By Fate I Conquer (Sins of the Fathers, #4)

by Cora Reilly

“Not if I kill Amo, then Luca won’t ever agree to peace again.” His grin was full of darkness. It was the smile he carried at night. It wasn’t a smile he showed me. “You’d do that to me?” Nevio’s eyes remained indifferent. “I’d do it for you even if you can’t see it.”

Nevio loved to see the world burn but so far he’d always made sure the flames didn’t touch me.

“Mia cara, this is something I can’t allow you. I won’t agree to a marriage with Amo Vitiello. You won’t leave for New York, and most certainly not be subjected to the old-fashioned traditions in the Famiglia. There won’t be peace with the Famiglia, not as long as I’m Capo and given Nevio’s reaction, there won’t be under his rule either.”

“Greta, in the Camorra you are safer than you’ll be anywhere else. My word is the law. No harm can ever come to you here, but there it’s Luca’s word and later Amo’s. You’ll fall under their fucking jurisdiction, and you know as well as I do that they handle things differently from us. I can’t protect you the same way if you’re in New York than when you’re here. I’d still tear down their fucking city if you needed me but until then you’d be at their mercy.”

Greta loved that fucker Amo Vitiello.

On occasion I wondered if I possessed a heart. In moments like this I knew I did, but it only beat for very few people.

“For Amo and Greta to be together, more blood will have to flow, trust me. Luca will have to make a bloody statement that he’s been too comfortable to do in a long time. It won’t be pretty. Many will die. This bond will come with a price, Angel, and many more will bleed for it.”

“As long as it’s not Greta’s blood, I don’t care, Remo. You always told me you wanted Greta to take her own fate into her hands. You always despised women that accepted their fate. Greta wants to be with Amo. Give her this. She’s suffered enough.”

“You are alive for only one reason, Greta,” he said. “You will be safe in my territory because of her and for as long as she wants it. And unlike your word at your wedding, we ‘ll honor said promise.”

“Thanks, but nothing in this world would have stopped me from coming to Vegas to see Greta. Not even the prospect of being torn apart by you crazy fuckers. I’ll go through hellfire for Greta if necessary.”

“I love Greta. I’ll still love her if she can’t ever dance, even when she can’t give me children. I love her and I want to be with her. Nothing will change that, and you won’t stop me from being with her either. This time absolutely nothing will stop me.”

I could feel Remo’s eyes on me the entire time, but I didn’t care. I’d learned from my father that loving someone didn’t mean you were weak.

Remo didn’t say anything, only walked toward Greta and kissed her forehead. “Mia cara. The world will burn for you. We’ll burn it down.”

“Greta’s injuries are so bad, she won’t ever have kids. I won’t ever have children, Dad. All because Cressida’s ambition and her father’s fanatism. I want them all dead. I want them to die in the cruelest way possible. And I’ll tell the Falcones that they can have them, that they can kill every fucker who was involved. I’ll fucking applaud them while they skin them. And then there’s going to be peace, and whoever from the Famiglia doesn’t want peace can die alongside Cressida and her damned family.”

I closed my eyes briefly, realization settling in. I knew who my avenging angel had been, the one person who wore this mask with ease. “Nevio.”

“I won’t be without you again, Greta. You are mine until I take my last breath. I love you more than everything else in the world.”

“The Famiglia is your destiny, Amo. You are meant to be Capo.”

“I’m also meant to love you. I don’t need an heir. I need you. Marcella is pregnant with a boy. She’s the oldest. He can become Capo....

“I can’t believe we might become family. Have you asked Remo yet?”

“No. I won’t ask for approval. Greta will be my wife.”

“I would have killed her anyway. And I would kill her again and again if I could. I’d kill every fucker who’s even remotely related to the bitch too if it weren’t for Greta’s feelings for him. Maybe I’ll do it one day. If you want to try killing me for it, good luck. I act out of lunatic rage.”

I wished I had that ability to stay calm in the face of his madness, but Nevio still managed to rile me up. That guy had the destruction force of an atomic bomb. Remo was a fucking madman. Nevio made his father look like a fucking choir boy.

Dad smiled darkly. “I feared you’d marry her.”

