I have to say something to explain my mood, so I mutter: “I wanted ten million Euros.”
“Nine million… ten million…” Stefano complains. “There’s only a one million Euro difference.” When I don’t answer, he says: “It’s not like we can redo the bidding.”
“I have an idea,” Enrico says. “We can contact the third highest bidder and tell him he won, too! Then, after we kill Giovanni Amato and take his money, we do the same for the third bidder.”
Roberto is nodding. “I like that plan. Who was the third highest bidder?”
“That would be the Notos, at one point two Euros,” Stefano replies. “Above that price, it was only the Rizzos and the Amatos trying to outbid each other.”
Robert seems to be studying me. “So there you go, we take the Noto bid as well, and we get to ten million Euros. Will you be happy with that, Massimo?”
I sigh. “No. We’ll stick with the original plan. Killing one mob boss and his family is dangerous enough. It’ll have to be nine million.”
Nine million Euros. That is pretty good, I have to admit. It certainly makes giving up Angela a bit easier. It’ll still be hard, though. But looking at my brothers, and how happy they are in this moment, I can’t bring myself to let them down. I’ll have to go through with this I think. My brothers take precedence over her. Family always comes first. There’s a reason that’s one of my main rules. It’s always kept us safe in the past, and held us together. We’re stronger together than apart.
Yes, this is going to be hard.
“So, are we really doing this, then?” Roberto asks.
“Why not?” Stefano replies. “It’s too late to back out now.”
Again, it feels like everyone is looking at me. “Yes, of course. We do it.” I feel kind of bad that the Rizzos won. I don’t really want to trade her to the man she hates. The Cleaver. But there’s nothing for it. I feel the anger rising as I think about that asshole putting his hands on her, but I quickly dismiss it, promising myself I’ll break some more mylar mirrors later.
Everyone seems relieved.
Everyone except me.
“Good, for a moment there I thought you were going to back out,” Enrico says. “Thought you might still have some feelings for that old pussy of yours.”
“Don’t call her ‘pussy,’” I tell him coldly.
There must be death in my voice, because Enrico seems to turn paler.
“I only meant… you used to know her back in the day,” Enrico explains quickly. “I didn’t mean anything by it.”
“Massimo is just playing with you,” Stefano says. “Right, Massimo?”
I continue glaring at Enrico, then I finally force a smile. “Yeah.”
“Ah, you bastard!” Enrico says. “You almost had me there!”
“All right then,” Stefano continues. “I’ll set up a time to meet the Rizzos tomorrow, and—”
“Not tomorrow,” I interrupt. “I want to do the trade in broad daylight.”
Stefano nods. “I intend to schedule it for noon.”
I shake my head. “Make it the day after. Don’t forget, we need to set up a meeting with Giovanni Amato at around the same time, or else he’ll get wind of the Rizzo trade.”
Stefano presses his lips together, obviously offended. “Of course I haven’t forgotten. We meet with Giovanni an hour and a half after the first trade.”
“Just triple checking,” I explain.
“Even so, there’s no reason to set it up for two days from now,” Stefano states. “We have everything ready. It can be tomorrow.”
“No,” I tell him. “Let them stew a bit. Let Giovanni Amato think we changed our mind, or intend to fuck with him.”
“Which we do,” Luciano adds.
