“We’re heading to Bar Havana for drinks at nine. Are you joining us?” Caleb asks when we’re in the elevator on the way up to our penthouses.
“I’ll come for a while, but I’m meeting Elizabeth later.”
“You should cancel and come with us to Club H after the bar.”
“No thanks. That’s your scene, not mine.” I have nothing against sex clubs per se, and Club H is the most prestigious of Ben’s clubs, but I prefer to do my screwing in private.
“Don’t bail,” my twin says when we exit the lift. “You need to let loose, and Marino said he’d stop by. We should both be there to buy him a drink.”
God knows our underboss has earned it. Benedito manages things for us at the ground level, and he is the person thesoldatiandcaposreport to. We have a recurring weekly meeting with him and Luca—our cousin andconsigliere—where he updatesus on things we need to know, but unless there’s an emergency, we don’t hear from him much. He runs a tight ship, and he’s experienced, having worked with Luca in the same capacity when he was acting Don Accardi in our stead. He provides stability for the men and ensures everything runs smoothly at the grass roots.
“I’ll be there. Perhaps you should ask him if there is more you can do at the grassroots level. If you want to dirty your hands, that’d be a good place to start.”
Caleb shrugs. “Maybe.”
“The more I think about it, the more I like the idea,” I tell Caleb later that night when we’re en route to Bar Havana. “It would be good for the men to get to know us better. The newersoldatialready know you from initiate training, so it makes sense you’re the one to do this. We know there’s a mole or moles in the city. It could be within anyfamiglia, but the odds are it’s within the Accardi or Maltese ranks. Maybe if you’re more hands-on, you might glean intel we need.”
“I’ve been thinking about it too, and I like the idea.”
“Good.” I pop the cap on a bottle of water while Caleb drinks a beer. “Set it up with Marino tonight, and I’ll call a senior management meeting on Monday and reassign some of your work at the office.”
“I’ll send an email tomorrow with a summary of key items.” I can already see some of the strain easing from my brother’s face. “I really hope the rat isn’t one of us. That will seriously piss me off.”
“We have to prepare for anything, and speaking of, Ben sent me an updated report on Lavinia just before we left. I haven’thad time to read it fully, but the gist of it is her back history is fake.”
“You didn’t think to lead with that?”
“I was getting to it. Do you think we’ve been lax in not getting to know our men better? In letting Marino handle most of it?”
“I don’t see how it’s any different than how the other dons run their businesses. Cristian isn’t hands-on either. None of us can be and avoid public detection to the extent it’s required.”
“I’m beginning to think that’s a mistake. Maybe we’re being too trustworthy.” I finish my water, tempted to reach for a beer, but I want to keep my wits about me tonight while Gia is on her date. I’ve had confirmation she’s at a Michelin-star restaurant with that Irish prick. I’ll have a couple drinks at the bar, but no more, in case there’s an issue and I’m needed.
“Luca trusts Marino. He wouldn’t have suggested we retain him as our underboss if he had any concerns.” Caleb drains his beer and grabs another.
“I know, and I’m not suggesting he’s untrustworthy. He was great during the transition, patient with us as we learned the ropes, and he never criticized us for being young. He’s solid, and he’s got our backs.”
“He respects us, and we respect him.”
“Agreed. My point was more of a general one. This shit on the streets has shaken me up. We’re not as in touch as we’d like to think we are.”
“It’s all the more reason for me to take a step back from the legit business and reconnect with oursoldati.” He flashes me a grin as our driver pulls the car alongside the curb outside the bar. “At least we have something to celebrate tonight.”
We get out and head inside, making a beeline for our usual table at the back, which is always reserved for us.
The gang is all here, and I’m glad to see Cristian and Zumo have left their girls at home tonight. Vittus orders a round ofdrinks while I fall into conversation with Giulio. He’s Luca’s son, therefore, our cousin, but we only got to know him later in life. He’s a few years older than us and a successful Wall Street trader. He gets pulled intomafiosobusiness from time to time, but mostly he’s on the fringes and not an active made man.
My phone pings with regular updates as thesoldatoshadowing Gia sends me texts and pictures. I grind my teeth to the molars as I stare at the most recent photo he sent. Gia and Liam have left the restaurant, and they’re heading for a bar on foot. The jerk has his arm around her shoulders, tucking her in close to his side as they walk. She’s laughing as she looks up at him. Her eyes look bright and there’s color in her cheeks. He’s gazing at her like he wants to devour her whole, and I’m growling under my breath before I’ve even realized I’m doing it.
“What gives, man?” Vittus asks, pouring another measure of bourbon into my glass.
“Nothing.” I repocket my cell and attempt to shake my shoulders loose.
Caleb chuckles, smirking at me from his seat beside Cristian. “Told you that one was trouble.”
Zumo sits up straighter, his face perking up. “Is there a girl?”
My nose scrunches in irritation. “Don’t act stupid. Of course, there isn’t.” They all know my history with Bettina and why I’ve vowed never to be in a relationship again.
