Page 20 of Enzo DeLuca

“You know,” Stefan started. “Not much is changing.”

Was he reading Enzo’s mind? “Bullshit.”

“You were already helping don Ermanno with the family businesses. You were just doing it from your own office. And you were already overseeing operations around the world. And you were already giving orders to different territories and assisting them with issues they had and sending them on missions.”

“True. But there’s one big difference.”

“What’s that?” Stefan asked.

“Hewas with me,” Enzo said.

“I...” Stefan started, then paused.

For a long time, they rode in silence.

Finally, Stefan spoke up. “Do you want to know what the don said to me about a week before he died?”

“You’re going to tell me whether I want to know or not.”

“He told me you were ready for this role. He said he’d guided you into the role of don already, and you hadn’t even noticed it. He told me he was proud of you. He said he was leaving the organization in good hands.”

Tears threatened to fall.

“Of course, I told him it would be years before he had to hand the title over to you. I told him he’d be around to see your kids be born.” Stefan paused again. “I hadn’t known a week later, he’d no longer be with us. But it seemed like he’d known.”

He hadn’t known he’d be killed, betrayed by his own blood. But he’d known he was dying. He’d known he would soon be leaving them all behind.

“Enzo, I know the weight of this position must feel heavy now that it’s official. But you’ve been carrying it for a long time. Soon, you won’t notice the weight at all. It’ll be a part of you, no different than your arm or your leg. Or your heart. Do you understand?”

Enzo was slow to reply. “I do. I truly do. I know there are a lot of things requiring my attention right now. There’s a lot I’m responsible for. And I plan to make a lot of changes, changes that I’d discussed with my grandfather months ago. I know the family and outsiders are waiting to see what kind of leader I’ll be. I plan to show them, soon. But finding out who’s behind my grandfather’s death takes priority over everything else.”

“Enzo...”

“I won’t neglect my duties. I won’t neglect the family. But I must find out who sanctioned the hit on my grandfather.”

“Don Ermanno told me something else.”

“Let’s hear it.”

“He told me to never let you lose yourself to the thirst for revenge.”

“On his deathbed, he told me to show them who we are.”

“And you have.”

“I’m not finished.”

“I understand the person behind the hit on don Ermanno must die. That’s a given. But you mustn’t give those who seek your downfall a reason to doubt your ability to be the don. If you neglect your duties...”

“Okay. Okay,” Enzo said, wanting Stefan to shut the fuck up. “I’ll go to the damn Tower D.”

“Good.”

“I’ll stay one hour.”

“Three.”

“One.”

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