Chapter 351: Sophia
*Mother, I’m not sure who you think you are but let me assure you who you are not. – Sophia*
Nico leaned over and spoke softly in Sophia’s ear. “Do not let her take hold again. You are in charge of her. You control her.”
Sophia nodded and gave him a small smile. She needed the reminder. Shiloh only had to be Sophia for a little while longer. They were winning the last few hold outs over to their side. There were a few that her mother still had convinced that it should be her stepson to take the position.
With Sophia at his side to make it legitimate.
Otherwise, he was just another son of just another capo. Elizabeth did not want to admit that she had moved down the ranks of the family. When she had first married Joseph, he had been second in line to the throne. His older brother and wife were both killed only a few weeks after Joseph had married Elizabeth.
Joseph would be the next to lead the family. But then, the inner war took place and Joseph was caught in the crossfire. His father, Joe, stepped up and took over not only the family here in Massachusetts, but in New York and Miami. Once he ruled them, he demanded that Cicily recognize him as the head of the family.
And they did.
Once Cicily fell under Joe, the other smaller divisions easily complied. Now all the heads were here to decide who would lead the family next. It could have been decided a few other ways without having a vote.
Joe could have declared Nico as his successor and simply walked away and let the new boss defend his position.
Joe could have married his only living granddaughter to his next choice and let the new boss defend his position.
Or Joe could have let the blood bath begin and let the survivors sort it out.
Any of those would have ended with a long line of dead leading to the new leader. There was still a distinct possibility that this would all end in a blood bath. Hopefully it would not. Hopefully, they can reach an accord.
Slowly, they were getting there.
Ever.
So.
Slowly.
They had broken the meeting for lunch and were now reconvening. As they sat down, Nico could feel the change in his friend. She was colder. More heartless. Ruthless.
She was becoming the person that she did not like. And it had only been a few days in her old life. Wearing the name brand tailored clothes. Commanding the room with only a motion or single word. Slipping further and further into the into the darkness that had engulfed her before she had found her place in it.
So he leaned over and whispered in Shiloh’s ear. “Do not let her take hold again. You are in charge of her. You control her.”
When Sophia gave him a small smile, he saw Shiloh looking back at him. “Thank you.” She whispered.
He gave a small nod and sat back in his chair. His hair was slicked back into a small ponytail at the base of his skull. Chocolate colored eyes were cold and unreading as he took in the others in the room. The custom-tailored suit showed off his body and muscles even through the jacket. Broad shoulders and a trim waist spoke of good genetics and an even better home gym and trainer.
On the other side of Sophia, Joe sat in a similar suit that also showed off a buff body for a man in his seventies. His hair was much shorter with silver, gray streaked through black. His own dark eyes were wizened and knowing just as much as they were cold and hard.
Between them, Sophia sat with an unreadable face and cold, almost dead eyes. But with Nico’s gentle reminder, she softened momentarily, and warmth flooded her eyes. It was fleeting and the warmth left Sophia’s eyes as Elizabeth, her current husband that was apparently named Roderigo, and his son, Paul.
Elizabeth sat down in her chair and smirked at Sophia. The confidence with which she held herself and looked at her daughter made Sophia and the two men on either side of her worry. Not that you could tell that any of them were worried. There was not even a flicker of emotion that crossed their features.
The rest of the members of the council entered the room and Joe started to call the meeting back to business.
“Nonno,” Elizabeth asked sweetly, “where are your guards?”
“Do you think that I need guards here?” Nonno asked quietly. “Surrounded by my family and the ones that have sworn their allegiance to me. Even you, yourself, took the *omerta* when you married my son. And with every marriage since.”
“Are you threatening the head of the family?” Luigi asked from where he sat halfway between the two factions.
His placement was appropriate since he was stuck in the middle of the pack with his opinion. He believed in the hierarchy of the family. But was not certain that he was willing to follow a woman. In his opinion, they were too emotional and were not good leaders.
But he did not like Paul, who Elizabeth was supporting. He was too submissive to his father and Roderigo was still in the family out of respect for his own father. But as a capo, the man was a horrible member. He made side deals that got the family in trouble. Joe had forbidden certain activities. Roderigo still participated in them.
He was much more subtle about it now. But whenever they went to the mother country, he visited the brothels and chose the youngest girl available. Elizabeth’s daughters had expressed how uncomfortable they were around the man.
No, Luigi could not support Paul. But he was not certain if he could support Sophia either. But supporting her would actually be supporting Nico. Nico was also a Giovani. He was leaning towards Nico a little more as he saw more and more of Elizabeth and her faction.
“Me?” Elizabeth gave a small giggle and an innocent look that none of her opponents believed. “I would never threaten the *head* of the family.”
“What have you done?” Nico asked quietly.
“Nothing that I need to answer to you about.” She snarled at him.
“Nico.” Sophia warned quietly.
“Yes, Don.” He murmured.
Sophia’s cold eyes assessed her mother, who was also currently her competition. After five husbands, who slowly made their way lower on the rungs of the family ladder, Elizabeth knew how to present herself to the family.
She wore the pearl necklace that Nonna had given her when Elizabeth got married the first time. She was trying to make a statement. But Sophia Giovani did not like her new daughter-in-law. The pearls that the arranged bride wore down the aisle were fake. On her deathbed, she told her husband her deceit and asked that their granddaughter receive the real pearls.
If Elizabeth were to pay any attention to what her daughter was wearing, she would see the real pearls around her neck.
But the older woman was too busy being smug. Too busy plotting against her daughter. Too busy trying to raise her position within the family. Too busy to notice that the room was slowly turning against her as she gloated with whatever plan she had going on in her head.
The meeting resumed and the debate continued until a guard stepped inside to give Sophia a message.
