Page 15 of Hidden Empire

“Empire Academy is where organized crime families send their kids to become gods.”

I swallow nervously. “Oh?”

“Oh yeah.” He nods excitedly. “It’s not required by some mafia council of councils or anything, but most families send at least their heirs there, from eighteen to twenty-two. They train you up real good.”

“So it’s a boys mafia college?”

He snorts. “It’s not boys only. Girls go, too. Most of the time, they do different stuff, but it depends on the family. Some organizations have women in the ranks, albeit not many, but some do. A lot of the girls who go to Empire are there to learn how to defend themselves and build connections.”

“Oh, that’s um, interesting?” I don’t know what else to say, still a bit baffled by what he’s telling me. The concept he’s describing is entirely foreign.

Earlier, he called my two nephews heirs, but my little niece didn’t get that title. I assume that means we don’t have women in our ranks.

“The Moretti women, what do they do?”

He smiles, and it’s so genuine. “Moretti women have the most important role of all. They’re the reason we exist and the thing that keeps us going.”

“So The Outfit doesn’t have women in their ranks?”

“No,” he answers with no hint of how he feels about that. “To be honest, one has never wanted to be. Why? Do you want to be?”

Absolutely not! “No, thank you.”

He chuckles. “Good. I just got my little sister. I can’t be consumed with worry for your safety already, now can I?”

“I don’t want to worry about you being in danger either,” I admit in a small voice.

“Little sis, I live for danger,” he tells me proudly. “Besides, I’m the one who protects you, especially when we get to Empire. You don’t need to worry about a thing. I’ll be your fiercest guard. Actually, Armani might have me beat at that. Stupid fucker is always more dramatic than me, no matter how hard I try.”

My palms sweat, and my mind whirls. “When we get to Empire? Like I’m going there? With all of you guys?”

“Well, just me, Nico, and Remo with Armani because he teaches there. The rest of the Moretti men have graduated already.”

My throat feels painfully dry, and I thread my fingers together nervously. “Why would I go? Dad didn’t say…” I blink back tears. “He’s sending me away? Did I do something wrong already?” I just got here.

“Oh shit,” he curses, eyes going wide. “Are you about to cry?”

I sniffle, and he jumps out of my bed. “Daaaad! I think I broke my sister! Help!”

“What did you do, stronzo?”

I start furiously wiping tears away with the back of my hands because that’s not the voice of my father. It’s bad enough my brothers met me with puffy eyes and a tear-stained face, I don’t need any of them to witness a meltdown. Let alone two of them at once.

“Go away,” Matteo warns, darkening his tone. “You’re the worst person to make her feel better. Go get Dad.”

“You act as though you can instruct me, little brother,” Apollo scoffs, shouldering his way into my room.

Sniffling away the last of my tears, I’m holding back more as hard as I can.

He tilts his head at Matteo in assessment. “What’d you do to her?”

“I’m f-fine,” I croak.

“I was just talking!” Matteo insists.

“Well, there’s your first problem. You probably bored her to tears or hurt her ears with your nagging.”

My head shakes. “He didn’t?—”

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