Chapter 18 - Fall of the Usurper
The silence in the Grand Ballroom was absolute.
In the mafia, violence was business. Betrayal was common. But targeting legitimate infant heirs—slaughtering children—was a violation of the sacred Omertà that not even the most depraved mobsters would tolerate.
Don Falcone slowly stood up, turning his back on Valenti.
Don Lucchese followed suit, crossing his arms and looking down in disgust.
"Carmine," Lucchese said, his voice dripping with venom. "You have broken the oldest law in this city. You are stripped of your rank. The Commission no longer recognizes the Valenti family."
Valenti panicked. He backed toward the double doors, his eyes darting frantically. "You fools! Moretti will crush all of you once he consolidates power! You are signing your own death warrants!"
He reached into his tailored overcoat—violating the no-weapons rule—and pulled a snub-nosed revolver, aiming it directly at my face.
I didn't flinch.
Before Valenti could cock the hammer, Marco lunged forward with blinding speed, catching Valenti's wrist and twisting it until the bones shattered with a sickening crunch. The gun clattered harmlessly to the marble floor.
Valenti shrieked in agony, dropping to his knees.
I walked over to the weeping old man and knelt down beside him, picking up the discarded revolver.
"My wife forgave you before she died," I whispered in his ear, so only he could hear. "She was an angel. She possessed grace, mercy, and compassion."
I pressed the cold steel barrel against the base of his skull.
"Unfortunately for you, Carmine... she left the boys with me."
The gunshot was muffled by the thick carpets of the Blackstone Hotel.
No one moved. No one protested.
I stood up, handed the smoking weapon to Marco, and adjusted my silk tie.
"The Valenti territories are now under the direct stewardship of the Moretti trust," I announced to the remaining Dons. "Does anyone object?"
Don Lucchese bowed his head slightly. "Chicago belongs to the Moretti family. May your heirs rule long, Alejandro."
May you like
"They will," I said. "Because I'm going to teach them how."
***