Page 46 of Urgent Vows
"I have every right to get rid of a consigliere who is untrustworthy." I backhand the other side of his face, harder this time.
"I am trustworthy," he slurs a little. "I have spent the last 25 years serving you and your father. That's got to count for something."
"You lied to my father."
"Your father owed me. He had no right to take what was mine."
"He took nothing from you," I say harshly. "You gave your honor away for free."
"You knew if our father discovered that you abused your wife and then your daughter, he would remove you as his consigliere." Miceli's tone is nearly as chilling as mine.
He's furious on my wife's behalf, but even more so on our father's. He trusted this piece of shit and Francesco played him for the fool.
"How I chose to treat my dead wife or discipline my daughter was none of your father's business and it isn't yours either." Francesco sounds like he still thinks he has an argument he can make.
Must be his training as a lawyer. Unfortunately for him, I trained to be a don. A man who can dole out punishment better than any other.
"You want to talk discipline?" I ask, sounding reasonable, though murderous rage boils in my blood.
"Let's talk about how I plan to punish you for your dishonesty. Should I cut out your tongue because you didn't use it to tell me the truth?" I do a spinning kick that lands against his right ribs.
The smell of urine rises strong and pungent. The pissant pissed himself.
"How did you even become a made man? Knock off some old guy in an alley who couldn't fight back?" Miceli mocks.
"Should I cut off your hands because you used them to harm what is mine?" I tie a tourniquet on each arm in preparation.
Francesco sobs and begs me not to do it.
"I thought you had more pride."
"He only knows how to be strong when he's beating a woman half his size." Angelo's voice is filled with contempt, his eyes that are usually dead are burning with disgust.
My head enforcer has his own demons from the past. Demons that give him a personal hatred for domestic violence.
"Maybe I should cut off your ears because you never fucking listened when my father or I told you what we expected from our consigliere." I box both ears, knowing it will hurt and make them ring, but not ready for him to lose his hearing. I have more to say.
"I listened," he lies.
"If you listened, then you know, because we both fucking told you, that my father and I expect you to be above reproach. No man who cannot control his temper with his family will sit in the top ranks and wield power under my authority."
Chapter 16
SEVERU
I turn to my brother. "Get the capos and their underbosses here. My men need a reminder that I don't tolerate dishonor."
Miceli nods and heads out of the room. There's no cell reception on this sublevel or the one above.
Before he exits the outer room, I call out to him. "Miceli, tell Domenico to get the treatment records from all area hospitals for Sara and Catalina Jilani going back to the year Sara married this piece of shit."
I don't bother to give instruction to search under Sara's maiden name and other variants Francesco might have used when getting his wife and daughter treatment when he'd gone too far. Domenico is my capo over online gambling and money laundering. His team also oversees our digital security and has some of the best hackers in the country.
They'll know exactly what to look for.
I watch my wife's asshole father while I'm talking to my brother and am satisfied to see his face leach of color. He knows what Domenico is going to find. Evidence of his coverups.
"You're going to fire me as your consigliere in front of everyone, while I'm tied naked to a chair sitting in my own piss?" There's no mistaking Francesco's foolish wish that is all I'm going to do, no matter how he tries to make it sound like that's a fate worse than death.
