Gabriel closes his eyes, as though feeling the pain of their deaths through the fog of the morphine. My heart breaks for him. He has seen so much death. I hope that this was the final battle and that an era of peace will follow. In fact, I intend to do everything I can to make sure that happens.
Gabriel has been allotted a larger than average hospital room, but even so, it is much too small a venue for an assembly of husky mobsters. Antonio somehow folds himself up in a chair in the corner, and the rest pack in around Gabriel’s bed like sardines, though they leave space around me. Silvano slips through the crowd and asserts himself at Gabriel’s other side.
“I’m on pretty powerful pain medication,” Gabriel says by way of greeting. “If I start muttering nonsense, I expect one of you to tell me.”
Some of the men chuckle. It’s nice to have even a sliver of lighthearted banter amidst what has been a truly hellish day.
Gabriel’s eyes skim over everyone in the room, as though he is grateful just to see them alive again. He takes in a great breath, and then sighs.
“It’s not over yet,” Gabriel says solemnly. “Antonio and Silvano, I want you to coordinate a blitz of the remaining Cartel members. I want the city wiped clean of them.” He looks at Dom, whose bulky form is towering over the end of his bed like a gargoyle. “Dom, do a sweep of O’Neill’s. If there’s any Irish Mafia still around, make it known in no uncertain terms that we will not tolerate any attacks on our people or businesses. They will either accept peace or they will die.”
Dom nods.
Gabriel’s eyelids flutter. I can tell that he’s working hard to stay awake. When he speaks next, his words have taken on a slurred edge. “Alexis’ word is to be taken as law, especially given that I don’t know how long I will be laid up. She has my full trust, and if anyone has a problem with that, they must speak to me directly. Understood?”
All of the men chime their agreement. I can’t believe that Gabriel has all but crowned me in front of them. I’m glad, because there’s a much bigger mess to clean up here than Gabriel is currently capable of dealing with.
Gabriel dismisses his men, and I follow them out into the hall.
“Elia,” I call.
The older man turns to face me. He has a splint on his nose, and his lip is split on one side.
“Yes?” he says.
I suddenly grow nervous. I’ve never commanded one of Gabriel’s capos before, not like this. What if he tells me to fuck off?
No, I’m being stupid. It is my right to make demands of him, and it is his duty to follow them.
“I want you to start funeral arrangements for John, Piero, and Matteo,” I say. “Have men go around to tell their families personally. I also want the families of those in intensive care notified and brought to the hospital if they so desire.”
He nods.
“One more thing,” I say. “Have the nurses set up a cot for me in Gabriel’s room.”
“Of course,” Elia says. “It will be done.”
He disappears down the corridor, and I feel a rush of adrenaline. I get the feeling I could have asked him to do anything and, even though he barely knows me, Elia would have been only too happy to oblige. So this is what power feels like. I vow to use it responsibly.
Gabriel is asleep when I go back into his room, so I go find Clara and Harry. Angelo is in the private waiting room with them, and when I walk in, Clara is curled against him on the sofa with a sleeping Harry nestled between them. I almost don’t want to interrupt them.
“Hey,” I say.
Clara looks up, smiling. “Hey.”
“Gabriel’s asleep.” I walk over, squatting down until I’m level with Harry. He is drooling all over Angelo’s expensive suit jacket. I smile and stroke his head. “Will you take this one home for me? I’m staying here tonight.”
“Of course,” Clara replies. “I’ll bring him back in the morning.”
I thank her and then start ambling back to Gabriel’s room. Only then, once everything has been organized and sorted into neat little piles, do the day’s events truly hit me.
I killed two people. A man I didn’t know who wanted to hurt me, and a mother I never knew I had—who also wanted to hurt