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He kissed me on either side of the cheek and then sat back down. “Your mother already going to get you something to eat? She could hardly contain herself.”
I laughed. “Of course she is. I expect there to be spaghetti and meatballs in front of me in less than ten minutes.”
The other two men at the table nodded and laughed. “I don't think we've been properly introduced.”
My father extended his arm. “These two thugs? This is Armani and this is Gino. Friends of the family.”
“Pleasure to meet you both, I'm sure.”
The first man, Armani, spoke. “We were actually just leaving. We'll let you two get back to the reunion. Prison’s nasty business. Hated the place myself, except the ice cream. Damn good ice cream.”
Marco made a face at me as he escorted the two men out.
“So Pops, tell me what's been going on. I've been gone for a while.”
“That you have, my son. But doing time for the family is an honor, isn't it? Protecting those we love?”
I nodded solemnly. “Of course. Anything for the family.”
“Good. I have a job for you. Armani was just telling me about how his business has been suffering. And when his business suffers, we all suffer.”
“What's the business?”
“He owns a set of butcher shops.”
“Pops, this man does not need help with meat. Get to the point.”
“Are you in such a hurry? Ready to get back to that piece of ass in your apartment?”
“Maybe I do. But that's not what this is about. You don't keep me in the dark about business, you never have. Don't try to protect me just because I went to jail. I've done my time, I'm not giving up on the family. So don't try to hide things from me.”
“Fine, fine. On the front end, he deals with meat, on the side, he deals with arms. Weapons, rifles mostly, a few grenades here and there.”
Arms dealing? That had never been our family’s thing. We were a money-laundering scheme, top to bottom. Every once in a while, we helped somebody out with muscle that was running drugs, but weapons? They were so messy, not up to our caliber of business. Not to mention that the payout wasn't always worth the pain.
“Weapons, Pops? Really? Have th
ings gotten that desperate since I've been gone? I gave you advice about how to run this place better. About how to bring in high rollers. All those guys in the casino Marco works with. You can make a killing off of them.”
He slammed his fist on the table. “I made this choice for the family when you weren't here. And now I have to make good on my word.”
I clenched my teeth together. “Fine, I get it. What do you need me to do?”
He sat back in his chair and crossed his arms, looking more relaxed. It was all about respect to him. Sure, I was his son, but I was more muscle to him than anything else. Muscle that he could control because of our blood ties.
“I need you to clean up the little shit that’s been bothering him. He’s been taking some of his clients, and he needs to be taught a lesson. I sent Marco to deal with him a few months ago, but apparently that wasn't enough. He's back at it and even tried to steal from Armani recently. I need you to handle him.”
“I've been out of jail one day and you need me to kill some piece of shit?”
He lifted his hands and shrugged. “I understand your annoyance, it hasn't even really been one day. You don't have to do it right now, just watch him. Make sure he’s not making any big moves. Would that make you feel better?”
I had just promised Vienna that I wouldn't get involved in anything that would get me put away again. I was such a fucking liar. I knew the moment I said that, I wouldn’t be able to fully keep that promise. At least I'd been honest with her about how dangerous I was, and how I would always do anything to keep her safe. I was two sides of one dirty coin. I wondered if she really knew what she was getting involved in.
I was a monster. But I had a duty to do.
“Fine. I'll start watching him tomorrow. I've got other shit I have to do today.”
“You want a weapon? In case he steps out of line?”
