AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"All right, you can go."
We didn't say anything to each other for a few awkward seconds. I couldn't figure out why Tristan stayed in the room after I told him what needed to be done.
He had a habit of tapping his foot whenever something was on his mind, and I was getting impatient to hear what was coming.
"Do you have anything else on your mind?" I asked, growing impatient as time passed.
Tristan gave me a serious look while running his hand through his dark hair.
"I want to talk to you about Dylan," Tristan said, lowering his voice.
"What about Dylan?" I asked him, confused by his choice of topic.
Dylan was Luke's son and the closest blood relative I had to a brother. He'd been sent away from Chicago a long time ago, so we never became close, but it didn't really matter. We both had obligations to the family business that kept us both very busy. I trusted him, and I thought he did as well.
It seemed strange that my capo would be concerned about it. So I had to listen to what he had to say.
"Things aren't going well between you and your uncle right now." I resisted the urge to interrupt and instead let Tristan get to his point. "He wanted you not to kill Fred, then he did, and each time, you ended up going against his wishes. You took Fred's niece instead, and he shows up angry after you return. And now there's word that Dylan is comingtoChicago." Tristan explained everything to me, but I still didn't understand what he meant.
"Okay. Dylan is coming. That's great news. Why am I only now learning about this?" Seeingmy cousin would please me. I hadn't seen himin years, and I reasoned that having a family member in the house would be helpful. While hewas not my brother, we were both Levine family members with similar values.
"Because your uncle did not wantto tell you," my capo said, and I noticed the worry in his voice.
"Surely, that wasn'this intention. He simply neglected to inform me. We're currently at odds over the Fred Westbrook situation, but that will be resolved. My uncle and I never have long disagreements. He is always an advocate for family unity, so he will eventually come around. That does not concern me," I said.
"With all due respect, I believe you trust your uncle a little too much," Tristan said solemnly. "He's still as dangerous as he was before, if not more so now. By keeping him close, your father kept him happy. Paul also did the same thing."
"Because he's family and a wise man," I defended my uncle. My father had always taught me to defend those who were close to me, and my uncle was like a second father to me.
"Everyone is terrified of him. He gets rid of people he no longer needs," Tristan raised his voice slightly. He, like the other men in the house, was clearly terrified of him. It was the respect hehad earned for himself, and even though I was don, I made a concerted effort not to undo it.
"Tristan, he's had every opportunity to dethrone me but never did. He could have challenged Paul, but he chose not to. Instead, he guided himashe is now guiding me. He's always looked out for me," I told Tristan.
Though I usually trusted my capo's instincts, I was afraid he was too entrenched in his theory to see what I saw. My uncle would never harm me. Family and blood were the foundation of the Mafia, an organization that was selfish on the outside but selfless at its coredue to trust and dedication. Every member of the Levine family willingly accepted the roles that were assigned to them for the benefit of the business.
"He only tried to make me stronger and keep the enemies at bay," I tried to persuade Tristan, who was struggling to agree with me.
"It just seems strange to me that Dylan decided to show up after all these years," Tristan insisted. I know he meant well, but I believed allfurther discussion would be futile.
"He's most likely here to help out. We're making moves against our enemies, so having Dylan around might not be such a bad thing."
I need a break. I sighed and sipped from my refilled glass. My eyes felt heavy, and I knew if I kept drinking like this, I'd pass out soon. I needed to just press pause to everythingand clear my mind; I had muchto think about.
"I trust your judgment," Tristan said as he stood back up. He was disappointed by the outcome of our conversation, but he also knew his limits. My decision was final, and I did not want my limits tested any further.
Even though he was my most capable man, I could see the frailty eroding from his face whenever he received a different response from me.
"I'll be on my way now," he said as he turned and walked toward the door.
"Tristan," I called out to him. "I value your insight and intuition. While I don't believe my uncle has any malice toward me, please know that I trust you with my life. And I trust you to always have my back and protect me from any enemy who dares to come after me," I told him with conviction in my voice.
"Thank you," Tristan said, bowing. "I will not disappoint you. What about the girl?" he asked.
"Just gether in the car and leave," I said.
* * *
VANESSA
