Page 78 of Mafia Kings: Valentino

“But here’s the thing: Sicilianmafiososare old-school. They’re brutal. They rule with an iron fist,notthe velvet glove. And they arenotafraid of death.

“They’re also exceedingly proud. That’s why I told you never to question a Sicilian’s integrity. That wasn’t just some cute bullshit I was throwing around.”

“So you’re saying a Sicilian never lies?”

“No – but you know how when we make a promise, we swear on the things we cherish the most?”

It was true. In theCosa Nostra,if you took an oath on the life of your children, your wife, or your family, you were making a blood oath. If you swore on something important and then went back on your word, you were basically calling down ruin on yourself and risking the deaths of everyone you loved.

Superstitious, maybe…

But we all believed it deep down in our bones.

“That comes from the old country,” Niccolo said. “If a Sicilian makes a promise to you and swears on something he considers holy, that’s a promise he’ll never break. To do so would be aninfamia.Other Sicilian gangsters – hisallies, not just his enemies – would kill him on principle alone because he can never be trusted again.”

“Fascinating,” I said sarcastically. I was still fucking pissed at him. “Why are you telling me all this?”

Niccolo leaned forward, and the expression on his face was intense. “Do NOT make any promises to a Sicilian you don’t intend to keep. Because if you go back on your word… they’ll fucking kill you for it.”

A shiver ran up and down my spine.

I could tell Niccolo was deadly serious.

But all this talk about promises made me think of something.

“Why does Don Vicari evenneedan arranged marriage?” I asked. “Is his daughter hideous or something?”

Bad enough I’d had to leave Caterina…

What if I had to marry some chick who looked like Gollum?

“I doubt it,” Niccolo said nonchalantly.

I knew enough Niccolo-speak to realize he was trying to skirt around the truth.

“But you don’tknow,”I pressed.

“No, it’s true, I haven’t ever seenher – but I doubt it.” Niccolo smirked. “She might not be up to your usual standards, but I’m sure she’s a perfectly ordinary girl.”

“Then why hide her? Why not bring her to any of the weddings?”

“That’s another thing about Sicilians: they’re intensely protective of their women.Intensely.Don Vicari’s probably been hiding her away, waiting for the right opportunity to make the best match.”

“A match that’ll benefithim,”I said sourly.

“Of course. I already told you, that’s the entire reason for an arranged marriage: to build alliances between families.”

“Then why not build alliances with other families onSicily?”

“If I had to guess, I’d bet it’s because he alreadycontrolsall of Sicily, and now he wants to expand his power base and branch out.”

“Then whyus?We’re in the middle of a war, and we’re kind oflosing. We’re not exactly the best family to make an alliance with.”

Niccolo smiled grimly. “Don Vicari is not looked upon kindly by the mainland families of theCosa Nostra.They think he’s too violent, too… unsophisticated.”

“A country bumpkin.”

“Neveruse that term around him.Never,not even as a joke,” Niccolo warned. “Yes, the Sicilians aren’t quite as worldly as some of the other families… but they’re ten times deadlier. Just remember that.”

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