Page 98 of Where Dark Hearts Devour
Augie Zanotti isn’t really my uncle, but he’s as good as family.
“You too, my boy. How long are you home for?”
I follow him into the house. “I’m leaving today. I just wanted to pay my respects before I go.”
He turns to me with a frown. “You’re not staying?”
“No. That was never the plan,Zio. Savero has everything under control, and I have businesses to get back to.”
He stops mid-stride and pins me with a serious look. “You think Savero has everything under control?”
I shrug. “Yes. Why?”
Augie’s eyes narrow. “Who’s his underboss?”
“Nicolò. He’s a good capo.”
“Not good enough.”
I’m surprised at the roughness of his tone.
“What about you?” I ask. “We haven’t seen you around since Father died.”
“No ...” He turns and continues walking, and I follow him into the living room. He waves a finger at a servant before we both sit. “Your father and I agreed I would continue as underboss, but only if ...”
His pause makes me look up.
“Only if what?”
“If you were to succeed him as don.”
I blink, confused. “That would never happen. I’m the second son—that was never my destiny.”
Augie closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose. “It would have been, if Gianni had moved faster.”
“I’m not following.”
Augie sighs and lifts his gaze. He looks suddenly tired. “Your father wantedyouto succeed him, Cristiano, not your brother.”
My head thumps as if it’s in a vise. “What? Why?”
“He didn’t think Savero was ready to lead.”
I shake my head slowly. “He’s far more ready to lead than I am. I’m not involved in the family anymore. And Father permitted that.”
“And he regretted that decision till the day he died.”
I swallow. “He didn’t say any of this to me. How do I know you’re telling the truth?”
Augie stands, and his arms flop by his sides. “He wanted to show Savero the respect of having this conversation with thetwo of you, but it wasn’t easy getting you both together. Why would I lie about this, Cristiano? Why would I lie to you? You’re like a son to me.”
I frown. “And Savero isn’t?”
Augie rolls his eyes and then settles them back on me. “You know as well as I do that Savero was never an easy boy. He gave your father a lot of trouble. He didn’t like how close I was to Gianni either. He could be a calculating son of a bitch sometimes, you know.”
“No, I don’t.”
“You don’t remember him slashing my tires so I couldn’t visit my mama in the hospital? You don’t remember him putting bullets into two of my soldiers? Blowing up the laundromat? Those were things he did to spiteme, Cristiano, all because I took his father’s attention away from him a few too many times.” He sighs as the servant returns with a pot of coffee and some fresh water.
