Vito:

"Hey, Mr. Scaletta, are you in there? Everything alright?" I woke up to banging at my door. When I opened my eyes I was laying on the floor in my office, face to face with a picture of her. I sat up quickly shoving all the trinkets back into my memory box and hiding it away for more years to come. I didn't even have time to chuckle at the irony of waking up to her face.

I cleared my throat "Ah, yeah, just a minute." I got up and went to my mirror. There was a big red blotch on my face from lying flat on the floor. Ah, fuck I thought as I rubbed at it. I threw my robe around me and cracked the door "What is it?" it was just one of the guys from my rackets delivering the kickback.

"Here, Boss, from the downtown rackets." He tipped his fedora as a goodbye gesture and went down the steps.

I threw the money on the desk where it would sit until Lincoln came to pick it up. I flipped on the radio as Italian Opera music played from the speakers. I started my daily routine, trying to get back into the swing of things. I couldn't let my thoughts of her drag me down. I skipped the shave, splashed some water on my face and brushed my teeth. I pulled on my slacks, threw on my favorite polo and slipped my feet into my leather loafers and I was off.

"Morning, boss" I nodded in response to the guys at the bottom of the steps as I made my way to my car. The thing that made me different from the other mob bosses was that I wasn't afraid to leave the house. I knew I had a target on my back but that wasn't going to stop me from visiting my rackets.

When I got to the bottom of the steps I was greeted by Lincoln's goofy face. He was practically glowing, smiling ear to ear ""Hey, big guy. What a surprise and what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Hey, Vito." We shook hands. The kid and I had been spending a lot of time together and I was finding out just how much we had in common.

"What the fucks got you so happy?" I looked up at him and I saw it in his eyes. For some reason I felt my heart sink to the lowest cavity of my chest. He was in love.

"I wanted to talk to you about something…" I don't think I ever saw his teeth before, he was grinning so big "think we could grab lunch?" look at those suckers. They were pearly white and so straight "Vito..?"

I looked up at him and shook my head. I chuckled "I'm sorry, sure, sure, we can get something to eat." He nodded as he playfully slapped my shoulder. I didn't know what I was feeling. I think I felt cheated, like it wasn't fair that other people got to be happy and I couldn't. Focus, Vito. I had to keep silently telling myself to not think about her.

We went down the street to a little diner that was perched on the corner. Everything he was telling me about this girl, Raejeanne, was coming in muffled, an echo bouncing off the walls of my skull. I was lost in my thoughts as I absently watched his mouth as he spoke. He took bites of his sandwich, the pieces of his food being ground up by his teeth. I was happy for him. I was…wasn't I? I just kept thinking about how if I was his age again, I would do it all over.

"So, thank you, Vito." I tuned back in "if it wasn't for your story I…I don't think I would've given this thing with Rae a chance."

"Oh, yeah, no problem." I felt the chip I was holding unexpectedly crush in my hand. The little pieces slipped from my fingers and sprinkled my plate. I looked up at Lincoln who was watching me with a hesitant look. I gave an awkward chuckle "Fuck'n chips, made a paper or something…so thin." Nice, Vito, real smooth.

"Anyway…" I watched his eyebrows arch up in confusions and then back down "the only thing is…I haven't told her about all this. I'm worried it might make it complicated." He looked out the window.

"Yeah, I would keep that to yourself for now." I saw the worry in his eye and I thought about my conversation with Leo those years back. He had told me it would've have worked. How he tried to balance family life and the mob and the two things just don't click. I remember the anguish I felt when he shared that wisdom but I was determined to prove him wrong. Look where that got me. "Listen, kid, you don't have to think about anything right now. Finish the job that you started and then you can decided if this is something you want to be in. You can keep them separate…keep her separate." I wasn't going to fill this kid with any self-doubt like Galante did to me.

"I will." He looked down at his food and then perked up "Oh, I got you another racket by the way. How do you feel about the Southtowns?" he grinned.

"Jesus, kid, you're really cleaning house, huh?" I popped some chips into my mouth.

"One step closer to that bastard." he smiled as he checked his watch. "Fuck, I gotta go. Listen, I'll catch you later, check out that racket if you have the time."

"I will" he got up "hey, hey, do I got a fuck'n dollar sign on my forehead, put down the money for your meal." I rubbed my thumb and pointer finger together at him.

"I got the last one, remember your standing appointment you 'had' to be at?" he used air quotes, like he didn't believe me.

"Ah, fuck you." I let him go. A little reward for being clever enough to catch me in my lie. He smiled and made his way out the door.

I finished up my food and was back on the road to check out the new racket. I watched as my men spread out over the new territory. I was finally doing alright for myself and it felt good.

Marcano didn't except me to be this successful and with the help of my new friend I was becoming untouchable. I would be at the top soon enough. I started to drift as I thought about how desperate I was fifteen years ago. How horrible the feeling was when I saw the shit hole that asshole put me in charge of. I remembered thinking about how I would never have enough money to skip town and get back to her. I had to learn the hard way that it would never be possible.

July 5th 1951

I sat on one of Leo's private jets as two of his mobsters stared back at me. I was looking out the window as white puffs passed by. I closed my eyes. My whole body was numb. I thought that the next time I would see the clouds I would be in a better place. How I wish I was.

I must've dosed off because when I woke again we had landed. The two goons that were seated across from me were not towering over me "Where here." One spoke as the other stretched out a sack.

"Hey, hey what the fuck is going on? Get off of me!" I thrashed as they tied the bag over my head so I couldn't see. I continued to yell and then everything went black.

