She got up, along with Carmine, and left the dining hall.
Reno and Trina glanced at each other. Since it worked, they decided to let it slide.
“Did thatI know nothingbullshit story Lolo’s daughter laid on you check out?” Reno asked him again.
Dommi shook his head. “To my shock, no it did not. That bitch was lying up and down the street. She knew what Lolo was up to. She was in on the planning. She thought she had me snowed, Pop.”
“Did you handle that?”
“No. I decided to forgive her and take her back to Jersey with me.”
Reno, Trina, and Jimmy looked at him as if he was insane. “Youforgaveher?” asked Reno. “Are you out of your fucking mind? She wanted to murder you, Dominic, and youforgaveher?”
Dommi smiled. “I’m just messing with you, Pop,” he said. “Of course I took care of her ass. I’m nobody’s fool, okay?”
Jimmy laughed. Reno exhaled. Trina shook her head. She thought about how Reno was justmessing with herwhen he pretended to be dead upstairs. That shit don’t fall far from the tree, was how she saw it. “You and your father have a weird sense of humor,” she said.
“I’m saying,” said Jimmy.
“But why your ass stayed at the safe house all night when your guys could have handled that?” Reno asked him.
“That’s because they aren’tmyguys yet,” Dommi responded. “I inherited those motherfuckers. I haven’t had a chance to get my crew together yet. After Kasi stabbed me in the back when I thought she had my back, I don’t know who I can trust in that outfit.”
Reno pointed at him. “That’s why you’re going straight to Monk Paletti and get him to lend you some of his guys until you can pull your team together. The fact that your ass thought some woman would have your back over her own father’s back tells me all I need to know. You need backup, Dommi, until you get your swag together.”
“You sound like Uncle Sal.”
“And Sal’s right. Even a clock is right once a day,” added Reno.
“He already assigned a whole group of his senior capos to work for me until I pull it all together.”
Reno and Trina were impressed. Jimmy was too. “Uncle Sal did that for you?” he asked him.
Dommi nodded as he continued to pig out on Trina’s food. “And I already talked with Frankie Paletti. He’s going to provide me cover when I get to Jersey.”
“Now that’s what I’m talking about,” said Reno happily. “Now I feel better about this shit.”
Jimmy smiled.
“What’s so funny?” Dommi asked him.
“At least Dad didn’t call it bullshit you’re undertaking,” he said. “That’s progress.”
And all of them laughed.
But Trina looked at her son. He was so entrenched in his new life that it was as if they had no choice in the matter but to go along with it. But she still didn’t know if she could. “So you resigned as Sheriff then?” she asked him. “Or will you continue to use it as your cover?”
“Until I’m up and running the way I want, I’ll continue to use it as my cover. But not for long,” he added. “I’ll have to be full-time in Jersey eventually.”
Reno nodded. “Good choice,” he said. “Don’t rush it, or you’ll make too many mistakes.”
He was as worried as Trina was, but he knew he had to let it go. Dommi was his own man now, their attempts at normalizing him into a regular joe didn’t work, and there was nothing they could do about it.
At least not yet.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“Sophie?”
