Page 118 of Single Malt Drama

“Nicolina, please join me. I’d appreciate your input.” I held my hand to her and ignored the surprised expressions of the other capos’ faces. Screw them. The times…they are a changin’.

She seemed to actively ignore her father as she seated herself.

I took her hand and brought it to my lips before turning my attention to Vittoria.

Rather than sit, she stood facing her husband with one hand on Nico’s shoulder and the other on Sophia’s. “Pietro had me held prisoner at the convent in Riesi for the last twenty-six years because I learned that he was stealing from all of you.”

Lazio inspected his nails as if the entire situation was preposterous. “She is lying to get revenge. I gave her to the nuns because she was…she was unfaithful. She betrayed me with him.” Pietro pointed at my father.

“Oh my God. What does this mean for the baby?” Nico whispered. “Please tell me our parents weren’t lovers.”

“You’re pregnant?” Lazio’s eyes widened.

She frowned. “Yes.”

He threw his head back and laughed. “Do you know why I never loved you? You are a constant reminder of your mother’s infidelities.”

Giancarlo stood. “That’s enough.”

Pietro spat on the table. “Enough? Enough would be a kick in the stomach to kill the abomination growing inside her.” He pointed at Nico. “You married your brother. You married your goddamned brother!”

Vittoria squeezed Nico’s shoulder. “Joe Marchionni and I are close friends, like siblings. Nothing more.”

Pops leaned forward to meet Nico’s gaze. “My dear, you have nothing to worry about. Your father could never understand how a man and a woman could be friends.”

Shell-shocked, Nico turned back to me as if for confirmation.

“Sweetheart, he’s lying. Why would he try to force you to marry Enzo if he thought you weren’t his?”

She furrowed her brow.

The discussion went on around us, but I only heard every third word or so. Right then, I was far more concerned about my wife and child than mafia drama.

Nico finally nodded and squeezed my hand.

Miquel Salvo shouted, “Enough! Vittoria, please tell us about the theft.”

She drew a deep breath and squared her shoulders. “Before he had me sent to the convent, I was responsible for keeping our books. Back then, Pietro collected the dirty money from each of the families and sent it to be cleaned.”

Salvo nodded. “Yes, that is still how it is done. The money is sent to the Marchionnis in the United States.”

“I discovered that Pietro had two sets, one he shared with the Fratellanza, and a second…private record.” She chewed her lower lip. “When I asked him about the discrepancies between the two ledgers, he became violent. The beating caused me to go into premature labor with Nicolina.”

“Oh, Mamma.” Nico took Vittoria’s hand.

“Hours after I gave birth, I was told I needed to go to the hospital.” Her chin quivered. “The nanny took my daughter from my arms, and that was the last time I saw my family.”

Sophia said, “He will pay for this, Zia Vittoria. I will make sure of it.”

The room went deathly quiet.

Everyone except Vittoria stared at Lazio with varying degrees of disgust. I’d heard the story the night before, but it didn’t make it any easier to hear it again.

“As her husband, I had every right to send her away.” He glanced from one capo to the next. When he received nothing but contempt, he slammed his hands on the table. “I am not a thief! She’s lying. She has no proof.”

Leo cleared his throat. “But we do.”

The room went quiet again as my brother handed each of them a fat financial report the Marchionni IT wizards had retrieved from Lazio’s private computer network—thanks in no small part to Nico. She knew most of his passwords.

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