Ashley exhaled. She knew what was coming next. “Yes, Uncle Reno?”
“Get lost.”
Everybody looked at Reno like he was insane. “Pop!” said Dommi. “You can’t disrespect Monk Paletti like that. Do you realize who he is?”
“I know who his ass is. What do you take me for?”
“Then you can’t talk to his wife that way.”
“I’m not talking to his wife. I’m talking to Ashley Sinatra. Now get out of here, Ash. Go inside with people your own age.”
Ashley looked at Monk. But Monk was already looking at Reno. “Say what you have to say, Reno. You have that right.” He was calm, and strong. “But what you’re not going to do is handle my wife. She stays.”
Ashley snuggled against Monk. Reno stared at Monk. He knew why he got his nickname: He didn’t smoke, he didn’t drink, he didn’t run around with women like everybody in mob land did. And he didn’t allow anybody to push his buttons. Except, in Reno’s view, young, party girl Ashley.
“Ashley is young, gifted, and black,” he said to Monk. “She’s a prize, I get it. But again, she’s young. Much younger than you, and much, much younger than the rest of us. Keep her on a leash or she’ll break free and bite you right up your ass one of these days. You mark my words. I’m more experienced than any man alive concerning these matters.”
Trina looked at him. “Concerning what matters?” she asked him.
Dommi, Sal, and Gemma laughed. Ashley did too.
Reno frowned. “Whatever,” he said.
And then the doors to the terrace opened from inside the parlor, and Robby Yale, Sal’s underboss, stepped out. “Uncle Mick just called,” he said.
“And?” said Reno.
“The package has been delivered.” Then he went back into the house.
Every single person on that terrace, except for Ashley and Gemma who knew their husbands weren’t going to let them go, started standing up.
But Reno sat Trina right back down. “Not this time, sweetheart,” he said to her. Then he looked at his son. “Dom, you stay here with the family too.”
“But Pop! You can’t keep doing this to me!”
“Oh yeah? Says who?”
“Reno,” said Trina.
Reno settled back down. “It’s no disrespect to your new role,” he said. “But somebody’s gotta stay back with the family.”
“Robby Yale is here, and Malcolm’s here, and even Jimmy’s here too.”
“And Jimmy is capable. But he’s corporate. I need the other side. You’re the other side.”
“What about Robby Yale?” asked Dommi. “He’s the other side too.
“You’re staying Dom,” Reno said firmly.
Dom, upset, left the terrace.
“I hope he stays anyway,” said Ashley. “He’s the only one who knows how to have any fun around here.”
“Well thanks a lot,” said a smiling Gemma.
“You know what she means,” said Sal. “You and Tree are out of her league.”
Monk looked at Sal.
