Page 18 of Revenge & Truth

“They aren’t his girls… they’re ours,” I stated. “He had no right to let them walk out on the debt they owed us, much less squander our goods.”

Braxton nodded. “I should have caught it sooner, but he hid the club really fucking well, and if Atticus hadn’t noticed the numbers didn’t match with the name, it would still be off my radar.”

“Which is why we work as a team,” Liu interjected. “The whole point of our position as lieutenants is to keep an eye on each other so we don’t make mistakes like this or be the one to hide our mistakes. Colmazio was an amazing man who had many strengths, but picking people to help him run the Family wasn’t one of them.”

Feeling the need to defend my father, I gestured to all of them. “He chose all of you.”

Liu gave me a sad smile as if knowing exactly how I was feeling right now. “That is true. He did choose wisely when it came to supporting you. Yet, for some reason, he couldn’t do the same for himself. Every leader has their flaws, but the strongest of them realize that and find those who can step up in those areas. You have done that beautifully, and it shows in how well this transition of power is going.”

I didn’t really feel the same as he did on that matter, but I kept that comment to myself. “Do we have any idea how long the owner has been working with Harvey or if that was even true? I don’t see Harvey taking on a bleeder that would cause him nothing but trouble.”

“He is taking the drugs and selling them himself out of his own clubs,” Atticus informed me. “There is no other explanation for how they are still in business with the amount of debt they owe to the banks and other cash lenders.”

Tapping my finger on my chin, I relaxed back in my chair. “What if Harvey is paying off part of the debt in exchange for the drugs? It would explain how they’re still open, not paying us, but not crashing and burning like they should be.”

“It makes the most logical sense,” Jace agreed. “We get the drugs to the biker gangs who distribute the major part for us. However, when we make a deal like this one, we handle the exchange personally. I need to look through Luca’s files to see who does the exchange for R&B on our end. There has to be some reason they’ve continued to deliver when they aren’t getting paid.”

“Please do. I want to have that knowledge by the time we arrive at the club,” I ordered, pushing back my chair. “Be ready to head out with appropriate reinforcements.”

Taking my coffee with me, I headed down the hall to my office with Boykov and Liu following behind. I’d almost forgotten about a meeting I’d asked Liu to set up for me, but he was on top of his shit and sent me a reminder while I was in the shower. Entering my office, the five older men stood and gave a slight bow of their heads before I motioned for them to sit.

“Enough of that,” I scolded. “We’ve had this conversation before, gentleman. There is no need to stand on such ceremony in this office.”

“Lady Astin, we are old dogs in this business. Teaching us new tricks isn’t going to be easy,” Gianni pointed out.

I sat in the empty armchair and crossed my legs, scanning the group before me. Daddy always called them the Old Guard, members of the five founding families who supported my father and wanted out. These men weren’t only cogs in the mechanics of the mafia but lieutenants and other prominent figures who wanted to help see a new generation come into power. I’d always assumed they were the reason I wasn’t allowed to come home because they were plotting my demise. Interestingly enough, it was far from the truth. These men fully supported me and actively worked to help my father prepare for my arrival.

“How can we be of service?” Benito asked. “I’m sure it wasn’t to have a friendly chat, although we’d welcome that any time.”

Holding my cup with both hands to hide the anger I felt whenever I thought about the founding families, I shared what I learned from Ivy. “I have a reliable outside source who has confirmed the Accardi, De Santis, and Leoni Families are the root of our trouble. I believe they arranged for Flora to marry my father, support Harvey O’Hagan in his efforts to ruin us, and brought in a detective named Koby White to ensure we stay there when they put any of us in jail.”

Silence fell over the room as the older men looked at each other with knowing glances.

Finally, Durant spoke, “We knew for sure the Accardi Family was behind most of what was going on. They have always hated the Raffa Family, and the feud between them grows stronger and stronger with each generation. As for the De Santis and Leoni Families, I’m not surprised they’ve been loyal lackeys to the Accardis for as long as I can remember.”

“If you had suspicions, why didn’t you tell me?” I questioned.

“Because you wouldn’t have believed us, not right away, at least. You’d hear us out then do your own investigation to double-check our findings, so we felt it was best to wait until you came to us like you’re doing now. Then when we share what we know, you will be more receptive,” Prospero explained, making me feel a little guilty because he was right about all of it.

“I’m sure you have many questions, and we will do our best to answer them,” Gianni assured me with a kind smile as he settled himself more comfortably in his chair like this would take a while.

Now that it was time to ask questions, I didn’t know where to begin. “Is it true that Rocco, the current Don of the De Santis Family, might be overthrown by his grandson?”

“Domenico lost his father at a young age because it was discovered his father was planning on running away with his wife and son. To Rocco, that was seen as a traitorous act, so he had him executed in front of Domenico and his mother. I believe that was the day Domenico decided he was going to get revenge on his grandfather. The only thing that old goat gives a shit about is being the Don of the De Santis Family and the power and respect it gives him, most of all,” Benito shared. “So, it doesn’t surprise me at all to hear that’s what the boy planned. I haven’t heard any whispers about it, but it’s hard to keep that close of an ear to the ground from so far away.”

“Then let me rephrase the question. If I help him take over the De Santis Family, would there be a chance of us becoming allies? Having a third family on my side would make this battle far easier,” I explained.

Benito scratched his jaw absently, deep in thought. “Yes, I think if he knew there were others like him from the founding families who wanted to make some serious changes to the way things work, he’d at least be open to speaking with you about it.”

“She needs to talk to Armand’s daughter as well,” Durant interjected. “That wild child of his will be exactly who Lady Astin needs on her side.”

The other men added their agreement as well.

“Who is Armand?” I inquired.

Durant grinned. “He’s my son, the Don of the Zuccaro Family. I handed over power to him as soon as I felt he was ready. It wasn’t the life for me. I couldn’t handle all the backstabbing and need for power that our world forces us to deal with every day. Instead, I chose to be there for your father, help him forge a new empire here outside the clutches of the founding families…” Durant paused, then sighed. “Or so I thought.”

“My grandfather tells me the Zuccaro Family has been a loyal ally to the Raffa Family,” I said, giving the man a warm smile. “I’d be honored to meet your granddaughter if you think she could help.”