“I live here.”
“It’s a shithole.”
Greystone laughed. “When did you become a snob?”
Luciano smiled. “You think?”
“Fuck, yeah. I’m not like you. I got clothes. They’re clean. They fit okay.”
“You got money?” Luciano asked.
“Yeah, why? Need a loan?”
This time, both brothers laughed.
“If you give me a hundred thousand, I’ll invest it for you,” Luciano said.
“Sean and Evelyn Baker taught me about investing. I got a few mil, but I leave it alone. I use their wealth manager, and he takes care of me.”
“If you want to diversity, I got you,” Luciano said.
Greystone didn’t respond.
“I’ll pick you up at four,” Luciano said.
“No. I’ll meet you there.”
“We need to be on the same page.”
This back and forth, this show of bullish behavior, went back decades. It used to drive him crazy, to the point that fists would get thrown. Now, he could appreciate the power play, and he didn’t give a fuck. Wasn’t gonna engage, wasn’t gonna get agitated. No fists.
“Lulu, I’m gonna handle this meeting. Technically, thePresident ismyboss. I’ve been in the Navy for eleven years. I got this.”
“What are you gonna say?”
“You mean, do I know now what I’m gonna say in two hours?”
“Right.”
Greystone needed his brother gone, so he opened the front door. “I missed us. The way we go at it, how we try to out-boss the other. Here’s what’s gonna go down. I’m briefing the President. That’s it.”
Luciano smiled. “That’s the most you’ve said to me since you’ve been back.” He walked outside, turned around. “I feel better.”
“I’m not makin’ an ass of myself, and I won’t disgrace Evelyn Baker. She’s more of a mom to me than Mom ever was.”
As Luciano walked toward his chauffeured vehicle, Greystone said, “Thanks for the duds.”
Luciano tossed him a nod before Greystone shut the door, flipped the bolt. As he made his way toward his bedroom, he paused to look at the price tags on the clothing, then did a quick add.
Luciano had just dropped forty grand of Santini Originals on him.
Despite being sleep-deprived, he was jacked up on adrenaline. A ten-minute nap would do the trick, but it would take him an hour to wind down, if that happened at all.
No nap.
In his bathroom, he ran the trimmer over his beard, showered, and returned to the living room to eye his new clothes. He selected a white shirt, dark blue pinstripe suit, and a navy and gold tie. Navy colors.
Gotta represent.
