“Someone had to take care of Mal,” he cried defensively.
“Right. I’m sure he’s knocking on death’s door.”
“Anyway,” Nico emphasized, reaching for the wet wipes they stashed under the bed. “What’s up? Why are you calling at the ass crack of ten in the morning?”
“Thomas called. The Dai Lo is on his way here. He asked for a meeting tonight at midnight. Thomas wants you both there.”
Mal and Nico exchanged looks, the silence stretching for a bit too long before Nico managed to gather the brain cells needed to ask, “The Dai Lo is coming here? To us?”
“How else did you think we would talk to him?” Jericho asked.
Nico shrugged. “I don’t know. Do gangsters not know how to use Zoom or FaceTime? Do they lose cool points or something?” Mal snorted, but Nico kept talking. “Why does Thomas want us there? Are we, like…bait? Human shields or something?”
“No, he wants you there because you know more about what’s going on than anyone. You won’t be alone,” Jericho assured him.
“Who all will be there?” Nico asked.
“Thomas, Freckles, me, you, Seven, and Mal.”
Nico frowned. “Why Seven?”
“Enzo will be there is my guess,” Jericho said.
“Shouldn’t that be a reason tonotbring Seven? Those two are like oil and water,” Nico said. “Ever since they started working in the same office, they’re at each other’s throats twenty-four seven.”
Jericho snorted. “That’s ‘cause Seven’s being a brat. Trying to have a relationship with someone where there’s a massive power imbalance is unwise, but Seven doesn’t want to hear that. Enzo is trying to do the right thing.”
“Why a power imbalance? He’s not Seven’s boss. Not really,” Nico said. “Whatever. Why not just bring Levi?”
Jericho hesitated, then said, “He didn’t tell you?”
“Tell us what?” Mal and Nico asked at the same time.
Jericho sighed. “They found his mother. She’s back in the hospital in critical condition. They called him last night. They don’t think she has much time left. She’s been…living on the streets. Shiloh made him go visit her before it was too late.”
“Fuck,” Nico whispered. “I need to call him.”
Mal wasn’t that broken up over Levi’s mother. He was almost positive Levi wouldn’t be either. In the end, it would be Nico and Shiloh who bore the brunt of the emotions. Mal preferred to focus on the task at hand. “Where are we meeting?”
“Mama Conti’s,” Jericho said.
Nico and Mal exchanged confused looks. “Mama Conti’s? Why?”
“She’s used to hosting these types of dinner guests. Her restaurant is considered neutral territory. Just be there. Midnight. You don’t have to dust off a suit jacket but try to at least look clean. The triad has very specific rules about respecting elders. Don’t embarrass me,” Jericho said.
“Yeah, sure,Dad,” Nico said. “See you there.”
Nico had been to Mama Conti’s many times; sometimes, to eat and other times, just to visit Levi while he worked. The place was always packed with both customers and family, with several of Mama’s kids acting as staff. Nico supposed when you had as many kids as Francesca Conti did, it was easy to staff a restaurant that large.
Nico’s hands were shaking. He had no idea what to expect from a crime lord. He was used to killing bad guys one-to-one or going head-to-head with local gangbangers. He’d never thought he’d be sitting down with Pablo Escabar or El Chapo. These people ran huge criminal enterprises, drug rings, and trafficking operations. They were vicious, exacting.
It felt way above his pay grade.
Jericho had sent instructions for them to enter from the alley and not to be late. When they arrived, the alley in question was filled with cars, expensive ones. Nico recognized Jericho’s Bronco and Thomas’s Aston Martin. There was also a Mercedes G Wagon, a Cadillac Escalade, and two sleek black BMW 7series. Nico was glad they’d walked. Even if they’d had to borrow a car, it would have looked embarrassingly shabby beside them.
When they approached the back door of the restaurant, there were two large men in black suits flanking either side, their angular features a bit terrifying under the hollow security lights. The men didn’t ask who they were or prevent them from entering, just gave stiff nods as they passed.
Nico had been in the kitchen several times but had never seen the place so empty. It was eerily dark and painfully quiet with only a few emergency lights to guide their way. Nico looked down at his brown chinos and his oatmeal-colored zip-front cardigan that he’d borrowed from Mal. Was this too casual? Mal wore dark jeans and an untucked blue button down that was far more casual, but on Mal, just made him look effortlessly cool.
