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A surprised laugh bursts from her mouth, tossing a small bit of food on the table. Keiko is quick to clean it away, and for the first time since walking into this room, a genuine smile coats Natalie’s face. I wink at her and lean in to kiss her cheek.

“Nothing fake going on from my side, darling. Just let me know if I somehow invite a third party into the bedroom by randomly accepting something or, God forbid, crossing my ankles in some manner that has another meaning I’m not aware of.”

She pats my thigh, leaving her hand there to rest. “Of course, dear,” she says to the crowd that seems to be watching us closer.

So Keiko can’t be trusted. Awesome. I don’t know why I was hoping she could be, but I guess it’s better to find out who’s working which side now than assume anything and fall into ruin later.

“Mr. Leone, while I am always happy to accept you into my home, I was caught unawares by the sudden drop-in. Especially with your insistence that you speak with Natalie and me,” Takahashi-san states with a slight bow of his head.

Vinny looks at us. We’re not showing our hand that my club contacted him after I used a burner phone that some people may or may not know about. I also don’t really know how to tell him about Natalie being Takahashi-san’s legitimate granddaughter. Instead, I keep a neutral face and look back at him.

“Actually, I was just in town and heard that Natalie was here, and I thought I would stop by to say hello.”

The uncle says something in Japanese. Neither Takahashi-san nor Natalie reacts, but the other two Japanese men do, speaking over each other in hushed tones.

“Oh,” Vinny continues, halting the other conversation. “I also wanted to ask how your family intends to bring in the East Coast shipping lanes now that the wedding plans with the Deveraux family are on permanent hold.”

Chapter 25 - Natalie

One of my grandfather’s men—I think his name is Riku—rises while pointing at Vinny and says in heavily accented English, “How does he know of this?”

“From you,” Vinny states calmly.

Riku glances around as everyone looks at him. “What? I did not speak of it. I swear.” He says the last part to my uncle, whose lips pinch together.

“You just did,” Vinny says as he leans back, crossing his ankle over his knee and resting his arms behind the couch. His man stands behind him, the only one standing besides Keiko, who’s by the door. She’ll wait there till Grandfather dismisses her.

Riku starts speaking in rapid-fire Japanese to my grandfather and uncle, and while I can understand what’s being said, I’m rusty. English was mostly spoken in the house growing up, and I haven’t had to listen to Japanese in years. With how quickly Riku is talking, all I can really make out is that he’s swearing allegiance to the Takahashi family and denying any connections they might think he has with Leone.

“Mr. Leone is fluent in Japanese.” The man behind Vinny speaks in an even voice that has Riku stopping mid-denial of any connection between them. “As am I. If you are to speak ill of my boss, I would prefer that you do so in English so we can all clearly hear it.”

The only one who moves is Vinny, smiling slowly, as I bet he’s kept that bit of information to himself for years. Not that I know of him and my grandfather having any business together, but you don’t run crime families without knowing who the other players are, in my assumption.

“Can we get some coffee?” Vinny’s man looks directly at Keiko, who’s blatantly listening. While I bet my family is used to her being here, I doubt the Leones appreciate the help knowing everything.

Keiko looks to Grandfather for guidance, and when he nods, she quickly leaves the room.

“I take it you did not know of our deal with the Deveraux family before now?” Grandfather asks skeptically as Riku sits down.

Vinny shrugs. “Rumors happen all the time. One being that you’re hoping to expand to the east, and since you didn’t come to me for my shipping connections, I can only assume you went elsewhere. The Deveraux family seems to be in line with your values compared to others.”

“What values are those?” Atom asks.

“The kind that puts money above happiness,” Vinny supplies for the group.

The men on the opposite side of the room all look to one another but don’t deny or confirm anything.

“I also heard another rumor,” Vinny says as he picks invisible lint from his pants. “Something to do with family connections.” He looks up directly at Grandfather. “Care to hear it?”

Uncle looks at Grandfather with suspicion. “What does this man speak of?”

“It is nothing,” Grandfather replies with a wave of arrogance as he wheels his chair to the far wall with a clear view of the gardens.

“Tell me,” Uncle says to Vinny, who looks at Grandfather. But when he does nothing but continue to look out the window, Vinny answers him.

“My father loved all his children. And when he got intel that someone was going to snatch one of us, instead of seeing if it was going to happen, he acted. He tracked down everyone who had heard of it and killed them unless they gave him a new name. Then he killed them anyway, for even thinking that kidnapping a child, not just a Leone child, was something they should do. When he got to the end of the line, he found Natalie. Hidden away in a half-sunken boat off the coast. Half-frozen from the time spent with freezing water flowing in and out of the place. She was huddled on a shelf to keep dry and was just skin and bones.”

It’s my history. I know it well. But hearing it from another, so detailed, makes it seem worse.