Which gave me a bit more confidence in what I was about to say.
“Alessandra is different. She is not from our world,” I said, then added hastily, “Which is wonderful. I treasure herinnocence and her innate goodness. It makes her a better person than you and I could ever hope to be, and a joy to be around. A diamond in a pile of coal – a shining oasis in the desert.
“But I fear that out of your love for her, and your desire forherlove and acceptance, you are denying your essential nature: thatyou are a killer.
“It was what you were trained to do. It is what youare –and you are very,verygood at it. You never shied away from it before you met Alessandra… and I think the longer you try to deny that part of yourself, the harder it will be for you to lead the family going forward.”
“Being a killer, and being a pimp and drug dealer, are very different things,” Dario growled.
He didn’t object towhat I’d said about him being a killer.
That much was cause for celebration.
“Most people would say that being a killer is more objectionable than the other two,” I said.
“The other two are beneath contempt,” he said angrily. “At least when I kill, I do it to protect the family.”
“The people you love,” I said softly.
“The people I love,” he agreed.
“But maybe you’re worried that the people you love won’t love you back… if you’re doing something they wouldn’t approve of.”
Dario was quiet for a moment.
I thought I might have gotten through to him –
But I was wrong.
“This has been an interesting therapy session,consigliere,”he said sarcastically, “but the fact remains that I swore an oath to my wife that our family would be legitimate within two years.Thatis my priority above all others.”
I repressed a sigh.
I might not have gotten the result I wanted, but I consoled myself thatmaybeI had sown the seeds for a future harvest.
…maybe.
At any rate, my job was not to argue endlessly with my Don. My job was to present my opinion, listen to his decision, and then act on it.
“Alright,” I agreed. “I’ll have Roberto make it his number one goal to replace the income we would have gotten from Hong Kong.”
“Thank you,” Dario said coldly.
“And the drugs and prostitutes?” I asked.
Dario was silent for a moment before he spoke.
“Reach out to our old suppliers,” he said grumpily, “and see if we can restart the supply pipeline. Enough to cover both Florence and Tuscany.”
I was overjoyed he’d come around, but I hid my happiness behind a veil of neutrality.
“Excellent. And the prostitutes?”
Dario sighed bitterly. “My offer of the 5000 euros still stands, but tell the foot soldiers they can stop asking the women to accept it.
“Put the word out to the pimps that they’re allowed back in our territory… as long as they agree to all our conditions.
“Number one: ifanyof them raise a hand against the women, they’ll get a bullet to the head. Their responsibility is to make sure the women are safe. No exceptions, no excuses. And make it clear I’m eager to make an example out of the first man to step out of line.
