Page 76 of Unruly

Cross pointed at his father-in-law. “Mostly true.”

“And Catrina is doing her thing again. Lessons, apparently.”

Calisto made a harsh noise in the back of his throat. “It’s not like being a made man, I suppose.”

“Not at all,” Cross agreed.

Dante’s gaze turned on Cross as he said, “I heard you’re having trouble with a man of yours, and some Russians.”

Cross scowled at his father, knowing that was likely where Dante learned that information.

Calisto wouldn’t meet his gaze. “Second and third opinions are good to hear.”

“Yes, but I don’t want this information getting out more than it already is. I am trying to handle it. I haven’t even brought it up to the rest of the Donati men yet, Papa.”

Dante rested back in his chair, and steepled his fingers. “That bad, huh?”

“Well, it isn’t real fucking good.”

“Yeah, it never is.”

Three days later, Cross stepped into one of the Donati family’s many warehouses. At his presence, the chattering men quieted instantly. Wary gazes drifted his way, and then behind him to see who had followed.

Only Rick entered behind him.

Cross knew who the men were looking for.

Zeke.

It was exactly why he had called this meeting, after all. Whispers had started to drift between the men about Zeke, Katya, and the Russian’s threats. Cross had expected that to happen after the meeting a couple of weeks earlier. For the most part, he had been able to keep Zeke’s impromptu marriage quiet until he could decide how to properly handle delivering the news to the rest of the family.

Now, he no longer had a choice.

Cross was not the type of boss who allowed rumors to circulate and percolate. It only made for bad situations, honestly. Rumors tended to only hold a small bit of truth, after all. Far more contained salacious nonsense intended to cause problems.

He planned to cut that off at the knees before it could go any further than it already had.

“Evening,” Cross said to the men.

Echoes of greetings answered him back.

He waved for Rick to join the rest of the men, and the underboss did as he was told. Cross waited until everyone was settled and quiet before he moved to the center of the floor.

“I hear there are some … questions floating around. I’m here to answer them.”

Silence replied.

Cross wasn’t surprised. His organization was accustomed to being held at arms’ length where he was concerned. Rarely did the Capos or their closest men get a close quarters meeting with their boss, unless something was very wrong.

Or unless it was tribute.

“Do you need me to repeat myself?” Cross asked.

“Did Zeke marry a Russian?”

The question came from the back. Cross didn’t even bother to look in the direction it came. He knew each of his Capos by their voice. He didn’t need to see their faces when he spoke.

“He did,” Cross said.