“We have time,” Ricco said and leaned back and looked at Raph. “I had thought about making you my Consigliere you know.”
Raph looked up and shook his head. “Nah, I wanna be in the mix of things.”
Ricco nodded and said, “I figured, I am going to talk to Bella, Bruno is a good man, I think we should share him.”
“Seems like you and Bella are combining a lot,” Raph said casually but Ricco knew what he was asking. They had chosen two Underbosses, looking at everything, it made Raph wonder.
“Our families may be joined, but our assets will not,” Ricco said firmly. “We have them in too many places for one person. No, you and Carmi will be the Underbosses.”
Raph nodded and said, “I still don’t trust her.”
Ricco laughed and shook his head. “Brother, get over it, you are working together, which means you will be spending time together. She is loyal to Bella; she will be loyal to us.”
“As long as she doesn’t have a gun,” Raph snapped and Ricco laughed loudly.
Chapter Sixteen
Two Days Later...
Bella and Ricco stood in his offices and looked at each other with astonished faces. What the hell were they thinking? Gino and Marco were on a conference call with them right now. Things were moving much faster than both of them thought.
“What do you mean we are having a party?” Ricco said stiffly and Bella took his hand.
“Tomorrow, at Italia, Marco and I will be there first thing in the morning to greet the guests who are arriving. Don Pedirmo will arrive in the afternoon tomorrow, he is bringing several men with him. We are not sure, but he may want them to remain here, as his connections. There are many things that need to be cleaned up here. The younger generation in some of the families have taken it upon themselves to not follow the rules. Don Pedirmo has had enough. So tomorrow, not only will you be announced the new heads of the Tomasi and Acciai family, we will be named as the co-leaders of the National Syndicate. You will still answer to us, and we of course will still give you any guidance you need in this time of transition. But we have asked Don Pedirmo if we can base the National out of California. He has agreed, though the east coast is a major problem. We will be appointing people soon for those areas. Now, since you only have a day, you need to make some decisions, your structure must be sound, and also be aware of their new duties. Your Underboss, your new Capos, as well as recruiting for new soldiers,” Marco said.
Gino joined in as the two stood there in shock. They had figured they had months to get things organized, months and they were giving them hours. How in the hell would they get a party of this size planned, get everyone up to speed, and also, make sure they had security at Italia for all of the visiting people. Hell, it was almost impossible.
“Also, Bella, I have already called Rome, blocked rooms there for families and friends. There are three floors available. Ricco, you will be housing the people from Sicily, and your family. Marco has already blocked two floors there. Several people are staying at other places, but the head count will be around six hundred. I took the liberty of calling both of your event planners and asking for help. They are currently coordinating the food and whatnot.”
“Well that is good, so glad you both have all this planned out, can you tell me if you have our clothes picked out as well. I am sure that would take care of everything then,” Bella snapped and Ricco smiled and shook his head.
“Bella,” he said softly.
She snapped, “What? We have not even had enough time to—” Bella said.
Marco interrupted, “We apologize, Bella, but you and Ricco proved yourselves. Your people, they are very loyal, they have all been singing your praises with how you dealt with the situation at the mansion, as well as at the hotels. This opportunity is something we cannot pass up, if we did, Don Pedirmo could very well send men from Sicily to head the National, and if that were to happen, things would certainly be tense. The years have passed since the ‘Familia’ was notable in the United States, so many negative connotations were attached to the word Mafia. The Feds are already taking a look at the idiots on the east coast, they have been blatant in their activities and creating a stir, this is something that will not wait.”
Ricco sighed and then looked at Bella with confidence. They could handle it, but seriously he would rather Bella and him be allowed time to settle in with each other, get used to their new union, their new positions.
“We will begin immediately,” Ricco said and Bella rolled her eyes and nodded. She looked down at her casual attire and instantly began creating a list of things she needed from her condo to be brought here. There was no way she could conduct business in jeans and a t-shirt that said “Kiss me I am Italian.”
They finished their conversation and hung up, telling both men they would be ready when they arrived in the morning.
There was a knock on the door, and Carmi walked in without them saying enter. Raph walked in behind her glowering at her back.
“Hiya!” Carmi said and pointed over her shoulder with her thumb. “Idiot here said you wanted to see us?”
Raph growled and said, “I can’t work with her.”
“You will have to,” Ricco said smoothly and then took Bella’s hand and said, “Tomorrow the announcement will be made, a party will be held here at this hotel for all of our family and friends. The Don from Sicily will be arriving mid-afternoon. So we have a lot of work ahead of us.”
Carmi frowned and looked at Bella. “Tomorrow? We need to have our Capos in place by tomorrow?”
“Yep,” Bella said and looked at her best friend. “Get our list ready, and begin making phone calls. I need everyone here now so we can determine what we are doing.”
“What about the casino?” Carmi said slowly and Bella looked at Ricco.
“Rome and Italia will also be officially joined tomorrow,” Ricco said and Bella grinned.
