The looks around the table confirm their commitment without even the standard nod that they give me.My brothers know without me saying it that enemies can always be in our midst.I glance at my watch.“I’ve got a call with the other families in a few minutes.I’m going to have Leandro and Jimmy stay with me for the call.In the meantime, hang out in the club in case we have visitors and spread your capos out over the city, and give the orders.Blanket the fucking city and find our mom, a million dollars to every credible lead, get that fucking word out and then text me with any holes you can’t cover together, capisce?”
Gino, Tristano, and Renato head out of the conference room.We can’t afford for one word of our plans with other families to get into the wrong ears and given the problem we’ve had with rats we can’t be too careful.At least we’ve mitigated any spread of our plan as much as we can by keeping the updates just to family and Jimmy, and then to our top capos.Not that we don’t think leaks can occur, but because it had to be done.
The men clear the room and close the door behind them.I have no doubt Gino will keep a close eye on the door to make sure no one interrupts this call.I dial the conference number that was secured for the virtual meet and get Vincenzo DeLuca, Carlos Larussio and Salvatore Larussio on the line.
Their time is precious and so is Mom’s and I’m not going to waste a minute of it so I get right to the point.“Thanks for meeting with us on such short notice.I have my brother Leandro and Jimmy in the room with me.Carlos, Salvatore, thank you for getting men in the air with that chopper.Our cousin Alphons is back in the country now too.I called him and he has two more on standby for us waiting for word to put them in the sky.”
Carlos clears his throat.“Glad he’s done with his business overseas and can free up resources.”
My annoyance bristles momentarily but whatever differences Carlos has had with Alphons aren’t mine to delve into and his comment doesn’t require a response because Alphons has his reasons for keeping his businesses separate from the Roselli side and the Larussios’ too.“As I referenced in my message.We’re not going to point fingers just yet, but someone took our mother.We’ve had no word from the fuckers telling us they want anything, so right now, we have to assume the worst.It's a revenge grab, which means we’re already out of fucking time.They don’t want anything from us, they just want to make sure they can make us pay.Every minute that passes my mother’s life is in the balance.”
Leandro’s jaw tightens.I know exactly what he’s feeling because my heart is pounding like a fucking freight train wanting to tear anyone and everyone apart in this city until I’ve found our mom before the sick fucks can do anything to her, but I need to stay grounded.We have to be smart and stealthy.And gathering more allies instead of trying to stay independent as fuck these days is the right move.Aligning versus separating, that’s the way to survive.We’ve all felt it for a while.Now we put that plan into motion and use it to our advantage.
My voice deepens over the phone as my eyes meet Jimmy and Leandro’s.“The fuckers can hide but we’re going to flush them out soon.Every capo and soldier we have is hunting them in the streets.Should I have Alphons’ men coordinate with yours, Carlos?”
“Salvatore will have his men touch base with Alphons’ men and coordinate.They’re fucking great at their job.It’s not going to be easy.Our men say that even with the amount of territory and darkness falling fast it’s going to take every bit of aircraft and probably firepower that we have to find her and flush the fuckers out,” Carlos says.
My eyes meet Leandro’s.“They’re probably not wrong.I don’t know how we’ll repay you for helping to find our mother, but we fucking will.You can count on that.Each and every one of you.We’ll be there when you need to call in a favor.”
“We’ll find her if we can, Massimo,” Carlos says, and it’s all we can fucking hope for right now, at least until we get a better lead or lock on a location.
Vincenzo has been quiet until now, probably hoping I won’t reveal the situation his little brother got them into not long ago, or that he owes us a favor that I’m going to call in.I’m not saying a fucking word though.It’s not my story to tell.His voice is strong and commanding though as he starts talking.“Carlos, Salvatore.Unusual circumstances,” he says, clearly not committing to anything until he’s heard why he’s been asked to join this call.
He’s not wrong to feel wary.The sudden call is not fucking protocol at all, not by a long shot.No time to prepare, barely enough time to make sure the lines were secure.Aligned families, yes.Families with a history like ours, we don’t just all join hands and sing Kumbaya, not on your fucking life.Yet they showed up and for that alone, we owe them far more than I will probably ever be able to repay because not one of them needs our fucking money.
I clear my throat knowing I can at least ease his mind about the families he’s had issues with of late.“The Gallinis and the Amortes have both been moving fast, working to take over our territory, a full-fucking-fledged takeover.Not just a bite-sized piece.We were handling that, but they’ve taken my mother and now we’re at fucking war with both of the families.”
