“They’re not your children. They’re bastardi. There’s nothing that says they were included in the agreement,” Enzo argued.
“These are kids!” Nova pointed at the pictures on the table again, looking at Enzo. “Some of them are your fucking kids!”
“You taking it personal?” Enzo laughed. “This is a bastardo vendetta.”
“You bet your ass it’s a vendetta. I take it personal as fuck,” Nova growled at him and then looked to rest of the council members. “We want the Brambinos disbanded.”
“Disbanding us for this is just like disbanding the De Lucas for loan-sharking or the Morettis for drugs. This is Cosa Nostra. You don’t get to pick and choose who has the best racket. We all know where the Morettis sell their shit. They’re not any better than us,” Enzo said sharply. “Been to any raves lately, Moretti?”
“We can’t disband them,” Dante agreed, but he narrowed his eyes at Enzo. “But I think financial restitution is fair. They broke the oath. The entire Borgata should be punished. Anyone have an issue with that?”
Enzo threw up his hands. “I have a fucking issue with it.”
“Fine.” Nova nodded in agreement. “Ten million isn’t fair, but it’ll stop a war.”
“Fuck you,” Enzo growled. “Your brother wasn’t worth that!”
“Ten millionfor every kidwith an interesting last name.” Nova arched an eyebrow when he finished. “Including yours. I want the money made out directly to each victim. I wanna be listed as the conservator for all the accounts—”
“Why do you get to be conservator on our kids’ accounts?” Marcell growled at him.
“’Cause I’m the bastardo who gives a shit,” Nova said as he held up his hands. “Some of them have drug problems. Some of them have mothers who gave birth to them as sex slaves and have absolutely no idea how to manage finances. Some of them have fathers who have a proven track record of using them for cash.” Nova glared at Enzo again. “If they’re competent and over eighteen, I’ll turn it over to them, but either way I will offer total transparency to the commission on everything. Ten million to each kid; everyone walks out feeling a little better about their absolute fuckup as fathers and brothers, me included. I’m not taking any less blame than anyone else here.”
“You’re trying to bankrupt us,” Enzo growled at him.
“No, I was trying to disband you and wipe your disgusting Borgata from history. The restitution was De Luca’s idea, and trust me, it’s a painful compromise,” Nova assured him.
“I think it’s more than fair,” Dante agreed. “I obviously don’t have kids, legitimate or otherwise—” Dante glanced at Nova. “No offense.”
Nova shook his head. “None taken.”
“But if someone sold a De Luca for their last name…” Dante snorted and looked at the rest of the council members. “Yeah—” He shook his head. “I’m not sure if I’d settle for the cash, but lucky for you, I know how to keep my shit handled. I vote for the ten-million compensation for each victim. I’m fine with Moretti handling the accounts as long as we have transparency.”
“I agree.” Marcell nodded and turned to glare at Enzo sitting next to him. “And I want a ban on dealing flesh in Cosa Nostra. You’re putting a bad fucking name on our organization. Let the yakuza and the cartel sell their souls for that shit.”
“You bankrupt us. Now you’re gonna fucking take away our largest source of income?”
“No one’s comfortable with it,” Lombardis agreed. “I vote disbanding, but I’ll reluctantly accept the restitution. Moretti can handle it, but I want total fucking transparency.” He looked at Nova from the other side of the table and pointed. “I’ll be watching, motherfucker. I don’t trust you, and if you ever hack into my computer—”
Nova arched an eyebrow. “Don’t fuck with my brother or my Borgata, and I won’t hack into your computer.”
“We don’t have that much.” Enzo threw up his hands again when he realized he was outvoted. “You’re taking about hundreds of millions of dollars.”
“Better start selling some shit, then,” Nova snapped at him. “If your Borgata banded together, you have enough assets to keep your spot on the commission.”
“And if we don’t?”
Nova shrugged. “We annihilate you.”
“And we’ll help,” Dante agreed.
Enzo didn’t say anything else; he couldn’t. They’d rendered him speechless, and Nova began picking up his pictures.
“We’re going to the house.” Enzo finally found his voice as Nova started putting everything back in his suitcase. “I don’t believe he’s gonna hold up his agreement. You’re allcretinito trust this kid.”
“I’ll hold it up,” Nova said, though he choked on the words. It was like being back in that basement. He wanted to scream and rail against the unfairness of it, but at this point it would just make everything worse. Maybe, with a huge amount of luck, Tino would make the right decision. “I don’t want to. Just like the Brambinos don’t wanna pay restitution, but I will because I respect this commission and what it stands for.”
“We’re all going,” Enzo warned him.
