By Fate I Conquer (Sins of the Fathers #4)(94)

“If that’s what it takes.”

Amo couldn’t be serious. I didn’t know Greta well but she’d seemed to have a good relationship with her family. I couldn’t imagine her forgiving him if he hurt them.

“I suppose then I can start preparing Valerio for the position as Capo?”

Luca crossed his arms in front of his chest.

Amo shrugged but I knew him. I knew how much he wanted to become Capo like his father, and I knew how proud Luca had always been that Amo would take over one day. What was happening here was breaking my heart.

“I don’t want to be Capo,” Valerio said, no humor in his tone for once. I gave him a smile. “I never wanted that. It’s Amo’s job.”

“One son doesn’t want a position thousands of soldiers would kill for and the other doesn’t respect that it takes sacrifice to become Capo.”

“I’m willing to sacrifice a lot for the Famiglia and this family, Dad. I’ll be a good Capo like you, but have you ever considered that you are a good Capo because Mom has your back? You have her by your side when the carnage and bullshit get too much. Without her, where would you be today?”

Luca looked at me and tears welled in my eyes. “I’d be in a very dark place and probably a worse Capo than my father had been.”

I didn’t believe that. Luca had always been better than his father, but it meant a lot that he thought I had helped him be a good Capo.

“I need Greta by my side to be Capo. I love her. I always admired what you and Mom have, but I never thought I could have it because it’s so fucking rare in our world.”

Luca regarded Amo with narrowed eyes. “And you think you have it with Greta?”

“I know it.”

I walked over to Luca and linked our hands. He gave me a tired look before he turned to Amo once more. “This will cause a major scandal, fuck, possibly a revolt. We’ll have to spill blood to shut up Antonaci’s supporters. Lots of blood if we can’t bribe him into silence somehow, which I doubt.”

“I’m willing to spill as much blood as it takes.”

Luca released a long breath. “If you think she’s worth it—”

“She is.”

“Then I stand by your side and spill as much blood as it takes. I’ve spilled blood for far less.”

I couldn’t hold back the tears anymore and Valerio wrapped his arms around my neck from behind, his chin on top of my head. “Blood spill, in time for Christmas. What a jolly message. Born in Blood, Sworn in Blood indeed.”

I choked on a laugh and slapped his hand. The prospect of a major conflict within the Famiglia terrified me but at the same time I knew it was unavoidable to give Amo the happiness he deserved, which was all I wanted for him. If blood was the price that we all had to pay, then so be it.





The buzz of the phone call with Amo quickly evaporated when I thought of the upcoming conversations with my family.

I went in search of Nevio. I knew he was the hardest nut to crack. I found him in my ballet studio, working out. He was doing pistol squats, a look of concentration on his face as he watched himself in the mirror to check his form.

“You’re not here for ballet,” he pressed out and straightened. My eyes were drawn to the scar on his belly. It was only a white line against his tanned skin—one of many scars battling for attention with a handful of tattoos—but it carried the memory of one of the hardest days in my life. Nevio hated Amo. And even if he didn’t say it outright, Amo felt the same way about my brother. How could I ever unite those two? Or at the very least not make them want to slaughter each other?

Nevio followed my gaze and his lips pulled into a hard smile. “That’s the last scar a Vitiello is ever going to inflict on me.”

“Nevio, can we talk?” I wrung my hands, not sure how to tell him. Talking to Mom had been hard, but it was nothing in comparison to this. Dad would be difficult too but Nevio’s reaction terrified me more.

Nevio became alert at once and came to my side, touching my shoulders. “What’s wrong?”

The worry in his voice always warmed my heart because worry wasn’t one of Nevio’s strong character traits.

“You know I love you, right?”

Nevio’s dark brows snapped together, confusion mingling with wariness in his eyes. His instincts were spot on as always. “Just tell me what you need to tell me. You’re not sick, right?”

I shook my head quickly. “Not sick, no. I’m fine, physically. I—”

“Greta, just tell me!”

My eyes burned with tears. I could barely swallow past the lump in my throat. “I’ve been seeing Amo these last few months.”

Nevio dropped his hand and stepped back, his expression becoming stone cold. “What?”

The low vibration in his voice raised goosebumps on my skin.

“I love him.”

Nevio took another step back, every muscle in his body tautened to the maximum. “You love him?”

The condescension in his voice hurt worse than his rage. “Nevio, please try to understand. I love him and I want to be with him.”

He turned away with a harsh laugh, drew his gun and fired at the mirrors. I flinched, my hands flying up to cover my ears. The floor-to-ceiling mirrors exploded one after the other with an ear-splitting screech. Shards flew through the room, split the sunlight into hundreds of fragments like my heart splintered because of Nevio’s reaction. He turned to me slowly, his chest was bloody from several cuts and a single shard was stuck in his cheek.