“You and I both know this is exactly where things were headed between our families the moment you arranged Alastor’s death with my father,” I volleyed over my shoulder. “Forty days, Ilias. Think it over.”
“Renzo, forty days is insane,” Tore said as we watched Ilias Dimakos’ car pull away until the taillights blurred. “Do you realize how much they could plan in that time?”
He opened and snapped hislighter.
“As we will. We have the numbers, the firepower. Exactly what we need to keep him firmly in line. Dimakos isn’t an idiot. He’s cornered. He knows it. He’ll retreat.”
“And if he doesn’t?”
“Then he’ll lose everything. I almost hope he doesn’t.”
“Why?”
“You know what brings people together easier than a good meal?”
“A sports bar with free beer and topless women dancing?”
I prayed for patience. “Scemo coglioncello.” You stupid prick.
“Hey.” He smiled, wide and laid-back, like only he knew how, despite the demands of our jobs. “I resent that, boss.”
“’Course you do.” I rolled my eyes. “We give them a common enemy. No easier and faster way to bring all the capos together than that.”
He nodded, his smile slowly fading. “Good way to keep them distracted too.”
“What the hell should we be distracting them from?”
“The adoption.”
I frowned. If I really was to take on the responsibility of caring for Ms. Burch, it couldn’t or wouldn’t remain a secret. As a woman, there was no risk she would ever be considered my heir either.
“It’ll keep them too occupied to worry what it’ll mean for business with the Giambrones,” Tore added, and it made sense. The Nevada Italian outfit was wealthy and one of our best buyers for drugs, which was one reason my father made a marriage pact.
“You worried?” I asked.
Tore clicked his lighter on and swept his palm through the flame before snapping it shut.
“Nah. Never liked Giambrone, and I’ve heard his daughter’s a pill. Beautiful but hard to swallow. Know what I mean? But…your first year as don hasn’t been easy, and profits are down. It might cause unnecessary friction with the capos if word gets out too soon about the Giambrones.”
“Unless they’re busy with a war.”
Tore nodded. “Precisely.”
“Plan contingencies with Vinny. I’ve got a feeling Dimakos will wait until the last second to give us any news.”
“You got it.”
“Oh, and send Alfie to the Hayes house as a reminder. I want to make sure the Mr. and Mrs. clearly understood my message last week.”
“And that is?”
“They touch those kids again, they’re walking the bridge.”
Chapter 17
Thattriptothepizzeria changed everything. It started small, so small that ignoring my gratitude for a warm, filling meal for my siblings and me felt like the easiest thing in the world. I didn’t thank him. After all, one meal was the least my nemesis could do for taking Noah from me. But then came the breakfast bars, muffins, or breakfast burritos, and afternoon snacks for the three of us every day, starting the next morning.
Ricco delivered them, picking us up at seven thirty a block down from the Hayes house, with two brand-new car seats in the back seat. He picked us up in the afternoon too. The only reason Ricco gave for the food and transport was “The boss told me to.” At first, I wanted to refuse on principle, but Boyan and Lou needed everything they could get. Marlene had “forgotten” to leave out portions of cereal for us from the locked cabinets again.
