Fabrizio has accompanied Rena, and he’s a competent guy, so I shouldn’t be on edge. Especially when Brando is there too, trailing Nat in secret because she doesn’t know Ben has assigned him and Nario to watch over her, twenty-four-seven, on a rotational basis.
But Iamon edge.
We still haven’t found that guy from the boutique, and though there have been no further incidents, I don’t believe the threat has passed. I have no clue who is behind it. The Sicilian angle has been thoroughly exhausted and there is no threat there, so it must be someone within The Outfit who still bears a grudge. But why? And how does this person or persons have connections to some low-life New Yorker? It doesn’t add up, and I hate loose ends. I won’t rest until we find whoever it is and end them. Any time Rena is out of my sight, my nerves are stretched tight and I don’t relax until she’s back home.
“My daddy never kissed my mommy,” Romeo says, frowning. “Maybe my daddy thought girls were gross too.”
Not fucking likely. Needing to distract the kids—and myself, because any mention of Alfredo Gifoli fills me with murderous rage—I blurt, “Who wants pizza?”
“Me, me, me!” A chorus of excited approval greets my ears as I climb into one of the empty seats behind the kids while Frank takes shotgun. I tap out a text to Ben as Nario drives us out of the parking lot toward the pizza joint, trying not to let my mood sour.
* * *
“We have big problems in Chicago,” Ben tells me later that night when I’m back at the house. We are outside, walking the grounds, while Nat and Serena are putting the exhausted kids to bed. “It’s a shit show, and Gino is not helping.” He cracks his knuckles. “The Commission is growing concerned that we are losing control. It can’t all fall apart at the final hurdle.”
Last month, he had filled me in on exactly why Gino Accardi has been so distracted in the Windy City and why he’s sleeping on the job.Literally. “I thought you told him to end things with that Marcela woman?”
“I did, but I’m not convinced he listened. Besides, it’s not just that.”
“Barretta isn’t committed at all,” I surmise.
Ben nods. “He is starting to really piss me off. I don’t understand the man. He seems to care about The Outfit, so why is he looking to bail now?”
“This doesn’t look good. Both of them are making you look weak.”
“Exactly. What do I do about it?” His stark blue eyes convey everything he’s not saying. He is more than just concerned. He is gravely worried about Chicago and the potential it has for destroying everything he has spent years working toward. This is also the first time Ben has very directly asked for my advice.
I consider it for a few moments, running options through my mind. “My initial inclination is to consider giving Don Accardi more responsibility. If we made him their don, he might just pull his head out of his ass. Chicago is the largest territory after New York and highly valued by anyone with ambition.”
“But?” Ben asks because he knows me and he senses I have reservations.
“I don’t think we can trust him. Not if you think he’s in love with that woman. Giving him more power could be risky for Nat’s sake. But also for yours. He might want to take control so he can go to war with you. It seems like he has changed, and not for the better.”
Ben nods solemnly. “Those are my sentiments exactly. But I must do something. I can’t just sit back and let things turn to complete shit.” He drags a hand through his hair, and the strain is showing on his face now.
“I think we should hold tight for now. Continue to reiterate to both men that they must do their jobs or face the consequences. And we explore our options. Put out some feelers and see who might be interested in Chicago.”
“Not as many as you might think.” Ben slows down as we near the house. “The Bratva are still circling Chicago, and that’ll make some cautious. We also need to be careful with the message that goes out. We can’t have it getting back to Gino, and we don’t want anyone to think The Commission isn’t anything but a committed unit.”
I fold my arms as I look at him. “Boss, made men gossip worse than women. You can be sure it’s common knowledge, at least among some, that Chicago isn’t yet settled. And no one expects miracles. This is all new. Everyone understands that. You are known for your transparency, and I don’t think that should change. Keep it real, and the men will respect that.”
* * *
“Tell me everything,” I say, accepting the glass of red wine Serena hands me when I enter her private living room.
“I love it!” Her giddy smile is exactly what I need to lighten my mood after the conversation with Ben. “It’s an eclectic campus, and I like how it’s spread out,” she says, settling at the other end of the couch, like every night. “I got to meet a few of the professors. They gave us presentations on some of the courses, and it sounds so interesting.” Her entire face is animated as she explains. “I can’t wait to start. I’m really excited.”
“I’m happy for you.” Leaning forward, I lift my glass to hers. “Congrats, Rena. I’m pleased it’s all working out for you. You deserve it.”
She chinks her glass against mine, keeping her broad smile intact. “Thank you. Your support means a lot. Without you, Sierra, and Nat encouraging me, I’m not sure I would’ve had the lady balls to go for it.” She giggles, and her tinkling laughter is a balm to my soul.
“Of course, you would have. You’re always so hard on yourself. Even now.”
“I know.” She kicks off her ballet flats, tucking her bare feet underneath her. She’s wearing a simple white sundress today, and she looks delightfully pretty. Her hair shimmers with golden highlights from spending so much time outside this summer, and freckles adorn her nose and the tops of her cheeks. She is gorgeous, and I know she has no clue. It only adds to the attraction. “Pamela is helping me to work on it,” she explains. “It’s hard though after years of being told and believing I wasn’t good enough.”
“I regularly wish I could dig that motherfucker up and kill him more gruesomely,” I admit. I don’t often mention how I killed her husband, not wanting to send her on a journey into her past, but she’s visibly stronger these days, and I find she brings him up more often. Like talking about him is exorcising her demons.
“It’s not just because he put me down. It goes deeper than that.”
