Time wasn't a luxury I'd been gifted as Don of the Salvatorini Familia. I'd been given pressure and challenges, been forced to adapt for the better of everyone I found myself with dominion over. Now I had to once more clean up what I was in control over.
I'd summoned all of my Underbosses across my territory to Genoa, and stated that anyone who didn't come would be labeled as a traitor and lose their position in the family that would also mean their death.
I'd ordered enough people called for, that everyone entered either ready to be promoted or killed and their demeanor typically showed the truth of the case. I had often seen how many of my men in the early days had gotten complacent with how other outfits, and even Capo's would let their men do almost anything, I hated it. It had been that same complacence that had led to me having to kill so many in Liguria, and then go on to do it again and again as I became more powerful across Europe. I had become so used to power that it dictated my mind at times, and I had become so used to putting it before many other more important things.
In this instance it was because of my families future, that my power needed to be proven.
Standing outside of the Familia home I watched the sun go down over the water, casting golden orange and purple glow over the water and through the overhanging clouds as the sky darkened. The Villa of the Familia was the original home of the Salvatorini Familia and though I had been born in another home, the Familia villa was where I spent most of my childhood, and choosing it as the base of operations for my own reign as Capo, Underboss, and now it's Don. I felt surrounded by the memories that I had here. Training with Matteo, and my brothers, lacing crowns of flowers for my sisters, father's malicious beatings until I was numb to it, and borderline masochistic.
"Stirring in your thoughts of murderous intent?" Matteo remarks appearing in the doorway of the garden and carrying a drink over to me.
"I'm thinking about how I'm going to deal with the traitors that are surely stirring among us, I'd like to order them hunted, forced to flee for their lives when they are surrounded by our allies, or just let them prove themselves, whoever kills all the others found to be traitors will be kept alive because they would have proven their intentions for this Familia," I say tapping on the cold stone under my fingertips before turning to my brother.
"Alessio 'the hangman' Salvatorini, making an appearance," my brother muses a creepy smile rising to his lips.
"Blood made this family powerful, I will shed it for all of us if needed, even if it took purges every five years to guarantee it," I mutter.
"Tell that to the Underbosses not me, even if I am the Familia's highest appointed Underboss," Matteo says his vanity rising to the surface and I roll my eyes, before taking the glass I'd set aside.
"You need to get an ego check brother, also how has being the fiancé of Gabriella Valentino treated you?" I ask turning to him and his face fell slightly.
"She's shy, perhaps too shy, outspoken though, and it's driving me mad," Matteo exhales running a hand through his hair.
"Get used to the outspoken part, it'll grow on you though," I say before walking inside through the halls dotted with art and almost every kind of beautiful thing that Italy offered anyone with power, though a certain piece I'd bought because it reminded me of my rise to power. Looking away from the painting I pushed open a set of doors where a long oak dining room sat surrounded by men and women in suits and drinking my liquor and spirits that I hated pouring out for certain members that were attending but I'd still learned how to have all of them benefit me.
"Good evening," I greet looking around the room at all of them and hoping that I had the patience to say what was needed calmly. "I have recently learned that the Vincenzo assassination plot was a start to a larger operation, and I won't allow it for even a second. When you all arrived tonight you were each presented a list," I continue watching their faces for any flicker of emotion that wasn't either respect, fear, or attentiveness. I found it on some, but I could have Matteo deal with those people after as he would have noticed it too.
"This list contains the names of anyone who could be deemed traitors to the Familia, I am entrusting you to call for them, and deal with it accordingly, I won't tolerate disobedience especially after one of my Underbosses wife's was murdered in the same streets that his word was law in, or that the Tommaso Familia was allowed so far into Campania without any action to stop them. You will be told this once, anyone found to be in connection to this, will be killed as a traitor, and anyone who helps keep it hidden will meet a similar end," I state looking between them all waiting for opposition, though I wouldn't get it here, not when all of them relied on me and my support for their positions, not when the Mafia was looking at everyone like a suspect so I would use this to find out both how loyal my Familia was to me, and how strong allegiance was within them all.
Matteo had seen me do this before, the only difference was now anyone still alive from then knew how seriously I dealt with traitors in the Familia, and many others had seen or been a part of the executions that made sure I wouldn't experience trouble as a young Boss of a Family.
"And what happens if these people have fled," one of my Underbosses says, the Underboss for the Aosta Valley if my memory was correct, I'd had so many different people take positions there but they were often killed by the Bratva during our early years of expansion when France wasn't majoritively controlled by the Salvatorini Familia.
"Find them, I don't care who must be sent, or even if you need my help, I will provide it, just find them, and get it done quickly," I say lowering my voice as Matteo spun a knife with that Cheshire cat grin on his face that made it all too clear that behind my brothers humour was a man who would kill at a slight inconvenience.
The Underbosses were silent for a moment though I began to note who had what reaction and cast a look to Matteo who gave an almost unnoticeable inclination of his head that he knew who I was looking at.
"I expect you all to work together to do this, even if it isn't what you may want, I expect that many will flee, and so I will ask that you allow one another the chance to work with you to deal with this issue. I don't want to see any of you die, many of you have been by me since the beginning, others have proven themselves again and again," I add in an attempt to lead those who would eventually disobey me into a false sense of safety, even if there would soon be a hit out on those who had proven themselves to want the fall of my Familia. Though I wasn't certain if I wanted to know the scope of this, though they would all find a bullet if it continued. Especially if it started to focus on my family. I had few rules, but touching my family would, and always had been cause enough for death.
"I'd say that's all right, Alessio," Matteo says seeming like he wanted to start killing the traitors in the room immediately if I let him.
"It is Matteo. Please all of you return to your cities, feel free to speak to me when you have an update," I say before leaving the room followed by my brother who looked back and then to me.
"Do you think the traitors will strike at you, brother?" he asks.
"I'm fucking counting on it, I'm counting on their panicked attempts at self preservation. Tell Giovanni I'm going to need red carpets delivered," I direct and the smirk on Matteo's lips only grew, and for once it didn't freak me out like it should have. He was my brother and I could trust him to make sure this all went as we wanted.
However I wasn't going to pretend that this would mean something a lot worse for the future of Arianna and I's relationship, especially if my enemies chose to target her. That was the fear that sat in my chest as I left the villa, and rested there when I thought about how I'd trained my Made Men, and Women when it came to dealing with others.
Though my enemies would learn more about me then they wanted if they harmed her.
So a little hint there, though this does get convoluted as usual all my plots do, and they all lead somewhere, something I already have planned. Comment, vote, and share. Anyways
Peace✌
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Bloody City: Temptations
Romance{Book #1 of The Bloody City Series} Alessio Salvatorini was the Don of the Salvatorini Familia And a man that no one crossed from his cruel reputation alone, but when war is on the rise he ends up being convinced to take the hand of Arianna Valentin...
