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“Have you been in here? You know, to collect?”
“Yes.”
He doesn’t hesitate to answer. At least he’s honest with me?no point in sugarcoating the life we were born into. I know exactly what happens in rooms like this.
People are destroyed.
16
Salvatore
Milana’s been quiet ever since we walked out of that room. Can’t say I blame her. I don’t like going in there myself. It has to be done, though. We both know that.
“Are you okay?”
She slows her pace, nodding her head. “Yes.”
“You know how things can be in this business.”
“Yes, I do. Just surprised, that's all.”
I frown. “Surprised?”
“Things used to be so different for us. We had hopes, dreams. Plans outside our families. Now, we’re both here doing exactly what they wanted us to do all along.”
“You could leave again,” I suggest.
With a half smile, she asks, “Desperate to get rid of me?”
I’m unsure how to tell her that’s partially true. When she was away, she was safe. She was living her own life, most likely happy. Being back here only puts her in danger. I don’t want that for her. Don’t want her involved in what I know is to come.
“You know, I thought things would change as I got older. Figured the always-present threat of someone anxious to take down my father would cease. The families would accept he’s the leader and come together rather than plot his demise.”
“What do you think it would take to make that happen?”
“Honestly? I don’t know. My father’s been running things for so long, it’s difficult to question him. To suggest he should do things another way when his way has worked. The families have prospered, created businesses and obtained financial stability.”
I almost tell her what I’m planning. Almost tell her everything. But I can’t. That would mean involving her, and my goal is not to do that.
“Perhaps itisn’tworking. Sure, money is great, but at what cost? The other families may recognize something he doesn’t.”
She’s too fucking smart. I’ve been telling my father this for years. There needs to be a change. We should treat the families as equals. Instead, my father takes a cut of all their profit, threatens to shut down their businesses, and has their family members maimed.
“Perhaps.”
“Take the casino, for example. Our families run the largest illegal gambling business in the state. It takes a team. But we don’t get an equal percentage or the profit.”
“We’re the ones taking all the risks.”
“You don’t have to. Your father chooses to do that. Why not enlist the other families to help? Use their guards, the guns, the muscle. Whatever you need. The burden shouldn't fall solely on the Morettis.”
“Asking for help shows weakness. It’s not a trait my father has.”
If he asked the other families to pitch in on the dirty work, it’d give them an advantage. They’d assume my father couldn’t handle it. Thatwecouldn’t handle it.
“Every man has a weakness, Salvatore.”
Pretty fucking sure I’ve found mine.
