The vote was overwhelming in favor of Mitya. Elijah had already done the preliminary work for Mitya. Emilio had made a few enemies stepping on others to get what he wanted. Now, when he was weakened by several of his companies being swallowed up and taken apart, he appeared too weak to hold on to Patrizio Amodeo’s territory. More, even though the territory was small, it would have put Emilio in a stronger position, and his enemies within the organization didn’t want that.

Emilio accepted the vote graciously, hanging on to his smile while Mario asked that Mitya be brought into the room. Elijah went to get him. Alonzo studied Ulisse and Emilio. They appeared to have regained their genial smiles, but Alonzo was leopard and he smelled the anger under the surface. More, he scented conspiracy.

Ulisse had come prepared to back Emilio’s bid for the territory. Ulisse never did anything without getting something out of it. Alonzo just had to figure out what it was that Ulisse wanted from Emilio. Whatever it was had to be extremely important to him. He had aligned himself with a man everyone considered a toothless shark. That made him look weak, but he’d done it in front of the council. Why? The question nagged at Alonzo.

Mitya followed Elijah into the room. He stood absolutely straight, although his skin was nearly gray and beads of sweat stood out on his forehead. He inclined his head and refused to so much as grip the back of a chair for support.

“Sit,” Mario commanded. “I see you have not fully recovered.”

Elijah pulled out the chair next to him and indicated for Mitya to take the seat. He did so slowly.

“I’m alive, that’s what counts,” Mitya said.

The next hour was spent with the various bosses asking Mitya questions. Alonzo paid attention to their voices more than their expressions. All the while he watched both Emilio and Ulisse. They both asked questions, but they were no longer confrontational, as if they both had accepted the council’s decision.

No way had Emilio accepted it. Anger and the need for revenge came off of him in waves. He sat there smiling, and all the while, Alonzo was certain he was plotting retaliation. But against whom? Mitya? Elijah? Him? Where would his rage be directed, and what form would his retaliation take? Why was Ulisse aligning himself with Emilio? Good questions with no answer.

In the end, Mitya was brought wholly into the organization. He now was boss of Patrizio Amodeo’s territory. That meant the alliance was really spread thin. Timur had been approached by Elijah first, but he’d steadfastly and adamantly refused to leave his brother without adequate protection. Timur had no desire to be a boss in any way. He was determined to stay close to Alonzo and Evangeline. Alonzo was secretly pleased, although he wasn’t about to let his brother know.