“Yes, my name is Luca Romano. I work for Michael Abbatelli.”
“A Russo. Come in—it’s time you and I had a chat.” He stepped back to make room for me, and I willingly entered the lion’s den.
“You have a beautiful home,” I offered respectfully. At that point, formalities wouldn’t get me far, but I figured it couldn’t hurt either.
“You got some balls coming here after you told my daughter about the family. I can’t decide if you’re an idiot orjust suicidal.” He led me into the living area, taking a seat and gesturing for me to sit in an adjacent chair.
“I understand you’re upset, but I came here to explain. She needed to know the truth because she’s in danger.”
“No one even knew who she was until you showed up.”
“You did an excellent job of falling off the radar after your son was killed. You were just a capo at the time, I believe. Two years of family warfare, some rumors about you leaving the life, and suddenly, you’re sitting in the captain’s chair without anyone the wiser.”
“I worked very hard to protect myself and my family by keeping us hidden,” he said, glaring at me. “Between the loss of men and renewed levels of secrecy, I was able to disappear. It’s hard to be killed when you’re already a ghost. In the matter of one afternoon, you’ve taken all that away.”
“Yes, but if I could figure it out, others could too. Up until recently, there wasn’t reason for anyone to go digging, but things have changed.”
“What is it you need to tell me that you’ve worked so hard to flesh me out?”
“A month ago, the Commission confronted Sal about a number of shady business deals made by the Lucciano family.”
Enzo narrowed his eyes, his posture stiffening. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
Instant relief flooded me at his response. Enzo was clearly shocked by my accusations. Had he been guarded and dismissive, it would have indicated he knew what had been going on, and I wouldn’t be leaving his house alive.
“The Luccianos have been stealing jobs from other families, crossing district lines and bypassing the Commission. The other families are pissed. They decidedthey needed to figure out who was calling the shots so the problem could be eliminated. At a recent meeting, they demanded Sal call the boss and ask for remuneration. They hacked the cell towers and had tech guys ready to triangulate the signal in order to figure out who was running the show. When they got the number, guys were immediately sent over to the location, only to discover it was Sal’s home number, and no one was there. He’d faked his call to the boss and lied to the Commission.”
Worry lines creased Enzo’s forehead, but his eyes still held a glint of defiance. “That doesn’t necessarily mean anything—maybe he knew I was busy and was trying to placate the Commission.”
I appreciated his attempt to defend his second in command, but his trust was misplaced. “You saying you were behind the shipment of guns that disappeared off the Giordano docks? Or maybe you gave the order to branch into trucking and undercut the Russos?”
He glared at me. “Continue.”
“They started to suspect Sal was two-timing his boss. They needed to figure out who Sal was working for and get proof he was crooked, so they called me in. I followed Sal, and eventually, he led me to the Triton building. Three weeks ago, you met with Gio Venturi, son of the Gallo family Consigliere, Diego Venturi.”
“Yeah, and the next day he hung himself—what’s that got to do with me?”
“His family didn’t believe it was suicide. They hired a handwriting expert who determined the note he’d left behind hadn’t been his writing. You were the last person seen with Gio, and you’d been arguing over cement prices. Put two and two together—it looks like you’re running theLucciano family, or at the very least, working with Sal. So, the question is, what is your role in all this? The other bosses are all very interested, so answer carefully.” My words were somewhat confrontational, but I needed him to hear the confidence in my voice and know I had the Commission’s backing. It was a whole lot easier to kill a lone wolf asking questions than the voice of The Five Families.
Fortunately, he was too stunned about what had been going on under his nose to focus on my manner of delivery. “I don’t understand,” he murmured. “Sal has been my best friend since we were kids.”
“It looks like he’s been maneuvering to get you in trouble for months, maybe even years. You sure your friend doesn’t have his sights set on your job?” I gave a second for that to sink in before I continued. “The hit on Venturi was easy to pick off—you were the last one seen with him, and the note was a dead giveaway it wasn’t suicide. Someone wanted us to know it was a hit, and they wanted you to take the blame.”
“I knew the guy had died, but I didn’t know anything about the note,” he said absently. “We have too much bad blood with the Gallos; they’d want my head for this.”
“Exactly. It was an unsanctioned hit—the Gallo family is out for blood. They have a load of Zips in from the old country just itching for revenge. Your family isn’t safe.”
Enzo ran his fingers along his bearded jawline, his eyes distant as he processed the news. “I never had anything to do with the kid’s death or any of the shady dealings. I’ve been through war before when my son was killed; I have no desire to see the families come to that again.”
“I believe you, and I’ve reported as much to the Commission, but that doesn’t mean the Gallos won’t move against you. It’s time to come out of hiding.”
Enzo’s dark gaze met mine, and I could see the reluctant acceptance on his face. He knew it was the only way, even if it meant putting his family out in the open. “I suppose you’re hoping I’ll be so grateful for this information, I’ll overlook the little stunt you pulled telling my daughter about the family.”
Fuck. Heat seared the back of my neck, but I refrained from adjusting my collar to relieve the pressure. “She’s in danger. Keeping her in the dark was only going to make things worse.”
“That wasn’t your call to make.” His eyes were steel-coated daggers, boring holes straight through me.
My chin lowered a fraction, but I didn’t say a word. He was right, and we both knew it. I had done something that was potentially unforgivable with hardly a thought as to the consequences. At that moment, the only thing that had mattered was not letting Alessia slip through my fingers. I could claim her safety had been my top priority, but that was a lie.
