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Victorio does laugh, but he shakes his head. “Do I need to find different employment?”
“About that, I’ve been thinking of giving you a promotion. I have several offices to fill. We discussed moving you into Dante’s place before. I think it would be better to do that sooner rather than later.”
“You don’t think you’ll face bitching from the others because you didn’t promote from within the family?” he asks, showing that he understands the inner workings of the family better than I gave him credit for.
“I didn’t get where I am by giving a fuck about what others thought of my decisions. I make the best decision for the family and for me. That’s it. You’re a natural and we both know your skills are wasted in your current position.”
“That would keep me closer to home most nights and better hours,” he says, scratching his jaw as he thinks it over.
“That’s important to you?” I’m more than a little surprised because it never has been before. That’s the real reason I’ve continued to keep him where he’s at. He is always ready to travel at the drop of a hat and never complains.
“There’s a girl,” he shrugs.
“Would she be a curvy blonde?” Niko asks.
“You’re a jerk when you’re full of yourself.”
Vic’s words make Niko laugh and I motion for them to follow me downstairs. I don’t want this chatter to reach Melina’s ears. I have sensitive things to discuss and the last thing I need is to put her on the defensive. I need her to completely trust me. That’s the only way any of this is going to work.
They both sense the change in me instantly. The air around us becomes heavier. When I make it to my office, I wait for them to get inside before I close the doors. Niko immediately shakes his head, his hand coming up to rub the back of his neck.
“Why do I get the feeling you’re going to tell me shit that’s going to ruin my good mood, Anton.”
“Did I really tell you to call me that?”
“Oh yeah. The night of our meeting when your piece of slime nephew interrupted us.”
“Christ. Let’s never speak of him again,” I complain. “Is life ever going to be calm again?” I go to stand in front of my desk, sliding up on the edge of it, almost sit, but mostly lean against it. Niko and Victorio sit in the chairs in front of me and I can read the tension on Niko’s face immediately.
“I sure as hell hope so. I’ve had enough bullshit,” he says and considering he’s still healing from being in a coma, I can understand that. “So, are we going to war with Dracos?” he surmises.
“Eventually,” I admit. “Killian is in the driver’s seat with Kelly. I’m going to be the one to end his life, but we’ll have to help provide fire and manpower when he eradicates all traces of the faction that Kelly had begun building in Boston.”
“And is Doyle Kelly’s head on a platter all you get from this?” Victorio asks.
“No. Our main reward will be the fact that thanks to Marco Stratakis, I will now have help in dismantling Dracos’ empire and replacing it with the DeLuca name.”
“Fuck. He’s going to turn on his old man?” Niko responds, proving he’d be the last man I ever need to worry about trying to take control of my organization.
“Dracos isn’t exactly a man who makes a person feel like being loyal,” Victorio responds quietly.
“You can say that again. The bastard sold his daughter’s virginity and didn’t care she was just going to become one of Kelly’s whores,” I mutter. “I don’t know how a man could even think of doing that to his own daughter.”
“Her father was selling her to one of the major dealers in the sex trafficking business in the states?” Niko asks.
Just the thought of what could have happened to Melina if I hadn’t made it there in time today, makes my blood run cold.
“Maybe he thought because he demanded the bastard marry her first made it better,” Victorio suggests with a bitterness that I can definitely identify with.
“This Marco,” Niko finally responds after we all take a few minutes of silence to organize our thoughts. “Is he at least trustworthy?”
“Killian feels he is,” I hedge.
“But you’re not sure?” Victorio asks.
I let out a sigh that feels as if it is pulled from deep inside of me. “I’m not sure. He seemed concerned about Melina and yet, he didn’t stop this bullshit.”
“Well, with his knowledge of the place and our firepower, overtaking the Stratakis seat at the table shouldn’t be a huge feat,” Niko reasons.
