Chapter 2
Second Chair was not succession.
Not exactly.
It was an old Valenti position.
If the head of the family disappeared, became incapacitated, or chose to step back temporarily, Second Chair controlled crews until a permanent decision was made.
Nolan held it.
He had for seven years.
My child’s birth did not automatically change that.
Apparently my mother had convinced people otherwise.
I helped Elise into a chair.
Not beneath the table.
At it.
Then I crouched beside her.
“What did they want you to say?”
She looked toward Vivian.
“That Nolan stays Second Chair no matter what happens after the baby comes.”
I frowned.
“I never discussed removing him.”
“I know.”
Nolan looked at me sharply.
“You told her that?”
I stared.
“She’s my wife.”
His face hardened.
Interesting.
He had believed something different.
“What were you told?”
Silence.
“Nolan.”
He looked at Vivian.
Wrong instinct.
I saw it.
He knew I saw it.
Finally:
“Mother said once the baby was born, you planned to replace me with somebody from Elise’s side.”
My expression changed.
“What side?”
“Elise’s brother. Her cousins. Whoever made the child’s household stronger.”
Absurd.
Elise had no Mafia relatives.
Her father owned three hardware stores in Connecticut.
Apparently terrifying.
I looked at Vivian.
“You told him that?”
She folded her arms.
“You’ve changed since marrying.”
“Yes.”
“Since the pregnancy, more.”
“Yes.”
Her expression sharpened as though agreement proved guilt.
“You leave meetings.”
“When Elise needs me.”
“You cancel travel.”
“When necessary.”
“You’ve delegated crews.”
“That is called leadership.”
Vivian scoffed.
“To Nolan.”
I turned toward him.
There it was.
The contradiction.
My brother already had more authority because I trusted him.
My mother had taught him to see that as evidence I planned to replace him.
Elise whispered:
“They wanted me to promise I would never ask you to change Second Chair.”
I looked at her.
“Did you?”
“No.”
Vivian laughed bitterly.
“She refused every time.”
“So you took away her food.”
“It was not about food.”
I stared at the bones.
“It was to the person eating them.”
Silence.
Elise touched her stomach.
Then said something that made Nolan look away.
“Your mother told me the baby ate when I obeyed.”
I stood.
Not quickly.
Slowly.
Because rage is easier to control when you make it wait.
“My unborn child was leverage.”
Vivian met my eyes.
“No.”
May you like
I looked at her.
“Yes.”
