Page 140 of Disgrace

“Good morning to all of you, too,” Siena said.

John shot her a sly smile. The rest of them had the decency to at least look a little bit sheepish.

“Our apologies,” Lucian said, shrugging. “John is not very good at keeping people updated, and so, we have to chase him around to find out things we need to know. Isn’t that right, John?”

John gave his father a look. “I update you all when there are things to report.”

“Are there things to report?” Dante asked.

The quietest of the three men—Giovanni, Andino’s father—rested back in the chair with a passive expression. It was almost like he didn’t want to give off the aura of hope, lest karma come around and see it, only to knock him back down again. Still, the conversation held his attention, and he didn’t look away once.

“Good news,” John assured.

“How good?” Dante pressed.

“You really didn’t think I would get this handled for Andino, did you?”

The three men quieted as they passed looks between one another. Siena cleared her throat, feeling just enough awkwardness to want to move to another table, maybe. John hadn’t asked her to do that, though, so she stayed.

Finally, Giovanni spoke first. “We absolutely thought you could—”

“And would,” Dante added.

“—get this done for Andino,” Giovanni finished. “What we were concerned about was the fact you chose to keep us out of the loop, and went forward with your plans alone. That’s not how this family works. We have always been a unit working together.”

“Except that’s not how I have to work,” John replied.

Lucian grinned at his son. “And they know that now, too, John. Really. Changes like that take some adjustment, though. I think all things considered, they did pretty well stepping back as much as they could, and giving you faith.”

John’s jaw ticked—to Siena, a sure sign that his emotional currents were flip flopping back and forth. He was good at hiding when his high to low swings came on strong from others, but he still felt them. She couldn’t imagine how hard that must be for him on a daily basis. The kind of struggle unique to him in his circle as no one else could possibly understand what it was like for him.

But his family was learning.

It seemed like they were getting it.

Finally.

Progress was progress. Whether John wanted to admit it or not, that progress would mean the world to him at the end of the day. He often alienated himself from his family, and his history with them kept him at arm’s length a lot of the time.

Siena wanted to change that for him. He so loved his family, and they loved him. Look at all they had done for him.

“I think you will find,” Dante said, leaning back in the chair, “that this business will be far more accommodating to you, John, once these changes become permanent.”

“Which changes are those?” John asked.

Because there were a lot, Siena knew.

John had a good point.

“You controlling your own faction, and answering to yourself,” Dante continued. “Andino—someone you trust and are close with—running his own faction, and answering to himself. I think, in ways, you will also … help Andino in a way.”

Giovanni looked to Dante. “How do you figure?”

Lucian laughed. “I think I might know.”

“Go for it, then,” Dante urged with a flick of his hand.

“John is the only person Andino wouldn’t go to war with. Consider how Andino is, Gio … you know it, and we all know it. His concern and care for others is fickle. He’s just as quick to remove his loyalty from someone, as he is to promise it if it suits him. He is a good boss, but he is also a volatile one, too. You’ve seen his games—he manipulates, and he does whatever he needs to in order to get what he wants.”