Page 63 of The Mafia's Surprise Gift

Vito’s mouth fell open. “A son?” he asked hoarsely. “How? When?”

“Now is not the time.” I smoothed both hands down my jacket and sighed. “I have missed enough of his life, so I will end this as swiftly as I can.”

“It’s not right.” Vito’s face turned a few shades darker as he stared at me, then he stamped his cane on the ground. “They deserve to suffer!”

“I know. I know how much pain you’re in because I feel it too. I know it feels like someone has reached inside your chest and ripped out your gut, leaving nothing but a smothering emptiness in its place. But this is the best way. Face to face, we will solve this swiftly.”

Vito grumbled under his breath, puffing angrily on his cigar until finally, he nodded.

“Fine. Have it your way.”

Outside, I’m greeted by Dino who shoots me a single, important look. It was reassurance that Mae was safe under guard and that regardless of what happened here, she would remain protected.

Jian was down the hall, standing outside the room that the Russians had entered moments ago. Inviting them here was a show of power. We had been decimating them for over a month, and inviting them into my territory for negotiations was my way of showing them that I held all the power.

The Russian Pakhan’s agreement was him conceding. He knew I held all the cards here.

Reaching the door, I hesitated. There were several ways this meeting could go, and what I was asking for was not easily given. But if we were to have peace, I hoped the Pakhan would understand.

I nodded at Jian and he opened the door.

The Russian Pakhan, Marikich, sat at one end of the room flanked by several burly guards who had been cleaned of their weapons upon entering. He stood as I approached. The air was thick as each side waited for the other to make a move. Seeing him and knowing one of his men gave the order to kill my father made it difficult to keep my anger under control.

I ground my teeth and stopped a few feet away.

“Marikich.”

“Rocco.”

“You know why I called you here?”

“Yes.”

“Let me remind you, just in case. Six weeks ago, my father was murdered. Assassinated. His death triggered the bloodshed that washes through the streets of New York, and the Russian corpses filling every morgue.”

Marikich’s eye twitched, but he remained silent.

“You may wonder why we targeted you rather than the Irish. The Russian cunts blasted through my father’s funeral after you gave your word for a graceful mourning period.” I didn’t blink, scarcely breathed. Getting the words out without lashing out was a tough enough challenge that I couldn’t focus on anything else.

“Yes,” Marikich said in a low, raspy voice. “You have my utmost apologies for such a disgusting lack of respect from my Family.”

“While I cleaned out your whorehouses, took your drugs, and killed your men, my grandfather was doing some digging. Why would you order such a thing? Why would you start a war you could not finish?”

Vito’s cane struck the floor as he shifted his weight about. I ignored it and moved to my own chair. Marikich’s eyebrow twitched, but he didn’t move.

“Then I started to wonder if it was you who had given the order. And my grandfather soon traced a line of communication back to a single text message that started all of this. A single command to kill the Italian Don. My father.”

“You know who?” Marikich asked, and his impassive mask slipped. There was confusion and a hint of anger.

“Yes. We know. And I want him.”

“You kill my men,” Marikich said. “You burn my property. You steal my girls. You grind my name into the dirt, and then you invite me here and ask me to hand over one of my own?”

“Yes.” I nodded. “Because the blood that runs is only a fraction of what you deserve. I have already spoken to the Irish Captain. You will find no friend with them. You give me the man, and I will end this.”

“After all,” Vito piped up. “This man went behind your back and started a war. Unless you commanded such a thing.”

“I did not!” Marikich snapped. “Your father was an admirable man. The peace he brought with him was hard-won, and I respected him. You have seen my losses. You think I would be stupid enough to make a move like this?”

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