Either way, Father is out for himself. I won’t be fucking breeding with any of his token wives. I’m done with the Syndicate. The way they run things, their archaic views, and after tonight, he won’t be fucking breathing, so it’s a win-win situation for me.
I wait until the guys have been led into the room, and I gesture to the seats in front of the desk. I pace around at the side of them while Father goes over the books. Little do they know they’ve been duped by a twelve-year-old boy. Arianna paid one of their runners, a scrawny kid, to swap the books out. She gave him some money up front, and once tonight is over, he gets a fresh start for himself, his two sisters and his mum away from his abusive, drunk father that’s forcing the two older sisters to hook.
Father starts reading, and he keeps glancing at me. A telltale sign that he’s already seen something that just doesn’t add up, and it won’t. He pulls out a calculator, and the boys chat among themselves without a care in the world. When my father closes the book, he slams his hands down on the table. I stalk around the desk and stand behind the guys. I draw both guns from behind me and rest them at the temples of each man. They flinch. Their eyes widen as panic starts to kick in.
My father starts to scream about getting one over on him, and thinking they’re special. He glares them both down; they’re too scared to speak. When one starts to say something, I shoothim in the head. The other one screams as Father pulls his gun and shoots the second one. He flops back in the chair.
I smile. I take the opportunity to pull the trigger, straight through my father’s chest. It looks like an unfortunate shoot-out. A deal gone bad, and I grin. I put the call out to the Syndicate. They will all arrive soon. I finish staging the room before I click the door closed and head out to let the others in. I’m splattered with blood and brain matter, and I can’t help the smile that wants to spread across my face. I will speak to Enzo tonight. I will set the ball in motion so that Leonardo will be mine in a matter of weeks.
Arianna has promised she can pull a wedding out of her ass in two weeks, and I believe her. Her attention to detail has been second to none in this planning. Even down to the books. Just enough that my father would notice, not enough that they would notice a difference. She’s sly, and I have to admit we make a good team.
Let’s hope if I need them, they will actually be there because while we’re still working for the same goal. It’s all working great, but if that changes, it could end up totally different.
I hear the gravel crunch as cars pull up outside. I school my features. I keep the cold, impassive mask stretched across my face—the one they’re all used to and I swing the door open. Enzo stands on the steps with his sons flanking him. The Mancinis are not far behind. All that is left of the Syndicate.
Another car pulls into the driveway, and we turn to gaze upon Arianna and Vittorio as they climb out and head up the steps towards us.
“What the fuck is she doing here?” Enzo spits, stepping in front of me and crossing his arms.
“Enzo, Vittorio is my brother. Our father is dead.” I step to the side and nod to them all. “My father’s office. It just…” I shakemy head. “It just escalated so fast,” Arianna smirks as she walks past. Her heels clack on the tile as she leads the way towards Father’s office.
She steps inside, pulls on a pair of gloves, picks up a pen, and starts lifting and flicking at things on the desk. Checking the slightest mark on the desk before she opens the ledger and flicks through.
“Is this what caused it?” She looks across at me.
I step up beside her. “Yeah, Father was reading the ledger, then lost his shit the next thing this one…” I point to the one nearest me. “Reached under the table, I shot him, and then Father pulled his gun. The other one fired at the same time, and they both went down. I laid Father down to stop the bleeding, but he was already gone.”
Arianna nods. So matter-of-factly. The others are quiet. Enzo won’t rock the boat. He still thinks I want to marry his daughter. Enzo isn’t as high up as the Riccis, so they will follow our lead. Their sons stand in the corridor outside, as there isn’t enough room for all of them. We chat about arrangements and what needs to happen before I step forward.
“Thank you, gentlemen. I will be in touch. I will take over from my father and continue on with our legacy.” They all nod and step to leave. “Enzo, could you spare a moment?” He nods, and Arianna takes the hint and clears everyone out but Enzo’s two sons, Luciano and Ricardo, who step back into the room as if to protect Enzo. Depending on how this goes, I will kill them all.
“Enzo, I know we were in talks about me marrying your daughter, but unfortunately, that will no longer happen. Me and Father have been in extensive talks and decided we wanted to take the Syndicate in a more modern direction.”
“This is disgraceful. We’ve already discussed it. We’ve already decided our families are to be joined. To be united.”
“Watch yourself, Enzo. Our families will still be united. I’m a man of my word, but I will not be marrying your daughter.”
“Bellino, I don’t mean to infer your morals, but if you won’t be marrying my daughter, how else is this going to work?”
“I will marry your son. Enzo, I’m gay. I always have been, and while the Syndicate has been trying to fit us into an outdated box, that won’t work for me.”
Enzo turns to look at Luciano and Ricardo.
“No, Enzo. I want Leonardo.” I cross my arms and stare down at him. “Make it happen, Enzo.”
I nod and walk past him, leaving him there open-mouthed. I don’t care how he manages it, but Leonardo will be mine.
Leonardo
Chapter Eighteen
I fidget nervously in the back of the car. I’m being driven to a meeting with Enzo. I don’t know what he wants from me. He hasn’t shown any interest in me… ever. I never knew him growing up, and a few months ago, he turned up, inviting my sister to some wedding. My sister accepted, and I was forced to go to chaperone her. I mean, come on, what the fuck? Turns out she’s paraded around like some trophy. Then offered to some thuggish dude as his bride.
He accepted; they didn’t even have a conversation. We were immediately dismissed and sent home. When we got back, Mum was so excited, and she and my sister went into full-blown wedding dress shopping. Enzo lavished her with clothes and jewellery so she could look the part. It was sickening, really. I should note that my mum was always Enzo’s mistress, never his wife.
So, I suppose my sister has managed something my mum never could. To marry into one of the notoriously prestigious families.
I shake my head. Neither of them noticed me again, but I’m not surprised. I slipped out the door and haven’t seen or heard from any of them since. Until yesterday, Enzo sent word that I would be picked up and to dress smartly. I’m wearing the same suit I wore to the wedding, as it’s the only one I own. It’s the only thing he ever gave me. He couldn’t have us turning up to the wedding and embarrassing him, apparently.
