Blood and Lies

Prologue

CASTELLO

Two caskets. Two painful reminders that we would never know peace again. As I watched my brother and father slowly being lowered into the ground, I knew that a war had begun.

My family thought that we'd been at war for years, fighting to rule the streets of our city. The battles that had been fought in the past will be nothing compared to what lay ahead. Everything had shifted, and nothing will ever be the same again. Our family will never be the same again.I will never be the same again.

I glanced at my mother standing to my right, which was another huge change for us—for me. It used to be Carlo who stood to my right. No matter where we were or who we were with, I would always be on Carlo's left. Why? Because his rank demanded it. As the Underboss, the next in line to be head of the family, Carlo would always stand to the left of our father. This way everyone would see who my father's successor was, and show him the level of respect his rank earned him.

To Carlo's left would be me, and to my left it would be my younger brother, Vico. Our position gave a clear indication to the succession of the family.

But from today it would all change.

Here I was standing to the left of my mother, the place where my father stood for over thirty years. A man's wife whom he loved and respected always stood to his right. With a small step behind him she would show her submission to her husband.

Today my mother showed her approval of me being the new leader of the family by standing just a tiny step behind me.

I hated it.

I didn't deserve it.

I didn't deserve her approval or anyone's respect, because I didn't want the burdens that came with it. But I had no choice. This was my new place.

My mother wiped away a tear. I thought about placing my arm around her, but how do you console someone when you have so much grief of your own?

Our family had been torn apart, and now it was up to me to put it all back together. My life was no longer my own as I held the future of everyone who once served my father in the palm of my hands. Too many depended on me, so the luxury of living a free life was no longer mine.

Beneath the black veil which hung over my mother's face, she looked up at me as the Priest said his last Amen.

"Promise me, Castello."

She didn't have to say it out loud. I already knew what she wanted me to promise her, what she needed—and expected—from me.

"I promise, Madre."

She nodded before turning around and walking back to the car. I couldn't leave yet, so I stayed behind and once again stared at the two open graves in front of me. My father's heart was too weak to handle the news of Carlo's death, which is why we were burying two Fattore men today. What no one knew was that there should have been three open graves. I died alongside my brother that fateful night...and now I will suffer in Hell for the rest of my days.