Page 58 of Crimson Vows

“The truth?” He spits out the words like poison. “And say what, Gia? We didn’t mean it when we discussed plotting to take over the family. We swear, we were kidding.”

“I don’t know,” she cries. “You’re the one who says Vincent’s like a brother to you. Maybe you can reason with him. Tell him it was taken out of context.”

I can see the desperation in Gia’s eyes and how much she wishes she could take back the words she uttered that night. No way could she have known that Dante would do what he did.

Marco stops pacing and faces Gia. “Vincent wouldn’t come back early unless he believed the rumors might be true. It’s clear we aren’t as close as I thought. He’s going to feel like he has to prove a point—to show the world he still has control over this family.”

“But you’re his cousin,” I remind him.

“You’re a fool if you think that matters,” he replies. His shoulders slump slightly, and it’s as if I can see the fight draining out of him.

Gia’s eyes are alight, fierce, and unyielding. “Fine! If we’re all dead anyway, what the fuck does it matter anymore?”

“What?” Marco asks.

“Maybe we go ahead and make a move. If we support you and think you would be a better leader, maybe others will too.”

I flinch, shocked by the words coming out of Gia’s mouth. She’s obviously learned nothing from her father’s mistakes.

Marco pauses and stares at her silently for a moment, and I know he’s thinking the same thought I’m having. “What don’t you get about this, Gia? This is Vincent’s world. We’re just living in it. There is no reality in which I can dethrone him. Got it?”

“Come on, man, she’s just trying to help,” I say in an effort to defuse the situation.

Marco’s gaze shifts from Gia to me, his features hard and unforgiving. “Help?” he scoffs. “There’s no helping. Nothing we can do or say will make Vincent be okay that we even hypothetically discussed taking his seat. And as far as trying to actually make a move against him? That’s suicide. There’s no reality in which we can win against him. Say we manage to turn a couple of captains to our side. It’s clear Amelia’s new family will have Vincent’s back.”

“What are you saying? We can’t sit here and wait for Vincent to get back and pass judgment on all of us,” I argue.

“Honestly, I don’t know what to do,” Marco admits, causing the hair on my arms to stand up straight. “I’ve been trying to play out different scenarios in my mind ever since Amelia left, but I can’t see any way Vincent will let us survive this.”

“I’ll tell them it was all me,” Dante announces as he squares his shoulders and puffs out his chest.

Marco looks at Dante, his tone softening slightly in response to the offer. “I appreciate you wanting to fix this, but do you really think Vincent will give a fuck what you say?”

“I’ll tell him none of you had anything to do with it,” Dante argues, desperate to right what he has done.

Marco approaches Dante, and I ready myself in case another punch is thrown. Instead, Marco places a hand on Dante’s shoulder. “I know you wish you could take it all back, but you can’t. Your words will never be enough to erase the suspicions you have planted. You’ve left Vincent with no choice. He has to kill me.”

“You don’t know that,” Gia cries, rushing to Marco’s side and gripping his arm.

Marco looks at Gia, and his anger almost completely disappears. It’s as if the reality of his fate has settled over him, and he accepts it.

Marco sighs. “I do know that because if I were him, it’s what I would do.”

“I don’t believe that,” Gia argues. “You’re a better man than Vincent.”

“Eventually, Smitty will tell someone else. It’s inevitable. And when word spreads that Vincent did nothing when his own cousin threatened his seat, how long do you think it will be before someone else actually makes a move on Vincent? Leaving me alive weakens his position. That’s all there is to it.”

Gia’s voice is barely a whisper. “We can’t just let him—”

“No,” I announce. “We can’t accept this as our fate. I won’t.”

“I’m telling you, I have thought of every possible scenario, and I don’t see a viable option,” Marco replies.

“Amelia,” I answer before I think the idea out fully myself.

“What about her?” Gia asks, hope tingeing the edges of her question.

“She knows her brother better than any of us,” I say.

---