Miceli’s face turned even redder. “I don’t care what you think, Stefano—”
Giuseppi had slowly stood, and his brother broke off, going quiet under his cold stare. “Stefano, it seems my family does owe you an apology. My son assured me that if you were making an accusation it wouldn’t be without proof. The Saldi family keeps our word.” He turned another cold look at his brother. “Conducting business in your club is not a sanctioned move. I will get to the bottom of this and we will pay restitution to your family.”
“Giuseppi—” Miceli attempted a protest, but it was met with another cold stare and a shake of his older brother’s head.
“No. When we say we will do something, when we negotiate and sign a treaty, we do so in good faith. Our word has never been questioned by the Ferraro family, nor has their word been questioned by ours. As head of my family, ultimately, I am responsible for not knowing what is going on right under my nose. I can only apologize, Stefano, and pay restitution.”
Stefano inclined his head. “You have been caring for Greta.”
“There is no excuse. Perhaps I need to step down and turn the business over to my son.” He sank into his seat, looking older, his handsome face lined with grief. “There is no stopping cancer, Stefano. It doesn’t matter the money or power, nothing stops it.”
Stefano put a comforting hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry, Giuseppi. I can’t imagine losing Francesca. Greta has always been a bright star to everyone she touches.”
Miceli gripped his brother’s other shoulder. Vittorio didn’t buy the murmured words of sympathy. He glanced at Taviano. His younger brother knew Miceli’s condolences were false. Miceli was angry that Giuseppi would apologize to the Ferraros. He had knowingly conducted business in their territory, in one of their establishments, and he’d done so on purpose.
“I feel very bad having to continue with the list of proof,” Stefano said, “but I can’t let you think the nightclub was the only place the Saldi men were conducting business. I want it all stopped. Harold also recruited Bruno Vitale to sell drugs out of his family’s flower shop. Bruno was using the shop to ship drugs out as well through the postal service, which is a federal offense. He will be dealt with by us, but in doing so, two of the men bringing him the drugs to sell began to harass and threaten my ward, Nicoletta.”
Dario whipped his head around to glare at Stefano. “Names,” he snapped abruptly. “Do you have proof of this?”
“I don’t make accusations without proof,” Stefano said. “Nicoletta told us what happened. She was threatened by these men because she saw them bringing the drugs into the shop and she protested. One of them pushed her into the wall. Fortunately, she was taught to defend herself and she was able to get away and call for help.”
Vittorio flicked a look at Taviano’s grim face. While Grace was in the hospital, Vittorio had heard there was an attempted assault on Nicoletta at the flower shop. The family had been elated that she’d coded in the alarm she had on her wristwatch. Taviano had been the first to get to her and had stopped the attacker’s pursuit. Later, Taviano had confirmed he’d retaliated.
“I imagine these two men who were stupid enough to put their hands on your ward are the ones who have disappeared,” Giuseppi said dryly.
“I wouldn’t know about that,” Stefano said. “I was out of town at the time.”
“Nicoletta is not just Stefano’s ward,” Taviano said. “She is also, and more importantly, my fiancée. It seems that not only was Vittorio’s fiancée targeted, but mine as well.”
Dario shook his head. “That’s impossible. Nicoletta isn’t wearing your ring. There’s been no announcement.”
“We do not bring attention to our women if we can help it,” Stefano said. “The media attention is brutal as you well know.”
“What I know is, you spend half your life screwing women on the pages of a tabloid,” Dario snarled, his dark eyes challenging Taviano. “This is bullshit.”
“What’s bullshit is the Saldi family conducting business in our territory,” Stefano snapped. “And threatening our women. I want it stopped. If it doesn’t stop, I can only assume you are declaring war between our families.”
“It will stop,” Giuseppi said. “I want the list of names, everyone you have, along with the proof. I need to put a stop to this now. A hard stop to it.”