Chapter 5 The Girl In The Library

The air in the room was heavy and despite the well dressed men and their women, Luigi felt like he could see the tension and schemes on each of their faces.

He ran his hands through his air in slight frustration. They all knew why they were here, in fact, if he wasn't a man with his own power and footing outside Italy and internationally, Luigi was sure that the funeral wouldn't have gone well.

As much as he didn't want to, he wondered often what Lukas would think. He had after all died for this position.

Would he want his brother to back up and run or fight till he knew who the bastard that killed him was? "Luigi, you have to give a speech." Matteo whispered as they descended from the staircase.

He knew very well that Matteo was anxious to know what his decision was, however, he couldn't offer him an answer even he didn't have.

He tapped his key on the glass of champagne on his hands to get everyone's attention. The whole hall quietened as they watched him with rapt attention.

Take overs and killings were common in the Cosa Nostra and they all knew that the speech wasn't going to be about how much he missed his brother to death.

It was going to also give them an hint to what chess piece they were going to be. "Thank you everyone for making out time on such short notice to honor my late brother." He paused as he took a sweep of the whole room again, his mind changing at the words he wanted to say.

"Lukas was not just a good Capo, he was a good brother, father and husband." He paused and looked at everyone in the hall.

"And for that reason, I have decided that I would not be letting everything that he had built in the past five years be swallowed up by wolves. From this moment, I would be taking over everything that was handled by Lukas including taking over the role of father to his twins.."

"Thank you for your time once again." He concluded and turned back the stairs he had just descended from unwilling to stay one moment longer there.

The banquet hall was quiet for more than five minutes after his departure and every Capo's mind was entirely calculative.

Most of them had definitely not been looking forward to the decision Luigi had made. The older ones knew very well that Luigi was a tougher man than Lukas.

Yet he had been unwilling to have anything to do with the Cosa. Now that he was here and out for blood, no one knew exactly what it would mean for them.

***

James Mantini frowned as he looked at Luigi's departing back. Although he knew there was a plausibility of this happening, there had been no plans made to remedy this.

He sighed and signaled to Rocco who moved closer as the two of them went the same way Luigi had gone. If he wanted to build any relationship with Luigi now, this was the perfect time.

"Capo, Luigi has no bride or mother for those children." Rocco whispered as he remembered Luigi's helpless face when he had seen him earlier today with the twins.

Not needing him to say everything out, James nodded in understanding. Perhaps this was the best solution to the change in plans. Ivan would have to find another beauty that wasn't his daughter.

****

"Luigi, James Mantini is here to see you." Matteo announced, unaware that this was something Kale had already informed Luigi about.

"Bring him in. It's been a while." Luigi said monotonously while his face bore none of the warmth that his words seemed to hold.

Contrary to his words, he was more worried about what it was that James really wanted. From sending gifts to making Matteo announce his arrival at the funeral, he was certain there was something going on.

He turned from the window he stood beside to sit down just as James entered inside. Although he was in his late forties, James looked just as he remembered asides the few gray hairs he could see on his beard and head.

"Sorry about your loss Luigi. The Cosa Nostra is dangerous waters but I wouldn't have thought it would drown Lukas." He said as he sat down opposite Luigi who nodded, partly as a sign of respect and partly because he didn't want to continue that line of conversation.

"If you just survive here and have a peaceful takeover, you must build allies and authority very quickly." He advised while looking at Luigi with the most concern.

"I understand, do I have you on my side already?" He asked directly, his straightforwardness shocking everyone in the room other than Kale.

James, who had planned to slowly build a conversation before bringing up the matter of him marrying his daughter to solidify their ties, had to take his time before replying.

"That's for certain. However, I was thinking if you and Elena became a couple, this would make the other capos know for certain that we are a team." James finally said his fists clenching immediately at Luigi's frown.

"You are still single and have to care for Lukas's twins. With the takeover, you would need a woman by your side who can care for them." He added immediately. Luigi nodded his head slowly while his fingers tapped on the table with rhythm.

Although his face looked as straight as ever,Kale knew very well that his master was beyond angry. "Okay James, I would put it into consideration and let you know if we are on the same team." His words, a clear message to let James know that he understood that if they weren't in-laws, they weren't on the same team.

Since they were both Capos, too many words weren't needed and James stood up to leave immediately.

"Escort James out, Matteo." Luigi ordered using that opportunity to dismiss Matteo too. Regardless of how good he had been to Lukas, he was not taking any chances until he was certain that his hands were clean.

****

"He has forgotten he used to call me young master back then." Luigi said with scorn as he opened his laptop. He might be unable to leave Italy for a month but he couldn't lag behind on his work.

"Luigi, I think that having a new bride would help with Santi and Gia. Besides they are still young, It would be easy to let your wife grow on them." Kale said after some minutes of silence.

Luigi nodded in understanding "I intend to find a mom for them, however, you must understand that taking James daughter might not necessarily be a good decision." He argued back.

Kale said and went back to the tablet he carried around with him every time, the both of them working in silent harmony.

After about an hour, Kale brought his tablet and sat across Luigi. "From my investigations, his daughter is not your typical Cosa Nostra daughter. Finished top in school and is currently working a low position in one of her dad's small companies. She goes to the library almost everyday and barely relates with her parents." Kale said and handed him the tablet so he could have a look.

"Other than all that, she's one hell of a beauty." Kale added with a dry chuckle. He hadn't been expecting that James' daughter would be that attractive, he was certain that Luigi was not the only suitor on that list, however, he could as well be the best.

Luigi took one look at the tablet halfheartedly since his mind was already made, however, one look at the picture on the screen was enough to have him freeze up.

She was James's daughter? He subconsciously replayed what had happened earlier that morning to see if there had been any foul play. With his memory, he didn't think that she had any scheming look in her eyes.

She looked even younger than she had this morning with her hair packed up in a simple bun and a smile that was hardly there, he could swear she was nothing older than eighteen.

"Isn't she too young for him to be giving her away in marriage?" He asked curiously looking up to see Kale look up at him suspiciously. "Do you know her?" He asked curiously.

A question he was certain he wasn't getting out from and Luigi recounted the entire incident from that morning to Kale.

"She's nineteen. Would be twenty soon but neither of them is a problem, after all, daughters are married off even before they are eighteen.

If you don't marry her, I'm certain someone else would in less than a week." Kale said with a shrug.

"Besides, if the twins are that way around her, then she's the perfect person you need. No matter how much you care about them, you can't be with Santi and Gia all day long." His argument was solid.

However, more than just having her take care of the twins, Luigi felt like he had to save her from ending up with just any Capo.

"Call James." He said as a sigh rolled out of his mouth.

****

Elena took several glances at her dad over dinner, as she wondered what about a funeral could make him this excited since he got back.

"Was the Santoro's power handed over to you papa?" She asked slyly as she expected his usual rebuke. Words of takeover were not to be said lightly.

"Might as well as well." James said while beaming and somehow, the crazed smile on her father's face made her heart sink to the pits of her stomach as her mind tried hard to understand what he meant.