“I will. Nothing in this world will stop me. Not you, and not a Falcone either. Greta will be mine.”

“I won’t ever disown you, Amo. You are and will always be my son.”

“We’ll try to convince them. And if that fails, we’ll handle it as we’ve always done. Our word is law and they either bow or die.”

“I won’t ever forgive you for making the Falcones family though.” I let out a raw laugh and pulled back, glad Dad broke this too emotional moment with his dry humor.

Aria’s parting gaze tore at my chest. I would bring all of our children back to her. I’d give my last drop of blood to protect them. Today our family would stand together.

“She is the woman I chose to be mine,” I growled, fixing the man who had spoken with a glower. “And nobody touches what’s mine. I allowed Nevio to avenge his sister as I did with the men who hurt my sister many years ago. And tonight the Capo of the Camorra and his son are here to finish their revenge with our help as a sign of our new truce and show of our unity as a soon to be family.”

“We’ll be stronger than before. We’ll create new, stronger bonds and we’ll beat down our enemies with utmost cruelty.” Remo gave me a twisted grin. I imagined he appreciated my words.

Nevio strode toward me, his eyes lingering on my cast before he met my gaze. “I know you don’t want to hear it but I killed everyone who did this to you. I poured all of my rage into it. For you.”

“I know that’s how you show me your love.”

“Don’t let the dark swallow you just because I’m not there to watch over you. One day you’ll find someone who’ll shine brightly.”

A look passed between them and Nevio stepped back with a strange smile. “Take good care of her. You saw what I did on stage.” He gave me a wink and disappeared. Those words, though part threat, had been his way of a peace offering. The best Christmas present ever.

“Greta, I don’t want to spend a single day without you. I want you by my side. I’ve always admired my parents’ bond and their unwavering love, and I know our marriage will be like that. Will you marry me?”

“I’m thinking of taking Mom up on her offer.” “You should,” Dad said quietly. “Your mother wants to give you this.” He swallowed. “I could only exact brutal revenge. That’s what I can do, but your mother’s gift is far more precious than mine.”

I slowly walked toward him and peered up at his face. Many people called it cruel and merciless, but for me it had always held warmth and love, and it was no different today.

Remo got up but he walked over to me. He handed me a couple of printed out photos. I cocked an eyebrow when I scanned them. They showed a blood-splattered room. The bed in the center was an even worse mess. It looked as if they’d slaughtered a pig on it. But it wasn’t an animal carcass that lay sprawled on the bed. If Remo thought he could intimidate me with these images, he forgot what my last name was. I’d pummeled a biker to a bloody pulp with a hammer as a teen when we’d saved Marcella.

“When you’re thinking about creating bloody sheets tonight, remember what Nino and I did to Kiara’s uncle at the last big wedding between the Camorra and the Famiglia.”

“I don’t think this is necessary, but I’ll tell you anyway. Treat your wife like a queen tonight. The Famiglia is the place to lose control and allow the monster to come out, never your marriage or family.” “You don’t have to tell me, Dad, because you showed me all my life.”

I felt barbaric, animalistic, cutting Greta out of her dress. I’d waited too long for this moment.

We’d both suffered pain for our love, yet Greta so much worse than me.

“I love you. I can’t believe you’re finally mine.” “I’m only yours.”

I cast my eyes up when I opened my mouth and ran my tongue along the trace of dried blood from the curve of her ass to her clit. “You taste like mine.”

Nevio stood slowly, pulled his knife while Massimo poured liquid from a flask on a cloth napkin, which Nevio pierced with the blade, and Alessio lit it up with a lighter. Greta followed my gaze and so did a few others, like my dad, Matteo and Remo. Nobody did anything. Nevio hurtled the knife with practiced precision through the room so it cut through the sheet and let it burst into flames.

“If someone still wants to see blood, they can come to me and I’ll show them their own!” Nevio shouted while the fire spread on the carpet.

“Mine. Only mine. I don’t want anyone to see you but me.” “Amo,” Greta began but I silenced her with another kiss before I lowered my head and snatched one nipple between my lips, sucking sharply then whispered. “Mine.” I sank to my knees and left kisses on every inch of her belly then lower. “Mine.”

My twins were Vitiellos and Falcones.