Page 131 of Effortless

“That crew needs a Capo, boss.”

“It will have one.”

“Who?”

Tommas picked up the cell phone, and held it out to Tom. “Call Lou, son. Have him meet you—do not offer more information—at the club Damian likes to work out of. The rest of the Capos have already been notified, and will be arriving at the club anytime now.”

Tom glanced down at the phone in his hand, unsure but happy. “Got it.”

“Lou has one hour to show up. He’s not to be one fucking second late, and you are not to tell him what he’s been called in for.”

Yeah, Tom knew how initiations went.

His had been the same, only he had been made to run errand after errand for his father and uncles for days leading up to it. His had come in the dead of winter, and left him freezing as Capo after Capo threw question after question at him while he stood mostly naked in a cold warehouse.

Lou was going to get his button far easier, it seemed.

Tom was actually grateful for that.

“His time started two minutes ago,” Tommas said. “Are you going to be the reason he loses his chance because you’re just standing there like a fucking idiot?”

Tom laughed. “Nope.”

“Call the man, Tommaso. Now.”

“Tom!”

“Tommaso!”

Tom braced for the impact of the tornadoes coming his way. Sara and Rebeka barreled into him full speed, full of laughter and shouts. It didn’t matter if he was gone for a day, or a month. His sisters still acted like he was their favorite person in the whole world whenever they saw him again.

“Where’s Camilla?” Sara asked.

“Yeah, she coming?” Rebeka added.

Tom bent down on one knee to at least be closer to eye level with the girls. “Cam had to go back to New York, but we’ll see her again soon.”

Rebeka frowned.

Sara made a face.

“Well, okay,” Sara eventually said.

“Hey!” Rebeka shouted.

Tom’s eyes widened at the loud volume.

Jesus, his sisters were loud.

“I’m right here,” he told her, “you don’t need to shout.”

And bust my eardrums.

“Ma says the new princess movie is showing.” Rebeka preened, pretty as could be. “Will you take us, Tom?”

Both girls smiled.

They knew he couldn’t say no when they did that.