Page 64 of Memento Mori
I watched as the vibrant landscape outside whizzed by. In the early morning hours, the sky was painted with hues of orange and pink. I only had a few hours to spare because Antonio’s surgery had been scheduled for today. But there was no way I could get out of this.
Alessandro and I were making our way to meet with the other heads of the Families, the anticipation thick in the air. When news spread of Tony being shot, calling this meeting became their priority. While I didn’t believe they cared about Tony at all, they could have at least trusted that the Family was in capable hands. They automatically looked at the Family as being weak without him at the head, but they underestimated me. Like everyone in this world.
“Are you nervous?” A smile graced Alessandro’s face as he asked his question.
I looked at him, and his contagious smile made me unable to resist smiling back. “I’ve dealt with these types of men for a long time Alessandro. No, I’m not nervous.”
“Don’t underestimate them, Aaliyah.”
I let out a long, exasperated sigh. “Look, I understand your concern Alessandro, but it is them who should be worried. I will not underestimate them, but I do know that they will underestimate me and that will be their mistake.” I grasped his hand then let it go. “Everything will be fine.”
The black town car glided to a stop in front of a grand wrought-iron gate. Although this meeting was supposed to be in neutral territory, I insisted on bringing Abel and Luca along for added protection. I didn’t trust these people and Alessandro didn’t argue with them being with us, so I assumed he didn’t trust them either.
With a slow creak, the gate opened, allowing Luca to drive the car through. As we traveled up the long driveway, the towering trees formed a canopy overhead. After a few minutes, the driveway widened into a clearing, revealing a grand mansion at the end.
“This is where every emergency meeting is held for the Five Families,” Alessandro said. “This belongs to Sonja Romero.”
“And who is that?” I asked because the name was unfamiliar to me. I had never heard of it before.
“The Romero’s are the only Italian family who have roots in all the Italian organizations, so they don’t support any of us. However, whenever issues do arise in any of the organizations, this is where everything is hashed out. With no violence,” he said with his brow arched.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” I asked.
“Because I know you, Aaliyah.”
“I only resort to violence when it’s called for, Alessandro. As long as they don’t try to kill me, they will all walk out of here alive.”
A deep sigh escaped his lips, filled with a mixture of frustration and exhaustion. “Be nice, Aaliyah,” he said as the car pulled to a stop in front of the mansion.
A smile spread across my face, but I remained silent. My actions only depended on the actions of others. He didn’t have to worry about me doing anything as long as the boys played nice.
With Abel’s outstretched hand offering support, I exited the car and was immediately greeted by a refreshing breeze. I waited until Alessandro caught up to me, and together we made our way towards the front door, with Abel and Luca trailing behind us. When we reached the towering door, it creaked open, and we were met by the sight of an older man in a plain black suit, standing there to greet us.
“How may I help you?”
“We’re here to meet with the Families,” Alessandro said. “This is Mrs. Rizzo, Donna of the Rizzo Family.”
The man’s eyes flickered back to me, then shifted to Alessandro, before he gestured for us to enter. After we crossed the threshold, he shut the door behind us, sealing us off from the outside world.
“Only the heads of each family are allowed in the meeting,” the man said as we followed behind him towards the patio. “All guards must remain in here.”
Abel’s face twisted with discomfort, evident in his expression. Neither he nor I trusted these people, but I had confidence in my ability to take care of myself. I gave him a nod, and even though I could tell he didn’t want to, he reluctantly broke off from me and Alessandro. He followed Luca into the sitting area, where the other guards were already waiting.
“Could you come with me, please,” the man said, the sound of the French patio doors sliding open, echoed through the room.
First, Alessandro emerged from the room, and I trailed behind him, my eyes fixed on the table where the four Dons and their Consiglieres sat, deep in discussion. However, as soon as their eyes landed on me all conversation ceased.
“Gentlemen,” I greeted with a slight nod.
As Alessandro pulled my chair out, all of them stood, showing their respect. At least they all had some manners.
As I settled into my seat, their lingering stares made it clear they were unsure about my presence. However, I had no intention of initiating this conversation. They were the ones who initiated this meeting.
“Donna,” Don Viscuso said, surprise clear in his voice. “We weren’t expecting you.” “We thought Don Rizzo’s Underboss would be acting in your husband’s place.”
You could tell by the way he hesitated to call me Donna, he was reluctant to acknowledge my position. However, he understood disrespecting me in front of everyone would also disrespect my husband.
I vividly remembered the moment when I first met him. He acted as if I didn’t exist, completely ignoring my presence. Tony had warned me he was one of the Don’s who had pushed for a union between a purebred Italian woman in order to preserve the family’s bloodlines.