Vincenzo clears his throat.“In the interest of transparency, I’ve got my brother Nicolo here with me.The greedy bastards have their eyes on a few places in Atlantic City, too.We know every move they’re making though.We’ve got our eyes on the men they have keeping tabs on the businesses.One false move and we’re going to stomp the fuckers right into the ground and bury them alive in the sand.But first, we want Gallini.Doesn’t matter to us how it’s done or by who.Just that it’s done.”
Fucking Barcelo is making enemies everywhere.It seems having a common enemy is helpful all the way around.“I can appreciate that, Vincenzo.I’m going to be fully transparent here too.Barcelo Gallini is engaged to marry Anna Cassone, eldest daughter of the Cassones.Old man Cassone doesn’t have any sons and after the wedding, what they have will become the Gallinis.Minus the youngest daughter.Sophia Cassone, she’s mine,” I tell them just to make sure everyone is fully aware.I don’t explain to these men what that means, its none of their fucking business.What they do need to know is that she’s mine, meaning protected, and not available to them or any of their men.Fucking mine.
Vincenzo comes over the line, heated but calm.He is not known for his patience, probably still impatient to know why he’s been invited to the call.I’m not about to mention the deal between the two of us.His family is the one who got duped, he’s given the explanation he wants, and we’ll keep our end of the deal.No need to say anything with this group about it.
My voice is calm but the more I think about the fucking Gallinis the madder I get.“Gallini is a greedy fucking bastard.Carlos, Salvatore, in case you weren’t aware Gallini
put out a hit on the Roselli’s trucks using the Cassone soldiers who he’d managed to get aligned with him and his crew.He made it look like it was the Cassones.”
Vincenzo’s voice raises.“The fucker knew the Rosellis would go after the Cassones.He probably thought the Roselli soldiers would kill the Cassone soldiers still loyal to the Cassones, which is exactly what Massimo did.But the fucker involved my family.Swindled my little brother, conned him into buying Roselli product not knowing it was theirs.I’m pretty sure that’s why we’re here, Massimo?”
I’m surprised that he put it out there for everyone to know but I’d heard that Vincenzo was a no bullshit kinda guy.“Not far off, Vincenzo.My men on the ground say Barcelo Gallini was already running a lot of things through the Cassone territory and some of the Cassone soldiers were already starting to refer to him as boss, sucking up, knowing that he would be the next one in charge.But some of them, they didn’t like or trust him.Word is, they weren’t looking to be loyal to him once the deal was done and he got rid of them, while making a play to get our product, keep us from making our deliveries and making us look bad to our suppliers.Bad, bad for business, and never a good thing to fucking piss us off.”
“And the Amortes?”Salvatore asks.
Salvatore Larussio, nephew to Carlos and don of the Larussio family now that Carlos has stepped down from the day to day is as fierce as they come.He and his cousins don’t mess around and have built a huge casino on a prime piece of the strip, while Vincenzo DeLuca and his brothers have Atlantic City gambling playing in their pockets.They’ve got the whole damn city under their watchful eye and thumb.I’d like to see what happens to the family who tries to take over their territory.
My mind runs through the calculations, adding up revenue between our products and the various businesses between us because together we have a whole hell of a lot of stuff to sell.This could be a win-win for everyone in the game, making every family stronger as a result.
We can supply both of them for a whole hell of a lot less than they’re paying and make a few deals and swaps that benefit all the families in the process.“The Amortes have been aligned with us since the old country.The family was never large and always protected by us, assuming one day I would marry their daughter and they’d be absorbed into the family.Things have changed in that respect.I don’t think old man Amorte is going to be helping anyone but himself from here on out.He has all the money he could ever want now, and his daughter is being taken care of.”
Salvatore’s voice cuts in.“We heard there was a wedding and that congratulations are in order.”My eyes meet Leandro’s.We both know it’s his way of letting us know that while we keep tabs on others, they’re fucking watching us too.It doesn’t bother me any.I wouldn’t expect anything less from the new don of the Larussio crime family.
“Thank you.”I’ve already decided that since everyone seems to think I’ve taken Sophia as an act of revenge, we’ll let that rumor stay out there for just a little while longer because if she’s my enemy, she doesn’t have a target on her back.Amorte has been taken care of and the only problem we have to deal with now is getting my mother back from the Gallinis.
Carlos cuts back in on the line.Massimo, you’ll have what you need from the Larussios.Vincenzo clears his throat.“From us too.You did us a solid and getting rid of this bastard helps us too.Working together in many respects sounds like it may be more profitable than apart.”Salvatore’s deep voice growls over the line.“Just received word that your cousin’s helicopters are in the air, they’re fanning out over the city.The minute we start getting any leads we can narrow in and flush the fuckers out.Keep us posted.I need to jump off and attend a few matters here.”
4
Sophia
