LEVI

I rested my hand on Nico's shoulder—or I should say I rested my hand on Don Niccolò Greco's shoulder. He wasn't Nico anymore. He was Padrino over all New York.


He sat down in the chair behind my desk—Don Alonzo's desk—except that Nico outranked even Don Alonzo. He outranked all of us, including the Italians who recognized him at the Met.

'This suits you," I told him. 'You wear it well."

He blinked around at the office and then down at the desk. He still hadn't wrapped his head around everything that happened since yesterday.


All at once, he rocketed out of the chair. 'No! I can't! This is all wrong! There has to be some mistake."

'There isn't," Charles replied from across the room. 'You saw the pictures Don Guiseppe sent over. You look exactly like your father when he was younger."


'Be happy about it," Ryder added from the window seat. 'It means you can marry Geneva now. You know she worships the ground you walk on."

Nico shook his head and resisted me when I tried to steer him back to the chair. 'I can't! I can't be…this. I mean, I'm just a security guard. I can't take over all of New York. It's absurd."

I could only smile at him. 'You have to, son. It's your destiny. Besides, you taking over is the best way for you to keep Geneva safe. No one will dare to threaten her with you in charge."

His expression cleared. He still looked like a tank that had taken one too many explosions in battle, but as soon as he heard about Geneva being threatened, all his doubts evaporated.

He went back to the chair, but he didn't sit down. He studied the desk like he was just seeing it for the first time.

I felt for the guy. He grew up hard and lived even harder. He never expected this. None of us did.

I watched him grow from a boy who would wash Don Alonzo's cars in exchange for a hot meal to one of the most feared enforcers on the Eastern Seaboard.

I couldn't think of anyone to whom I'd rather hand over the reins to Don Alonzo's empire. I just never thought it would be like this.

'When you're ready," I told him, 'we can start going over the finances of our remaining assets around town. They've really taken a hit these last few months, but with the Navaros neutralized, we can rebuild."

He nodded without looking up. 'Okay. I might need to take a few night classes to dust up my math skills before we do that."

I had to laugh and squeezed his shoulder again. 'You're gonna be great. No one is born knowing how to run all this."

'You were."

'I learned. It took me and Don Alonzo more than twenty-five years of daily practice and coaching by our fathers before we were ready. No one expects you to just walk in and start doing everything yourself. Besides, Geneva can show you around. She understands the business at least as well as I do."

He nodded again, but I could already see his brain switching off. Poor guy. I didn't envy him the job in front of him.

A scuffle outside the office made us all look up. One of the butlers opened my office door to let in Don Guiseppe Cattaneo, Don Giovanni D'Angelo, Don Bruno Lombardo, Don Vincenzo Terranova, and Don Antonio Terranova.

All five of them went over to Nico, kissed his hand, and then kissed him on both cheeks. It was a traditional greeting of one don to another, but also an acknowledgement of something much, much bigger.

'Don Niccolò!" Don Guiseppe exclaimed. 'Such an honor to see you again. You received the documents I sent over?"

'Yeah. I did." He spoke in a dull, husky undertone with no enthusiasm.

'Excellent!" Don Guiseppe rubbed his palms together in delight. 'Then, if everything is in order, we can begin transferring your inheritance into your bank trusts. There's the question of title search on your properties here in America, in Europe, and also your assets in the Bahamas, the Maldives, and Australia…"

Nico stared at him and opened his mouth, but no sound came out. His eyes glazed, and his sight started to drift in my direction.

I stepped forward. 'Thank you very much, Don Guiseppe. We would appreciate it if you could begin the transfer right away. I'll be handling Don Niccolò's affairs as his consigliere," I glanced over at Nico, 'if you'll allow me."

He nodded, and a flood of relief went through his big body. He was going to need a good right-hand man—someone who knew how to run interference between him and the rest of the mob world.

Don Giovanni stepped forward. 'The other Italian families would be honored to invite you back to Naples for an official introduction. You'll want to acquaint yourself with all your father's business and his underbosses. His consigliere Beniamino Bianchi has been running your father's organization in your absence. I'm sure he'll be delighted to go over everything with you and make any changes to match your expectations."

'Thank you, Don Giovanni," I interrupted again. 'That would be lovely. Please send me all the details, and we'll make Don Niccolò's travel arrangements."

The Italians couldn't be more pleased, but Nico only shut down even more. Every word hit him like a freight train.

He stood before the Italians without moving a muscle. Did he even hear half of what they said?

Don Guiseppe stepped forward and took Nico's hand again. 'We'll be staying at the Ritz Carlton for three more days. Please don't hesitate to call on us if you need anything at all. We're all at your service, Padrino."

He started to kiss Nico's hand again when Ryder spoke up. 'Excuse me, Don Guiseppe, but there is something I would appreciate your help with… with Don Niccolò's permission, of course."

'What is it?" Don Guiseppe asked.

Ryder straightened up in front of him. 'It's my family. I'm the only Navaro left, and some of my relatives won't be too happy about what happened last night. It's going to take some serious firepower to get them to accept me as their don."

'Of course," Nico cut in. 'You don't have to worry about that. We'll straighten them out."

'They'll listen to you more than me," Ryder went on. 'Some of the troops I would use to enforce my authority will be the same people who will turn against me if I try."

'Forget it," Nico fired back. 'We'll handle it. We can bring in the Terranovas to bolster the Levine numbers and make sure no one causes any trouble." He turned to Levi and Don Vincenzo. 'Right?"

'Absolutely, Padrino," Don Vincenzo replied. 'Anything you need, don't hesitate to call on us."

'You have our full support too," Don Guiseppe added. 'Perhaps it would be better to incorporate the Navaro territory into Padrino's empire and eliminate the threat entirely."

'No!" Nico countered. 'No one is taking anything from Ryder. He's Don Marco's son. He deserves to inherit his father's organization, especially after last night."

Ryder burst into a big smile at him. 'Thank you, Padrino. You're very generous."

'I told you to forget it. No one is taking anything from you, although we might have to negotiate on the territory your father stole in the last few months."

'Of course, Padrino."

'Stop calling me that!" Nico clamped his mouth shut and let out the tiniest gasp of exasperation. 'Sorry. I'm still trying to understand all this."

A soft noise of approaching footsteps made everyone look toward the door again. It eased back, and Geneva stepped in.

She looked extremely tired but much more relaxed since we brought her home last night. She'd been in her room ever since, and none of us had dared to disturb her.

Don Guiseppe smiled at her and turned back to Nico. 'I can see you have business to attend to. Please contact us at the Ritz Carlton if you need anything at all."

'Thank you," he choked. Then he had to stand there while they all kissed his hand and then hugged and kissed him on the cheeks.

Don Giovanni and Don Bruno exclaimed all over again what an honor and a privilege it was to serve him and how thrilled they were to find him after all these years.

He put up with it, and then he had to stand there and put up with Don Vincenzo and Don Antonio doing exactly the same thing. I was really starting to feel for the guy by the time Don Vincenzo went over to Charles. 'Are you coming home, Bambino?"

'I'm staying here for a while, Papa. I'll call you."

Don Vincenzo only smiled. 'I understand."

They hugged and kissed. Geneva stood off to one side and watched the whole excruciating process, but the Italian dons didn't leave without kissing her and wishing her well numerous times.