Why keep a secret?
He had to have known if he had scratched his name off my birth certificate. At least now, it explained why he stole seven million dollars from my brokerage account and fled the country.
Did he send Mom away for the same reason?
I had many questions, but this wasn't the time or the place. Not with dozens of men listening to our conversation. And especially not with my men still in surgery, not knowing if they would survive.
I had to focus on them.
Anything but the truth.
"I'd like you to come for dinner," Vincenzo said to me, then looked at Nico. "For our families to sit down and discuss the future."
Earlier, he said Nico would have to marry his daughter if Dante didn't make it. The thought rolled around in my head. Was Dante planning to propose to me before he got shot?
We had come a long way, but Dante was still a work in progress. I hadn't even thought about marrying any of the Luciano brothers, least of all Dante. He was the most opposed to a relationship.
"We would love that," I told Vincenzo as if I spoke for the Luciano family. "Once everything settles down."
Vincenzo gave me a closed-mouth smile.
My father.
That word didn't sound normal when speaking about Vincenzo. For most of my life, he was an enemy of the Luciano family. Which also made him my enemy. We wouldn't become besties overnight, but maybe in time, we could find an agreeable resolution to the years of conflict.
Nico extended his hand to Vincenzo. "Thank you for helping my brothers. We'll be in touch."
Vincenzo shook his hand. "If you don't mind, we'd like to stay and see how your brothers make out."
Nico bobbed his head and extended his hand to the right side of the room. There were a handful of vacant chairs. I was surprised that none of the men spoke or expressed their concerns about the Vitales joining us. Some gritted their teeth at Joey and Carlo. But for the most part, it was civilized.
A few more hours passed before a nurse entered the waiting room with the surgeon. "Mr. Luciano?"
Nico stood, bringing me with him. "How are my brothers?"
The doctor stuffed his hands into his pockets, looking slightly nervous. He didn't want to give bad news to a waiting room full of Mafia men.
"Dante hasn't woken up yet. But his vitals look good."
"And the twins?"
"Angelo woke up ten minutes ago. He's still feeling the effects of the drugs, but you can see him if you'd like."
Nico’s hands moved to his waist, revealing the guns strapped to his chest. "How about Stefan?"
The nurse and doctor tried to hide their shock and slapped on a straight face. I could recall the first time I met the Luciano brothers. They intimated the fuck out of me. Dante was fourteen years older than me, already a man when I discovered I liked boys. Same with Nico, who was nine years older.
"One of the bullets nearly grazed Stefan's heart," the doctor explained. "He’s lucky to be alive."
"Is he awake?" I asked.
The doctor nodded. "Yes, you can see him, too."
"Where are they?"
"Nurse Hannover will take you."
He spoke more about their medical conditions, giving Nico options if they took a turn for the worst. I couldn't bare to listen and tuned him out. After the doctor left the room, the nurse gestured for us to follow her.
