Capo Dei Capi (Secrets of the Famiglia Part 1) novel Chapter 54

"You care for Sartini's daughter. Fuck, Marco, why!" It is not a question but an accusation.

"Sometimes, we have no choice," I say quietly, knowing he understands too well the words I speak and the honesty behind it.

He gets up from his chair, his tall form, and broad shoulders, the two things I inherited of my fathers.

My mother's eyes will always be what holds me. I am the flaw in my father's secret and my mother's betrayal.

The fault of their love.

It is why he doesn't stare too long. Unlike Deno and Anya. I am the image of my mother's bloodline. I am also the true heir to the DeMarco name. The eldest son of the eldest child. And as of three years ago, when I stepped forward, I am the future Capo Dei Capi, The Boss of All Bosses. And right now, the most powerful person in this room.

I, Marco Catelli, am the bastard son of my father and my mother. In the Famiglia, I am considered a nothing, but in The 5th State, I am powerful enough to rule over all of them. And as the eldest son, and product of two influential families, I have proved myself more worthy than just my name.

A curse, a gift, and all for love. I am not as different to my father as I would like to be.

My father takes a moment to answer a call. I use the time to get myself and my brother a drink.

Leaning against my father's desk as Deno runs his hand across the books on the dark wooden bookshelf. I enjoy the glide of the amber liquid going down my throat.

"If father agrees, how are you going to get Sartini to say yes?" Deno asks as he lifts up a picture of us, from the bookshelf.

I haven't considered it, but my conversation with Aliyana earlier comes to mind, and I smile as I take another sip of my drink.

"I thought I'll start with a more direct approach first."

"Seriously? Just mentioning Aliyana's name will have the man in a shouting fit."

"I know, which is why I'm going to ask him after he agrees to something else."

Deno turns to face me, and we stare at one another.

The door to my father's office opens, and we both move toward our seats. Our conversation on hold for the moment.

"Mi dispiace. Dante Moretti has accepted the marriage to his granddaughter. 'Till death do you part, were his words. I agreed. Camilla is on her way." His words take a full 5 seconds to register.

He has accepted, 'till death.

She is coming? I frown in confusion. I was confident he was going to refuse. Six months and nothing. Now all of a sudden, I get this? So, what changed his mind? No, this can't be.

"I will marry Camilla," Deno says in a rush.

Dante's warning rings in the room and, like my brother, always ready to be the one to sacrifice.

"If she comes to Seattle and I don't marry her, it will be a direct insult to the Moretti's, and a big fuck up we don't need with Lucca's shit to deal with and Lorenzo's death, plus the fucking docks."

"I'll make her choose me," Deno says again.

And subject his life to torture and the possibility of someone finding out the things that shade him? I am the eldest son.

"I was the one who asked for her hand all those months ago and continued to press it."

I am also my brother's protector, whether he wants it or not. A promise I made to my mother more times than I could count.

She made me promise that I will keep him safe, and always choose him even if it meant I had to sacrifice myself. It was a promise I made to her, a living one. The one promise in my life I won't break.