“It’s in our room?” She called her room ours.
“Yes.”
Naomi nods, and we head upstairs to grab it before returning to War’s office, where Eros, Mac, and her uncles are, along with Damon.
Naomi introduces me to everyone, but I have met her uncles Z and Ronan a few times over the years. We take a seat on the one long couch against a built-in bookcase.
Naomi starts from the beginning with Eros and Mac cutting in here and there, adding a few details. She holds everyone’s attention in that room. She was born to be a leader.
“This isn’t a straightforward situation where you can just grab Luigi and be done with it,” War says, confirming what I already knew. I’m used to the politics of things, and their world and family dealings are no different, but they could be.
“Naomi would be dead if she hadn’t taken that fall,” Mac hisses. Since everything went down, all her normal teasing and playfulness has left her. “I would be dead.” The tension starts to grow in the room.
Yes, both females would be dead.
“But you’re not.”
Mac rolls her eyes at War’s response, never one to hide her emotions. “Luigi is also claiming he didn’t know it was Naomi.”
“He knew,” Naomi says, sitting next to me. Her demeanor is calm, but she’s far from it, and I know it’s not over Luigi having taken a shot at her, but he was hunting Mac inside that building.
“So what? We do nothing?” Eros bites out. I have a strong sense Eros is going to be on my side very soon.
“I didn’t say that. We need to have a meeting with the Esposito family,” War continues.
“Why?” I cut in. Everyone’s attention swings to me, I’m sure wondering why the fuck I’m speaking at all.
“It’s the way of things,” Damon mutters, clearly not a fan of it either.
“And who is the one that sets these rules of ‘the way of things’?” I ask. “Because the way of things is never going to play out for Naomi. The Espositos, along with the rest of the families, would want death if someone shot at the head of their family. At one of theirsons.”
“Not necessarily,” Z says, taking a pregnant pause. “But maybe so.” It hangs in the air; we all know it to be true.
“This is what you meant when you said I wasn’t going to like what was going to be said in here.”
“It is,” Naomi confirms because she knew. Knew where they’d stand, and it’s not easy for her to eat it. She’s not going to.
“You’re not going after him.”
“You think we don’t want to go after him?” War asks, and very much like his daughter, I know he’s choosing his wordsand weighing all of mine to see where I might be going. He’s so fucking close to seeing it.
“I didn’t say you didn’t want to. But you’re not going to.”
“Yet. There will be a meeting, and as we spoke about before, you’ll be in attendance with Naomi after we get you married. Isn’t that what you wanted?” War leans back in his chair, his eyes assessing me.
“No, I don’t want to be at the table, and I don’t want my wife to be at it either.”
“What are you saying?” Naomi asks, sitting up straighter.
“That I don’t understand the reasoning of things here. You have made these moves to change. You aim to clean things up, but there is a limit to how clean they can ever be.” I understand that. “But the other families don’t want that, and all of you keep coming to odds over this. Over and over and over. The pattern is so predictable because you’re still playing by others’ rules. Your own politics and this whole four family bullshit.” History has a way of repeating itself if you allow it.
“Watch it,” War says.
“He will not,” Naomi cuts in and holds up a finger. “I want to hear what he has to say.” War gives a slight nod. I see he’s not bothered that Naomi is pushing back on him for me. My intent is not to disrespect him in his own home but to try to open his eyes to what could be.
“These families, who you all claim to work together with, more often than not there is always a snake in their midst. The Marino family doesn’t have a snake. Not with how you’ve built this family. And see, that’s why I don’t get it. Those families are no different than everyone else out there to you. Theyareyour enemies, but still you sit with them. Break bread with them. Allow them to influence decisions you make or don’t make. Still you play by their rules.” I shake my head. “And my question is still, why?”
The room falls quiet, so I keep going. “They will come for you. As they have before. You will always have a target on your back. They will scheme and plot with each other against you. They already are with wanting my docks. It’s a step closer. Then they will blame it on asnakein their midst and try to sweep it under the rug when it doesn’t pan out for them.” I glance over to Z. He knows that all too well with his history.
