A Life Sublime (30 page)

“I will get you something,” Rocky offered. 

Gina shook her head. “It’s fine.”

“I was merely congratulating your wife on your good news. I wonder if you would consider Abele a good name for a son.”

That was his father’s name. However much of a snake he was, he had lost a parent, and for that at least, Gina would bear him some tolerance. “I’m sorry about your father.”

He gave a mild shrug as Nick pulled her protectively into his side. “I expected it.”

“Really?” Nick and Rocky drawled.

Enzo’s eyes flashed, “Is there something you know that I do not?”

“It’s just a strange thing to say that you expected your father’s death,” Gina intervened, squashing that fuse immediately. “Was he ill?”

“Cancer,” he replied, tugging at the cuffs of his blazer. “It would have been nice for him to enjoy some celebrations before he died.”

“We’re not close,” Nick said, his voice lowering which Gina knew meant he was getting angrier by the minute. “It shouldn’t bother you so much that my wedding was for family and close friends only.”

Enzo gave a mocking smile. “I would have liked to offer Mrs. Da Canaveze the option to be part of a different family.”

“Enzo, line. Crossing. You are not making this day any more enjoyable by trying to push my husband. You’re lucky he’s got some self-control.”

Enzo snorted, “You’re too good for the Da Canavezes.”

“I 
am
 a Da Canaveze,” she snapped. “I’ll put your inability to be sensible down to your grief. Now can you please go away?”

“And thereby proving my point.”

Rocky put both hands in his pockets. “And you are proving mine as to the point of your existence on this planet.”

“How badly do you miss your father?” Nick asked softly. “Because if it’s that much, I’ll be happy to arrange for you to be with him shortly.”

Gina prayed for the man to see that Nick was not even joking. Enzo’s mouth tightened before he visibly pulled himself together and gave a polite nod in Gina’s direction. “Mrs. Da Canaveze.”

He turned away and left the ballroom altogether. Rocky put a hand on Gina’s shoulder and she nearly leapt a foot into the air. “Dude, I am tense all over. I think we need to stop having public parties, shit always gets stirred.”

Nick slowly rolled his shoulders, and she felt him relaxing. “Noted. Family only from now on.” He turned to Rocky. “Can you make sure security got him to leave?”

Rocky nodded once and followed Enzo.

“Taking it a bit far?” Gina asked.

“I swore that no one would ever again test me where you’re concerned. He and his phat mouth can go elsewhere. Or he’ll have a head missing.”

She lightly ran her hand over his chest to touch his cheek. “He is right though, I am far too good for you.”

His smile was fleeting. “I don’t know why I let Dad insist we do this.”

“Respect. Keeping boundaries and alliances tight, I don’t know. But he asked and we owe him. So it’s done. I’m not liking it any more than you, but it’s just for a little while longer.”

He sighed, “I hate when you talk sense.”

“And you said I’d lose brain cells. Why did I marry you?”

“I sexed you into it.”

“That happens far too often.”

“Because you’re a freak.”

“Tosspot.”

“I love you too.”

In a smaller conference room, the gathered heads of families were all seated. Nick stood beside him, Paul sat to Massimo’s right, Tony and Beppe stood at the doors.

“Now. I appreciate you all attending this momentous occasion. I must also apologise for not being able to have you all at my home in Italy. It would have been, you must understand, a logistical nightmare.”

There were murmurs of amusement and he continued. “Today is a day that not only has my church blessed my son’s marriage, but today is also the day that I will freely pass the mantle to my son. I am no longer a head of family. Today, I simply become a husband, a father and a grandfather. Nicholas will see to all your needs. Resolve your problems. Maintain order. Consider me as retired.”

There was a stunned silence as the members all stared at him, then each other and back to Massimo. He tapped his fingers on the table in front of him with impatience.

“
Signor
, you can’t retire.”

“Excuse me?” Massimo asked gently.

The questioner cleared his throat and lowered his voice, as if that would convey respect where the question did not. “It’s… it isn’t done. No one retires.”

