“God, when did you get so tough, Gav?”
“We’re doing this deal,” Casso says, slamming his palm onto his desk. “We’re slowly shifting our income stream from dark money to legal. We’re not looking over our shoulders anymore, waiting for someone to come up and shoot us in the damn head. I want to leave a better family for our children. I don’t want to be my fucking father.” Casso’s voice is thick with emotion and the room goes silent.
I let that sink in. It’s a nice speech. I even agree with some of it. We should work hard to make the Famiglia strong and better for the children to inherit one day.
But we’ve done them a disservice. We haven’t trained them like we were trained. They don’t need to be abused and beaten, but they do need to learn how the Famiglia works. They need to know how to defend themselves and how to lead men. Dominic is going to be the Don one day, but he’s still soft, even at sixteen.
When I was his age, I’d been in a dozen fights and seen men die.
Which is probably not a good thing, but still.
There’s a happy medium, Casso just hasn’t tried to find it yet.
I don’t speak up. I keep my mouth shut. I tried to reason with them over the years, but they’re parents now. They don’t want to be our father, and for good reason. That man was a monster and a real piece of shit. Nobody misses him.
But the kids will suffer for it when it’s their turn to lead.
Love makes my family weak.
That’s why I’ve avoided it.
“You’re not Dad,” Karah says and Fynn grunts his agreement.
“You’re not,” I say, nodding to him. “And we’re not abandoning Jeanie.”
Casso sighs and rubs his face. “Put it to a vote. I say no.”
“Yes,” I say.
“Yes,” Fynn echoes.
“No,” Nico says with a shrug. “Sorry, Gavino. I don’t like outsiders around the house.”
Everyone looks at Karah. She bats her eyelashes. “What, I get a vote now?”
“Stop acting like it’s a new thing,” Casso grumbles. “You’re a damn blood member of the Famiglia, and if your husband gets a say, you do too.”
“How progressive.” She yawns and looks at me. “You’ve been so goddamn grumpy the last couple years, maybe this will cheer you up. Go ahead and keep your toy.”
Casso groans and I nod to her. “Thanks,” I say.
“Don’t thank me. Just make sure she doesn’t fuck this up somehow.” Karah waves, kisses Nico again, and heads to the door. “Now, I’m going to find our children and make sure they’re not doing something stupid.” She disappears out into the hall. Fynn gets up and follows without a word, pausing only to nod in my general direction.
Nico sighs. “We’re fucked,” he says quietly. “No offense, Gavino.”
“Asshole.”
He exits as well, leaving me alone with Casso.
“I’ll draw up a contract,” he says, sounding resigned. “But the first sign of trouble and she’s gone. Understand me?”
“Yes, oh great and mighty Don.”
“Prick.”