A moment later, the room broke into motion around me. Chairs scraped against the floor as the capos rose, voices overlapping as they came forward. Alessio’s hand landed heavily on my shoulder. Romolo gave my back a hard slap. Dominic and I shook hands before several of the men drew him into conversations of their own.
I accepted the congratulations, but they reached me as if from a distance. As if I was watching the scene play out from somewhere above.
My entire life had been shaped around getting to this moment. But if it wasn’t for one person who wasn’t even in the room, I would’ve never gotten here.
The seat was mine now, but I sure as hell hadn’t won it alone.
I was the don of the Ferraro family.
And when I went home to my wife, I was going to make damn sure she understood that whatever came next, I intended to face it with her beside me.
CHAPTER 48
FABIANA
The main gallery’swalls were nearly bare. I stood before one of the last remaining paintings still up in the side room, listening to the sounds of workers moving through the space.
Yesterday had been the final day of Rafe’s exhibition. Today, the art was being taken down and packed away. Most of the pieces would be returned to his house, while the rest were being prepared for loan to various museum collections.
The last time I'd been in this room, I'd been nursing a small army of worries. The missing programs. Everyone's opinions on the exhibition. Whether I'd ever get to do something like this again.
Today, there was only one thing on my mind.
I stared atBride’s Doorand wished the painting could transport me somewhere other than the vote happening across the city. Cosimo and Dominic had spent the last few days cooped up in my husband’s office, emerging only to use the bathroom and taking all their meals locked away. The few times I’d heardraised voices, I considered checking in on them but thankfully, those episodes never lasted long.
This morning, Cosimo had given me a kiss before the two of them left for the meeting with my brother. One final conversation to make sure everyone was happy with the proposal they’d put together before they presented it tonight.
I hoped it was enough. I wasn't sure what Cosimo would do if it wasn't, but I knew he wouldn't walk away from his family without a fight.
Two workers walked into the room, moving blankets tucked under their arms.
“Miss?” one of them called out. “Are you ready for us to take it down?”
“Yes. Go ahead.”
“Give us a couple of minutes,” a deep voice said from somewhere behind me.
My heart lurched.
I turned.
Cosimo stood in the doorway. His expression gave nothing away—no hint of whether the future he'd spent his entire life working toward had just become his, or slipped through his fingers like water.
The workers nodded, set down their blankets, and walked out.
He was still wearing the charcoal suit he’d left home in that morning, but his tie was gone and the first few buttons of his shirt were open, revealing the dark crown of thorns circling the base of his throat. The first of his tattoos I’d ever seen.
Now, I knew all of them.
The skull on his chest, the snake weaving over his abdomen, the eagle suspended above it. I’d traced my fingertips over them often enough in the last few days that I could draw most of them from memory.
“How did it go?” My voice came out steadier than I felt.
A beat passed.
Then his mouth curved.
“I’m the new don.”
