Page 65 of Vicious Intentions
I can’t help but smile at the sight of a man, who I assume is only a decade or so younger than my father, getting his second wind at life from the mere idea of war. Younger men than him aren’t nearly as keen.
“I’m glad to see you in a better mood, Matteo,” Moretti says, his eyes never straying from my face.
“Don’t count your blessings just yet. I’m sure I’ll be back to my foul mood in no time.”
“You know what you need?” the Old Fox asks, pointing a finger in my direction. “The love of a good woman.”
Here we go. I’m surprised it took him so long to broach the subject.
“Have you thought about my proposal of arranging a marriage with one of my girls?”
“I have not. Besides, I haven’t even met your daughters yet,” I try to deflect.
“And whose fault is that?” he scoffs. “I’ve invited you plenty of times into my home so we could share a meal. You’re the onewho’s been acting like the world has ended instead of accepting my generous offer to take your mind off things.”
“And as generous as your offer is, I am in no mind to take a wife, much less look for one.”
Don Vitale’s frown lasts but a second before moving his full attention onto Niccolò.
“I wouldn’t say no to having Nico as a son-in-law.”
To his credit, Niccolò doesn’t so much as budge from his spot. Still, by the way the vein in his forehead starts to bulge ever so slightly, I can tell this is not something he wants to discuss, let alone entertain.
“Next thing you’ll say is that you have a daughter for Raffaele too,” Moretti jokes, catching the horror in Niccolò’s eyes.
“I have been blessed with four daughters to choose from, Alfonso. Hell, I might even have one for your Rocco, too, if we put our minds to it.” He laughs before turning serious. “But Raffaele is still too young. I want someone older for my girls. Someone more dependable. Wiser. A boy like Raffaele won’t do, I’m afraid. He’s still too green. My girls would chew him up and spit him out,” the Old Fox says pensively.
“You do paint quite a picture of your daughters, Don Vitale. They sound lovely,” I try to say with a straight face, but fail.
Moretti, too, begins to chuckle.
“Laugh all you want, but sooner or later you will come around to my way of thinking. A union between our families would strengthen our alliance. If we can learn anything from Romano, it’s that marriage is an effective way to ensure loyalty and bind rival organizations together for generations to come. He made good use of his children. Thestronzohas armies on almost every continent because of them.”
“You’re not wrong,” Moretti says, nodding his head in agreement. “Pity I only have my Rocco. Maybe if I’d been blessedwith a daughter, she’d give your girls some healthy competition in securing a marriage with one of the Donato brothers.”
“Oh, I don’t know, Dad. Gay marriage is still legal in the state of New York,” Rocco says with a mischievous grin, before sliding his arm over my brother’s shoulders. “What do you say, Nico? Wanna get hitched?” He winks flirtatiously at Niccolò, causing him to turn every shade of red in the crayon box.
“Boss, is this meeting over?” Niccolò asks me, entirely forgoing the otherrealD
ons at the table.
“If we’re cracking jokes, it must be,” I say, trying to hide my smile.
“Good. I’ll be in the car.”
Niccolò rushes out of Moretti’s living room and onto New York’s spring chill.
“The big guy scares too easily,” Rocco jokes. “Might as well go check on him before he has a panic attack.”
“Hmm. That’s not a good sign. My girls love to joke around. If he can’t take a joke, then that’s a mark against him. Guess that only leaves you, Matteo.”
“I think Rocco has the right idea. Best I go check on my brother.”
“Coward,” Don Vitale mumbles disappointedly under his breath.
I let out a chuckle as I extend my hand to shake Moretti’s.
“Thank you for inviting me into your home. I think this was exactly what I needed to get out of my head.”
