The Life: Sacrifice (The Life 3)

The only thing I hadn’t planned on here was my reaction to the DNA test. That came to me as I was sitting down with Salvatore, just one more way to gain his trust. After all, if I was after something, wouldn’t I want that? To prove that I wasn’t after anything. The fact that I do have his face is uncanny as hell. I look even more like him than I do his son, down to the damn shade of my eyes.

I can almost feel bad for him, for what I plan to do to his family and his life, but I won’t. Now all that’s left is to not show my hand too soon. I didn’t let on in any way that I was here for revenge. For all he knows, according to what I told him, his son and my mother were the only ones who knew what happened that night. I just told him the story Ma had told me and Pop, which was enough to disgust him.

Now, when I go after the others that were involved, he will be none the wiser. They, too, will be left to wonder how much I know, and I’m sure my presence will send shock waves through their little clique. I already have my introduction planned out, and the DNA test will just be the icing on the cake to get Salvatore completely on my side.

I’m not going in blind, so that will be my advantage, whereas they have no idea that I’m coming. The last thing I said to Salvatore before we parted is that I didn’t want his son to know that I’m here, not yet. I gave him the impression that I needed time to process, that I hadn’t expected to meet anyone from the Ricci family, and my only interest was in the Antonelli family.

He bought it, of course, why wouldn’t he? I used his education against him. I knew that someone like him, someone who straddles both worlds, that of the elite and the dark underbelly of crime, would appreciate someone as refined and educated as me. I plan to work on that some more once we meet again tomorrow.

When he compares me to his rotted seed, there will be no comparison. I also know that there are things he wants to achieve that his son can’t. My nana will be of great help there. Though she hasn’t been back to the old country in a while, her family still holds a lot of clout here, and I’ve met my cousins and great uncles over the years when they came to the states to visit. I’m holding them in reserve for just the right time.

The next morning, I went back to the hotel where I’d sat with Sal as if I was staying there. I made sure to get there early and was glad of it when he arrived half an hour earlier than we’d planned. I wish I felt something at the look of pleasure on his face when he saw me.

“Niputi, you’re here; I thought you would’ve left. I got no sleep. Thank you.” He clasped his hands together as if in prayer, and I dredged up a smile.

“I almost didn’t come. This all seems like too much of a coincidence. I’m still getting used to it.”

“No-no, il sorte, il sorte. It’s a blessing that you have come to me at this time. Come, we go get your DNA test to prove to you that we are blood.”

I followed him to the waiting car, where one of his goons held the door open for me. I guess they hadn’t paid close attention the day before because now he made a double-take when I got close. There was no need to guess what he was thinking. If the old man was about fifty years younger, we’d have passed for twins.

As soon as I sat in the backseat with Sal next to me, he grabbed an old fashion album from the seat between us. “I’ll show you.” He opened up the sepia-tinted pages, and it was like taking a step back in history. Not gonna lie; I’m not sure how to feel about looking at the man in the black and white photos that looked even more like me than Sal, if that were possible.

“This is your father!”

“Your great grandfather, yes; good man, hardworking man, who took care of his family and his neighbors. Are you like this, Gabriel?”

“Gabe, and yes, I am.”

“Good, good. I’ll take you to the mausoleum later; you pay your respects.”

“Shouldn’t we wait for the results of the tests?”

“No need, I told you, I know, look, look at this face. You look more like my father than I do. Reincarnazione. It’s like my father has come back to me.” He had tears in his eyes. “We’ll get your test. I tell you everything. What about your family in America? This man your mother has married, is he good to you?”