Omerta

Chapter 55

        My Zio Tony watched the interaction between Nick and I very closely before mumbling, "I should've figured." He walked off after that and so did Dom, knowing we needed our space. "Nick, I know you say you wanna do what's right and punish the trader, but you don't have to kill him by your own hand. Let someone else do it," I advised him. 

He'd be his own demise if he did this. I know him well enough now. 

"Gia, go home. It'll all be over soon enough then we can all go on with our fucking lives," he cursed before leaving me there. I tried reaching for him, but he pushed my hand off, so I watched him leave.

        When I got outside I went down to the car of the poor old woman who'd let me borrow it under false pretenses. To no large surprise Giuseppe was lingering a few cars ahead hoping to catch me from wherever I parked. "Giada, a word," he ordered for me to come. 

"You can't let Nick kill his own brother. Have someone else do it. You'd still be setting an example," I blurted out before he could say anything. With his dark suit and crisp white shirt you'd think this man was a businessman with a standard life. You wouldn't know what I know, as I look up into those tired dead eyes. 

"Leave Nicolas alone. The message we're sending wouldn't be heard strong enough if we let someone else get their hands dirty on our behalf. Vincent has wronged us and embarrassed us. He will be punished," he stood his ground. 

The message wouldn't be clear if someone else hung Vincent up by his balls? It had to be them? 

"Then why aren't you doing it? Punishing Vincent instead of making your other son do it?" I thought I stumped him. "Because Giada, he must be the one to be feared. Nicolas is the future," he explained. 

Those words lingered for a moment. Nicolas is the future of this operation. Of the entire crime family. Of the Italian mob.

        "I hope you know you'll lose both your son's today if you make Nick do this. It'll weigh on him too heavily, and he'll snap one day as this eats away at him," I warned Giuseppe. "Nicolas is my greatest warrior. You give him no credit," he went to dismiss me and open his car door. 

"There's a difference between being a warrior and being your own brother's murderer," I looked this cold evil man in his eyes, as I delivered this final message to him. I hope to never face this man again. I had also promised Nick last night that we're still in this together until the end, but after that I wouldn't ever see him again.

I sympathize with him today because I feel I owe him something for saving my life. 

I was trying to save his life in return by stopping him from doing the one thing that might actually crack Nicolas Luciano. I hold the weight of Richie's death on my conscience even though I didn't even pull the trigger, or strike the match, but still it's a weight I'll always have to bear. 

I can't even imagine killing my brother. Dom is like a brother to me and no matter what he did in life, even if it were to betray me, I could never kill him. I know that.

        I started thinking about Maria Luciano. As much as that family has stressed me out and pissed me off, it wasn't her who was ever attached directly to any of that. I hate Vincent for what he's done to me, Richie, our families, and whatever other sins he's committed that we don't know about yet. I hate him for betraying his brother. 

Even still, I feel for Maria because she's going to receive news today that her son was a trader...and that he'd be killed tonight. I can't imagine how a mother would feel when hearing those words.