Page 260 of The One
“And since she did it all for the Molinaro family, well… it’d be a shame to let all that effort go to waste, wouldn’t it?” His smirk is almost playful. “The least I can do is pick up where she left off. I would’ve liked to talk to her, maybe even team up, but from what I gather, she’s dead now. But even before, she wasn’t exactly the ‘let’s share the spotlight’ type.”
“So you’re the sole Molinaro heir now,” I murmur, more to myself, but he catches it.
“Hmm. Not quite. My Uncle Marcelo technically outranks me. God, it’s weird calling him that given he’s only fourteen. Did you know he’s living with us in Chicago now?” he chuckles. “But let’s be real. He’s a kid. Not exactly leadership material.”
He waves a hand dismissively, seemingly unfazed that he’s swinging a gun around.
“And from what little I’ve seen, he doesn’t have what it takes. Spoiled little shit.”
My eyes widen. Either he has no filter, or he doesn’t care. Probably both.
And yet, against all logic, I’m relaxing in his presence.
A mistake. A dangerous one.
Because this guy, whoever the hell he is, doesn’t just take what he wants. He enjoys it too much.
“You’ve got a flair for the dramatic, haven’t you?” I blurt out before I can stop myself.
He rolls his eyes. “I admit, I do. My life is fun. People in our industry tend to take things way too seriously. Don’t you think, brother?”
Teo watches him, analyzing, searching for something.
“So you are Niccolo Romero,” he finally says, voice like steel. “The son of Bianca Molinaro, who married into the Chicago mob.”
The guy, Niccolo, throws his hands in the air.
“Finally! Took you long enough.” He claps once, like this is a game. “And please, call me Nico. Niccolo makes me feel so old.”
“How are you my half-brother?” Teo demands. “Everyone believes Salvatore Romero is your father.”
“So did I!” Nico starts pacing, unaffected by the swaying of the boat.
I glance at Teo’s watch. Less than fifteen minutes until everything goes up in flames. My stomach knots.
“Turns out my old man knew all along I wasn’t his,” Nico continues. “But he had a deal with dear old Grandpapa Molinaro for me to take over the De Marcofamigliaonce he got rid of all of you… no offense.” He winks.
Teo’s fingers flex. He’s barely holding himself back.
“Which brings me to the same point my seemingly late Aunt Sofia was at.” Nico’s smile vanishes. “The necklaces. I would really, really like them.”
His gun is no longer a dramatic device. It’s aimed at us again.
Teo regards him for a long moment. “So you want to be a crime overlord, huh? If I give them to you, and tell you where the third piece is, will you let us go?”
I whip my head toward Teo. He can’t be serious.
Nico studies him, his gaze sharp. “What if you change your mind one day and want your empire back?”
Teo exhales sharply. “I won’t. I’ve thought long and hard about what I truly want. Being the Don isn’t it. I want a quiet life with my wife. I won’t interfere. You have my word.”
The two men lock eyes, the silence stretching between them. Finally, Nico relents.
“Fine. I believe you. You were planning to fake your deaths, after all. Now I can claim I killed you, which will make it easier to take over and reunite the Molinaro territories and allies.” His lips curl into a grin. “And being the sole De Marco heir and possessing the three necklaces will give me a legitimate claim to your empire.”
He claps his hands together, his excitement palpable. “This is working out beautifully.” He shoots us a smug grin, wiggling his eyebrows.
“You still haven’t told me how my father and your mother ended up in bed together.”
