I sigh. “I can’t really stay long, Dad. There’s something I gotta tell you.”
“Sounds serious,” he says as he pours the coffee into his mug. “Should I be looking for a crib?” I glare at him. He looks over his shoulder at me and laughs. “I’m kidding. Jeez. If I’d known you would lose your sense of humor once you settled down?—”
“You’re in danger, Dad,” I blurt out. “Somebody took a shot at Alexei and his father got pinched the other night, and now everybody thinks you had something to do with it.”
He pauses, then turns around to me. “Isn’t it against the rules or something for you to be telling me this?”
“Dad—”
“Not that I don’t appreciate this show of loyalty for your old man, but you’re one of their wives now. You can’t cross party lines when it comes to business. Actually, you’re not even supposed toknowmuch about their business. How did you come across this information?”
I sigh. He’s completely missing the point. “That’s not important. What is important is that you’re in danger. For real, Dad.”
“Honey,” he says, putting the mug down on the counter, “let me explain something to you. In this line of work, I’malwaysin danger. Once you become the head of a family, the target on your back gets bigger. It comes with the territory. That being said, the important thing is not that I know about this perceived danger. The important thing is that you understand that what you just did could be construed as a breach in my contract with the Mechnikovs.”
I just stare at him. What the hell is he talking about?
“I can’t afford for them to think that I can’t trust them or they can’t trust me,” he goes on, turning back to his coffee. He takes a sip, then he says to me, “Isabella, there are things that happen in this business that you don’t understand. Moving parts that you don’t know well enough to see. You can’t run around like a headless chicken every time you hear some rumor?—”
“It’s not a rumor,” I tell him, a little bit of desperation in my voice. “Dad… Alexei was shot outside of one of your restaurants, okay? They found the guy who did it and he pointed the finger at you. They really, actually, truly believe that you’ve broken this deal with them. This isn’t a joke or a game. They’re coming for you.”
He stares at me for a long time, then he looks down at his coffee, contemplating what I’d just said. “It was at one of his clubs,” he says. “Where Mechnikov was pinched. Early in the morning too. What the hell was he even doing there during off hours?”
I don’t think he’s talking to me. He’s looking off into space, working it out in his head, I guess. He sucks his teeth after amoment of silence, then, “If what you’re saying is true, then I’m not the only one with his head on the chopping block, Isabella. They might come after you, too. Especially if they find out you came here.”
“Let’s just focus on you, okay? You need to make plans to get out of here. Sooner rather than later, you get me?”
“Yeah, I get you, I get you.” He takes another sip from his mug. “All right. Consider me warned. Now, you get out of here before your keepers come looking for you.”
There. It’s done. He knows, and now he’ll do what he must to get himself safe. I walk over and hug him. He flinches with surprise and with a laugh he says, “Whoa, whoa. I got coffee here.”
I kiss him on the cheek as I pull away. “Okay, I gotta go. When you’re somewhere safe, get in touch with me, okay? Maybe send me a burner phone or something.”
He smirks at me. “Sure thing, Buttercup. You stay safe, too. Anybody who’d go back on their deal with me like that can’t be trusted. If you can get away, then you do that. Maybe we’ll meet up and regroup later.”
I nod as a lump forms in my throat. I think I was a kid the last time he called me Buttercup. “Sure thing, Dad.” I turn and I leave, the heavy weight of worry lifting from my shoulders.
At least he’ll be safe. For now, anyway.
I get back outside and Anya’s standing by the car, sunglasses on as she surveys the street. The moment she sees me, she steps aside and gets in on the driver’s side of the car.
Once I’m in, she says, “I hope whatever you just did doesn’t blow up in your face.”
“It won’t so long as you don’t mention it to anybody else.”
She looks at me and in the shade of the car, I see her eyes through the dark lenses. I think she’s debating. Finally, she looks away and says, “Yeah, yeah. I’ll keep my mouth shut.”
She starts the car and we’re gone, back to the penthouse. The butterflies in my stomach are still turning, making me a little nauseous for whatever is to come, but at least I know my father will be safe.
20
ALEXEI
It’s a little after ten as I pull up to Pecora’s house. I made a pitstop at the penthouse to grab a vest, just as a precaution. While I don’t believe Pecora is the one who tried to kill me, I certainly don’t want to find out the hard way if I’m wrong.
I put the car in park as I notice another car sitting right in front of the house. It’s a black, luxury deal with all the bells and whistles from what I can see. A large man with dark hair, wearing a shiny black shirt and slacks, comes out of the house carrying a couple of bags with him.
It looks like Tony is leaving. That’s good, I think. I hope. It’s a good time to go on vacation, and with all the money he’s made since he allied with us, I imagine it’s long overdue. I could just sit here and watch, make sure he leaves without incident. If he’s out of town, then he’s probably safe.