Twenty-four hours and a little sleep later, Bella and Ricco stood at the doors to the ballroom they were using and smiled. “Are you ready?” Ricco asked.
Bella looked at him intently, just an hour ago they had made love in the shower while they were getting ready. Well, Bella had been ready, but when Ricco saw her all dressed and fully ready, he had announced that he needed to inspect her. This entailed undressing her from her snug fitting royal blue dress that shimmered in the light when she moved. Add the plunging neckline and back, Ricco had told her she was perfection. Then he messed her up. Bella hadn’t cared at all, especially when he had muttered praises the entire time he made love to her.
“How is my hair?” Bella asked dryly. She had redone her hair herself, pulling it back up on her head and letting the ends fall loosely around her shoulders.
“Perfect,” Ricco whispered and then continued, “later, we will see about those panties you wore though, I am not sure they are appropriate for this dress.”
Bella rolled her eyes and then said, “Open the damn doors or we will keep them waiting for a hell of a lot longer.”
Ricco chuckled and leaned forward, grabbed both handles and swung the doors open. There was a crowd of people already gathered outside of the room and Bella flashed a smile. Ricco paused and put his hand around her waist and said loudly.
“Benvenuto famiglia, Venite a festeggiare con noi.”
Several people threw up their hands and walked toward them, hugging Bella and Ricco as they entered the room. For the next hour, the two of them stood at the door, greeting every single one of their guests as they came in. It was tradition, and when Gino and Marco walked down the hallway together, with Carmi’s dad behind them as well as Ricco’s father, Bella knew it was time.
She looked at Ricco who was already moving to greet the men, and held back as the men shook hands. She stepped forward and hugged her father, Marco, Carmi’s father, and Ricco’s father as they were introduced to her formally. Yep, they were going to be doing this strictly by the book.
The Don from Sicily had not arrived yet, althou
gh a few of the people he had traveled with did. Bella knew for a fact, none of them were the men they were waiting for. Gino and Marco had found out that five men came with Don Pedirmo were to remain here. They were distant relatives to the families that needed to be restructured. Bella wasn’t certain how this would go over, but only time would tell. The only thing she did know, was the Acciai/Tomasi family was now the strongest in the country, everyone would be looking to them for help and approval. It was a huge burden added to them, being they were so new, but Ricco and Bella knew they could handle anything as long as they were together.
The men entered the room and began to make their rounds, leaving both Bella and Ricco at the door waiting. She took his hand and looked around. “Do you know any of these people?”
Ricco chuckled. “Some, but some I have never seen before. I am glad we have all of the soldiers working tonight, I don’t think all of these families actually get along.”
Bella nodded and watched the room as the families divided to different tables and areas. Yep, this should be interesting.
They heard the ding of the elevator across from the door and both of them turned and watched. A much older man walked out of the elevator first, Bella wanted to laugh, she knew this had to be the Don of Sicily. She stared at the older man, who was dressed in a tux, leaning on a cane, and looked like he could possibly keel over at any second. Five men followed him, all of them young, all of them gorgeous, and shit, all of them full blooded Italian, with black hair, chiseled features, and yep, there was the arrogant smirk on their faces when they saw Bella and Ricco.
“Benvenuto,” Ricco said loudly and firmly. Bella nodded and waited until they arrived to them. That is when she saw it, the light in the old man’s eyes, he was playing them by looking fragile and weak.
“Figli miei, è così bello conoscerti,” the old man said and Bella nodded. He had called them children, he was considering them part of his family, which was good.
“Please,” Bella said softly. “Join us in celebration of your family.”
The older man looked at her and his eyes twinkled. “You know,” he said with a very thick accent. “If I were younger…”
Bella laughed and shook her head. “You do not fool me. You are not that old, nor are you as frail as you appear.”
Ricco’s head snapped to her and he frowned. The other five men froze and held their breath as the old man looked at her closely and then threw back his head and laughed loudly.
“I like you,” the man said and she grinned and nodded. Ricco let out his breath and shook the younger men’s hands as Don Pedirmo introduced them.
“Please,” the Don said. “This is Capo Valentino, Capo Battista, Capo Salvadore, Capo Vincenzo, and Capo Barone.”
Ricco and Bella shook their hands and then escorted the group to the table at the front of the room. As they walked through the crowd, people took their seats, and began to quiet down. The Don had arrived, and they were showing their respect.
Don Pedirmo sat down and then nodded as the heads of all of the families began to come forward to greet him, by kissing the ring he wore on his left hand.
The announcements had been made, dinner had been served and now, everyone was milling around. Bella and Ricco were seated with the Don when the music began to play. Everyone accepted the change in the organization, although many of the families knew something was coming, you could tell by the looks on their faces. The older men had a look of resignation, while the younger, looked pissed and arrogant.
“Dance,” the Don said softly to Bella and Ricco who both smiled. The older man had charmed them during dinner, hinting to them he would like to see them married and with children. He called the children the future, he said they would be powerful.