“If the Pope of the Catholic Church can retire, then so can I. You know my son. For the past three years, you have been dealing with him. It will continue to be as such. My contribution to our organisation must come to an end.”

“But
Signor
…”

Massimo held the man with a still gaze. “That is the decision. There is nothing I know that Nicholas does not. Just as there is nothing he cannot do that I can. Have I been understood, or do those with limited understanding need the sharp end of a bullet to be clear?”

A united, “Yes
Signor
,” filled the room. Massimo clapped his hands together. “Excellent. As we were.” They began to file out of the conference room.

Paul snorted, “Christ, did you see some of them?”

“I know,” Nick sounded thoroughly insulted. “Like it was up for Prime Minister’s Question Time. The fuck? Dad, do you see what you’ve done?”

For Bella?
“Yes. But more for you. You do not need me.”

Nick’s face twitched. “Why would you say that? Is something else going on?”

“Not at all. I made a promise to my wife-to-be. As a married man, you will understand the importance of keeping such promises.” His son opened his mouth to argue and Massimo instead laid two kisses, one on each of his dimpled cheeks. “You do not need me. I am most assured of your capabilities.”

“Thank you,” he said eventually, hugging Massimo tightly. “Let me get back to Gina, tell her to chill. Not that she’ll do as she’s told.”

“I warned you,” Tony taunted, holding the door open for them all. Ignoring the byplay between his son and his friends, Massimo felt relief, the burdens and responsibilities now all with Nick. He should have done this some time ago, however he wasn’t sure that Nick was ready to do this. Now he was firmly convinced that this was right.

His eyes surveyed the ballroom and interestingly enough he saw Rocco Mamione following Enzo Vitale out of the hotel. Massimo sighed. Why did people insist on challenging him? Tapping Rocco on the shoulder as he passed, the younger man held back as Massimo chopped his wrist across Enzo’s throat. Enzo struggled for breath immediately clutching Massimo’s arm with one hand, his throat with the other.

“This,” he murmured, “Enzo, is what it feels like to take your last breath. I told you in
Napoli
but I suspect your father’s death has caused you more mental damage than you would believe.” Enzo wheezed, his lips turning blue as his hands scrambled for life. “The only reason you are still alive is because I do not think your brother can take any more grief at this present time. If I were you, I would be very nice to Arlo for a while. It will ensure you live longer.”

He brushed Enzo from his suit and his body collapsed in a heap. Rocco was staring at him with raised brows.

“Forgive the question, sir, but didn’t you just retire?”

“Emphasising a point does not come within the scope of my retirement,” Massimo replied, ignoring Enzo’s loud and desperate coughs. “He has five seconds to apologise or I believe you will have to arrange his transport for the night to a mortuary. Five…”

“Sorry!” Enzo heaved, on his hands and knees. “I meant no disrespect.”

“Try harder,” Massimo replied gently, turning back into the ballroom. He assumed Nick would have dealt with it another time, but as history had taught them both, nipping little rebellious incidents in the bud worked best. Shaking the violence from his person, he immediately looked for Belinda in the crowd of guests and found her. It was like stepping into sunshine after the bleakest of winters. He couldn’t wait to start his life with her.

“Bella, let us go outside for a walk.”

She beamed at him. “Good idea. All I’m doing is drinking. And starting fights.”

Interesting
. If there was the smallest doubt this woman was meant for him, it simply vanished with those three words
and starting fights
. Laughing, they took a turn in the garden adjacent to the ballroom. “Would you like our wedding to be here?” he asked, as they headed for a bench.

“No, it’s too froufrou.”

Massimo started to laugh. “The best word I have heard in a long—”

A weight crashed into him, something cold and sharp slid into his side. Belinda was toppled over in the struggle. Massimo grabbed the face of the attacker and nearly stumbled in his shock. Arlo Vitale, the youngest. Christ, the boy was barely nineteen years old. The boy jerked his arm and the knife glittered in the lights. Grunting in pain, Massimo released the boy’s face and caught his arm as he motioned to stab him once more.

