Page 26 of Marcello DeLuca

“Marcello, my man! Long time no see,” he called out, clapping me on the back as I reached him.

“Yeah, it’s been a whole twelve hours,” I replied, returning his grin.

We settled on the hood of his car, the metal warm from the sun. For a moment, we just sat there, taking in the view of the desolate property surrounding us.

Then, I broke the silence.

“I need to talk to you about something important,” I began, my tone more serious than usual.

Romeo glanced at me, his expression curious. “What’s up?”

I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts. “After my talk with my grandfather last night, I’ve decided I’m getting serious with my life. I’m about to step into Vito’s shoes as the capo of Columbus, so shit is about to get real, quickly.”

For a split second, I saw something flash in Romeo’s eyes—a flicker of something dark. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared.

“Man, that’s huge,” he said, his voice steady. “Congratulations, capo! You deserve it.”

“We’ll see how it goes, and you can congratulate me later,” I humbly replied.

His initial reaction lingered in my mind, but I shook it off, chalking it up to my own nerves.

“You’re going to be great,” he commented.

“So, listen. You’re the person I trust the most, and everyone needs someone they can trust beside them,” I said, clasping a hand on his shoulder. “How do you feel about being my right-hand man, my consigliere?”

Romeo’s eyes widened slightly, then he leaned back, a slow grin spreading across his face. “You serious?”

“Dead serious,” I confirmed. “I don’t want you wasting your time with petty street deals anymore. We’re about to do bigger things. Much, much bigger.”

I paused, letting my words sink in before continuing. “Soon, I plan to open my own luxury car dealership as a front. We move high-end cars, but we also move product. We’ll start importing goods—drugs, contraband, whatever gets us the most profit—through the dealership. On the surface, it’s all about selling cars, but underneath, we’ll have a network that makes money hand over fist.”

Romeo’s grin widened, his eyes gleaming with excitement. “That’s some next-level shit, Marcello. I’m in.”

“Good,” I said, relieved. “We’ll make sure everything is airtight. The dealership’s legitimate business will cover our tracks. We’ll use the shipping containers and transport logistics to move our goods. The profits will be insane.”

Romeo nodded, clearly impressed by the plan. “And we’ll keep it quiet. No flashy moves, no unnecessary attention. Just smart business.”

“Exactly,” I agreed. “We keep our heads down and build something that no one can touch. And in return, you’ll be more than just a dealer. You’ll be my partner, my confidant.”

He extended his hand, and I shook it firmly. “Always got your back, Marcello. Just like you got mine.”

“Always,” I echoed. “We’ll get E-Smooth and Altoni in on it too; we will do this together.”

As we leaned back against the car, I allowed myself a moment to imagine the future. With a solid plan in place, I felt more confident than ever. I could see the path ahead, and it was lined with opportunities and wealth. More importantly, it was a path to secure my future with Safia.

She needed someone with power and strength. Someone that could drive her enemy from the shadows into the light. She needed me to crush them underneath the strength of my empire, but first I had to build it.

I would give her everything she desired.

Chapter Ten

Safia

Cocoon of Love

The morning sun filtered through the kitchen windows. Uncle James and I sat quietly at the breakfast table. He glanced up from his coffee, concern etched in the lines of his face.

“I didn’t hear you when you came in last night. How was the graduation and dinner?” he asked, his voice gentle but probing.

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