“If you think for a second that I believe you aren’t involved in what the Italians are doing up North with the skin trade, then you’re a fucking idiot Marco, no offence.”
He stares at me in disbelief for calling him an idiot, but he’s forgetting who’s in charge here, who owns New York now and who owns the club he’s currently in. He puts on a sardonic smile and takes the seat at the table I’ve lead us to.
“Where do I sign so I can get out of here.” He says, grinding his jaw. I’ve finally gotten to the bastard.
“You don’t want to read over the contract Don?” Matteo says from behind his shoulder.
“Dragna is a business man who I know only cares about this deal and getting it over and done with. He wouldn’t fuck us over, we are technically still family, isn’t that right Dragna?”
He looks up at me and it makes me sick to hear him talk about family. I would rather slice my own tongue out than agree to ever having ties with them just because of my father.
“I don’t care to fuck you over or have any more business than necessary with you, but if you ever say my name and the word family in the same sentence again, I will end everything between us. Sign the contract, my men will deal with your men when it comes to the trading and collection of money. Easy as that.” Marco huffs a humourless laugh at my words before finally nodding back at me knowing better than to poke the wound before finally picking up the pen in front of him and signing his name on the contract.
I snatch the paper from the table and hand it to Lev who’s made his way over to us with a drink in hand for me. He hands me the glass of whiskey and I toss it back before holding my glass to Marco in a mock cheers gesture. All I care about is having them in our pocket and the sooner he gets out of here the better.
“First shipment will arrive in three days time. Details of where will be sent to you the day before. Pleasure doing business.” I say before I make my way to the door to open it for them.
Marco and Matteo follow me, their men following them with Lev at the back to help see them out. When we get to the back entrance of the club, I notice Marco’s car isn’t here.
“Where are your men Marco. I hope you’re not so silly as to stage something here.” I ask as I scan the alleyway.
“Never. They moved to the front for our own safety reasons so you couldn’t pull a stunt over on us.” He says and I let out a sigh as I scrub a hand over my face.
I’m partly annoyed yet also slightly impressed at the fact they thought of something like that to ensure Marco left unharmed.
“Follow me.” I say as I begin walking them round the side of the building to the front.
It’s nine thirty which means there is a queue already forming outside the club for those who like to come early and make the most of their night, but hopefully not a big enough crowd to see Marco leaving.
We make it round the front of the club and I see their car. Matteo signals for it to pull up to the curb and just as it does Lev hits the side of my arm with his. I look at him and follow his sight to see Alina getting out of a taxi.
Fuck.
Nobody knows Marco is the Don, sure there are stories in the news about all of us, but there’s never names and definitely never pictures, but it’s not hard to look at him and know he isn’t just a casual business man. I can’t have Alina seeing him leave the club.
I look back to Marco to tell him to get his men to hurry the fuck up and I see Marco looking to where Alina is making her way up the street to the queue. She looks around her before her eyes land on Lev, she smiles at him and begins making her way over to us.
As she’s walking her eyes flick over to Marco and stops dead in her tracks. She isn’t far from us now, so when she speaks, it’s heard loud and clear by all of us.
“Daddy?”
Chapter Twenty
Dragna
Alina looks all around us, her breathing hitching and suddenly the ringing is back in my ears, my blood turns to ice and I can’t comprehend what I have just heard. What I know all of us have heard.
“Mia figlia, what are you doing here?” Marco responds while he looks around him for any threats. Alina glances around all of us looking terrified, like she’s just been caught doing something she absolutely shouldn’t be and now I’m wondering if this was his plan all along. Get his daughter to seduce Lev to get to us.
“What the fucks going on Marco.” Lev spits towards him getting in his face.
“Lev what the fuck!” Alina shouts, getting in between Marco, her fucking father, and Lev while I pull him back by his shirt collar.
“How the hell do you know each other?” Alina asks frantically.
“What the hell is going on?” She continues.
“Everybody inside. Now.” I say and I march through the front entrance of the club no longer giving a fuck who sees.
