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“No? Not even your right-hand man?” Gabriele looks directly at me, a challenge in his eyes.
“I wasn’t aware of his plans, signore,” I speak calmly. “I was at home all night with my family.”
“I can vouch for him,” Johnny says, taking a step forward. “A bunch of us were over at his place for poker night. He let me crash on his couch.”
“Us, as well,” Nico, Tony, and Peter vouch.
“Me, too,” Milo adds. His alibi is the one that seals the deal. It’s no secret that the two of us don’t get along. If a weaselly bastard like Milo is putting himself in my corner, it must mean I’m telling the truth.
After a moment of contemplation, Gabriele nods. Satisfied.
All according to plan.
“Your men have a lot of faith in you,” Gabriele says calmly. “And I’ve heard many good things. Rumor has it you’re the one behind the scenes running Lorenzo’s territory.”
“It’s true, signore,” Milo says. “Lorenzo spends all his time in Atlantic City. Dominic keeps everything running smoothly. Until everything got torched, that is.”
Lorenzo spits, his eyes red and bulging with fury. “You son of a bitch! Why are you vouching for him?”
“I’m calling it like it is,” Milo says with a casual shrug. “Dominic always puts the Family’s interests first. You only care about yourself.”
“I’m going to fucking kill you!”
“Enough!” Gabriele seethes. He snaps two of his chubby fingers. “Dispose of this filth.”
The sottocapo’s men drag Lorenzo and Renato away. They kick and they scream around the gags quickly stuffed into their mouths, their howling growing quieter and quieter as they’re taken away. An anxious murmur sweeps through the room. We all know what’s going to happen to them.
“What’s going to happen to their territory?” someone at the back of the room asks.
“I’m more than happy to take over,” one of the other capos up front says proudly.
“Of course you would be,” snaps another, giving the first a derisive snort.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It’s all a little convenient, isn’t it? Your two biggest competitors are taken out of the game, and suddenly you’re ready to take over their territory? It’s kind of suspicious, no?”
“What are you implying?”
“You could have set this whole thing up!”
An argument erupts, loud voices shouting over the next. Gabriele calls for order, but the conversations are too heated and chaotic. This is going according to plan, too. They’re all so busy pointing the finger at one another that they don’t even suspect my men and me. I’ve finally got my paybackandI’m free and clear.
This is shaping up nicely.
Milo nudges my arm with his elbow. “Now’s the time.”
I nod. I know exactly what he means. Stepping forward, I clear my throat and say, “Allow me to be a temporary replacement. Until the Family decides who will take over the territories, let me run the businesses. I’ll have things up and running to prepare for a smooth transition of power.”
One of the capos sneers. “A little opportunistic, don’t you think? Your boss isn’t even cold in the ground yet, and you’re already moving in to take over the reins.”
“I have no interest in replacing him,” I state clearly. “At the end of the day, the Family’s interests are all I care about. A power vacuum will cause more harm than good. What if the Irish or the Russians realize there’s land for the taking? I know the territory well and I know how it functions. Place me as temporary head of Renato and Lorenzo’s rackets until a new capo is selected, at which point I will happily step aside.”
I’m lying, of course, but I do a good job of pretending to be earnest. No one is better suited for this position than me, but I can’t look too eager. That would only raise their suspicions. Once the higher-ups see what a tight ship I run, they’ll be begging me to keep the position forever.
I’m going to be a capo. I’ll finally have the say, the power, the money to do whatever I see fit. I’ll be able to protect Arin and Felicia, give them everything their hearts could ever desire and more.
And nobody is going to get in my way.
