AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chicago and the precious, almighty Commission have ignored us here in Seattle for all of this century and most of the last. Now, one of the major families is taken over by a woman, and the woman is running the family with her three men.
And suddenly, at that moment, they decide to send an emissary. A messenger. To come to us.
Now they want to offer us a way in. What a surprise.
Only, do they come to me? No.
So I wonder, why could that be?
I’m in no hurry to speak. And Alessio is in no hurry to finish, although I’m not sure how much more he wants to say just now. I think he’s just pacing the time out, waiting for my reaction.
He’s putting off the moment for the reveal. The time when where he will need to show me the other side of the coin. The price.
For this great bounty, this supreme generosity from on high in Chicago, what do they want? What is going to be the price tag?
What will they take from us?
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“It would mean great changes, Lucianna. But think about it. From there, who knows? The sky is literally the limit.”
Alessio only talks nonsense like that when he’s anxious, and that’s only ever when he’s trying to avoid something. Waiting it out is getting uncomfortable. Especially since I think I can guess the broad shape of what’s to come.
My thighs are starting to stick to the chair.
“Think of all the opportunity, Lucianna. We could be truly going global.”
I swallow. “Have you talked to Bruno yet? Or Carlo?”
“No. Of course not.”
“Why of course? You want their input, don’t you?”
“Yes. Of course I do. But I need to talk it through with you first.” I need to talk it through with you. These are not the words of a man who is talking to his boss. This is how he would sound when he’s about to take over.
“So. Talk.”
“What? Well, what do you think, Lucianna?”
“I think you haven’t got to it, Alessio. Not yet. Not the part you need to talk to me about.”
“No. But in principle, Lucianna. What do you think? Wouldn’t it be fantastic? You can see that, right?”
“What I can see is that there’s a piece you’re not telling me yet, Alessio.”
He nods. Takes a moment to pause.
“It’s a big change, Lucianna.” He keeps calling me by the more formal ‘Lucianna.’ I know he’s bracing himself for something bad. I wish he would just say it, though. I feel like I’m waiting at a doorway to hell and, I know it’s hell, I just don’t know what kind yet, and how bad it is.
All I know is that my patience is running out.
“Come on, Alessio. Get to it.”
“We’ll be full members. We’ll have that same seat at the Commission table as any other major family. Not only that, but the Washington Oregon territory families will operate under the rule of the Famiglia Fortuna.”
He sits back. “We will be the head family. In the whole Pacific Northwest, everybody will be looking up and kicking up to us. All of them. Everybody. Think of it, Lucianna.” His chest swells.
“Has anyone taken that great news to Don Romano yet? Or Don Pucci?”
