Page 41 of Duty

Dante nodded. “By the look on your face, I can safely assume you already knew this, and it’s not news to you.”

“If you mean Siena Calabrese, then yeah, I knew something about it. Not a lot, mind you, but just enough to mind my fucking business. Kind of like everybody else should do.”

Dante’s gaze narrowed. “Watch your step, now.”

Andino had another thought.

“Wait,” Andino hedged, “how do you know about Siena and John?”

Because he’d only run into Siena once at her brother’s restaurant the other day, and she asked about John. His cousin hadn’t even told him he was involved with someone yet, let alone Siena. Andino didn’t even know if someone could call it a relationship.

Andino doubted his cousin offered that information freely to his uncles, or even his father. John just wasn’t the type; he didn’t like people in his business.

“Well, I needed to keep an eye on him, as you can understand, to make sure he’s following the rules I set out for him,” Dante started to say.

Oh.

Andino got it.

“You’re following him? Because that will not end well for you.”

Dante leaned back in his chair, and steepled his fingers. “Is that a threat?”

“No, it’s a warning. You know how John is. Just let him figure out shit on his own. Don’t step in on his personal business. That’s all he asks.”

“I can’t do that in this case—the Calabrese woman isn’t acceptable for a man like John, and you know the history between our families. Bad blood, Andi. We can’t trust them; we never have, and for good reason, too. So yes, information. I need it. Hand it over.”

“I don’t have any.”

Dante sighed heavily, and stared him down. “If you’re trying to protect your cousin—”

“Listen, I don’t need to lie to protect John, but I don’t know anything about the Calabrese chick. Not yet, anyway.”

“Well, when you do, I need to know.”

“It’s probably harmless. He’s been in lockup for years. Let him get his fucking dick wet.”

“Andino,” Giovanni murmured from the corner of the room. “Come on, now.”

“It’s true. All the man thinks about is staying under the radar, getting work done, and taking his fucking meds at the right time. This is harmless. She’s a woman. Let him have his taste of her, and move the hell on. I would stay out of it.”

“Not possible,” Dante said simply. “And now we move to the topic of you.”

“What about me?”

Giovanni cleared his throat, bringing Andino’s attention to his father. “Your personal affairs—it’s time to considering getting things in order, or at least, start planning for it so the move from Dante’s underboss to acting boss won’t be challenged by anyone.”

Andino heard what his father didn’t say.

Personal affairs.

A boss needed a wife.

Cosa Nostra rules.

Andino felt suffocated by it all. “It can wait.”

“Not for much longer,” Dante countered, “and if you want, we can start the process for you.”