Page 69 of Waste of Worth

“We’re not at the right place yet,” Dino answered honestly, “and we still have a ways to go yet to be in a position where we can fight back once it all starts.”

War, he meant.

Dino didn’t need to spell it out for Theo. His brother would figure it out well enough on his own. War was the only thing that would happen when one of the family’s highest ranking men, and the head of an Outfit faction was taken down. Should that family then be seen as weak because of their lack of standing or control in the Outfit, another family would likely come along, determined to pick up the remaining pieces, or wipe them out forever.

That’s just how it went.

It was like a game.

The DeLucas were not in a good position to be taking out one of their own—it would be like cutting off a nose to spite the face.

It would do them no good.

“You let me worry about what I’m doing,” Dino told his brother, managing a smile though he was sure it looked cold to Theo. “And you worry about what in the hell you’re doing.”

“Apparently what you’re doing is getting the hell beaten out of you by our uncle at twenty-nine years old because you don’t want to do something about it.”

Theo could think that if he wanted.

That was fine by Dino. He certainly wasn’t about to explain to Theo that the moment Dino decided to kill Ben, there would be an expiration date on his life, and even Theo’s. Neither brother had the power behind them to make it out of a situation like that alive—it just wouldn’t happen.

No, far more chips needed to fall into place first.

And should one of them be able to make it out alive, Dino wanted it to be Theo. He needed to make sure of that, too.

Dino strolled on past his brother, clapping an aggravated Theo on the shoulder as he passed. “Believe what you want, Theo. You always did, little brother.”

Dino didn’t wait around to hear Theo’s response, and he let the door slam to say he didn’t care if his brother even had one.

It was easier this way.

That was what he was going to keep telling himself.

DINO was all too aware of the fact he was thirty seconds off being late for tribute when he opened the door to the downtown pizzeria owned by another Outfit Capo. Traffic had been a bitch mid-city, and he had broken just about every road law he could to get there in time.

If somebody had something to say about it, fuck them.

Ignoring the gazes falling on him as he strolled through the restaurant, heading for the large office in the back, he pulled his cell phone from his pocket, feeling it buzz. Karen’s number lit up the screen.

Deja-vu, he thought as he opened her message.

Are you coming around today? Supper?

Dino hated to respond with a negative on that, but he had no other choice. He knew Theo had taken care of business while he was on the mend the week before, but that didn’t mean he could afford more time away that what he’d already taken.

It was more likely that someone would notice his distractions.

Karen was a big distraction, no matter how much he liked it.

Still, he felt guilty as he typed back, No.

Then just as quickly, added, Sorry, soon.

Karen responded almost instantly, but Dino was already shoving his phone back into his trouser pocket, his attention on the man standing just outside the office door with a cell phone pressed to his ear. Ben didn’t miss the sight of Dino strolling down the hallway, but he barely even gave his nephew a second glance before he was back to his call.

Dino didn’t care, already walking into the large office where the family Capos waited to hand over the dues to their boss.

To Ben, it would be like the previous week and the beating had never happened.