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The call had been a request to meet with my father, but even if I wasn’t trying to keep this information away from Lorenzo, the last time Lorenzo had a meeting was when I was still a virgin. He was more a figurehead these days, only popping up long enough to be a pain in my ass.
I wondered if that would be me in old age, bitter and hostile, holing up in the family estate like a hermit. The man’s life was pointless, in my opinion. He’d pushed everyone away and had nothing but the lackeys and whores he paid to keep him company. But I was walking in his shoes, wasn’t I? Looking at my father, it was a mirror reflection of exactly what was in store for me.
“And the guy is just going to hand over that information out of the kindness of his heart?” Gabe asked, eyeing me dubiously.
“No.” I scoffed.
No man in this world gave away something for nothing. I did not like that I did not know what his angle was. But I didn’t have a choice. I was chomping at the bit, feeling backed into a corner like this. One wrong move, and I could snap.
“So, what exactly amIdoing here?” Gabe asked.
He wasn’t used to being brought into the fold. On any other day, he’d be gathering intel, setting up meetings, and handling the small-scale operations.
“It’s time you learn the ropes,” I said.
He was next in line, and I firmly believed in the mantra,“Live bloody, die bloody.”I didn’t expect to live to a ripe, old age, or maybe, I just hoped I wouldn’t. I didn’t want Lorenzo’s life.
It was strange that an image of Raven flashed through my mind at that moment. I could see her in my home, in my bed… in my life.Ha!I nearly scoffed aloud. Even if I wanted to saddle myself with one woman, a Luciano was not the right woman. I’d have to keep an eye on her forever, waiting for her to stab me in the back. I’d be just like Lorenzo then. Maybe that meant itwasthe right move: propose to the girl and get the ball rolling early. I could even get started on building a family of kids who hated me.
At that thought, my mind clamped down like a vise because that wasnothappening anytime soon. I was expected to produce an heir, so an heir I would produce, but not one moment before I had to. I was in no hurry to pass down whatever red liquid ran in my veins to some kid who would only grow to hate me. Maybe I’d father an heir on my deathbed.
A bouncer at the club escorted Fiorenzo and his two lackeys into the office.Thank fuck.I’d been itching to get out of this meeting, but any distraction was a good distraction at the moment. Thinking of kids? That was new.
“Buena sera, SignorAvalone,” I said, ignoring the inflatable ring goons.
“Buena sera, Signor Costa,”he said to me, then nodded to Gabe.
I stood up long enough to shake the man’s hand, waited for him to shake Gabe’s hand from where my brother stood beside me, then sat back down behind the desk.
He looked around before he sat down in the chair opposite the desk while his goons took a place on either side of him, their backs straight, hands behind their backs, and eyes alert. Avalone seemed surprised by my own lack of “reinforcements.”
I laughed. “You could have a hundred goons surrounding you, Avalone. You try anything, I guarantee you don’t make it out of this room alive.”
He laughed good-naturedly, and his shoulders relaxed. “Yes, your reputation precedes you,SignorCosta.”
“Get to the point,SignorAvalone,” I said, leaning back in my chair in a way that belied the tension that had every muscle in my body taut and alert.
The man’s face sobered. “As I said, I have information about who has been fishing from the Costa family pond,” he said with a smile that told me he was pleased with his cheesy imagery.
“Why would you want to share that information with me?”
He shrugged. “Call it payment in advance.”
I clicked my tongue. “Payment for what?”
“For killing the man, of course.”
So, he wanted the guy dead too. Interesting. “If you know who the man is, then why not just kill him yourself?”
The smile on his face disappeared, and he sat up straighter. “I would… if I could find the son of a bitch.”
The confession seemed to rankle Avalone. The grimace he wore looked like he’d swallowed something sour.
I was silent for a moment, considering the possible repercussions.
On the one hand, if the killer was someone of importance, his family’s retaliation would rain down on the Costas. On the other, if the guy was the one killing Costas and framing Lucas, I didn’t give a fuck. I wanted it to be well-known it was the Costas who put the guy in the ground. We were well-equipped to deal withrepercussions.
“All right.” I nodded slowly. “If you provide me with information that leads me to the man killing Costas, I will find him and kill him. That is the entirety of the deal.”
