Chapter 10 - The Moretti Legacy
One year later.
The sun was setting over the hills of Buckhead, painting the Atlanta sky in brilliant shades of amber, gold, and deep violet.
The iron gates of the Moretti estate stood open, welcoming three black sedans carrying my capos, my business managers, and my legal advisors for our quarterly dinner. But the meeting wasn't taking place in a dark, smoke-filled boardroom in the city.
It was taking place on the wide stone patio overlooking the back lawn.
I stood near the outdoor fireplace, wearing a comfortable linen shirt, watching the lawn below.
Lila was running through the green grass, her laughter echoing across the manicured gardens as she chased a golden retriever puppy we had adopted three months ago. Running right beside her was Leo, carrying a leather baseball glove, shouting instructions to her as she threw a small red ball across the lawn.
His eyes were bright, his skin healthy, his stance strong and confident. He had enrolled in a prestigious private school in Buckhead, topping his class in mathematics and science.
Frank walked up beside me, handing me a glass of aged Italian wine.
"The port operations in Savannah cleared three million this month, Boss," Frank said softly, looking down at the kids on the lawn. "And the legal team finished setting up the educational foundation in Tommy Brooks’s name. We’re funding forty full scholarships for underprivileged kids on the Westside every year."
"Good," I said, taking a sip of the wine. "Make sure Leo’s name is on the board of trustees."
"Already done, Boss."
Frank paused, looking at me with a rare, quiet respect. "You changed things, Vincent. The other families in New York and Chicago... they noticed. They thought you’d go soft after what happened with Sophia."
I looked down at Lila as she caught the red ball, throwing her hands in the air in pure joy, her bright dark eyes catching the last rays of the setting sun.
"They don't understand, Frank," I said softly.
"Understand what, Boss?"
May you like
I set my glass down on the stone mantle and walked toward the stairs leading down to the lawn, where my children were waiting for me.
"A mobster fights for power," I said, looking back at Frank over my shoulder. "A father fights for legacy. And nobody on earth is more dangerous... than a man protecting his children."