He twisted the boy’s arm violently and the knife fell to the ground. Arlo tried to run, but Massimo held onto him tightly. Pain speared from his side to his lower back. He didn’t think too hard about where he’d been stabbed or he wouldn’t be able to stay upright.

“Stay here,” he insisted quietly.

“Are you hurt?” Belinda asked, her eyes rounded with shock getting to her feet.

“No,” he lied.

Belinda turned on Arlo, catching the boy with two fists in his shirt, “Why would you do that? How
dare
you! He’s a father. He’s my husband!”

He fought a smile. What a time for such a victory of words with his beautiful Belinda? “Bella, sit down,” Massimo requested. It was dark enough outside that she wouldn’t see the stain of blood spreading on his coat. “Arlo Vitale, you know what you have done?”

The boy burst into tears. “I thought I had to. My father said if anything happened to him, I should blame you.”

Fair enough.
“You have committed yourself to death for this.”

“You don’t understand.”

“You need to explain yourself a lot better than that!” Belinda snapped.

Arlo looked panicked. “Enzo will kill me.”

“He will not touch you,” Massimo said.

“No, because he’ll have to get behind me.” Belinda raged. “Why?”

“It’s all I’ve ever known. Get back whatever has been stolen from you. My father’s gone and you had something to do with it.”

Massimo sighed, cursing Abele Vitale for putting such nonsense in his youngest son’s mind. “If you know that, then you understand the rules. Was your father overstepping the mark when he came to my house demanding presence at my son’s wedding?”

“Yes,” Arlo whispered.

“What does that deserve?”

“Disrespect or disobedience deserves death.”

“By attempting to kill me you have disrespected my sons. You have disrespected my order. You have shamed your family more than your father did.”

“He wasn’t well. He felt angry.”

“How much time did he have left?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Arlo cried, “I wasn’t ready.”

Massimo exhaled, his mind fogging with pain. “There is never a time when you are ready to lose your parent. Why he did not spend that time with you instead of challenging me, I do not know. It matters not.” He gave a shaky breath and sat back on the bench. “Arlo, you can be a better man than your father. That is all a man can hope for his son, that he will exceed him one day. I am sorry that you lost time with him, however, your father made that decision. You know this.”

“Yes, yes sir, I do.”

“Then this did not happen. Leave the knife, go wash your hands.”

“What?” Belinda snapped. “Why wash his—” She moved Arlo out of the way and opened Massimo’s jacket. She gave a scream. “No!”

“Bella, I will be fine,” his voice sounded quiet, even to himself. “Arlo, do not let this be your legacy. Be more than this. Strive for anything and everything more than this. You will lead a better life in the end. Trust me.”

“I’m so sorry,” Arlo whispered. Massimo gave him a kiss on each cheek.

“Be better than this.”

Belinda was scrabbling through her bag for her mobile. “No, no, Bella.” Massimo forced himself to speak louder. “Go inside and get Nicholas.”

“What? He’s not a doctor!”

“Yes, but he knows those who will be discrete. Hurry now. Take the knife with you.” She got to her feet, quickly bending to collect the knife from the ground. “Make sure no one sees it. Put it in your bag. Be careful. No one in that room other than Nicholas should know anything is wrong.”

She looked ill. “If I come back and you are not conscious, there’ll be trouble.”

“Young Vitale will stay here and talk to me. He will keep me awake.” He caught the sheen of tears in her eyes. “I am here.”

Hurriedly, she bent down, cupped his face between her palms and kissed him. “I do love you,” she murmured. “So if you leave me, I’ll finish what this stupid boy started.”

“I understand,” he promised. “Go. Quick.” Massimo watched her half run back inside, then he turned to Arlo. “It hurts less if I close my eyes. But I need you to talk to me.”

“What about? I don’t know anything.”

“Why Italy has produced some of the world’s greatest footballers.” He let his lashes fall against his cheek, breathing slowly and regularly. “Go on.”

Arlo started talking about Roberto Baggio and with a smile, Massimo leaned back, the boy’s voice fading slowly away.