“I’ll look into it.” Moving away from Dom, I look at Vincent. “How are the new recruits settling in?”
Short and wiry, Vincent crosses his arms. “Not the worst bunch we’ve had. That Paul kid is promising.”
“Paul Maranzano?” Anton’s younger brother. I shouldn’t be surprised, given his composure when we did the call, but I wasn’t expecting direct praise. Vincent is notoriously difficult to impress.
He nods. “Kid will make a good soldier if he keeps it up.”
All of our young men start ascugines– junior soldiers. Once they’ve completed a certain level of training and testing, they move up to become anassociate. And then, if they’re lucky and damn fucking loyal, they get to senior soldier status. BecomeMade Men. Part of the family, like the five men in front of me.
“Watch him. That reminds me, though – I understand the girls are taking part in some new training.”
Every single face reddens, except for Dom. He clears his throat. “You know we don’t set the schedules.”
No, our fathers and their teams do that. All part of preparing the younger generation for the years ahead. “Maybe not, but have any of them mentioned it to you? I don’t think it’s gone down too well.”
They all look blank, and I sigh, tapping my fingers against the table. “We need to consider some sort of representation for the women. As part of the senior group”
It’s not something that has come up before. Maybe because we don’t actually have that many women here. Many are still kepthome by their overprotective fathers. A throwback to the old days, although it’s mandatory for the men to attend when they reach eighteen.
Six years of training. We enter at eighteen, and leave at twenty-four, given roles and responsibilities out in the world that our training here prepares us for.
The next year will be my last, and then I’ll take on my role in truth, at my father’s side.
“Women on your senior council?” Tony asks. There’s a touch of sarcasm in his voice, and I turn my face to him slowly.
“What of it?” I ask, tilting my head to the side.
I’m not expecting pushback. Hell, just a look from me most of the time is enough to have any of them shitting themselves. But not today.
He drops his head, but we all catch his mutter. “Guess we’re lucky to be told anything at all.”
Straightening in my seat, I wait for him to look up. “Explain.”
As if realizing where he is, Tony glances around. Nicolo and Danny both stare straight ahead, and he jumps when I slam my hand down on the table. “Now, Tony.”
The flush rises on his cheeks, but he lifts his eyes to mine, his mouth twisting. “Did we kill Nicoletta Fusco?”
Well, shit.
I glance around at them all. Considering the tightness in their faces. Buying time to think. “Why do you ask?”
“The other families,” Tony mutters. “They’re calling us murderers, Cat. Saying we have no honor.”
That’s news to me. When I glance at Dom, he meets my eyes with a steady gaze.
Guess that answers what he wanted to talk to me about last night.
“Listen to me.” When they’re all facing me, I choose my words carefully. “What I say now stays in this room for now. I am tryingto find out what happened to Nicoletta. But I was not personally involved in, nor did I order her death.”
Tony looks relieved. “But that’s good news. It means—,”
“It meansCatwasn’t involved,” Vincent says grimly. “But it doesn’t absolve everyone.”
Danny leans forward. “But you’re theheir, Cat. Surely you’d know—,”
His mouth snaps shut, and I wonder which of them kicked him under the table. My money would be on Nicolo. Smart kid.
“I am aware of my role,” I say drily. “But thank you for the reminder.”
