Page 242 of Forced Vows

Win-win.

Chapter 82: MICELI

The dividing wall between the interrogation room and the outer room of The Box is recessed to make room for all the capos and their seconds.

Everyone is silent. The occasion is too serious for idle talk. We are all here to witness Lorenzo Ricci get his just desserts for betraying la famiglia.

Sev wants to do this before he turns off Don Caruso's life support and our shift in positions happens.

After I provided Sev with the final evidence to prove Lorenzo's decades of betrayal, he issued an order to bring the capo in. But when me and my team went looking, the stronzo was gone.

Turns out our cousin Salvatore had his own reasons for putting the capo on ice, but he didn't kill him. Which saved his life. Sev wouldn't have forgiven that.

He couldn't, family or not.

Salvatore's wife and his head of security are here too. That stupid fuck, Lorenzo, tried to cover his own ass by lying about Bianca and damn near got her killed.

She deserves to see him die, if that's what she wants. Under the same circumstance, Róise would not want to be here. She is strong, but not blood thirsty. She wanted her dad's murderer killed, but didn't want to see him die.

I asked before we left on the mission to raze the AOG compound.

"You are here today to witness the punishment of a traitor." My brother's tone is harsh and condemning. "Lorenzo Ricci has stolen money from la famiglia both in tithe and what he owes his own men from the profits of their enterprises."

"It looks like he's already been punished," Stephano Bianchi says.

Of course it's one of the older capos that put pressure on Sev to marry and have a kid last year. Too bad he's mamma's cousin, or I would arrange a nice little accident.

He's also Domenico's uncle and Dom is family loyal. Technically, the old bastard is related to me too, I guess.

Family. What can you do?

Severu shrugs. "One session of torture is not enough for such an offense."

He's right about that. No matter how satisfying that session was for Salvatore and me.

"Damn right." Domenico makes it clear he doesn't share his uncle's views.

Good man.

Sev acknowledges Dom's comment with a slight dip of his chin. "Because his offense was against the entire family, you are all here not only as witnesses but to participate in his punishment as well."

I'm not surprised when Salvatore is the first to step forward and punch Lorenzo hard enough to break the disgraced capo's jaw. The next man who steps forward does surprise me. A little.

It's Lorenzo's own son. "You stole from our people, forcing good and loyal soldiers to work outside the mafia to provide for their families."

Dario spits in his father's face before slapping him like a little bitch and turning to dismiss the older man like he is nothing.

The impotent fury that burns in Lorenzo's eyes is a pleasure to see.

Every capo and his second takes their turn doling out a punishment blow to the condemned man after his son is finished.

I am not a capo, so I stand back and watch, satisfied.

When the capos and their seconds are done, my brother orders me and Angelo to put Lorenzo on his knees.

We're not gentle cutting the zip ties holding him to the chair. Oops, I might have nicked him. Angelo seems to be having the same problem.

When we throw the betrayer down to kneel before Sev, he has four more cuts leaching his life's blood from his body.

---