Page 8 of The Mafia's Surprise Gift

“Then what do you decide?” he asked finally, not hiding the bitterness in his tone.

“We will not be acting until after the funeral. We have agreements from the Russian Pakhan and the Irish Captain that we will be granted a period of mourning, and I will not let us be the one to betray that. Our laws and values will not end with my father.”

“And if they don’t honor it?” Vito spat, his bitterness slowly fading.

“Then we will know where to start looking for father’s killer. Understand?”

Vito remained silent for a few long moments, then he finally gave me a curt nod. “So be it.”

The tightness in my chest didn’t ease, so with a return nod, I quickly excused myself from the office and didn’t stop walking until I made it past the glass double doors and out to the swimming pool. There, the crisp afternoon air flooded my lungs with the scent of forest pine and a faint hint of chlorine.

I gasped, loosening the black tie around my throat and breathing deeply. The tightness didn’t fade, but breathing became a little easier. I forced deep breaths and turned my eyes skyward as tears sprang into the corners of my eyes.

In just one week, I had learned more about my father’s struggles as a leader than I ever saw from the outside. I understood why we had to leave so abruptly seven years ago. Personal feelings had no place in this position.

And yet, my heart was broken. My father was dead. My mother was in pieces.

A soft touch pressed to the small of my back while I closed my eyes. I didn’t need to look to know Jian and Dino were with me.

One thing was certain in my mind, though, as the tears fell and my heart burst in my chest.

After my father’s funeral, I was going to find the son of a bitch who killed him.

I was going to find him and kill him with my bare hands.

4

MAE

“Look, Mom, look!” Zack tugged at my hand, pulling away from me toward Dozer who, despite his age, was ambling quite happily along the grassy bank as we wandered into town.

“What’s he doing, huh?” I smiled down at Zack, adoring his utter awe at all the seemingly mundane things Dozer was getting up to.

“He’s chasing a bee, a bee!” Zack’s voice pitched in excitement, and he would have likely run right over to him if I weren’t keeping such a firm grip on his small hand. Zack had talked about getting a pet for a long time, but his heart was set on a dog, and that wasn’t doable back in my apartment. I’d tried to show him how graceful and cuddly cats could be, but I hadn’t been successful.

Yet.

Dozer was too slow to catch the bee, but it was amusing to watch him amble forward, his long ears flapping each time he managed a burst of speed.

We couldn’t go on walks like this back in the city. Already, I could feel the charm of this small town working on me, tempting me to give in to my mother’s desires and just stay here. Having Zack grow up in clean air with such vibrant access to nature would be a blessing. But not one I could afford.

We walked the familiar path I used to take every day as a child when heading into town. Down a winding, leaf-covered lane toward a main road that opened up toward the town and weaved a spiral path from one end to the other. Old shops gradually came into view as we walked, and Zack babbled at my side as he told me the very important plot twists and details in a dream he had about flying cars that were really dragons.

So much remained the same. The hardware shop on the edge of town was still going strong, and walking past, I breathed in the smells of sawdust and sweet sap that immediately teleported me back to my youth. The shop selling incense and crystal was still here, although I swear I had never seen anyone go inside. We made a stop off and dropped off the cookies to Ada, and I expressed my condolences for Clive. Surprisingly, Ada was more excited to see me.

Grief was easy for her. Or she hid it well.

But as much as stuff was the same, things were different. The winding dirt path lane toward McCarth farms was closed and the path was overgrown and muddy. It was visibly untraveled. And the small shop on the corner where I’d spent my hard-earned pocket money had changed into a chain convenience store, lacking all the homely warmth it once had. Now, it was bright and cold, with glaring lights and signs promising that anything at all I desired could be found inside.

This was our stop.

“Alright, Dozer.” Taking the lead, I wound it firmly around the nearest streetlight but kept it loose enough that he had some give if he wanted to wander. Then I patted him, and Zack joined in with awkward, unsure movements. He had a lot of love to give but didn’t know how.

“It’s okay,” I said to him. “Remember what I said when we arrived? You can pet him slowly and make sure it’s not too rough. Head to back.”

“Mmhmm.” Zack nodded and did as instructed, although he still lacked the finesse of understanding that if he was rough, it could affect Dozer. Dozer, to his credit, was more than happy to soak up any and all attention as he sat there, tongue lolling out of his mouth and tail wagging.

“Okay, Mommy needs some stuff from the shop, so you stay by my side, okay?”

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