Page 125 of Diavolo

Vincenzo opened his eyes. His dark gaze drifted around the room like a lost child for a while before settling on Elyse. "Come... closer... so I may see you."

Hesitantly, she shuffled over to the side of his bed. Vincenzo grunted his approval,"Molto bella."Very beautiful.

Alessandro's jaw clenched. Elyse muttered, "Thank you."

"Give... me... your hand."

Alessandro protested sharply,"Padre!"

"It's alright," Elyse said as she gave a look of reassurance in her husband's direction. She offered her hand to Vincenzo. He clasped it tight between thick, knobby fingers.

"Soon," her father-in-law stated in low, hoarse tones, "I will not be here."

Elyse swallowed ruefully. "I... understand."

Without releasing her hand, Vincenzo motioned to Bernardo. The roundish man brought forth a small red velvet pouch. From it, her father-in-law removed a delicate gold necklace with a small gold medallion attached to the chain. A coiled serpent wound between two swords was imprinted on the coin. The very one that was tattooed on her husband's chest. He dropped the necklace in her palm. "This is for you."

Graciously, she accepted the gift from the dying man. "Thank you. It's beautiful."

"This heirloom bears the Vitale family crest," Vincenzo explained. "You are one of us now."

The consequence of his words left a weighty feeling upon her chest, but Elyse forced a smile on her face. "I'll do my best to uphold the Vitale name."

"You must not let Alessandro fail," Vincenzo gasped at her anxiously, "our clan must not fall. There is much to be done. He is not up to the task—"

Elyse squeezed his cool, clammy hands in hers, partly to comfort him, partly to warn him. In a soft but firm voice, she interrupted, "Alessandro is your son, isn't he? You must have faith in him. I know I do."

Vincenzo's dark brown eyes tightened into straight and narrow slits. It was clear he didn't appreciate being cut off or reprimanded. "Know your place,nuora."Daughter-in-law.

"Respect my wife," Alessandro growled, "or else."

Vincenzo cast a derisive smirk at his son."O cosa? Mi ucciderai?"

Alessandro reached inside his blazer to remove his Beretta from its holster. He placed the weapon on a nearby table, aiming the barrel at his father, without removing his finger from the trigger. "Do not tempt me."

Tommaso and Bernardo immediately pulled their pistols on Alessandro.

Gingerly, Elyse took her hand back from Vincenzo. She returned the necklace to the crimson pouch and tucked it inside her pocket. With a cool expression, she remarked, "Enough, gentlemen. This spike in testosterone is giving me a headache. Show some respect. There's a man on his deathbed. Put your guns away."

Reluctantly, scowling, Alessandro did as she requested, sliding his Beretta back in its holster. Tommaso and Bernardo followed suit with slow, cautious movements. Vincenzo drawled, "Is this how you allow your woman to speak in front of men?"

"Elyse is not Carmen," Alessandro retorted, "I do not intend to treat my wife as you have mistreated yours."

Her husband's comment prompted a shared look of unease between Tommaso and Bernardo. Elyse wondered what secrets they were keeping about Vincenzo and Carmen.

Vincenzo demanded, "Where have you taken your stepmother, by the way?"

"Salemi."

"What about Valentina?"

"With Carmen, of course."

Vincenzo sighed weakly, "A mother-daughter reunion. Heartwarming. Is the old bat guarding them for you?"

"Do not disrespect Malina. She is family."

Malina had advised them to remove Valentina from Palermo. The housekeeper felt as though his stepsister would be too much of a wild card, and Elyse agreed with her wholeheartedly.Valentina knew Alessandro too well and, therefore, might see through their plans before they could take root.

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