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Chapter Ten
- Dante -
AS SOON AS THE DOORclosed behind Noemi, I turned to Gabriel. I was one breath away from telling Lilly to leave the room, but she beat me to it.
“Obviously, you two have something to talk about....” She smiled as she pushed the swinging door to the kitchen and left us alone.
I don’t know what the hell her smile was all about. Shaking my head, I turned to Gabriel. He shrugged, crossed his arms and leaned against the counter.
I didn’t preface it with anything. “Tell me about Jacko. Where’d he come from?”
“Are you asking me about my business, Dante?” His jaw ticked as he misread my intentions.
“I don’t care about your business, but I need to know about him.”
Gabriel’s eyes narrowed, but he answered me. “He’s a nephew of a friend. A friend who wants me to break him in, show him a few of the ropes.”
“What do you think of him?”
“Personally? I think he’s an idiot. Why? What should I think of him?”
“You were going to send that idiot into Noemi’s home?”
“He ought to be able to light a goddamn pilot light.” Gabriel uncrossed his arms and leaned forward. “What do I need to know here, Dante?”
“That he’s a piece of shit. I don’t trust him, and I don’t want him anywhere near Noemi.”
“I don’t trust him either,” he admitted. “But the friend I mentioned? I owe him some favors. Nothing major, but that’s why fuckface is just doing security and monkey shit.”
“Who’s the friend, if I may ask?” I wasn’t stepping on his turf, but Jacko crossed my line last night and he needed to be dealt with. Something told me, it wasn’t going to go easily.
“Sebastian St. Valentine.”
Fuck.
“So, as you can imagine, I can’t piss him off. I don’t need any trouble with St. Valentine. None of us can afford that.”
I understood. I wasn’t afraid of St. Valentine or anyone else, but the man was an entity all his own. If Jacko suddenly disappeared under Gabriel’s watch, St. Valentine would raise hell and Gabriel would be the one who paid the price. I’d find another way to deal with Jacko. I was nothing if I wasn’t creative.
I loved my brother and like I’ve said, he knew me. I knew he’d do everything in his power to keep the situation under control, but he needed to understand how important this was to me.
“I’m not worried about St. Valentine.” I leveled a glare at Gabriel. “But keep that piece of fuck away from Noemi, Gabriel, or I’ll deal with him.”
I never underestimated my brother. Gabriel was a mob boss, and in this modern world of expanding technology and cybercrimes, he was a damn good one. He led with his brain and not always his guns, though he’d kill any motherfucker he had to.
When Gabriel nodded, I knew he understood me. Gabriel would protect his property just like I’d protect mine.
***
IGREW MORE PISSEDoff as I walked down the Petrafuso driveway to get to the side door of Noemi’s house. I had no idea what the fuck I’d just done or why. I revealed more to Gabriel than I’d planned, but when I’d walked in and heard him talking about sending that fuckwad to Noemi’s house, I lost my train of thought. I knew Noemi was in the house and I had myself under control, but my blood boiled at the thought of Jacko in Noemi’s home, helping her, touching her, seeing where she lived.
I had to have faith in Gabriel. He would address the matter and I wouldn’t have to start a mob war by murdering the nephew of a man who was legendary in the underworld. I was cocky enough to know they’d never pin it on me, but that would leave Gabriel holding the bag.
Twenty-four fucking hours since she’d returned, and I was already giving my brother orders and contemplating murder. Gabriel had kept his mouth shut and didn’t ask why I needed Jacko to stay away from Noemi. I revealed more by my orders than I wanted to and that pissed me the hell off. I didn’t have anyone to take my frustration out on except the woman who answered the door.
Noemi jumped slightly when she opened the door.
“Come in,” she said, stepping out of the way.
