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

by Cora Reilly

“If it means he won’t ever get to touch you again, I’ll gladly bleed to death.”

I should have never asked Nevio if he’d ever leave our family, never mentioned falling in love. My brother was too intelligent to not make the connections and act upon them.

“I guess it must be hard for a crazy fucker like yourself to know that your sister lov...

“This doesn’t hurt as badly as you not choosing me.”

I had not not chosen him. I’d chosen peace. I’d chosen my family. I’d chosen saving many lives. I’d chosen Amo becoming Capo…

Soon Alessio, Massimo, Dad and Savio filtered into the room followed by two doctors and several nurses.

I could feel everyone’s gazes on me. Nobody had asked any questions yet.

I had a feeling Dad was almost scared to ask what had happened. Maybe he worried what I’d say about my feelings for Amo.

Nino and Fabiano had certainly filled him in on the details. Dad had reacted ...

“With a declaration of war,” Dad said with a dark laugh.

“We have his son, it would be stupid to threaten us now,” Alessio said.

“He’ll pull through. No major arteries were involved,”

“Savio said Nevio attacked Amo to protect Greta.”

“I didn’t need protection from Amo,” ...

Dad’s expression darkened in a way that resembled the look in Nevio’s eyes ...

“Nevio didn’t attack because he thought I ...

“Maybe it’s a danger you ...

“What exactly has been going on between Vitiello and you?”

“Mia cara, you know you can tell us anything. There’s nothing we can’t protect you from. Even if Amo makes you believe, he might have something over you, believe me there’s nothing he can do.”

“He’s engaged,” Alessio said. “He’s probably just trying to have some fun before marriage.”

Dad looked at Amo’s door. I stepped in front of it out of reflex.

“So that’s the side you’re picking?”

“I’m not picking a side, because I don’t have to. I’ve always been and will always be a Fal...

I couldn’t even imagine Amo’s death without feeling like following him into the dark as well.

“Nothing. Nevio attacked before anything could happen, but Amo was going to kiss me and I would have let him.”

“Okay. You and him?”

“We can’t be.” “Because he’s engaged.”

“Because I’m Greta Falcone and he’s Amo Vitiello.”

“Your brother wanted to kill him because he doesn’t want you and ...

And Nevio wasn’t dead because Amo had held back for me.

“Las Vegas is my home. This family is my safe haven. I don’t belong in New York. I wasn’t born to be at a Capo’s side.”

“You can be whatever you want to be.”

“Nevio will be fine.”

“Eventually. Nevio battles his very own demons even you are not equipped to fight. If you really love Amo, you shouldn’t let him go too quickly.”

I couldn’t ask Amo to give up everything as long as I wasn’t absolutely sure about my feelings.

“Some things can’t be measured or quantified, Greta. And with love there’s always a flicker of uncertainty. You have to allow yourself to fall.”

“Have you never regretted leaving your family?”

“I knew it was the right choice for you and Nevio.”

“Would you have left as well if you h...

Mom’s gaze slanted to Dad who was still in a discussion with N...

“Maybe it would have taken me longer to come to terms with my love for your father but I’m sure eventua...

For him devotion and love only existed in connection with our family, not outside of it. Everyone outside of our family was inconsequential to him.

He was a bit like a livestock guardian dog.

“I know you and Amo don’t know each other. But what does your gut tell you? Do you think you love him?”

But falling in love wasn’t the same as loving someone. Or was it? The more I tried to dissect love, define it, box it up in a neat category, the more it confused me.

How much longer would his surgery take? Again I felt like my heart was split in two. I couldn’t be at both of their sides.

“You’ll let us know when the Vitiello boy wakes, Remo?”

Dad looked at Mom for a few heartbeats before he gave a nod. Then he slanted another look at me. His expression was dark and ...

“Nevio. I know you need me but why did you have to do this?”

“You love your brother, we all do, but you can’t hold back your life for him. Not forever.”