1. Families Unite

ONE

Families Unite

JULIAN

I don't like the way Luciano is gripping her forearm so tightly. Milana winces. "Luciano, let her go. You're hurting her," I bark. Stupid, I know. You don't raise your voice to a consigliere, but I can't seem to help myself.

"She's the reason Ultimo Morte and the rest of the families were at odds," Luciano snaps. He directs Milana into the chair beside my bed. "Don't fucking move," he orders.

"My father is the reason you were at war. Not me!" she shouts. "I was a teenager. I didn't make the deal. I didn't know what my father was planning until the night I was supposed to be delivered to Ultimo Morte . So I ran. What choice did I have?" She turns to me, eyes pleading, her lower lip trembling. "Please, I just want to live in peace."

"Luciano—"

Luciano shakes his head. "Marco and Alessio have been notified. It's their decision on how to proceed." I understand Luciano's predicament. Marco is his capo, and if they've been looking for Milana, he can't let this go. Alessio, on the other hand, is my capo, and we've been looking for the woman who saved my life. He has the right to be informed.

"I don't belong to Ultimo Morte or Il Destino. I don't belong anywhere," Milana says quietly, covering her face with her hands. "I only came to help, then disappear into the shadows. I couldn't let them kill you."

Luciano's phone begins to ring. He picks it up immediately. "Right." He sighs, then pauses. "Where?" Another pause. "Half hour." He runs a hand through his hair. "It's never that easy. Alessio, Reno, and Raffaele too? Great, just great," he says with another heavy sigh. He hangs up and looks at Milana. "It seems that all the capos have questions. Let's go."

"I'm coming." I move to get out of bed, not an easy feat. above

"You can hardly walk." Luciano points out the obvious.

"She saved my fucking life. I have the right to know who she is and why."

He relents. "Stay put. I'll grab a nurse to help you." He looks from Milana to me. "This is going to get messy. Raffaele will want her back, and it would be his right. Seeing that her father was a traitor to Il Destino, Alessio won't be putting up a fight to keep her."

Luciano is correct in all he's saying. There's no reason for Alessio to offer her protection. In our world, the sins of the father are repaid by the family. Even if Alessio were to bring her back into the fold, the rest of the family will find it difficult to accept her. She'll always be looked upon as the daughter of a traitor.

I get dressed slowly, while Luciano moves Milana out into the hall. I don't like that I don't have them in my sight, but that can't be helped at the moment. I spot the envelope that Milana gave me earlier and tuck it into my jacket. The nurse insists on putting me in a wheelchair, and I hate to admit it, but I don't fight her on this. Just getting dressed was a fucking chore. I'd better reserve my strength for when we get to Marco's home. There's no telling how this is going to go.

Milana hasn't spoken since Luciano made it clear that there was no escape for her. Even her tears ended, and now I see the look of defeat on her face, and it's killing me. I'm aware that there's more to the story, but why would she risk her life to save mine? Why put herself in greater danger and come to the hospital to give me information?

As we pull up to Marco's grand estate, Milana draws in a ragged breath. Luciano clenches his jaw, and I sense that he's conflicted in his decision to bring Milana in. However, his first loyalty is to his family, as is mine. We live and breathe for the capos we serve. Luciano has a very prominent role as Nero's consigliere. Nero is the future capo of La Famiglia, and Marco's son. Luciano's responsibilities are to protect Nero and the family from any threat, and as ridiculous as it sounds, Milana is a threat. Or her father was, and this reflects badly on Milana.

Although I'm still considered a soldier, my responsibilities have grown, and I'm primarily in charge of guarding Alessio's family. Such an honor is high praise, and I'm being groomed to take over as underboss for my father. Dad has already decided to retire within the next two years, and discussions have started about when I will be introduced as his successor. It all seems like a formality, but it isn't. At any time, Alessio can make the decision to give the job to someone else who he believes is more deserving. I've been all that Il Destino has needed me to be: honest, loyal, and ruthless.

Milana steps out of the vehicle and walks between Luciano and me, her head sagging like she's walking the last mile to the electric chair. I can see she's trying with all her might not to cry, but her lip quivers, and she inhales deeply as we enter the home.

Gloria greets us at the door, giving Milana a sympathetic nod. "Marco and the others are waiting in the den," she tells us.

It's an intimidating room to venture into. Marco sits behind his heavy, dark wood desk, looking menacing. Raffaele sits in the chair directly in front of him, but his head is twisted around to see us coming through the door. He looks angry all the time, but even more disturbed tonight. Nero, Reno, and Alessio have congregated at the far end of the room by the fireplace, all holding crystal goblets filled with an amber liquid, probably scotch.

"You look like shit. What are you doing out of the hospital?" Alessio comments, looking me over. He indicates with a nod of his head to a chair nearby, telling me to sit. I have to admit, a chair would be good.

"I'm sorry to intrude, Capo," I say directly to my boss. "I feel that I have something to offer and hope I have the opportunity to do so."

Alessio's eyes move from me to Milana. "I'll permit you to have your say after Marco and Raffaele have had theirs." He turns to Marco and Raffaele. "You have no objections?"

"Not at all," Raffaele replies. Marco merely gives us a single nod.

Marco remains quiet for what seems an eternity, then pushes back his chair and sinks deeper into it, his gaze centered on Milana. He releases a heavy sigh and crooks his finger, motioning for her to come closer. Milana does as he asks, although I see her stumble with her first step.

