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“Yes. But Nina cannot marry into Kirill’s family. That’ll set us up for failure. My marriage brought two strong families together. The Stepanovs are clumsy and careless, and I don’t want to deal with that shit.”
Does he even know what he’s talking about right now? I understand that the Romanos are a strong family, but they are clumsy as well. I have no idea why Carlo wanted to form a marriage with a Romano; they don’t do well with ourbusiness. They don’t give two shits about where their crime goes, and I for one don’t like the feds with their noses in my deals.
“What do you want me to do about it?”
“Protect Nina.”
My jaw tightens so hard that if I press down any further it could break. I had three years to back off her. She got to the age where I became overbearing and annoying, so I left. That’s not the whole truth. I left because I started having feelings for her. If I stay, those feelings will only come back.
They never left in the first place, but I was able to suppress them.
“Are you really asking me to do something like that right now?” I ask as if I don’t already know the answer.
In truth, I would have done it anyway. The girl has looks that have everyone breaking their necks. I’ve been watching over her ass over the years; I know more about her than anyone else does, even if she doesn’t want to admit it.
She tries to hide what I do to her. I know she feels something for me. When I look at her, her eyes dart to the ground as if looking into my eyes will confess what she has been meaning to tell me for so long.
She never will though. She is way too stubborn.
I shift my attention back onto Carlo. Watching over Nina isn’t the problem. The problem is him asking me to get in the middle of Rolando’s deals.
It’s a two-way street: I don’t want anyone in my business, so I stay out of theirs.
“You have to.”
Fuck. There isn’t any way to get out of this, even if I wanted to.
“Just try to make a deal with Rolando. Make him understand that Nina will be marrying the wrong person.”
“Oh, sure. Not a problem.” I knock him over the head. “How the fuck do you expect me to do that,idiota?”
The Stepanovs have a really good business smuggling drugs, something I stay the fuck clear of. If Nina marries him, it will push Rolando’s deals up. It could be a marriage built on gaining money and losing respect.
He grabs his forehead and rubs the blood off. “It will benefit you as well. In the long run.”
I laugh at his response. Not just a little chuckle either—I full-on laugh. There is no doubt his head is up his ass. Does he really think I give a shit what’s in it for me?
Carlo has always been a people pleaser. Every goddamn minute of each day, specifically toward Rolando. I can’t remember when Carlo found out he was meant to marry Ana, but ever since then, he just follows the orders of Rolando without a second thought. That’s where I come into play. I couldn’t care less about what he wants as long as it doesn’t threaten me in any way.
“Just do it. And do more than protect Nina. You know what you have to do.” He walks back into the office. I don’t follow him; I’m more interested in what Max is telling Nina over there.
The last person I should be pissed at is Max. He’s helping his sister, but I need to be the person to help her.
I look back at the office, contemplating if I should go in there and follow through with my business, or if I should do it when I get back from dealing with my father.
Do I even need to complain? Killing a man is an easy task, but if Carlo wants the girls’ papa on my side after I do what he’s asking of me, he is just stupid.
I’ll be declaring a war between these families when I already have other shit to deal with. Every man will come for her.
Fuck.
* * *
I should have gone to talk to Nina and her brother. This conversation is continuing to make me lose brain cells.
The air in the room is clouded with fog from each man’s cigar. Carlo, who is sitting to the right of me, keeps having to straighten his posture. It’s almost as if he’s trying to hold back and contain himself.
My cousin and I are similar in many ways, but different in how we handle our business. He would rather talk it out and threaten them before he acts on his word. I, on the other hand, would rather just blow their brains out and get on with my day.
