Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 97371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
She goes to turn to leave, but pauses and turns back, pulling her gun again. “On second thought, Gio, have Blake send that message,” she says, then puts a bullet in Frances’s head.
Epilogue
Where it Started
Twenty- seven years ago…
Italy
“You know I can do nothing for your grandsons. They will never be made. Their mother isn’t Italy. It’s just the way it is,” Don Ferrari says as he looks into the eyes of Riccardo Esposito.
“I know, I know. All I ask is the restoration of my right to form my own family. The Esposito name once meant something. My father’s father did a lot for the Ferraris back in the day.”
“If I’m not mistaken, it was a move like this that brought your family down. No?”
“My father had a right to the claims he made in New York. There were no rules in America. He was only trying to establish our family,” Riccardo seethes.
“And are you not Don Di Lorenzo’s consigliere? How does this fit with your loyalty to him?”
Riccardo snorts. “I’ve never been good enough for them. I was promised a marriage for myself, his father spit on me and married her off to someone else. My son was promised a marriage and the path to be the Don of the Di Lorenzo family. That was taken away as well. What loyalty?”
“And you believe you can get rid of the Donna and hand me control of the Di Lorenzo family and their connections if I allow this? You know this is a bold ask.”
“I know that you owned land Don Giuseppe now calls his own. I also know you are of like mind about this Donna business.
“Yes, I will bring them to their knees and hand it all to you. With your blessing and some time, I can make it happen.
“I’ve already rid her of that Danish piece of shit, she no longer has her version of Luca. She and the mulignons are next.”
“Luca?” Don Ferrari grunts and snorts a laugh. “You mean Luca Brasi? You’ve been in the States watching too many movies. The Di Lorenzos have always been more than what meets the eye. Don’t get cocky and underestimate Don Di Lorenzo.”
“It is not Giuseppe I underestimate. I see the future and the Di Lorenzo bloodline has weakened. They’re done.
“The oldest likes boys. If I have it my way, the next in line will do as I say. He will take to my guidance once the mother is out of the way. Giuseppe won’t see it coming. He doesn’t know I know the truth.”
Don Ferrari lifts a brow. “Ask yourself this. If he was your friend and your agreement didn’t go as planned, why didn’t you see it coming? Do you really know Giuseppe the way you think you do and where does your son sit with all of this?
“Frances does what I tell him to.”
“Yet, he has held secrets from you?” Don Ferrari holds his hand up to halt Riccardo’s next words. “Say nothing more before I change my mind. If you fail, this meeting never happened.
“So whatever you do, make sure I cannot be traced. If you succeed, I will deal with the other families. What I don’t want of the Di Lorenzo legacy you will be welcome to call the property of the Esposito family. Fail, and I will wipe out the rest of the Esposito bloodline personally.”
“I won’t fail you. This has been a long time coming. This is my destiny.”
“Yet you have faced one obstacle after another.” Don Ferrari chuckles.
Riccardo’s face burns with anger. Frances had truly made a fool of him, as did Don Di Lorenzo, his once childhood friend. Deep down, he knew this was payback for Frances’s deception.
He could kill the boy himself. He knew Giuseppe hadn’t because of their friendship, but as he said, this was his destiny. A bunch of stupid children weren’t going to keep him from restoring his family’s name. His own father had made mistakes, costing them everything.
Instead of becoming a Don himself, Riccardo had to slither around whispering in Giuseppe’s ear. Enough was enough. He would ruin them all to get what was his.
He’d waited this long. When his grandsons were ready, they would make their move.
“While there are no males suitable to run their family and to keep the integrity of the Five Families, I’ll agree to this. However, as soon as Don Di Lorenzo can name a strong, suitable male successor, this is forbidden. You touch no one from their family. No one. And I suggest you figure out who all that entails.”
“Thank you, Don Ferrari. I won’t fail you.”
Don Ferrari grunts and nods. Riccardo kisses his ring and leaves. Once Riccardo had left, the Don grunted again.
“You’re not really going to allow this, are you?”
“Let him think what he must. You know what to do.”