“You talked to Aunt Gloria?” Michael says. He turns his attention to Scavo, who nods.
“So you get it now?” Pop asks. I remember back when he was a total hothead, just like Ryan, mouthing off and smarting off every chance he got. I was only a kid, but it intimidated me to the point where I wasn’t sure I wanted to get to know him. The old man’s mellowed with age, and he lets shit go that he never would have even a few years ago. Like this meeting. He’s way too relaxed for what we’re doing here, but that’s Pop. He’s wearing down, tired, and somewhere in the back of my head I worry that he’s ready to hang up his gavel. I’m not ready for that.
“I wish no harm upon Alexandra. She was promised to me once.” The moment Scavo says the words, Pop’s head shoots up and his eyes narrow in on Ryan. My brother’s got his mouth open, ready to fucking snap at the idea of Alex with another man, but somehow Pop’s glare wills him into obedience, something that doesn’t usually work. This meeting is important, though. We have to get through it without more bloodshed if we intend to take Mancuso out for once and for all.
“I understand she belongs to Forsaken now.”
“She belongs to herself,” I catch myself saying loudly. My voice booms through the room, surprising me. I didn’t expect to speak, didn’t want to. Alex does belong to us, but the reality that she’s never had the opportunity to figure herself out, independent from anyone else, just pisses me off. Maybe I can empathize with her situation more than I’d like.
“I would very much like to clear the air about recent events that your club may be investigating, but before I provide you with too much information, I need a few reassurances.”
“Like?” Wyatt says. He’s standing directly behind Pop with his bulging arms folded over his broad chest. The man is a fucking monster, and his deep voice radiates his size throughout the crowded space.
“I am not an ignorant street thug who chases his own ass because he can’t lead himself down a one-way street, but that’s exactly the kind of leadership the Mancuso family is dealing with right now. Carlo is still in Rikers, and as far as I know, he’s not calling the shots. The plays are too messy, the crews have no direction, and even the capos are starting to consider dissent. It’s the worst fucking nightmare for a man like me who joined an organization because he believed in what he was doing. I want my organization back, and in light of recent discoveries and events, I no longer believe that can happen with Carlo Mancuso as the head of the family.”
“And who the fuck do you think should be running Brooklyn? You?” Michael snaps with a furrowed brow. For the first time since Scavo sat down, Michael appears to distrust him.
“No, principe,” Scavo says evenly and with a firm belief in his words. “We’ve talked about this. You should be head of the family.” Michael sucks in a deep breath and stares at Scavo with a mixture of confusion, fear, and understanding. Something passes between them, an understanding maybe, before Michael nods his head. He scrubs his face with his hands and groans.
Heavy is the crown, I guess. The mention of a massive reorganization surprises me. It’s bold for Scavo to say that shit, especially in mixed company. Forsaken isn’t a friend to Mancuso, and Scavo mentioning dissent is a capital offense. It’s just ballsy and stupid enough to tell me that he’s serious. He’s earning our trust by refusing to align himself with the old regime even though his position could get him killed.
“It’s the right thing,” Scavo says on a low tone.
“Something you want to share?” Pop asks.
“We talked about it, but I thought he was full of shit,” Michael confesses. “Nobody’s really happy with the way things have been going the last few years—some of us haven’t been happy since Grandpa died and Dad took over—but I never took Leo seriously.”
“Well, you better start,” Scavo says, and the room falls silent. If Scavo is planning an upset in power, then maybe we can use this to our advantage.
“Still haven’t named your price,” Wyatt reminds Scavo.
“I’m not your prisoner. I’m your ally. I want the principe free to return to New York when this is settled, and I want Forsaken to agree upon a mutually favorable arrangement that allows you to run your club and us to run our family.”