Loyalty was something built and constructed over time. Once the groundwork was laid and the foundation was set, it was only a matter of time before, brick by brick, it was set in stone.
“You sure about this?” No, I wasn’t, but this was something to pass the time. Becoming a step-in father couldn’t be that hard. “There’ll be protests from your future father-in-law once it’s done.”
“I know. An added bonus.”
“This you finding a way around your wedding?”
No one was going to dictate when or whom I married. Especially not my pig of a father, who had delayed the marriage for years in hopes of a better deal. “Just see that it’s done.”
“Even if we grease some palms, it’s going to take a bit.”
“The girl’s not going anywhere.”
In fact, there she was, across the building’s courtyard and visible through the gate and over the bushes. She held a small boy’s hand, the two of them chatting, rocking their joined hands back and forth as he skipped and jumped. The kid looked a bit too skinny, his head far too big for his body, a patch of hair missing over his left ear. He wore no sweater, and his pants ended halfway up his calves, exposing his socks. Even in July, the general mild climate forced you into layers, especially a kid who looked like he would easily tumble over.
Neither seemed to mind though. There was honest joy on Ms. Burch’s face—his wasn’t visible, turned as it was—as she spoke to her foster brother, like she didn’t have a care in the world. It made me think back to the last time I’d felt such levity. Never. Everything I’ve lived through was tainted one way or another.
“Renzo?” Vinny’s voice over the car speaker tugged me back to the conversation.
“Yes?”
“Something going on?”
The curious look on Ricco’s face in the rearview mirrored Vinny’s tone.
“Dimakos bite yet?” I asked, trying to distract them both.
“No. But Natale reported there’s been an increase in men hanging around Dimakos’ estates along the coast.”
“Prepare the mattresses. Ten to three, no more than one step.” Three safe houses, ten men each, all within one mile of the Dimakos Marina Del Rey villa. Vinny and I established this code years ago, before my father went to war against the cartels for territory in San Diego. If Dimakos meant to hit us, we’d be ready, with all the little piggies left blissfully unaware.
“You got it, boss. Evenly spread, or keep it focused with Natale?”
Before I could answer, Ms. Burch exited the gated area, hunched over in a bad attempt at hiding, and headed in the opposite direction. Why the little shit. I pulled out quickly, put the car in drive, the tires screeching, and cut her off.
“Stop right there, Ms. Burch.”
She pulled the boy into her arms, covering his head as if I meant to hurt him.
“Burch? Renzo, where the hell are you?” Vinny snapped through the speakers.
I sighed, exasperated.
“Vinny, tell Tore I want focus on Natale’s men but with a ten to twenty percent spread with no more than a two percent damage to our bottom line.” Until war was declared, it needed to be business as usual, but Natale’s security business would suffer if all the surveillance fell on him.
I cut the call.
“Now, Ms. Burch. You going to get in the car the easy way, or the hard way?”
Chapter 15
Ithoughthehadn’tseen me. I hoped he hadn’t. Out of sight, out of mind kind of thing, but he had, and now Boyan was exposed to him too.
“Cool car.” Boyan’s little voice trilled with excitement and awe as he squirmed out of my hold. His head peeked through the shotgun window. “Whoa. Anzy, it’s blue. Blue like Sally. Mister, that’s a girl’s car.”
I sucked my chuckle back in where it belonged and pinched my lips together. Still, a grimaced smile crept up my face from the shock on Renzo Iannelli’s.
“It’s not,” the outraged mafia man stated.
