A Mob Boss's Heirs (Book 3 of New York Mafia Trilogy)

56. Power In Their Hands

Letizia watched him as he was writing down fast in his notebook. He was doing the class work that was due in the next hour. She watched him as he was elegantly just doing what he always did. Being the best that he could be. Letizia admired Vincenzo. He had everything he needed in life; a lovely family, money, popularity and girls. But he paid attention to none of it. He just cared for gaining power. She had been trying to figure him out and it had finally clicked. All he aimed for was gaining control and power. He studied for perfect grades. Knowledge was power in his eyes. He worked hard to hold up his reputation as one to achieve every honour that mattered. His rivalry with Tristan O'Neil had a world of its own.

Letizia smiled as she was watching Vincenzo. He kept glancing at Tristan at times checking how far he was in his work and so did Tristan. He glanced back. What level Vincenzo was at mattered to Tristan just like how Tristan's accomplishments mattered to Vincenzo. Neither wished to fall behind. She had no idea how the two had managed to be civil to each other even though they were rivals. In her school in Milan she had witnessed a similar rivalry but that was different. Two main rivals at her old school were blood related. Blood bond was something that didn't let any rivalry cross a line that put anyone's safety at risk. Tristan and Vincenzo were not blood related. So how they managed to keep civil was baffling. Maybe their fathers being as close as brothers was a factor. That made sense. Maybe that was what made them not strangle each other in the classroom which sometimes she could see coming.

Letizia tried to put herself in Vincenzo's position. What could she do if she had the same pressures on her as he did. She was the only child and was scrutinised for her grades and performance in everything she did by her parents. But she was a girl. She wasn't expected to take over her family's business. Whoever she chose as her future husband was expected to do such duties. Her father had made it clear he wanted her to be an economist or a lawyer to manage the legal side of his businesses. The rest was going to be the responsibility of her other half. She didn't think much of the future though. What mattered was the present. What mattered was getting high enough grades to get into a good college to study economics. She didn't have time to worry about the future. She had time to study only. But then again Vincenzo had showed up in her path. She still was wary of him and every part of her told to run when she saw him but he was hard to resist. She fancied him and she couldn't deny it. At the same time, she did fear his cruel side that had put her on the edge ever since their first ever meeting when he had set the dogs on her but he had proven that he could be nicer if she was nicer to him. She feared him but she feared Tristan more.

Tristan that irritated her so much. She was frustrated with how he was so perfect. He had no weaknesses. None at all. He effortlessly did everything Vincenzo did with his own elegant touch. Tristan could be her worst nightmare if Vincenzo wasn't around. She still remembered her awful experience when he had tried to convince Vincenzo to throw her into the ice bath in the common room. The memory of him threatening to hurt her in that corridor before Vienna came to her rescue was also pretty much fresh in her mind. She couldn't believe how close she had come to getting tormented at his hands. She had now heard enough about him from Azurine, Vanessa and other girls to know how lucky she was to have Vincenzo by her side. But she knew that the bad blood between her and Tristan had not disappeared. This was not over. As it was pointed out to her, Tristan never forgot anything. When she had slapped her in that cafeteria he had only hesitated to retaliate because his sister had put herself between Letizia and him. Of course he had stopped for Vincenzo when he had promised to talk sense into her on his behalf since she was his girl. Not that Vincenzo had followed through. She knew that was a lucky escape but was it really?

Tristan was going to get her somehow and Letizia knew she had to be wary. She didn't like Tristan and how much power he possessed over her... But she didn't mind his mother. Letizia admired Sancia O'Neil very much and she had tea with her once at an afternoon tea event. She was the perfect role model. She was a strong woman who got what she wanted at any cost. No compassion was within her and Letizia hoped that she could reach that stage one day. She blamed the motherly instinct in women as a hindering factor to the success of the females in criminal organisations. In her view that was what stopped females from reaching their full potential. Compassion and sympathy were qualities Letizia felt were unnecessary. She hoped she could never feel remorse for anything. When nothing stopped you that was when you reached the top. Nothing could stop her if her conscious didn't bother her. She knew that.