He knew his father was obsessed with salvaging their family name in Italy. But all that feud shit was before Bryce and his father’s time. Why was his father so determined to return their family in Italy to their old glory? Their family in America already had that crown.
"Is everything alright, dad?" he asked quietly, leaning closer to his father.
"Everything is fine," Patrick replied, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of unrest.
“Dad,” Bryce started, only to have his father cut him off.
"I know you’re ready to go home. Just enjoy your time here. Get to know your cousins. Learn more about our families’ past. We'll be back home before you know it."
But as the days passed and the stories of their family's past continued to swirl around him, Bryceson couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. And that feeling intensified as the days passed.
One evening, tired of listening to the old heads reminisce, Bryce headed out to the balcony to be alone. His alone time lasted for five minutes before he heard footsteps heading his way. It was his father, Patrick, with a glass of red wine in hand.
"Come, join us for a drink, son."
"Maybe later. I don't feel like it tonight," Bryceson replied, his gaze fixed on the fading sunlight.
Sighing, his dad continued forward to lean against the balcony. "I’m sure you know we're not just here to visit the family."
Bryceson gritted his teeth. He’d figured as much. What he couldn’t figure out was what the hell his father was up to.
"What do you mean?" Bryceson asked.
"Ah, I suppose it's time I filled you in," Patrick said, taking a sip of wine. "We have some unfinished business with the Grecco family. A feud that dates back decades."
"I thought our family here wasn’t part of that life anymore."
"Most aren’t. But there are still some who don’t like how things are currently. They don’t like that our name no longer carries weight here. It's our duty to restore our reputation, to once again become a feared name in Italy."
Bryceson chuckled. “Our name may not be feared here, but it’s respected. We’re one of the wealthiest families here. The family here isn’t like our family back in America. Our family here is solely business-minded. Why can’t you leave this crime stuff to the family members back at home? They’re built for it.”
“There are those here who are built for it too. They just don’t have anyone to lead them, to guide them.”
“Has uncle decided to guide them?”
“My brother is only worried about our family in America. To be the don, he must consider all Cattaneos.”
“What do you meanto bethe don? Uncleisthe don.”
His father smiled. “Right. I misspoke.”
“Dad, are you trying to take over as don of the family?”
“Never. That would require me to betray my brother. I wouldn’t do that. I just want to help him out. He doesn’t have the guts or the desire to bring our family in Italy back to its former glory. But I do. We do, son.”
Bryceson clenched his glass tighter. "I want no part of this."
"Like it or not, it's your birthright," Patrick retorted, his eyes narrowing. "Now, come inside and listen to your cousin Marlo. He understands what must be done."
“Dad…”
“Don’t say you don’t have it in you. If you can kill for a woman, you can kill for your family.”
Bryce’s eyes widened. “What did you say?”
“Do you know how proud your uncle Luca is of you?”
“You… You told them?”