“Raoul!” I hear something crash. Shit. He’s actually mad enough to be flinging things. “I had Senator fucking Robbins on the line at fucking dawn. He was fucking apoplectic! Do you have any idea how much shit you’ve caused?”
“Apoplectic? That’s a pretty big word, Dario.” I glance down at my shoes and make a note to pop past the shoeshine kid later.
“I’m not joking, you stupid cunt!” he yells. “McErlane’s raging too. We are one step away from a full-fledged war right now.”
“I think you’re exaggerating. Did you see the house takings last night? They were through the roof.” I lean back in my seat, letting my head drop against the headrest. I could do with some sleep – that damn game went on into the small hours of the morning.
“I don’t care about the motherfucking takings! You…you…” I can hear him spluttering. “You won a fuckingwoman, Raoul? Have you completely lost your mind?”
“Excuse me,” I reply. “If memory serves, that’s precisely how you started off with yourSister Lovvie, brother.”
“Don’t you dare bring Nikki into this, you fucking asshole. I’ll kill you myself, brother or no brother.”
“It’s true, though. You wouldn’t be with her now if her idiot father hadn’t lost her playing poker. I don’t see how my situation is any different.”
“Because the woman you won is Tommy McErlane’s daughter and Senator Robbins’ fiancée, you idiot!” he practically screams at me. “He was going to skyrocket my New York venue into the big time. Now the man’s mad enough to spit bullets.”
“So are you, it seems.” I guess I could be a bit more apologetic. I hold the phone away again as he lets rip with a string of Italian that would have our Nonna spinning in her grave.
“Why, Raoul?” he eventually half-wails. I can hear so much frustration laced into his voice that I actually do start feeling a little remorseful now. “I just don’t get it, for God’s sake.”
“I did her a favor. She didn’t want to marry him anyhow.”
“So you fucking wagered half our business for her? What if you’d fucking lost, you idiot?”
“But I didn’t,” I reply. “Did you take some time to find out what else I won?” Dario’s still breathing heavily. “Half of McErlane’s New York chapter, Dario.”
“Which will mean sweet fuck all when he kills you, you fucking fool!”
“No, he won’t,” I answer, examining my nails.
“Really now? How do you figure that?”
“Because I’ll be married to his daughter.”
Dario makes a choking sound on the other end of the line.
“You’ll be what?”
“You heard me. I’m going to marry her.” It had all been so crystal clear to me last night. But in the cold light of day, I guess I can see the flaws in my reasoning. I’ve alienated Robbins for life, and my worst enemy is about to become my father-in-law.
“You’re out of your fucking mind!” Dario snaps. A tiny voice in my head is saying,‘You idiot, he’s right!’because maybe he is. Maybe my real motives are far more primal than that. Because the thought of her on her knees at my feet has my cock hardening again.
“Stop freaking out,” I reply instead. “This is going to blow over, and everything’s going to be just fine.”
“Fine?” he snorts. “How do you figure that?”
“Because,” I say, reaching for the little black book I keep in my top drawer. “I’m going to send the senator a little gift to take the edge off.”
Fuck…what were those girls’ names? Mindy…Sindy…
I flip through the pages. I know I have their details someplace.
Probably on your phone, fool.
I swipe my screen to get to my contact list, scrolling as Dario continues to rant and rave. It takes me a minute, but soon I’m glancing at a number that’s saved with a photo of a pair of huge tits attached to it.
“Got it,” I say. “I’m sending the senator a special gift, courtesy of the Caraldis. He’s got a thing for Double-D cups.”
