“Gladly.” I flash him a wide smile. “Nice doing business with you.” I blow him a kiss before straightening my shoulders and walking out with my head held high and the most self-satisfied expression on my face.
50
Leo
It’s been ten days since I married the love of my life, and I swear, every day I grow more and more in love with mydolcezza. She completes me in ways I never expected. Married life is everything I never knew I needed, and I don’t take a single moment for granted.
I got laid continuously after I showed Natalia her wedding presents. I am glad I managed to pull it all off on such short notice. Sierra and Serena kept Nat occupied one day so Ben and I could hang all the framed photos on a wall in our bedroom. Everyone is represented. Her parents and Mateo, the twins, Ben and his family, my family, Serena, Alesso, Frankie, and Brando, and there are several pictures of us from when we were kids, right up to the present time. The plan is to move them to our living room when our house is built. I always want mydolcezzato know how much she is valued, cherished, and loved.
She cried again when the gardener I hired to grow an orchard in the vast garden behind our new house showed her his plans. We are digging the herb garden and vegetable patch ourselves, and I bought some supplies so we can get started. We spent all day last Saturday outside getting it set up. The younger kids helped too, which Nat got a kick out of.
She kissed me forever when I showed her the pictures of me and the twins now holding residence in the locket I gave her when she was seventeen. I was initially going to replace it with a more expensive one, but then I thought better of it. Nat loves it and it symbolizes our past and everything we have fought for to be here today. So, I came up with the idea of adding the photos instead.
“We all need to be on guard today,” Ben says, dragging me out of my head.
We are in the back of an armored SUV en route to the building in Chicago where the biggest Italian Americanmafiosomeeting is taking place. It’s a big deal, with dons attending from all over the US, so security will be tight. I squeeze my wife’s hand, and Nat presses in closer to my side. Ciro is driving, and Nario has his nose to the window, keeping his eyes peeled for any sign of trouble.
The twins are in another SUV behind us with Alesso and Brando. They aren’t aware of the plans for their father. Something Natalia is concerned about, even if there is no other way to do this. We have to act now before he does. Hopefully, with the way we have set him and Greco off against one another, they will do us a solid and take each other out.
“Especially after we hijack the meeting and out Accardi and Greco as traitors,” Ben continues. “I still don’t like you are here,” he adds, pinning troubled eyes on his sister.
“I was never letting my sons into that room without me.”
The other heirs aren’t invited, but Gino asked his sons to attend as he expects to be announced as the new don of The Outfit, and he wants to gloat. I fucking cannot wait to see him taken down. Honestly, it will make my millennium.
“And this is owed to me. After everything that man has put me through, I want to be there to witness his downfall.”
It’s dangerous for her to be here, but neither of us put up much of a fight, because her arguments have merit. Plus, this was all Nat’s idea, and it’s a genius plan. She deserves to see it through.
Accardi and Greco thought they could use what they know as leverage and that we wouldn’t call their bluff. Nat suggested we play them at their own game, and it was the perfect solution. We can do it in such a way that protects me and the Mazzone name. Even if they throw accusations around, it will be too late once we divulge what they have been up to—Greco consorting with Colombians and cuttingla famigliaout of the deal and Accardi colluding with Russians so he could claim the position of power in Chicago. I wouldn’t be surprised if one of The Outfit’ssoldatikills him before he leaves the state. It would serve him right and solve that issue for us.
We know they won’t go away indefinitely. That our actions today will most likely unite them in a renewed quest to take us out. But we will get to them before then. We just need to wait for the dust to settle before permanently dealing with our problem children. Greco is an easy takedown. Accardi is harder because of the twins and Nat’s desire not to have him killed. I’m not sure how we will resolve it, but it’s a problem for a different day.
“You have your gun?” Ben asks.
Nat nods, patting her thigh. “And my knife. Plus, I’m wearing a Kevlar, same as all of you. Don’t worry, Benny. Nothing will happen to me. You need to stay focused. Let the rest of us do what we need to do, and you just worry about yourself.”
I crash my lips to hers. “Damn,dolcezza. Your confidence really turns me on.”
Ben clears his throat, grumbling. “I swear you want me to shoot you.”
“Suck it up, brother-in-law.” I nudge him in the ribs. “I had to endure all this and more when you and Sierra got hitched. Payback is a bitch.”
He mutters under his breath, but secretly, I know he’s thrilled for us. He wouldn’t have offered a plot of land on his property to build our dream home otherwise. Nat and I had begun talking about buying a family home together, so Ben’s timing is perfect. The estate is large enough it won’t feel like we are on top of one another, and having family and friends close by will be great for Nat.
The boss travels into the city every day for work, either by helicopter or car, so we can travel with him. The commute from Greenwich isn’t too bad, especially if we go by air. Ben’s helicopter fits six passengers, so he has enough room to add us and the twins.
Serena has been traveling with him since she started at NYU as a mature student at the end of August. It’s another thing that connects my wife and Sierra’s sister. Those two get on like a house on fire, and as Serena shows no signs of moving from Ben’s place, it only adds to the reasons why we should establish roots there.
We have a meeting next week with an architect to begin drawing up plans, and I can’t wait. I want a place to call our own. Somewhere we can decorate together. A home we can raise lots of babies in. We haven’t seriously broached that topic yet because now is not the time to consider bringing kids into the world. However, the clock is ticking, and I don’t want to be too old when I become a father. Nat has had an IUD implanted for years, and it might take a while before she gets pregnant, so she has already arranged an appointment to have it removed. We can enjoy being together in the meantime while we have fun practicing.
“We’re here.” Ciro pulls the car into a vacant space in the parking lot at the back of the building. This place, on the city’s northwest side, is one of The Outfit’s largest properties, and it’s been fitted out to accommodate the meeting today. Ironically, it’s in Forest Glen, where Gino’s fiancée is from. Backing onto Indian Woods, it is miles from any other property, so it gives us the privacy we need to conduct a meeting of this size.
It also offers our enemies ample opportunity to take potshots at us, so security has been ramped up. Dozens of The Outfit’s men roam the woods and guard the perimeter of the building, but I’m still on edge. There is a lot hanging in the balance today, and there is no guarantee it will go exactly how we have planned it.
“Stay sharp,” Ben says, exiting the vehicle once Ciro and Nario have confirmed it’s clear. He rounds the car and opens Natalia’s door, helping his sister down. I slide out behind her, my eyes instantly scanning the packed parking lot. We are cutting it close, but that’s on purpose. We want to put Accardi on edge from the very start.
The twins come up to us with Alesso and Brando at the rear. They hug their mom while checking the parking lot like vultures sniffing out prey.
