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“I doubt that,” I said. “But I hear what you’re saying.”
“We need to hurt them back,” my father said.
“And yet you can’t,” I said. “You need them. They’re good business.”
“Which is what pisses me off.” He shook his head and leaned back in his chair. “Things were going so well. We had a very good, very profitable arrangement.”
“But they saw the writing on the wall,” I said. “They know that if we join up with the Russians, our bargaining power will double. We can push them out of the city if we want to.”
“I don’t understand why we would,” he said. “We have every reason to keep our partnership strong.”
“And yet here we are.” I leaned forward. “Father, we can’t let this stand. You know that, right?”
He glared at me, his jaw working hard. “Of course not,” he said. “I’m already mobilizing my Capos.”
“War won’t be pretty,” I said. “The Jalisco won’t be happy about this.”
“There will be bodies,” my father said. “No getting around that.”
I nodded and we sat in silence for a few tense seconds. Mona shifted in her chair, moving side to side, before clearing her throat.
“What if you didn’t go to war?” she asked. “Ah, I mean, not violent war. But economic war instead?”
My father frowned at her like he’d forgotten she was there.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“You can find another supplier,” she said. “Vince, don’t you use a different supplier up in New York?”
I nodded. “We go through a different cartel, that’s true.”
“Why not bring them down here?” she asked. “I’m sure that cartel would love to expand into new territory.”
I ran a hand along my cheek, feeling the stubble on my chin.
“Might work,” I said.
“They wouldn’t dare,” my father said. “If they came down here and started selling on Jalisco turf, it would spark an even bigger conflict.”
“Maybe,” I said. “But that conflict would take place down south in Mexico, and it would take place between them.”
My father grunted and looked at Mona. “Where’d you come up with this?” he asked.
“I just remembered that Vince built an entirely different network in New York,” she said. “And I figured he could use that network here.”
“I can make some calls,” I said. “But I don’t know if they’ll go for it.”
“If we do this, we may never be able to go back,” my father said. “We cross the Rubicon and things will never be the same.”
“Things change,” Mona said. “The Jalisco tried to kill us. I say, fuck them.”
My father blinked at her and I laughed. I couldn’t help myself.
“Strong words,” my father said.
“Damn right,” I said. “Fuck the Jalisco. What do you say? I can make the call.”
My father stared at Mona for nearly five seconds before slowly nodding his head.
“All right,” he said. “Let’s try it this way. See if we can’t avoid the worst of the bloodshed entirely.”
“Good.” I stood up. “And father, I was against allying with the Russians before. Now, I think we have to do it.”
“I think you’re right,” he said. “Those stupid bastards pushed us into it when we weren’t completely certain yet.”
“Just how things go,” I said.
Mona smiled at my father and inclined her head before standing and following me to the door. I let her out first and shut the door behind me.
I caught a glimpse of my father leaning back in his chair, his hands behind his head, his eyes tilted up toward the ceiling.
“Where’d you get the balls to speak up like that?” I asked Mona as we walked down the quiet hallway back toward the front entrance.
“I don’t know,” she said. “The idea hit me and I just… spoke up. I didn’t really think about it.” She moved closer, her shoulder brushing up against mine.
“Good,” I said. “Keep speaking up. I liked it.”
She smiled a little. “Really?”
“Really. It probably pissed my father off, but I’m not too worried about it.” I looked down at her and put an arm around her shoulder. I pulled her up against me and smirked as she bit her lip. “I thought it was fucking hot.”
“Oh, shut up,” she said, pushing me away.
I laughed and she smiled a little, her cheeks bright red. I drifted closer to her again, but this time I reached down and took her hand.
“I’m serious about this,” I said, stopping and staring into her dark, gorgeous eyes. “Speak your mind and don’t hold back. If you’re going to be a part of this, be a part of it.”
“I’ll try,” she said. “It’s kind of hard to picture helping a bunch of mobsters.”
I laughed. “You just did. So welcome to the family.”
She chewed on her lip and groaned. “Shit, I guess I didn’t think about it that way.”
“I know you’re supposed to be neutral, since you’re a reporter and all. But I’m glad you’re on our side.” I tugged her hand and began to walk again. She hurried to keep up, and I held her hand tight, pulling her close against me.
