Chapter 35

                                    

                                          
Dark, heavy clouds hung low over the city and the sight made Luciano feel at ease somehow, the crackling of the fireplace adding to it. His uncle, Affonso, sat before him, waiting for Luciano to start a conversation that was long overdue. Luciano played with the white queen on the chessboard, twirling it between his fingers. When heavy rain hit the window to his right, he put the piece down.
"I don't want you to just take over as acting don," Luciano finally said to Affonso. "I'll step down and you'll be the don." 
Affonso raised a sceptical eyebrow. "Is this about you going behind bars?" 
"Yes." 
"You think you can't be the don when you're in prison?" Affonso smirked. "Your father did it." 
"I know, but it's not the same. I'm new and young. The Outfit needs stability. I want business to be run effectively. Me being in prison will slow things down." 
"You're more pragmatic than I thought." Affonso chuckled in surprise. "When you get out, you'll get your place back. You have my word," he promised before shaking hands on it with Luciano.  
 "I know you can handle it," Luciano spoke with certainty.  
Affonso leaned back, eyeing his nephew with a wry gin. "You don't have to butter me up. We already agreed on it." 
Luciano laughed with a nodding of the head. "That's true, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate the way you handle things." 
* * * 
The Victorian style mansion of Nicolò greeted Luciano and Nina as they came through the tall gates. Once at the door, they rang the bell and one of the maids answered their call.  
"Good morning. Where is my grandfather?" Luciano questioned the maid as he walked past her and inside the mansion.  
"He is with your brother, Sir. Upstairs and third room on your left." 
They thanked the maid and ascended the stairs, following her instructions. After a brisk knock, Luciano opened the bedroom's door. In front of them laid Teodoro's bandaged figure with Nicolò sitting at his side.  
"You two came early," Nicolò said as he got up from the chair.  
"I don't blame them. Who wouldn't want to be around this pretty face all day long?" Teodoro winked at his brother and sister-in-law.  
Luciano rolled his eyes. "Would it kill you to be humble?"  
Nina greeted Nicolò with kisses on the cheeks. "How are you, Nonno?" 
"Come here, Nina." Nicolò lifted his cane off the floor and hugged her. "I've been told what you have done for my boys. Thank you," He spoke in a low volume so only she could hear him. He was beholden to her. 
Overcome with emotion, Nina only moved to meet his gaze and smiled at him since she thought her voice wouldn't be stable. Suddenly, a roaring laugh followed by loud coughs echoed the room, making them look at Teodoro.  
"She went to the police?" Teodoro let his head fall on the cushion.  
"Yes," Luciano said begrudgingly.  
"Damn whore," Teodoro muttered. "I never liked her to begin with." 
"You don't say," sarcasm laced Luciano's voice. 
"So what? Getting Banion to get us killed wasn't enough? She wanted to have our corpses behind bars on top of that? This woman has a penchant for drama," Teodoro said. 
"It's not impossible for Marietta to have tipped them off but-" Luciano began. 
"It's unlikely," Nicolò chimed in.