My brows arch.I’m sure they don’t want to be out the money, but neither do we.“Yeah, that’s a hard pill to fucking swallow.”
The oldest DeLuca folds his hands on the table and lowers his voice.“A few million may not break any of us, but it’s more than the money, it’s the fucking audacity of the bastards thinking they could drag us into their shit, lying right to our fucking face.Here’s what we’re proposing.We give you what we have back.”
My eyes don’t move.“That would be a good fucking start.”
Vincenzo’s eyes meet mine.“We’re men of honor, not like those assholes who like to pretend their families are more than they are.Let’s keep this real.You and your family are going to force the Gallinis to pay you back for your losses.I’m proposing we give you back the product we have.We take the loss, but since you get your product back right away, that you force them to pay us back instead of yourselves.You have buyers and can move it quickly once it’s back in your possession, leaving you whole with a ton of profit to gain.Your original plan.Force them to pay us back and allow us to stay out of the war.”
He’s not dumb; that’s for sure.He knows either way, whether they go after the Gallinis for putting them in this situation or not, we’re going after the fuckers who stole from us.It’s not about the money but about the respect, the honor, and putting them in their fucking place.“You know we’ll settle the wrong.”
Vincenzo nods.“I had no doubt.The family would consider it a favor and apologize for the misunderstanding.Of course, if we can do something for you in the future, we’ll be happy to help.”
I raise my glass, and Vincenzo does likewise.“It’s settled then.Let me confirm numbers with Leandro and we’ll be in touch.We’ll take care of the Gallinis, and strongly suggest they get even with you, in say three months?”
The newest don of Atlantic City has his plate full over there and I respect and appreciate how he’s handled the situation, even if he needs to give his little brother a kick in the ass and a little less responsibility until he can handle it.But it happens.I tap glasses with Vincenzo and then his other brothers one at a time.“Salute.”
Vincenzo clears his throat.“That settles it.Then we’re completely out of your business, take the hit for a while, which is perhaps just for allowing ourselves to get duped.”I don’t miss the look he gives the younger brother who’s learning the ropes and probably got a little caught up in the hype of a big deal without checking all the details like he should.
I stand.“Gentlemen, feel free to hang around for a while, enjoy the entertainment, private rooms downstairs if you like, but I have business to tend.”I look directly at Vincenzo.“Thanks for bringing this to my attention in this manner.You have rats in your waters?”I ask, referencing his need to come in person and not just send a message.
Vincenzo nods.“It would appear that way.We’re working to flush them out right now.I thought this would be safest.They may know we met, but not why.Let the fuckers squirm,” he says.
I laugh.“Good doing business with you, Vincenzo,” I say, tugging at the sleeve of my suit jacket as I make my way away from the table, and take the stairs up to the main level of the club where the vibrating music has everyone moving with activity on the dance floor and at the bar.
That fucking beat is good for business.I glance around the club, running the dirty math in my head, calculating the covers, the average price of drinks, food and all the other amenities estimating the average take for today alone.The club is doing well.Especially knowing we’re going to get our eight million worth of product back in a couple of days.Not a bad fucking day at work at all.I’ve more than earned a peaceful night at home with Sophia.
But something about what DeLuca said rings in my ears.He thinks people may know we met but not why.How the fuck would they know unless they were being followed, in which case he and his brothers would have handled that shit before they got to the club.He was telling me I have a fucking rat.
I decide to have Jimmy walk with me to the security room that houses all the monitors from each of our clubs, the ones we protect, and this one too.It’s time I make a personal appearance because if what he didn’t say but inferred is true, I’m going to find out right fucking now.
Jimmy has our men stand by the door, positioning some of the soldiers by the bar and some by the bathrooms and all the exits while we go into the security room.All hands were on deck the minute Leandro sent a message that the DeLucas crossed the city lines and were headed towards our club, so now is the time if we’re going to call someone out in our club.
We settle in knowing it could take a while but that it’s fucking priority.One of our trusted men rewinds the cameras, searching every single one of them, watching every single frame, looking for anything out of line.Eyes and ears on everything, that’s how we stay ahead in this business these days.Hours later I point to the screen as one of the newer pukes starts texting on his phone.“That’s our fucking rat.”It’s not so much that he’s texting, it’s that his eyes are shifting this way and that, making sure he doesn’t get caught, not realizing he’s on the mainstream live.
Now that’s how you run the fucking city and flush out the trash at the same time.Eyes and ears on everything.Dumb fuck.Dirty fucking rats.“Time to take out the trash boys.Take him to the warehouse.Find out who he was texting, what they were paying him, or what they had on him, and get whatever information about their plans you can from him,” Jimmy tells our soldiers.
“Let’s get out of here,” I tell Jimmy.It’s been a hell of a day and by the end of it, I’m more than ready to go home.We’re that much closer to getting answers now that we have one of the Gallini rats.I can feel it.It’s got to be them who this fuck is working for.I’ll let the men get the information we need and hopefully have something concrete to tell Sophia in the near future that will alleviate her concern for Anna.In the meantime, I’m going to have to keep my little kitten entertained in the dirtiest of ways and keep her mind from her troubles.
Jimmy pulls into the first lane, then into the center.“Home boss?”
18
Sophia
There’s no way I can relax with the way Massimo ran out of here.I briefly contemplate calling Anna, it’s been so long since we spoke, but I also made Massimo a promise.Not only that I wouldn’t try to communicate with the outside world without him by me, but that I would trust him.That means trust him to take care of my family, too.He knows what he’s doing.It’s just going to take time to break through the barriers his father has put up, his family’s resistance to our marriage, and try to deal with old man Amorte, who hopefully now that his plan to use the detectives to get to me has been shattered, will just leave us alone.I don’t really believe they will stop, but one can only hope.
What looks absolutely inviting is a long swim in the ocean but it’s far too cold for that right now.I resign myself to a long run, throwing on some joggers and a pair of tennis shoes before finding the gym on the second floor.It’s well equipped and I settle in for a long run on the treadmill after getting acclimated to all the bells and whistles that make this baby hum.
When finished, I’m drenched in my own sweat and head up to our room for a long shower.My mind slowly clears and some of the pent-up energy from days of not running or doing anything more strenuous than having sex with the dark-haired god has been worked out.I stand in my panties and swipe through the extensive collection of dresses, slacks and blouses that Massimo has had purchased and placed into the walk-in closet, trying to decide what to wear, not really knowing if I’m going to be alone for dinner or if whatever pulled him away is done or not.
I walk to the dresser and turn my cell over, checking for the hundredth time today for a message from Massimo.Not one word.He and I are going to have to have a conversation about what I find an acceptable amount of worry, because I am not going to sit at home like the good little wife my mamma used to be, growing gray with worry and dying of a broken heart.Not fucking likely, and I plan to tell him exactly that tonight.
Much later in the day, a folded piece of paper on the floor just inside the door catches my attention.My brow knits, having not seen it before I got into the shower.I stepped right over that very spot on my way into the bedroom.Wondering if Elsie left me a note for some reason, I stoop to pick it up.
My whole body begins to tremble with paralyzing fear as I read it first once, and then again.
Dear Sophia,
I am not well, growing weaker each and every day.The storm has demolished our home, our life, and the well laid future that was to be ours.I may not be here tomorrow so am taking a chance sending you this note via unorthodox routes.I pray that you make it in time to say goodbye but fear that you, too, are caught in a storm of your own.Love Always, Anna.
