He doesn’t seem annoyed that I’m here to ask a favor, which is a good thing. My brother has always been a bit more… tense… about favors. He might not be as much of a dick as my cousin, Luigi, but he takes his role within the family seriously. That has only increased since Leandro named him my father’s replacement.
“I’m seeing Gino’s lawyer,” I tell Michael, trying to ease him into the story, since I’m pretty sure Flora doesn’t sit around gossiping with him and she’s the only one who knows. I haven’t had to worry about Flora in weeks, which makes her a much better ward than Cosima, who has always bumped heads with Michael and beenhisresponsibility.
“The guy?” Michael asks, his voice elevating with disbelief at what he perceives as a sudden change in my interests.
“No, you dumbass,” I grumble. “Aricia Plant. The lead partner.”
I wait for a beat to see or hear any reaction from Michael and while I should expect his response from a Corsini, Michael shocks me.
Michael raises his eyebrows. “The black lady?”
There’s just surprise, not judgment. Michael spent the past decade or so brooding in isolation that was apparently born out of his deep love for a black woman that he couldn’t get past. So I don’t expect him to pass harsh judgment on me for loving Aricia. I can’t tell how he’s reacting. Maybe he isn’t.
“Yes. She’s a decent lady,” I respond, trying not to sound insecure, or like I’m seeking my brother’s approval.
“Woah.”
What the hell did I say?
“That’s basically a confession of love coming from you,” Michael says, smirking at me like there isn’t a good reason I would keep my personal life to myself in this excessively involved Italian family.
I scowl at Michael.
“I’m not telling you this to gossip.”
“I know,” Michael says. “You want a favor. You made that much clear.”
I start drinking the wine out of the bottle. It didn’t take long for Michael to crack me open as it turns out.
“Her ex-husband was a real piece of work.”
“Need me to whack him?” Michael asks, grinning with excitement. “I could use something to take the edge off.”
“Beer not enough?”
“Strangely, no.”
“You could join me and Gino at the gym.”
“I prefer exercising alone,” Michael says. He pauses to think for a little bit and then he furrows his brow. “So you don’t need me to whack him?”
“He’s dead. Unfortunately, he left a mistress behind.”
I have Michael’s attention now. “Interesting.”
I give Michael the basics of the story, which I’ve only heard secondhand from Aricia. Michael has questions, and I do my best to give him answers and details as I tell him about this woman who won’t leave Aricia alone.
“I can’t get the girl unless I remove everything that stands in our way.”
“We have rules, Peter.”
That’s the answer I expected from Michael despite the detailed story I just told him. This is why I called my request a favor.
“She’s pregnant with my kid. You would do the same thing if you were in my position, and you know it.”
“I might have. Before I had to report every move I make to Leandro.”
“Then we don’t have to whack her. We can drop her off in Ohio or something.”
