Page 13 of The Silence Lies

“Thanks for the reminder,” I grit out, grabbing the bottle back. I take a pull straight from it before either of the guys can protest.

“What we mean is,” Matteo pauses, looking past me to his brother. “Just because we aren’t blood related, doesn’t mean we don’t have your back.”

I already knew this. The Bianchi treaty ensured that no family could go against the other. Of course, that didn’t stop the Verdis, but unlike them, there’s still families following that agreement.

“What Matty is saying is, we don’t know what you’re going through. But we are here, you know?”

I glance between the brothers, a sense of something akin to friendship flowing between us. While I appreciate the gesture, I’m just not ready to talk. I don’t even know what I would say.

The brothers seem to appreciate that, though, which is why we spend the rest of the night throwing back shots and watching the scantily clad women dance before us. It’s the distraction I need, the numbness I seek. Because it’s not just my father’s death I’m trying to escape from, it’s Donna Bianchi.

“That isn’t going to work,” I say, shaking my head.

Serafina looks up at me, her brow creasing. “What do you mean it won’t work? It’ll draw them out right? Pull them into a vulnerable spot.”

“Sera, he’s right,” Levi says softly. “They’re not stupid. They won’t fall for it.”

My eyes drift to where she’s standing, bent over the map in the middle of the table. Her long brown hair is pinned back, but the random strands that float back and forth as she blows them out of the way captivate me. She’s frustrated. It’s clear to see she’s battling with her patience.

It has only been three days since we agreed on this alliance, and she’s already chomping at the bit to get out there. I’m already imagining her storming the Verdi home, strapped with a bazooka and a dozen grenades. The woman has fight in her, a lot of it, too, but she’s lacking in experience.

“Plus,” I say standing up to join them. “We don’t have enough manpower.” I stand beside Levi, who has placed a chess piece on the mark of where the Verdi’s warehouses are situated, up in the hills, far from the bay. “It’ll be heavily guarded, and we don’t know who is there. We can’t just take out their shit without gaining intel.”

“Cazzo!” Serafina cards her fingers through the ruffled strands of hair. “So, how do you propose we do this? I’m out of ideas.”

With the two ideas she had about blowing up the Verdi’s supply, or just sneaking into their heavily guarded mansion to assassinate them, I’d say she’s never planned anything like this before. As fun as those ideas would be, it wouldn’t do the justice they deserve. It won’t hit the family hard enough.

“We need to hit them where it hurts.”

Levi frowns at me, but I think he knows where I’m going with this.

“The Greco family,” I say.

“Greco? Do you think they’ll help us?” she asks.

“I think they’ll be more inclined to help us than the Verdis.”

Serafina glances at Levi, her reservations are clear on this one. It’s the one thing she isn’t sure about. Apart from her father, nobody else has had much to do with the second largest family in La Cosa Nostra. It’s both daunting and exciting, because if we get the Greco family on our side, Don Verdi and his little dominion will be outnumbered.

“It’s worth a shot,” Levi shrugs.

“And if they don’t, you can just order it, right?”

Serafina scowls at me, her anger evident in the way her plump lips thin. “I won’t be doing anything like that. It is us in this vendetta. Whether families want to join us or not is up to them.”

“Then I guess you’ll have to do it the old fashioned way,” I shrug nonchalantly.

“The old fashioned way?” she asks warily. “If you think that I’m—”

“It’s his son’s wedding in two weeks. You all got the invite, right?”

Serafina and Levi both nod, though Sera is more wide-eyed and unsure of what I’m implying. It’s tradition more than anything for other families to attend, one which I’m still surprised exists after what went down a few weeks ago. As leader of La Cosa Nostra, Serafina will be expected to show her face. And since the Grecos haven’t called off the wedding, nor stated which families are no longer invited, it’s pretty much a free for all. Only there’s one huge negative.

With the way Serafina chews her lip, I’d say she’s just come across that thought herself. “We’ll all be there,” I find myself saying.

“We won’t let anything happen,” Levi reassures her, stroking a hand down her back.

Her head lowers as she rests her palms on the table. I can’t see past the hair covering her face, but with the way her chest heaves, I’m certain she’s having second thoughts.

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