Taking The Mantle

Chapter 4

I don't think I could ever put into words just how much I hate training new recruits. It's Antonio's thing, it has been for years, but when he stepped up I had to take his place.

It probably wouldn't be too bad if we were recruiting the proper way. But instead I'm standing in a room full of sixteen year old boys who can't focus for more than ten consecutive minutes.

I lazily walk around the room, watching them fight. A lot of them are pretty good, most of their fathers are in the family and it makes sense. But others couldn't hold their own in a school yard fight. Hopefully they'll be good with guns.

"Hey!" I exclaim to stop a match.

I storm across the room to the duo that have stopped fighting. The one climbs off of the other and stands at attention. The man on the floor cups his face as blood gushes from his nose.

"Che cazzo stai facendo?" I ask the one on his feet.
(What the fuck are you doing?)

"We're fighting sir," he replies.

"You don't land blows when you're sparring you fucking idiot," I tell him, extending my hand to help the other man off the floor.

"Go move pallets at the dock," I tell the one man before turning to his bleeding counterpart, "go clean yourself up and get back on the mat."

I cross the room and resume my position against the far wall to watch them. Whatever Luca works out, I hope to fucking God that I won't have to keep doing this. I swear these new idiots are driving me insane.

My phone buzzes in my pocket and I quickly answer.

"Ciao," I answer the call.

"Gio?" Victoria asks, her voice small and shaking.

"What's up?" I ask.

"Can you come get the kids please?" she asks.

"What's going on Vic?" I ask, stepping into the hallway for privacy.

"Please, Gio," she begs, "it's Alice's day off and Luca went to get Rosa from the airport and it's just me and Rocco and it's too much. I can't Gio, please."

"Alright, just take some breaths," I tell her, walking towards the garage, "I'll be there in a few."

"Thank you," she whispers before hanging up.

I grab a set of keys and climb into a sports car before peeling out. I round the fountain in their driveway before approaching the front door. I knock a few times and Rocco swings the door open.

"I've never seen her like this," he whispers as I walk inside.

"I got it," I tell him, clapping his shoulder, "bring the kids to the playroom and I'll deal with Victoria."

He nods and I follow him upstairs and into the master bedroom. Victoria is pacing back and forth in her pajamas with Catarina in her arms. Silent tears fall down her cheeks as she rakes her hand through tangled hair.

"Vic," I say softly as I step further into the room. She jumps and turns to face me. She places the baby down in the bassinet next to the bed before running over and collapsing into my arms.

"Hey," I say quietly, stroking down her back, "it's okay, Victoria. It's okay."

"I'm just so tired," she sobs into my chest. I rub her back as she cries until she finally pulls away sniffling.

"I cried on your suit," she says quietly, wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand.

"It's okay," I assure her, "I have a hundred others."