Capo Dei Capi (Secrets of the Famiglia Part 1)

Present

"We agreed to keep it quiet. Nothing happened, no retaliation, nothing until recently. Ren was visited by Xander, seems like Alice was wrong, Xander very much wanted to protect Alec that night."

“What the fuck Liya, we are supposed to be a fucking family. Shouldn’t we have gotten a say too? We could all be dead by now.” Gabriel yells as I look to the carpeted floor. Yes, they should have had a say. But at the time, it seemed best to keep it between Ren and me.

“Ren didn’t just put himself in danger, he put us all in danger. Xander Moretti is a fucking snake, he’ll slit your throat if it meant proving himself worthy of his father's fucking approval. And Alice, fucking Christ, Aliyana. If she knows Elisa is your father’s daughter, we are fucked. She’ll know we are up to something. Point be damned if Elisa is a fucking devil in disguise or not,” Michel barks as he bangs his hand on the wall, making me jump.

“We should’ve never allowed the two of you to go alone. If the Russo family are on to us, we need to make a stand Xander will choose the side that has the best perks for him. Alice is a fucking bitch, but I don't see her wanting to kill Ren. She wouldn't admit it, but Matteo is important to her, and you, are important to him for some unknown reason,” Mero voices out what they all were thinking that same day.

“And Di Salvo already claimed Matteo as future Capo. His father is known to dislike his dead wife's family," Michel informs us.

"Either way we look at it, Ren is dead. We need to decide how we’re going to handle it. This is all pointless when there's no proof they did it. A lot of talks are going around the State. People are still blaming the Irish, some are saying the Cartel could’ve whacked him as a message to Marco. But, we all knew a Russo coming after us was a possibility," Gabriel is saying what we all already know.

"Deno warned us when we made a choice all those years ago. We need to see this through, especially if they killed Ren,” Mero, always our voice of reason, and facts.

of power. He will make a great Capo one day, soon, when his uncle steps

as much as it was yours. And we all know you chose to let it slide. I would’ve killed your sister, blood or not and probably agreed with Ren and killed Alec

know,” My voice is soft,

the Warehouse and get this shit done. Deno won't wait forever.” Michel storms out, leaving the 3 of us in the room.

killed Ren, you need to ask yourself how far you are willing to go. We started this years ago, Alec was just a pawn on the board. Alice is a knight on the wrong side of the board fueled by vengeance. Your father’s love for you doesn’t help ease her hate. Add in Elisa, who you have flaunted in her face like a red-flag, tempting a

I will protect him. What I won’t do is allow anything to happen to Elisa in the interim, we need to get her out.” I can honestly say at this moment, I

will love her regardless because as I stare into my friend's eyes, I know the secret I keep will very well end

are both here to keep her safe. He walks out of my

eyes intense, assessing as they stare at me for a few beats before his nostrils flare as he looks to

the two of them. The framed canvas on the wall next to the door leading to my en-suite was my first painting. I threw it in the trash can. The same portrait Ren and Gabriel

his smile in this very room become more than a memory. The sound of his voice as he yells,

this is the hardest of that loss. I

friend, brother, other half,

stairs two nights ago, where I cried for the boy he was, I cry for the man he will never get to become.

into the heat of his chest as my mouth opens, and I let out the sound of my breaking heart.

Gabriel’s words in my ears, meant to silence my pain, reminds me of all I have lost as his

was good, and my choices could be the reason he’s dead. How do I live with that? If