Capo Dei Capi (Secrets of the Famiglia Part 1) novel Chapter 27

“The Air,” I say as the memory of that morning with Ren flashes in my head.

“Her name is Dakota Larken now. He should get more with that. Are you ready for tonight?” Deno questions.

“They are, so we'll have to be. I’ll get our hacker on this stuff before we go. If there is something to be found linking Ren’s death to his girlfriend, we need to know. Ren could be the first target. I learned a long time ago the lengths people are willing to go for a brainy little girl.”

“Yes, the same brainy little girl. We can’t deny it no longer. Anya is digging. Our sister will open a can of deadly worms if she continues to do so. A new name doesn’t make someone different.”

“No, it does not, but it gives her a fighting chance. As for Anya, she will do no such thing. Our sister will be dealt with swiftly. She needs a little yanking. We made a pact to protect that girl and her sister,” I tell my brother.

His jaw ticks as his hard glare simmers through me, “We made a pact to protect our brother too.”

“Yes, but the difference is, Ren chose her a long time ago. He chose her knowing the consequences, you warned him, I warned him. Fuck, we even tried to force the issue.”

“What about us? We were warned, yet here we are having this conversation. What choice do we get, brother?”

I stare at Deno, seeing the mask of my brother falling with every tick of the clock as he stares at me, waiting for me to answer him, even knowing the answer I give him will not be the one he wants.

“We don't get those luxuries.”

He swallows, and I watch his jaw tick as he breaks our eye contact, facing the door,

“Then I guess we better get to that fucking meeting, shall we?”

“You can leave without me, I have a few things needing my attention. I’ll meet you there.”

“Sicuramente Capo.” Certainly Boss

"You know brother, Ren loved Diamond, and he believed she deserved our protection. With his death, there are only 4 of us left who knows who she really is. And 1 of them happens to be her sister, who hasn’t shown herself for a few years. Do you remember the girl who stole your heart? Or have you forgotten?”

His back stiffens, shoulders square, as he stands by the door for a beat of a second before marching out.

I drop my shoulder, bend my head, and allow the weight of everything placed on my soul to weigh me down physically as well as emotionally. My hands lift to cradle my face as my elbows balance the weight of the position, digging into the table.

My brother died almost 48 hours ago, in my city, while I danced with the very girl he begged me to stay away from. He always knew Aliyana’s part in my plan, yet, even knowing it all, he chose her freedom over the safety of our own blood. Always his Yana.