"I am. Just like the intruders you sent my way to end me."
The fear melted from his expression, leaving anger in its wake.
"What do you expect me to do? You’re like a poison to this family,” Pasquale sneered.
“What?”
"The Italy Cattaneos spent years trying to leave violence and bloodshed behind. Years trying to move on from what our ancestors were. Then you showed up and started dragging us right back into it. We know about all the trouble you’ve gotten into with the DeLucas. The attack at Tower D. The shootout youand Terzo DeLuca were involved in at that nightclub. We know about it all."
Damn. I’d forgotten about the nightclub incident. It occurred during my first days here, before the casino was established. I’d only gone to the club to meet one of Terzo's contacts with him.
Minutes after arriving, we were fired upon. It’s true, whenever the two of us got together, shit happened. Yet, we always ended up being the last two standing. I could see where Pasquale was coming from.
Before I arrived in Italy, the family here was able to keep their old ways buried. I came in stirring up trouble. I got that. What I didn’t get was how this motherfucker had the audacity to complain about my criminal shit when he was the consigliere for a crime family.
A crime family he wasn’t related to. And the rest of the family didn’t know about it. They thought I was their main problem. Truth was, one of their own was the problem. Gritting my teeth, I listened as my cousin continued spouting hypocritical nonsense.
“Other families are starting to notice us now. When they hear your name, they associate the shit you’re involved in with us,” he yelled. “We’re trying to stay above board, handle things in a legal manner while you...”
"I call bullshit,” I drawled, interrupting his weak-ass speech.
“W-what?” he stammered.
“I said I call bullshit. Everything you’re saying is bullshit. You say you’re all about family, yet you tried to have me killed tonight.”
"You left me no choice. I was trying to protect this family from you."
"Protect them?" I laughed. "You're a hypocrite."
“Me? How?”
"I know you're the Consigliere for the Corradinis."
For a second, he just stared at me. Then he opened his mouth. Closed it. Opened it again. No words came out. For once, the bastard didn't have an argument ready.
"The biggest threat to the Cattaneos in Italy isn't me," I told him. "It's you."
His expression darkened, but he remained silent.
"You went behind everyone's back and entered the criminal world while pretending you were just a lawyer. You spent months preaching about protecting the family while secretly working for another crime family. You sabotaged my casino, not to keep our family safe, but to make way for another family to establish their own casino. You’re not all about family. You’re the Corradini’s bitch."
“Why couldn’t you just stay in the US?” Pasquale sneered.
“Why couldn’t you just practice what you preached?” I countered.
“I... The Corradinis came to me with a proposition. They offered me money and power. You of all people should understand that.”
“I would never work for another family just to have money and power.”
“You work for the DeLucas.”
“With. I work with the DeLucas. There’s a difference. I would never work for anyone other than myself and my family. That’s what makes us different. I really do care about my family. In every meeting I have with shareholders, I remind them that I’m from the US branch of the Cattaneo family and assure them they’ll only be dealing with our US branch and the DeLucas here in Italy, not the Cattaneos here. I’ve kept myself separate from you all, protecting you the best way I can. Yet, you’re putting your family here in danger by associating with the Corradinis.”
My cousin started to say something. Instead, he sighed and looked away from me, lowering his arm, weapon falling to the floor.
"Okay. You know the truth,” he rasped. “What are you going to do about it?" he asked. "Tell my father? Tell the others?"
"Fuck your father and the others."