Page 51 of The Beast Who Begged Me

“So you bluff,” he says. “Think of someone he’d take a call from, and say you’re them. Come on,” he says, and there’s an edge of warmth to his voice that I haven’t heard for too long. “You don’t need me to tell you this shit.”

I let my head roll back against the seat with a tired sigh. “Humor me, Dami. I can’t be the brains of the operation all the time. Who the hell would Tony Stuccio take a call from?”

CHAPTER 18

DAMIANO

“Mr. Bianchi? This is Tony Stuccio. How can I⁠—”

“I’m afraid this isn’t Carlo Bianchi, Uncle Tony,” Caligula says pleasantly. “It’s Caligula Clemenza. And if you hang up, I’ll have to come and see you in person, and you really don’t want that.”

There’s a shuffling noise as Stuccio moves the phone around and says something to someone in the office. Caligula looks at me. I shrug. We hear a door close.

At least I was right about the Morelli Family lawyer being a likely candidate for Stuccio to answer.

“Cal,” Stuccio says at last. “There’s no need for threats. What can I do for you?”

“You can tell me about Vincent Orsini.”

The pause is long enough that I lean closer to the phone. We’ve put it on the little table between the bedroom chairs, speaker turned up, and Caligula watches my face while Stuccio considers his answer.

“What do you want to know about him?”

“He was a friend of my father’s.”

“Cesar was friends with everyone,” Stuccio says. “He was that kind of man. He could find something to talk about with practically anyone.”

“Yeah? Well, my father wasn’t much of a fucking talker,” I tell him.

Another silence. “Mr. Orsini. I didn’t realize you were there.”

“Now you do.” I settle back in the chair, because looming over a phone isn’t going to make the asshole any more useful.

“How close were they?” Caligula asks.

“They spent time together. They were friends.”

“I thought you were my father’s closest friend,” Caligula says.

“I was. You know that. But after college…well, I was buried in work from your grandfather, and Cesario—he was busy, too. We didn’t always have the same time to connect. But when it counted, I was there for him. He knew that.”

“But not for his son,” I snarl out.

Caligula makes a calm down motion with his hand. “Did you ever meet Vincent Orsini?”

“Certainly not,” Stuccio says sharply. “He was a Giuliano. I was focused on your grandfather’s business.”

“My father didn’t seem to find his affiliation a problem.”

Stuccio sighs. “As I said, your father made many friendships. Not all of them were advisable. Your grandfather…” He trails off. “Well, he didn’t like it much.”

Caligula glances at me. “So tell me this, Uncle Tony. Why would my father kill a man he was close to?”

“I couldn’t possibly know.”

“Did he ever discuss it with you?”

“No.” That comes much faster. “I was your grandfather’s lawyer, Caligula. That didn’t mean I was consulted about everything.”