Page 60 of The Don

Tommaso laughs loudly. “An elegant mastermind. I think Salvatore would like that label.”

“If he lives,” the capo says in a sober, crisp voice, reminding us of the actual stakes.

He takes a seat in a hard-backed chair in the middle of the room. We all sit after him — the men. Zoe and Zahra never bothered to stand.

The capo crosses his legs. “What is Salvatore’s proposition? I respect him enough to hear him out, but I will not promise more than that.”

My eyes dart to Giulio. It’s a death sentence to kill a capo, but in a split second of eye contact, I know that we are both ready to take that chance.

Werespect Salvatore enough to try.

* * *

Zahra

I don’t understand any of what’s going on and not just because the men are moving between English and Italian without a care for the monolingual among us. I can’t help but wonder if Zoe and I should even be here, but each time that question surfaces, I yank it back.

Shae is our baby cousin. Of course, we should be here, even if I have no fucking idea how we can help.

I should also be here because I want to be by Giulio’s side. But to do that, Idefinitelyneed to learn Italian fast because there will only be more meetings going right over my head, and how can I be helpful to him like that?

Although, actually, language barrier notwithstanding, I’m smart, and it’s notallescaping me. I’m clever enough to pick up on a few key things.

First, whoever the hell this man is, he’s powerful as fuck. So powerful that he strolled in here without a bodyguard and, judging from the easy look on his face, without a care in the world that any of Sal’s men will betray him. Based on what I’ve observed in my short few weeks with Giulio and all the mob movies I love, there’s only one thing that could make someone this bold.Power.A fucking grip of it. Maybe even more of it than Sal.

To be honest, that makes me shudder. Giulio squeezes my knee reassuringly, but he doesn’t take his eyes off of the man sitting in the center of the room. And I guess that’s another indication that this man is the real deal.

Secondly, this is a takeover — I think. I’m sure I miss a lot of the intricacies and most of the history, but I also think that if Sal’s proposition was presented in a boardroom, this would all seem very normal. I’m not trying to rehabilitate the mob or anything, but from what I’ve heard from my corporate friends, this kind of treachery is very normal, just without guns.

But what really gets me is all the holes in this plan.

“You cannot be serious?” I didn’t mean to blurt that out, but…it had to be said. Didn’t it? Okay, maybe it didn’t because the way almost every man in the room turns to glare at me is a bit intense. Even Giulio is looking at me like I’ve lost my mind.

“Smooth,” Zoe snickers.

I’ll get her back for that later.

“What happens if they’re like…having that trial now?” I aim that question at Giulio because he looks leagues nicer than every other man in the room right now.

“They will not have the trial without me,” the man says. “And who are you?”

“Um, I—” I am terrified at this man looking at me. I don’t think I want him to even know I exist now that he does. Lord, I wish I could rewind time.

“We’re Shae’s cousins,” Zoe answers in my stead.

I let out a shaky breath, happy for the reminder that I’m not the only outsider here.

Giulio squeezes my knee again. “And Zahra will be my wife.”

“Excuse me?” Zoe squeals.

I blink at Giulio.

“Hello, I said,excuse me?” Zoe says again.

“What exactly has been going on in Naples?” the other man asks, his voice thawing just a little bit. He sounds…interested in a way that I do not like because I don’t want anyone that powerful interested in me. Except Giulio. But he’s not on that rung of the power ladder yet, by far.

I turn to my sister, and she and I have twin “aw, shit” looks on our faces. Maybe we can’t save Shae until we save ourselves.

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