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“I’m sorry for making you mad.”
Damn it, I was losing my temper again.
“I’m sorry too, baby doll. I’m just on edge.”
She came around the kitchen rolling her hips with lascivious moves and chaining my torso with her arms.
“I don’t like to know I leave you like this. I like the playful, smiling Enzo. Carefree Enzo. Attentive Enzo. Horny Enzo. I don’t see any of them now.”
The touch of her lips on mine was so soft, I almost didn’t feel it. I had to be honest and say it didn’t do much to change my mood.
“You’re going to see that guy again when you come back to me, baby doll.”
“Can you at least smile and tell me you love me one more time before we go?”
“I can tell you I love you, because I do, but I can’t smile when you leave me, Ludmila. This is tearing me apart.”
“I know, baby. I don’t like it either, but there’s nothing I can do.”
“You could stay with me.” I mumbled under my breath, but she heard me.
“Enzo…”
“Just stay with me, Ludmila, and let me take care of the rest. Popov will never come close to you again; he would never dare. Whatever you need, I will get for you.”
“I know you would be there for me, Enzo, but don’t you get it? I’m not afraid of what Alexei would do to me, I’m scared of what he’d do to other people.” I didn’t like the darkness that shadowed her features one bit, but I decided to just drop it until I had that chat with Cristiano to see what information he could offer me.
“We’ll figure it out.” I kissed the top of her head and inhaled her smell to remember it until next time. “Come on, I’ll drive you back.”
Fuck this!
~~~
After I dropped Ludmila off, I ran a few errands around town. I checked with Roman who told me we had visitors from Boston next weekend – some big shot Capo and his family from Sicily who was building power in the Boston Harbor. Since Dad was out of town, I had to show face and meet this guy. He was looking for alliances, and we were looking for connections. It was the Nucci way – our family was royalty, and everyone craved our support. In exchange for that we got relations, benefits, and a cut of their money. I also spoke with my uncle Hugo about his daughters. Needless to say, he lost his shit, and I didn’t want to be in the skin of the triplets when he started barking at them. Only God could help them now. They were my little baby girls, and I always took their side, and maybe I was a dick for snitching to their father like that, but when men were involved, I was on Hugo’s side. They were too young; it was too soon.
When I came back to my house it was late and Cristiano was waiting for me in the living room, drinking my whiskey.
“Ah, cousin,” he raised his glass to me, “you’re finally home. Fashionably late, I could say. Women?”
“Business. I was with Hugo and Roman. How was Russia?”
“Disgusting,” he snapped. “Next time you need someone on the ground there, send an errand boy, or an associate, or a soldier.”
“You’re a soldier,” I pointed out and poured myself a glass too.
“I’m also your first and most trusted ally. Why the hell would you send me to that dump? Everything is grey and cold. It’s summer, why the fuck is it so fucking cold?”
I laughed at his reaction.
“I think you answered your own question – I sent you because you are my most trusted ally, and this was important.”
“Ah, I see. You really want to impress your old man and knock this business out of the park when he’s not home. You’d better mention my name when you do that, man, because if Hugo keeps me a soldier for another year just so I can watch his daughters, I’m going to lose my shit.” That wasn’t the reason he was still a soldier, but I kept my mouth shut. We all knew Cristiano and his brother had a place in the family, close to my throne, because they were my cousins. His father, Vincenzo, was Dad’s general all his life. Cristiano was sharp, and sleek, and raised by the mafia tradition, but they were keeping him a soldier for a long time because a few people didn’t believe he had proved himself yet. Vincenzo wasn’t sure it was time for him to move up in the ranks either. Why? Because he was still too restless. In this business you need a clear head, not blind rage, and Cristiano could lose his rationality too easy. He still had some lessons to learn, but luckily for him, he had time that I didn’t. I was the son of the Don, I had to learn to lead fast, but Cristiano would be ready when he’d be ready.
“I don’t think you’ll want your name anywhere near this business.” I drained the glass in one shot and Cristiano’s eyes narrowed.
“You think it will go to shit?”
“No, but I plan on closing it my way. Dad might not like it. Actually, the whole family might be outraged, but this is important to me, brother.”