"We've long thought you were dead, and you've been hiding right under our noses all this time," Marco says. His voice is steady, his fingers drumming on his desk. "I wonder, how did you manage that? And what I find even more curious is why you ran to New York. After all, it's the home of our allies." Marco tilts his head, eyeing her with genuine curiosity.

I scan the room to find that Marco's not the only one interested in Milana's decision to hide in La Famiglia territory. Milana licks her lips, never taking her focus from Marco.

"May I speak?" she asks in a quiet voice.

Marco throws out a hand. "Please do."

"I didn't know where to go. I just an as far as I could, and at the time, La Famiglia and Il Destino had nothing to do with one another. My father was a traitor, not me. I was seventeen years old, and I knew I was never going to have the option of choosing my own husband. I accepted it. But one day, my father came home and told me I was marrying a man I'd never met, someone I'd never heard of, and then proceeded to tell me I was marrying into a rival family. When I questioned him, he slapped me so hard, I fell. He told me it was decided and told me to go to my room."

"You should have come to me," Alessio states sternly.

"I thought it was a truce. Never would I have believed that my own father would betray the family. I only found out the truth two days before I was to be delivered to my new husband. And even then, it was by sheer accident that I overheard his conversation. I didn't know what to do, so I went to my mother. She was packing and told me to do as I was told, and that we didn't have an option. You would kill us anyway, and our only chance of survival was to follow Dad." Milana shakes her head and pulls her shoulders up to her ears. "What was I going to do?" She sighs. "I couldn't go along with them. I left that night when everyone was sleeping. I grabbed what money I had and went to a motel for the night. I only had enough for bus fare out of town. I picked the farthest place away from where I knew Il Destino wouldn't look for me and got a job as a waitress. I stayed in shelters for a while until I saved enough for an apartment."

"The smart thing would be to stay on the move," Nero says, stepping forward.

"And do what? This became home. I didn't have a proper education because my parents always said it would be wasted on a girl, and my duty was to be a proper wife. I made a few friends, and I stayed out of sight. I was at peace. Years have passed, and I was a memory to you all. All I needed to do was stay away from Il Destino. "

"And yet you didn't," Marco says.

"I recognized Julian from when I lived in Las Vegas. I knew he was part of Il Destino. I remember how much people admired him, and I couldn't just let him die," Milana says with an obvious lump in her throat. "I saw them put Julian in the freezer storage locker, and I knew he wouldn't last long. I asked Barry to help me. He created a diversion, and I was able to get Julian out before they came back and called for help."

"Barry?" This comes from Alessio. "Who is this guy?"

"He's a homeless man, but he's the nicest person you'll ever meet. He lost his daughter when she was a child and then his wife to cancer a few years back, and he hasn't been the same since. I tried to get him help, but he's not ready for that. Unfortunately, it has to be his decision. He helped me when I was really lost, and he's been a good friend ever since. Barry saved my life a few times over. He waits until my shift is over when I work the late nights and walks me home." She looks pleadingly at Marco. "Please don't hurt him. He doesn't even know where I come from. To him, I'm just Linny."

Alessio looks to Raffaele, who seems to be finding this whole situation a nuisance. "What are your thoughts? Her father was a rat, and ultimately, she was promised to Ultimo Morte. Perhaps it should be your right to pass judgment on her future, or lack thereof," he says.

I hear a small gasp escape Milana's lips, and I suck in a breath myself. Shit! Seeing her this scared is pissing me off. I want to jump in and protect her. When Alessio grips my shoulder, I realize I'm not hiding my emotions very well.

"She was supposed to marry a man who no longer lives. What use could she possibly be to Ultimo Morte?" Raffaele says. "It would be a punishment to the man I give her to for marriage."

"Perhaps she can work in one of your houses?" Marco suggests. I ball my hands into tightly clenched fists. The houses Marco is referring to are Raffaele's whorehouses. They would turn Milana into a prostitute.

Raffaele turns to look Milana up and down. I don't like it. As a matter of fact, I want to punch Raffaele right in his smug face. Milana raises her face to meet my gaze, silently pleading for me to help her.

"It's a possibility," Raffaele says idly as he assesses the situation to see if she's worth the trouble.

Alessio finally speaks. "I believe you've agreed to let Julian have his say." He nods to me and gives me the go-ahead.

"Milana saved my life and risked her own in doing so. She could have walked away afterward, and no one would ever have known it was her. Then today, she came to the hospital to give me this." I pull the envelope out of my pocket. "It's the location of the Russians involved in turning Angelo against us and the prime reason why Aris and I were targeted. Milana isn't her father. I think her actions have shown us just how much she's her own person. What are we punishing her for? She didn't have a say in who her parents were. She was a pawn in her father's game for power. He's dead, and she's still paying the price for his deception."

"Let me see that," Marco commands, holding out his hand for the envelope. Nero takes it from my hand and gives it to Marco, who reads it quickly and hands it to Raffaele to look at. "Is this accurate?"

"It was, as of four hours ago," Milana confirms.

Marco takes back the note and shows Nero. "Take as many men as you need and make them pay for what they've done," he orders. Then he looks at Reno, Alessio, and Raffaele. "Do you want a piece of this?"

"I think I'd like a bit of action," Reno says with a sinister grin.

"I'll come along." Raffaele stands and smirks. "I could use a little excitement."

Alessio stands as if he's ready to join the others when Marco pipes up. "Alessio, I'd like to have a word. Let's let Reno, Raffaele, and Nero take the lead on this."

"Certainly," Alessio responds.

"Look how nicely we're all playing together," Raffaele says with a hearty laugh.

"Whoever would have thought it possible for all four of our families to work together?" Reno says.