“And ensure his family is taken care of,” Angelo adds.
“I’ll make it a priority,” Mateo says, moving toward the door.
I move to follow him.
“I want a word, Leonardo,” Angelo calls out.
I squeeze my eyes shut before turning around. I guess we’re doing this now.
“Alone, Mateo.” Angelo drills a look over his shoulder at his son.
“Remember Natalia loves him, and Mama did too,” Mateo says before stepping out of the room.
Angelo closes the door while I wait to hear my fate. He walks around me, coming to a standstill right in front of me, flexing his blood-coated knuckles.
I stand my ground, holding my head up and meeting his stern gaze.
“Tell me, Leonardo. Do you love my daughter as much as she loves you?” he asks, staring deep into my eyes as he pulls no punches.
I could lie, but I don’t know how much he knows. If he senses I’m not being truthful, he’s as likely to kill me for dishonesty as he is for the things I’ve done with Natalia. I figure it’s best I fess up. “Yes, sir. I love her in a way I will never love any other woman. I would die for Natalia, Don Mazzone. So, if that is what you must do, I will die knowing it was for the best reason.”
He stares at me, and I return it, hoping my nerve holds. Tension bleeds into the air, thicker than the substance pooling around our feet. He clamps both his hands on my shoulders, digging his fingers into the corded muscle he finds there. “I should kill you.” A muscle clenches in his jaw. “Is she impure?”
I shake my head. “I did not take her virginity or touch her intimately. It’s been kissing mostly, and I have been helping her come to terms with her grief. Holding her while she sleeps.”
He nods his head slowly, several times, and his jaw relaxes. “I am glad to hear one of you had some sense.” Letting me go, he steps back, running a hand through his hair.
“I tried to stay away from her, but she makes it difficult,” I explain.
“Try harder,” he says through clenched teeth. “I will extract Natalia from her obligation with the Grecos, but she must marry, Leo. I will arrange another contract. You know this is what must happen.”
“I want to marry her.” I decide to put all my cards on the table although I know it is futile. “I love her, and I will take good care of her. I have my own apartment now, and I have savings. I am ambitious and willing to work hard. I will ascend the ranks, and I will be able to provide her with a good life.”
His face softens in a way that is rare. “You are a good man, Leonardo Messina. A product of a good upbringing and wonderful parents. Your father is a good man. A good capo.” He steps toward me again, a sad expression washing over his face. “I have no doubt you will go on to do great things, and I know you would make a great husband for Natalia, but she’s the daughter of a don, Leo. She must marry a don or an heir. Maybe an underboss or a consigliere.” He shakes his head. “But not a capo or asoldato. That would be disrespectful to my daughter, and I know you don’t want to disrespect her any more than you already have.”
Pain stabs me through the heart as I nod. Mateo said all these things to me last night while he kept me company as I was developing the pictures. I have known all along it would come to an end, but I’m not ready to let her go. I doubt I ever will be.
“My daughter loves fiercely. She’s like her mama in that regard.” Grief transforms his features for a few seconds before he puts his don mask back on. “You will need to hurt her to make the point. She needs to let you go and look to the future.”
“Will you let her attend NYU? It’s her dream, and she needs something to focus on.”
He chuckles, but it’s a dry laugh. “You dare to tell me about my own daughter, son?”
I say nothing because I’m not taking it back.
“I will let her go to NYU to get her degree,” he concedes, “provided you stay away from her.”
The sneaky fucking bastard knows I will agree to it. “I promise I will,” I say, praying I can stick to my word.
“She will be married after that, Leo.”
“I understand, boss.”
“Vabene. You may go.” He looks down at his dead soldier on the ground with no discernible emotion on his face despite how much he liked the man.
I walk quickly toward the door, keen to get out of here.
“Leo?”