Ricco stood and held out his hand to Bella. As they walked to the dance floor, everyone seemed to mill around and move off the floor. Creating a circle as they moved to the middle of the floor. The music changed and Bella looked at Ricco in surprise, she knew this song, it had been one of her mother’s favorites.
They were in the middle of the dance floor when Ricco took her hand and bent down on one knee in front of her. She gasped a little and looked around wildly. Her father and Ricco’s parents stood together on the side of the dance floor looking at them in approval.
Ricco squeezed her hand and she looked down at him. Trying to keep her composure. “Bella Tomasi,” Ricco said firmly and looked at her in the eye. “We are destined to be together, since the first moment I met. This has never been about anything other than us, and what we can be together. Will you marry me?”
Bella grinned and looked at him and nodded. He slid a huge marquis cut diamond on her hand. Ricco stood and nodded to their parents, to Marco, and to the Don who was grinning hugely.
When he turned back to Bella, she leaned forward and kissed him softly and then whispered to him quietly, “A match made in heaven.”
Epilogue
Raph stood to the side of the dance floor. He felt a hand fall on his shoulder and he turned and looked. “Cousin, it has been a long time,” Valentino said and Raph laughed.
“It has, maybe not long enough.”
“Please, I am sure the government has forgiven my last visit,” Valentino said and he looked around the room. “I look forward to being closer to you and the rest of the family. Since my parents passed away last year, my sister has been wanting to come and visit. She is graduating next month with her degree in business. She is planning on coming to the States and staying here.”
Raph grinned and shook his head. “Is she still the wild child?”
“Worse, last month, she was detained by the border patrol, she and her friends had spent the weekend in Paris, on the way back, they stopped for one last hoorah, they were drunk. Instead of driving, they decided to walk to the border and have them call me,” Valentino said and Raph laughed loudly.
“I can’t wait to see Karysa.”
“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” Valentino said deeply and Raph’s eyes went to Carmi who of course was looking sexy as shit, with her black hair curled and dangling loosely down her back, and bright red dress that left nothing to the imagination. “Who is this beautiful creature?”
Carmi turned when she heard Valentino’s deep voice and Raph wanted to strangle her. She smiled at him, fucking smiled. And not the psycho one she gave him, hell no, she smiled at him like she was actually a happy, sexy woman.
“Oh, I do hope you are talking about me?” Carmi said huskily and Raph’s eyes widened and his mouth had to have dropped open. What the fuck was this?
Valentino took her hand and brought it to his mouth and kissed the back. He grinned at her and said, “Valentino Amossi.”
“Carmella Maria Antonia Louisa Grapa, pleased to meet you,” she said softly and Raph growled under his breath. She finally turned and looked at him with a frown wrinkling her brow and she said, “Hey, Slappy?”
Valentino chuckled and looked at Raph. “Uh, Slappy?”
Carmi smiled at Valentino and tilted her head, Raph made another noise of displeasure before she laughed. “Yep, see, Raphael over there is a bit of a whiner. I mean, I am being nice about this, trust me. Anyway, he was whining one day and I gave him the nickname Slappy, when he was acting like a bitch.”
Valentino roared loudly. Raph was totally going to strangle her, she was dead. This was never going to work. They couldn’t get along. She was just too difficult, and dammit, she had shot him, twice now.
“You are enchanting.”
Carmi winked at Valentino and said, “Well, Val, so are you.”
Raph finally had enough he leaned to his cousin and said to him quietly, “You do know who this is, right?”
Valentino looked at him in surprise and then shook his head. “No,” he said and then turned back to Carmi who was smirking.
“Carmi is Bella Tomasi’s Underboss. She also has a nickname I am sure you have heard of. Carmi is ‘Piccolo Drago’, the Little Dragon.”
Carmi said smugly, “He is just mad because I shot him...twice.”
Raph glared at her while Carmi tried to ignore him. Valentino smiled and held out an arm to Carmi. “We must talk about this. I cannot wait to hear how you refrained from killing my arrogant cousin.”
Books by Harley McRide
Ops Warriors MC
Sharing Freedom
Bringing Harmony
Shady
Hell Froze Over
Tasered
Lady Riders
Rain Falls
Treats Aren’t Always Sweet
Broken Wings
Baby Bear
Furies
Inferno
KO Ink
Co-authored w/Carson Mackenzie
Vengeance
Pierced & Inked
Brawn & Brazen
Cuffed & Briefed – Coming Soon
Costa Nostra
Capo Ricco
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Excerpt from Inferno
Furies MC Book One
by Harley McRide
“Edwardo,” Boomer said as he walked into the room and closed and locked the door.
“Hey, why are you here right now? We don’t have a meet set up for a few days,” Edwardo said.
“This has nothing to do with that, Edwardo, we are in a spot of trouble and need to use your phone first of all, and then we need to figure out how the fuck we can get back across the border without papers,” Boomer said and Edwardo narrowed his eyes.
Capo Ricco Page 12