Page 20 of Crimson Fate
I motion toward the server hovering at the edge of the private dining room and order a bottle of wine, letting Anthony stew a bit longer in his curiosity. Rather than answer his question, I make small talk until the server returns. Once the glasses of wine are poured and we place our order, I sit silently while waiting for the young man to leave us alone. I glance over at Marco, who guards the entrance to the room, and then back at Anthony.
Leaning forward, palms flat against the table’s clothed surface, I fix my gaze on the man who has been a fixture in my life since I was a child. The candlelight flickers, casting dancing shadows that mimic the dangerous game we’re about to play. “I won’t beat around the bush. You have been part of this family too long for me not to be straightforward. Word has gotten back to me that you’re questioning my leadership.”
His eyes narrow slightly—shrewd and evaluating—but they don’t betray a flicker of concern. That’s Anthony for you, always wearing a mask, even now when the stakes are high, and the cards are being called.
“Rumors,” he says slowly, deliberately, “are not necessarily the truth.”
“Then let me hear it from you,” I demand, my voice firm and commanding. The air tenses around us, an electric charge that hums with unsaid words and unmade decisions. “Are you or are you not spreading doubt about my ability to lead?”
He studies me for a moment, then leans back in his chair. “I’m doing nothing more than what I believe is necessary for the family,” he replies, a veil of ambiguity cast over his intent.
“Speak plainly,” I insist, refusing to be ensnared in his web of deflections. The weight of my family’s legacy presses down on my shoulders, a constant companion to the burden of command. “Tell me where you stand.”
Anthony’s eyes flit away from mine, a subtle dance of avoidance. “Out of respect for your father, I won’t lie to you. I have concerns,” he answers, clearly not worried about repercussions. “In fact, many of his captains do.”
I lean in too, my hands flat against the cool surface, mirroring him. My gaze is unblinking, unwavering. “I suggest you only speak on your own behalf right now.”
He sighs, the sound heavy with resignation. There’s a glint there, sharp and calculating. “All right,” he concedes, his shoulders squaring as if bracing for impact. “Yes, I’ll admit it. I have questions about whether you’re the man your father was when it comes to being boss.”
My jaw clenches involuntarily, a visceral reaction to the sting of his words. The muscles along my neck tense, a coil winding ever tighter.
“You’re right. I’m not my father. Because if I was, you would already be dead. He would have ended your life where you sit for saying such things,” I reply, my voice low and even. “Would you prefer I start behaving like him?”
“I didn’t mean any disrespect. I’m sorry about that. All I was trying to say is that you’re young and impulsive at times. People—I am wondering if you can be... prudent.”
The decision looming over me feels like a vise around my chest, squeezing with each breath. To lead is to choose, and each choice carves the path of our future. Can I be the leader my father was? Do I even want to be?
“Is that it? It’s just my youth that has you worried?” I ask, my mind a whirlwind of strategy and emotion.
“Well... no—honestly, it’s your... associations,” he murmurs, his gaze flickering to the empty seat beside me—the ghost of Amelia’s presence haunting the space between us.
“Associations? My sister chose to step away from this family to follow her heart. I can assure you that when it comes to this family, it is very clear where my loyalties lie,” I assure him. “And I can’t have one of my own captains questioning that.”
“I’m certain you have good intentions, my boy, but how are we supposed to be sure that when it comes down to it, you won’t choose your sister over this family?”
“Because I took the oath,” I say gruffly.
“I hope you take this with the intention it was meant, but I am not sure your word is enough to wash these concerns away,” Anthony replies.
I lean back in my chair, studying the man’s aged features. I have a couple choices. I can continue the conversation with Anthony or end things right now, and he doesn’t walk out of here alive. The problem with the latter option is there is a safety that comes along with being made captain. Unless you flat-out betray the family, you are afforded some protections. If I eliminate the threat, there is a solid chance the other captains will take it as a threat against them. “And what would possibly dispel those doubts?”
Anthony is quiet for a moment, studying me. His voice hovers above a whisper, a tone reserved for secrets and dangerous liaisons. “I’m just not sure.”
“Oh, come now, Anthony,” I huff. “We both know you have already thought this out and have something in mind to put your unrest at ease.”
“It sounds like you’re suggesting that I’m plotting against you.”
“Aren’t you?”
“Of course not,” he insists. “I mean, I suppose if I were forced to come up with something, there is one way to stabilize your position while also putting to bed any reservations I might have as to where your loyalties truly lie.”
I lean forward, my elbows resting on the table that separates us, my fingers interlocked. Anthony is an elder in this game. His moves are calculated, but I’m not a man who can be easily cornered. “Fuck all this dancing around! Out with it.”
“An alliance,” he says, the word hanging between us like a noose. “One of family.”
My brow furrows, the pieces not yet aligning. “We are already family, Anthony. What more do you propose?”
“A marriage,” he states simply, and the room feels like it tilts on its axis. “To my daughter, Gia.”