“No. You would’ve gotten here on your own. I just lent a hand to make the process go faster.”
He’s being humble. I’m not sure my father would have agreed to induct me into the Outfit this soon—if ever—had Marcello not told him that once he becameCapo dei Capi, he’d do it himself. I will always be eternally grateful that my brother believed in me like that. That he believed I was meant for this life, believed in my worth, when everyone else tried to deny me the chance.
“You and I both know that isn’t true, but I’m too happy to argue with you.”
“Good, because I have another proposition for you.”
“A proposition?” I lift a brow.
“Today, all those old-timeCapos were forced to accept you, a woman, into thefamiglia. But that doesn’t mean they’ll respect you for it. In fact, I’m pretty sure they’ll do everything in their power to make our father regret breaking such a rule. And they’ll make you work ten times harder than any othercapo, hoping to prove just how unfit you really are.”
“No duh!” I laugh. “I could feel their beady stares on me at the ceremony, already plotting away. Let them come. They don’t scare me.”
“I’m glad to hear it. Because my plans for you aren’t over. Not even close.”
“You have plans for me?”
“Forus,” he states with a serious tone.
I’m usually not a fan of people making plans for my life, but something tells me I’ll be more than happy to hear whatever my brother is about to say.
“When the time comes,” he says, flicking his gaze once again toward our father and making his meaning clear, “I want you to be my number two.”
“What?” I ask, almost incredulously. “Like…yourconsigliere?”
He nods. “I know you’d prefer to step into Dom’s role as head enforcer, and God knows you have the skill for it, but you’re too smart to be just muscle, Stella. You’ve always had big ideas and the instincts to execute them. I’m going to need someone like that by my side, someone I can trust to see the big picture when I can’t. And who better than you to do the job justice?”
There’s a raw vulnerability in his eyes, and suddenly I understand why accepting this role matters so much to him. He’s afraid that all the hard work he’s doing in therapy won’t be enough, that the devil inside him might claw its way out at the worst possible moment. He needs someone who can pull himback, an anchor when he can’t tell the difference between the shore and the open water.
“Dad was right,” I say in complete awe, staring deep into his ocean-blue gaze. “You really are perfect to lead this family. Any one of us, me included, would never want to share the limelight, especially as boss. We’d want our word to be law, no questions asked. But not you. The power of beingCapo dei Capiwill never corrupt you, because you’ll never let it. I’m not sure I wouldn’t give in to that temptation if the roles were reversed.”
“You wouldn’t,” he says, shaking his head.
I offer him a small smile, because deep down I know I would.
I would have wanted it too much. I would have used every ounce of strength and influence I had to exert that power and dominance over others, especially over all the naysayers, and every last beady-eyedcapothat looked at me with disdain when they thought my father wasn’t looking.
How does that saying go? Absolute power corrupts absolutely?
Yeah, that would be me in a heartbeat.
But not Marcello.
Which is why he’ll make an incredible boss.
Maybe even better than our father, and that’s saying something.
“I would be honored to be your number two,” I finally say, easing the tension in his brow.
“Good, because I wasn’t going to take no for an answer.” He chuckles, bending down and pressing a peck to my cheek before whispering, “I know I don’t have to say it, but this stays between us.”
“Of course, boss.” I wink at him, since this will probably be the first secret of many we will share in the future.
Marcello chuckles again before turning around and striding straight toward a glowing Isobel, who’s been waiting on thesidelines for him. And when the two kiss, like the world around them no longer exists, a pang hits my chest that there is still no sign of Kirill anywhere.
“He’s gone,” Annamaria whispers, suddenly appearing at my side.
“What?” I blurt out, pulling us farther away from the small crowd. “What do you mean he’s gone?”
