I stood on the balcony deep in thought. Accepting this revelation would mean allowing a stranger to barge into my life – a life I had spent years building and protecting from the treacherous world of the mafia.
"Is everything alright?" Nicole asked, stepping out onto the balcony to stand consolingly beside me.
"Yeah," I lied, the word heavy with the burden of unspoken truths. "Just some family business."
Her brow furrowed, sensing my turmoil. "Want to talk about it?"
"Everything's fine," I reassured her, my voice strained.
Before she could press further, the sound of tires crunching over the fresh snow caught our attention. A sleek black car pulled up in front of my house. The door opened, and out stepped Uncle Ramani, his steely eyes finding me and Nicole on the balcony and locking onto mine with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine.
"Ramani," I muttered under my breath. What was he doing here?
“Hello, Mr. DeLuca,” my head of security, Russell, was saying to Ramani as I stalked downstairs with Nicole close on my heels.
“Hello, is Vito home?” Ramani began. As soon as I entered the room, he started talking. "Vito," he greeted, striding toward me with purpose. "Your mother told me she would speak to you about Marcello. Did your mother tell you the truth about him?"
My jaw ticked. "Yes, she told me.”
"Your brother needs help against the pestering Grecozi cartel, Vito," Ramani implored, his voice laced with urgency.
"Brother?" I scoffed, bitterness seeping into my words. "It’s interesting how resolved you are in calling him my brother when you have presented him as my cousin my whole life. Hiding the truth from me for all these years?"
“You have a brother?” Nicole asked, shock covering her gentle features.
“Apparently, Marcello is my brother, and tonight is the night everyone has chosen to let the truth come out,” I retorted, barely able to look at her for fear that she would sense the storm brewing inside of me.
Her hand slid down my arm until she caught mine and held it. Our day had been going so perfectly, and now I had to deal with a new sibling and apparently the war another cartel was waging against him.
"Vito," Ramani said, his voice softening but still resolute. "I understand your anger, but we did what we believed was best for everyone. Now, more than ever, Marcello needs his brother."
I stared at him, my heart warring with my mind. I would help Marcello anyway because he was a DeLuca and nobody fucks with the DeLucas and lives to tell the story. But would I be able to trust my mother and Ramani again, knowing they had lied to me for so long?
"Fine," I finally acquiesced, gritting my teeth against the bitter taste of betrayal. "I'll meet with Marcello to find out more about this threat against him. I need to see for myself if the capo, my brother…is really in danger."
Breaking contact with Nicole, I walked over to my bar. My hands shook as I poured a glass of whiskey, the amber liquid sloshing over the edge. I downed the burning liquid, welcoming the pain that momentarily silenced the chaos within me.
"Vito, you need to understand," Ramani began, his voice wavering with concern. "Marcello and Safia are in grave danger. Safia’s family owed the Grecozis before they were killed, and they'll stop at nothing to get her so she can pay their debt. Learning that she has the heart of a DeLuca only sweetened the deal."
"Must I remind you that Marcello is a capable capo that has always been able to handle himself?” I paced the room, my thoughts racing as I tried to make sense of everything. “What makes this rival so different that he needs my help?”
"Vito," Ramani said softly, interrupting my internal debate. "I know you're hurting and angry, but I promise you that he is up against the hardest challenge of his life. This family doesn’t go by old Italian rules. They are mostly out-of-towners who have paid the locals to do whatever they tell them. They have no respect for the DeLuca name, so we have to show them who we are."
“You don’t have to convince me to fight for the DeLucas. You should know that by now,” I said as I watched the crackling fire lick at the logs in the fireplace, remembering how the DeLuca mafia had saved my ass many times, including the day I ended Desi’s life and saved Nicole.
“And you should know that I would never ask you to do anything that wasn’t necessary. Marcello needs more help than those surrounding him right now. Something is awry in his camp. He needs you," Ramani replied firmly, his eyes meeting mine. "And I would never ask you to put your life on the line for something I didn't believe in."
"Enough," I said finally, my jaw clenching as I made up my mind. "Give me all of the details you know about this family that’s threatening them.”
"Thank you, Vito," Ramani replied, his relief evident. "You won't regret it."
“Give me the details, Ramani.”
Nicole stood silently by my side as Ramani told me all he knew about the Grecozi family that was after Safia. Everyone knew that if you came for Marcello’s high school sweetheart, Safia, you were essentially coming for him and therefore the entire DeLuca mafia.
After divulging what Marcello had been up against, Ramani left with my word that I would help my cousin. My heart skipped a beat as I corrected myself. I would help my brother.
Tending to mafia business could put my own family at risk. Only time would tell whether my faith in family and loyalty would condemn me or save us all.