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I knew it the moment her eyes met mine in Paradiso. It was confirmed when my mom’s favorite song came on in the car. Like she was letting me know she approved of Leonora. She liked her.
Her stunned eyes were still on me as I left.
Gio called as Umberto and I were leaving the casino.
“How’s it going, Mr. Big Stuff?” He started to play the song in the background.
The line went quiet when I hung up on him. A second later, he called me back.
“I need a cousin with a better fucking sense of humor.”
“You have one. His name is Corrado Capitani.” Corrado was his cousin on his grandfather’s side. Old Gio and Emilio, who was Corrado’s grandfather, were brothers. Emilio was the head of one of the five families in New York.
“Get the fuck out of here with that ballsy lie. Corrado wouldn’t laugh if someone was falling. But speaking of the devil. Emilio’s giving him shit about being married already. You know how those old-timers are. Makes it look better if he has a wife. It’s like having a good credit score when you’re looking for insurance. Corrado is in town to get away for a while. Anyway. I have more information on that situation we were discussing. That guy we were talking about has been having meetings here.”
That was interesting. Lou was having meetings with someone in Gio’s casino.
“Who?”
“That’s the million fucking dollar question.”
For some reason, Gio not knowing who Lou had been meeting with made me uneasy. Most of the time a rat wasn't hard to sniff out, but occasionally one or two blended.
Gio changed the subject, warning me that it was going to be a full moon and all the unstable population would be out.
“That little minx needs to tie you to the bed then.”
He hung up on me.
“And he says I don’t have a fucking sense of humor.”
Umberto grinned.
My first stop was to buy a house for Leonora. Her brothers needed a different atmosphere to grow up in. I was going to have a talk with them before the oldest left the hospital. I knew what it was to be a man living in a boy’s body, and it seemed like the oldest was similar.
Our next stop was Dynamic. Georgia Fedele got there early sometimes to look over the costumes. It was rumored that she was sick, and that Joe had married her so she’d have health insurance. I knew Leonora had no clue about the situation. I would have never pried before, but it seemed like something Leonora should know. I could tell they were tight. It was something I wanted to prepare for.
After that, I bought the apartment complex Leonora lived in with her mother and brothers. I had a talk with Linda Davies, who didn’t care where her daughter went as long as the rent was paid and she had what she needed.
Umberto, who was usually quiet and reserved unless provoked, hit the target when he said Linda Davies checked out a long time ago.
In between business, I checked on Leonora through the men I had trailing her. She spent some time with her brothers, then went shopping.
A text came up on my phone from her number, even though I didn’t give it to her.
You’re right. I love Lidia. We’re best friends now.
How did you get my number?
My best friend.
At least she hadn’t upped her armor considering my earlier confession. It wouldn’t have been unlike her. Whenever she got close to dropping her guard, she’d look at me like she was convincing herself that I was going to bolt. That she somehow scared me.
I wasn’t the type to cower. Period.
My phone went off again.
She also told me about your sex rooms.
