alessia is wide-eyed as she stares at the three of us.

“She cannot stay there. She isn’t related to you, and she isn’t married to you either. Tradition doesn’t allow for that, Emiliano. Besides, she’s engaged,” Ma argues. I shrug my shoulders at her.

“I don’t give two fucks what tradition says. If you don’t want her to go back to the cell, that’s the only option.” I can see she doesn’t like anything that I have just said, her mouth set it a line.

“Fine. I want the lock on her door to stay,” Ma concedes. My eyes widen at her agreement.

“What?” I breathe out. I feel cheated. She wasn’t meant to agree.

Ma gives me a smug smile. “You thought that I wouldn’t agree and you’d get your way. Emiliano, don't forget I was married to the Capo, your Pop. Whatever he taught you, I have seen. Don’t take me for a gullible woman.”

Great, I'm stuck with Satan’s child in my wing, and she’s plotting the best way to kill me. I’m so fucked.

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