Chapter 3 Celebrating-01

Vincent rolled his eyes, listening to his cousin, Domenico and younger brother, Gio talk about the job they just finished, as he turned the knob to his father's office. Walking in he heard his father talking to Roco, his youngest brother. "I am proud of you son, for treating your brother's club as your own," his father said patting Roco on the shoulder.

"Yes, little brother. You have been doing great things with my club," Vincent shook Roco's hand. Roco was dressed in a dark blue suit with a maroon tie. Vincent thought about laughing seeing as his brother only wore a suit when in their father presence. Everyone knew that he would leave the suit jacket in the front hall closest on his way out. His normal attire usually consisted of dark washed jeans and a button up with at least the top three buttons undone. But when you were around Francesco Bellandini, you dressed like he expected a responsible man to dress.

"Thank you, brother. I'm glad you decided to trust me with this job." Roco turned and grabbed his leather jacket that was hanging on the arm of the chair he was recently occupying. "I will let the bad boys fill you in father. I have a hot date before heading to the club, anyway," he said as he put on his coat.

"You know it's summer right Roco?" Domenico asked him, shaking his head. No one ever understood why Roco insisted on wearing his leather jacket year-round. It was too hot for that shit right now.

"Yeah, yeah," Roco said, flipping off the group and walking out the door.

"Yeah, yeah," Gio imitated his brother before laughing and looking around the room at the other men who were looking at him with questioning looks on their faces.

Vincent shook his head, "anyways, Padre," he said, turning to look at the man he was speaking to and kissing each cheek in respect. Francesco Bellandini was the Capo DI tutti capi, or boss of all bosses, within the Italian Mafia. He was also Vincent's father. Most people feared him, but Vincent and most of his close family knew when it came to them, he was nothing more than a big lovable teddy bear. Even so, Vince had never shown his father any disrespect and he never would. He was next in line and he didn't want him to ever think that he wasn't ready for it.

Vincent looked at his father. The man was shorter than him, but he knew that besides that and their eye color, they looked nearly exactly alike. They had the same roman shaped nose and full lips. Our skin was tanned because of our Italian heritage and our hair was dark black. Francesco still styles his in the same pompadour hairstyle that he had been since he was a teenager. Vincent's on the other hand, was faded on the side, but long on the top. No matter their differences, Vincent tried to be like his father as much as he could, but he knew that he had to do some things different when he took over. He had spent his entire life being prepped for this. He was ready. "How did the job go tonight, boys?" Vincent's father asked him as he walked behind his desk and unbuttoned his suit jacket before taking a seat.

"It went really well, Uncle," Domenico spoke before Vincent could. He earned a glare from his cousin for his excitement. "I apologize, Cousin," he said, cracking his knuckles before walking over to and sitting on the couch in the corner of the office to help himself stay out of the way.

"That's great to hear, Figlio. I assume that we won't be having any more problems with the Morandi Family?" he asked his son with a raised eyebrow.

Vincent nodded his head, "they shouldn't be a problem. I think blowing up an entire warehouse full of their product was just what they needed to understand that they shouldn't bite the hand that feeds them."

"Fantastico," Francesco said, throwing his hands in the air with joy as he stood up from his chair. The three boys laughed. They all loved how excited the man got when things went as planned. They, like everyone, were more than a little terrified when things did not. "I'm telling you boys, I am feeling more and more secure in the fact that my son will be in charge and that you boys will be beside him the whole way," he smiled at each of the boys with pride. He walked around his desk, stopping in front of Domenico.

"Thank you, father," Vincent and Gio said at the same time as Domenico stood before saying, "thank you, Uncle, that means the world to me."

"Your father would be proud of you, Nipote," Francesco said, placing a hand on each of his shoulders. Domenico's father was Francesco's younger brother and he was his consigliere or advisor. He was killed during an attack when Domenico was five. With his mother having died during childbirth, Vincent's parents had taken him in and raised him as if he was their own. Vincent and his two blood brothers never looked at him as anything but a brother. Even if they hadn't had some of the same blood, they still would have seen him that way.

"Let's go celebrate our latest victory," Gio raised his fist in the air as if he already was. Francesco looked at him with a stern look, not impressed with his son's outburst.

Vincent raised an eyebrow, "Idiota," he breathed shaking his head.

"What?" Gio shrugged causing everyone to chuckle. Gio spent a lot of time being intimidating when they were working, but whenever it was just the family he could be pretty goofy. Plus, he loved a good party just like the rest of them.