When I opened my eyes my head was killing me and I was tied to a chair. My vision cleared and I saw a figure standing in front of a window. "Vito." When the man walked into the light I could clearly see his face "I'm Sal Marcano, Welcome to New Bordeaux. I hope the boys gave you a warm southern welcome." His lips touched his drinking glass as he took a sip of his whisky. "I'd offer you a drink but… I don't wanna." A bellowing southern laugh left his throat. My eyes dropped to the floor as he continued to talk. I didn't speak.

"Don't get any funny ideas. The only reason you are here is because I respect that old man far too much to deny one of his wishes. Unfortunately, that wish was to drop you on my door step like a flam'n bag of a dog shit." I heard the clicking of his expensive patent leather wig tips as they made their way closer to me. "Do I look like some kinda nanny to you?" he scoffed as he took another swig "having to babysit a grown man who don't know his place. Well, let me tell you something, boy. I ain't like Leo Glanate. I'm not some old sap looking for a son. I have son and he would have never gotten himself in this situation."

"I believe in discipline, order and respect." He stopped pacing and turned to me "Are you listening, boy?" I just continued to stare at the ground. I didn't bother proving myself to this asshole. One thing I've learned is that there is no way of changing the way people view you. No matter how hard you try. I knew how he saw me. "I said 'are you listening?" I still didn't look up. Suddenly, I felt his fingers grip my hair. He thrust my head up and back so that I was face to face with him. I clenched my jaw and let out quick pain filled breaths through my teeth. I looked him right in the eye and gave him a stare that screamed defiance. It didn't please him "When I ask you a question you answer 'yes, sir… yes, Don Marcano. Go on and say it." I refused and he tugged harder "Yes, Don Marcano."

He was inches from my face as I struggled under his grip. "SAY IT." I took in a breath and spit in his face. He stepped back, furious, as he wiped the spit from his ugly mug. His guards when to discipline me but he stopped them. He chuckled insanely "You sure are a piece of work, Scaletta." He relieved a devious smile that quickly faded from his face as he gave me a good slap across the mouth. It almost knocked the chair over. "You will show respect even if we have to beat it into you. Now…" He poured himself another drink. "You'll be in charge of River Row. You know where River Row is?" I spit out blood from my mouth "Of course you don't ya carpetbagger." Another swig followed by the flicker of his lighter as he lit a cigar "It's a dumpy little place, brings in only $300 a week. I've sent my best men to try and turn that place around but no one succeeded. It's a shit hole. So I guess it's perfect for a pile of crap such as yourself" another sinister laugh as he gave his guards the signal to get me out of his office. "Well, thank you for dropping in Vito. It's been a pleasure."

The air was thick with the smell of fish, I almost gagged. There was an empty restaurant with a sign that read "Benny's," and to my right was a huge fish packing warehouse. I was given a small tour that ended at my new apartment. It was above the restaurant and had a totally of 2 rooms, a kitchen and a small bath. The wood paneling was pealing, the bathroom title was thick with mold and soap scum and the kitchen was so small it could barely fit one person. The bedroom had nothing but a mattress and a blanket on the floor. "This is it…?" I said to the two body guards that ushered me through the tour.

"The rest of the stuff will arrive tomorrow…maybe." They turned to leave.

"Hey, hey, come on, guys. This is a fucking joke. I'm a made man, here. I at least deserve sanitary living conditions." They looked at each other and chuckled and made their way out the door. I sighed and went to the bedroom. I stretched out on the mattress, my legs and arms sprawled out. Jesus Christ, it's hot as balls in this fucking city. I fell asleep trying to think of a plan to get out of this place.

Months went by as my multiple attempts to escape failed. That's when the daily beating came in. My life became very routine. I woke up, got a beating, left to think about what I had done, and then another beating. I refused to give up. I was going to get out of here and get back to Rosa. I had to.

One day, in the midst of my beating, I was greeted by the Don himself. "Vito, Vito, you dumb piece of shit. It's been months, why don't you just give up?" the mobsters threw me to the floor. My face was bloody and beaten and I didn't have the strength to get up so I just lay there. "Look at you, you poor stupid mother fucker. All this for some broad." I perked up as I used all my strength to lift my head to face him "Now, I have your attention." He took out a photo of her. It looked like she was shopping. She looked good, she looked like she was trying to live, like I asked her to do. "After I saw you beaten, and beaten but continued to get back up and try to skip town was shocking to me. So, I did a little research. What was driving this insane bastard to continue his feeble attempts to escape? Well and behold my detective brought me this picture." He showed me another image of her left hand that was decorated with her wedding ring. "You are taking until death do we part a little too seriously. Well, Vito, consider yourself died, because I can promise that you to will never see each other again." He stepped over me as he grabbed a cigar from one of his mobsters. "I had to get more info about this so I called our good friend Leo. He told me to leave the girl alone, but like I told you when you first graced us all with your presence, I ain't Leo Galnete." He blew smoke in my face as he pulled me back on to my chair. "If you continue to escape, rat me out to the commission and try to sabotage me and my plans, I will kill this little dame of yours."

"NO!" I screamed as blood projected from my quivering lips.

He laughed at my desperate cries "54 main, isn't that right?" he saw the pleading look in my eyes "the address of your little honey." He put out his cigar on my cheek. I let out a yelp in pain "Fall in line, Vito. Do as I say and will not have a problem. I tried to warn you who you was dealing with." He started for the door "let's go boys and leave young Vito here to think about his poor behavior."

The picture of her gently floated to the ground as he released it from his grip. They shut the warehouse door and I was left in the dark, the only thing to be heard was me weeping as I repeatedly spoke her name.