Chapter 6
Dominic finally admitted the first layer.
Not guilt.
Philosophy.
“You’re too young.”
I almost laughed.
“That took four years?”
“It took four years for the consequences to become obvious.”
“What consequences?”
“You replaced men who built this family.”
“They stole.”
“You stopped old alliances.”
“They were draining us.”
“You reduced tribute from smaller crews.”
“They were starving their own people.”
His face hardened.
There.
That last one.
Dominic had spent forty years believing fear was proof of structure.
I had spent four years removing enough of it that younger captains no longer trembled every time an older man entered a room.
To me, that was stability.
To Dominic, it was decay.
“You think being less cruel makes you modern,” he said.
“No.”
I looked at him.
“I think cruelty without purpose makes you stupid.”
Victor almost laughed.
Dominic ignored him.
“You embarrass men who should be respected.”
“By telling them no?”
“By making them ask.”
That was the truth.
Men like Dominic could tolerate losing money.
They could not tolerate losing automatic obedience.
I looked at Victor.
“And you bought this?”
His face tightened.
Dominic answered for him.
“He bought what he already believed.”
Victor stared at the table.
That one hurt.
Because it was true.
Dominic did not create my brother’s resentment.
He simply gave it a uniform and called it tradition.
Dana whispered, “What happens if Julian looks weak?”
Dominic looked at her as if she were furniture.
“The capos correct the mistake.”
“And Victor?”
Silence.
Victor lifted his head.
“What about me?”
Dominic smiled faintly.
“You were always good at meetings.”
Not leadership.
Meetings.
I saw Victor understand.
“You never planned to make me boss.”
“No.”
Dominic’s answer was almost bored.
Victor went pale.
“Then who?”
Dominic looked at me.
“Nobody.”
I frowned.
He continued.
“The family does not need another boy pretending he owns it.”
My jaw tightened.
There was the real plan.
Not succession.
Restoration.
A council of old capos controlling Ferraro collectively while both brothers became cautionary stories.
My weakness at noon.
Victor’s betrayal exposed afterward.
Two sons discredited.
Old men back in control.
Elegant.
Almost.
Then Milo shifted on his perch and spoke in Dominic’s voice again.
May you like
“Ruby stays.”
Everything inside me went cold.
