"What happened?"
"One night he was hopped up on drugs, drunk out of his mind, and he ordered the hits. I think he meant to kill you as well, but you weren't there."
She gasps. "We didn't do anything wrong. I don't… we were just living our own lives."
"You were, but Cesare livedthatlife and had to take orders from a cousin he loathed. You see, Cesare's wife was in love with Massimo. Cesare tricked her into marriage thinking she'd fall in line, but she didn't. It wasn't a fleeting love, it was like ours. One that would live on forever. So, Cesare's revenge against your father for forcing him to follow Massimo's direction instead of Tommy's was to kill him and everyone he loved."
"Holy smokes. He's warped. What happened to him? I need to know."
"He betrayed us and he betrayed Salvatore and Massimo trying to make some deals he wasn't authorized to make, deals that could have started a war. So we went to their warehouse and confronted Massimo. The truth came out as it always does. Cesare got in Ernesto's face, and back then Ernesto was even more formidable than he is now. Ernesto held his own, giving as good as he got. Massimo instructed Cesare to leave as we discussed business, but Cesare challenged the order even though he was told Salvatore didn't want him there."
"I can see where this is going," she whispers.
"Almost done, Fee. I'm sorry to tell you right after… but the other day when you mentioned wanting revenge on the men who killed your parents and the one who ordered the hit, I knew I needed to tell you all of it, and if I didn't tell you tonight, I'd never get any sleep. It's been hanging over us, have you felt it?"
She nods.
"I needed Gio to agree and he did. Cesare went to pull a gun on Ernesto, but Ernesto was faster as were the rest of us. He had so many guns trained on him, if he'd made a wrong move he'd have looked like Swiss cheese. They took Cesare out of the warehouse. Word would get to Salvatore about Cesare's insubordination and behavior, so Cesare would have to face the boss."
"Yikes," Fee whispers.
I nod. "Yes, yikes. Massimo apologized for his cousin's behavior. He and Ernesto both agreed neither wanted a war. That was when Giovanni and Salvatore walked in. Little was said. Gio instructed Ernesto and me to leave with him. When we got to the limo, not only was a Russo enforcer inside, but also Cesare."
Fee gasps. "Salvatore gave him to you."
"He did. We took him to our warehouse, but something felt wrong. I didn't know what, I was just uneasy, so I stayed alert. Ernesto asked Cesare if he was ready to die and Cesare responded with a smart ass 'Are you?' Then he sneezed, it was fake, and he bent forward. Before anyone could move he had pulled a gun from his ankle holster. He was still too slow because before he even had the safety off, I shot him in the head. He fell to the ground with an expression of shock on his face. That was the night Ernesto and Giovanni asked me to be second in command. Ernesto said he didn't want it. He had two kids he was raising on his own. That night I not only killed the man who ordered your parents’ deaths, I saved Ernesto's and Giovanni's lives. I've never regretted any of the decisions I made that night and I never will."
Fee's crying now, big fat tears falling from her eyes. "You… you not only saved me from myself, but you killed the villain who murdered my parents."
I pull her into my arms, holding her tightly to me, rocking her back and forth.
She sniffles loudly then mutters, "Iknewyou were Batman."
I kiss her forehead, grinning. "I'll always be your Batman if that's what you need, Fee, but most of all I'll be your protector, your confidante, and the one who loves you unconditionally with every breath he takes."
She looks up at me now, her eyes red-rimmed. "I know. I am the luckiest woman alive. How did I get so lucky?"
"Your grandfather brought me to his house when you were ten. My heart has been yours from that day."
"Just like that?" she asks.
"Just like that." I kiss her forehead. "Let's eat our now-cold pizza and try to get some rest. Who knows what we'll be dealing with in the morning."
Fee snorts. "Lucy might be in jail."
I groan. "Don't tempt fate. Please. That'd be a PR nightmare and I think we've had enough of those."
"Me too," Fee whispers, her head resting on my shoulder, her pizza untouched.. It's silent for a few minutes then she whispers, "Thank you."
"I'd do it all again for you, Fee."
She nods, yawns.
I set the pizza on the bedside table and pull her into my arms, lying back, and then covering us up. Within minutes starts to snore. I smile to myself in the dark. She's never been able to drop off into sleep that quickly—ever. It seems I've brought her some peace and this heals a part of my heart that aches for her.
All that's left is finding the fuckers who pulled the trigger. Their day will come. I'll make sure of it.
