He didn’t get another word out before the room erupted in cheers. I joined the group in clapping for the return of strong leadership in our organization. Although the same man was still in charge, it made an enormous difference with how we were perceived when our leader stood proudly front and center. I might not have been the typical goodfella, but I was a part of the outfit for life, and I had no desire to see it run by a man hiding in the shadows.

“As the first matter of business moving forward,” Enzo continued, quieting the crowd. “I’m pleased to name Gabe Fiore as my new underboss.” He gestured to Gabe who stood from his place at the table to clasp Enzo’s hand. It was clear this wasn’t news to Gabe, and I silently cursed the man for not giving me a heads-up.

While the room clapped in congratulations, my hands involuntarily followed suit, but my mind raced to grasp the implications. Before I could get far, I was drawn from my thoughts at the sound of my name.

“Antonico Conti,” Enzo announced, all eyes landing on me. “Normally, these matters are handled on a smaller stage, but I wanted all my capos present today. Going forward, you will take on Gabe’s previous role in the outfit as capo.”

I hadn’t been caught off guard in years, but his words had my heart stuttering in my chest. Hands patted my back warmly in congratulations, and I dropped my chin toward Enzo in acknowledgement of the honor he was bestowing upon me. The day had started out like any other, but I could hardly believe how vastly my life had just changed with the utterance of a few words.

Capo.

I’d been named a capo in the Lucciano family.

Considering the bumbling legacy my father had established for me, I wasn’t sure I’d ever be considered for such a promotion. I would now outrank my father. Pride expanded in my chest and bubbled up until I couldn’t force down the smile that spread across my face. Not many men were selected at such a young age for advancement. Being named a capo was a remarkable honor, and I had every intention of proving myself worthy of the position.

I had to force myself to set aside my racing thoughts and listen to Enzo as he continued.

“We haven’t been able to corner Sal, but we will. I promise you,” he said with steely conviction. “In the meantime, I’ll be working hard to improve our relationship with the Gallos and the other families, along with other organizations.”

The Lucciano and Gallo families had a long history of bad blood between them. Recently, Sal had stoked those fires further by having the Gallo Consigliere’s son killed and framing Enzo. While Sal’s treachery had been explained to the Gallos, it hadn’t fully eased the tension. The two families carried enough baggage through the years that even a small slight would be taken as a major offense, let alone the death of an important family member. We were lucky war hadn’t broken out.