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Francesco smashed his fists against me, his eyes showing shock for a few seconds before his usual temper rolled to the surface.
“Get… the… fuck off of… me.” His demand was strangled, his face already turning red.
“Whoa, boss. You don’t want to do this,” Gio cautioned from behind me.
I slowly turned my head toward him and the other soldiers. “This is my house. My regime and we will do things my way. Disrespect for anyone, especially the woman whose life is being threatened will not be tolerated. Is that understood?”
I caught a glimpse of amusement on Stephen’s face.
When no one answered to my liking, I lifted Francesco from the floor. Yes, the scent of our rough passion lingered, but her welfare or what I did with her was of no one’s concern, including Mike. I noticed he slipped from the room as soon as Francesco had made the statement. I would need to deal with him at some point, but now still wasn’t the time.
I had a feeling there was a ticking timebomb ready to go off.
“Jesus, Viper. He’s just a kid.”
Gio’s statement brought a wave of anger to Francesco’s face. “He’s no longer a child, Gio. He is a member of an organization of which I am second in command. He will learn rules and respect, or he will be tossed out.”
The other soldiers were uncomfortable but said nothing, which was a wise thing for them to do.
“Now, this is a planning meeting. Then we will act.”
“Yes, boss,” at least a few of them said in unison.
Francesco’s expression was filled with anger, but I could tell by his eyes that he knew better than to challenge me again. A small part of me hoped he would so I could teach him some manners, but now wasn’t the time.
I let him go, backing away but keeping the weapon in my hand. Fortunately, he kept his rage in check. “Here’s how we’re going to play this. Francesco. Two of your men remain with Ralph outside this residence. The other three will head into town searching for information. I asked Stephen to create a map of known locations where certain informants spend their time. He’s also prepared a dossier so you know who they are and the people they usually work for. While you can obtain the required information in any manner you like, they will remain alive. For now. Understood?”
“Sure,” Francesco said, still rubbing his neck. “What if they don’t find anything?”
“Oh, they will. Trust me. The assholes on the list owe me more than one favor. They will provide what I need,” I told him, slowly easing my gun under my waistband. I approached three of the men. “Barker, Sanchez, and Pico. Take the information from Stephen and head into town. Find out everything you can about Dante. If he’s in town, I need to know where he’s staying, the word on the street and how many men he has with him. With the investigation into the murder Madisen witnessed heating up, he’ll become even more on edge than he’s been. Do it quickly.”
Stephen walked forward, handing Barker a file. “So you know,” he said, “Madisen mentioned there’s a possibility Torino is branching out to LA. Something about the movie and music industries.”
“Gotcha, boss,” Barker said, his eyes reflecting his disdain for being ordered around by someone he still considered an outsider.
I waited as the three left, turning to Rocky and Isaac. I’d purposely sent the three men who had the most difficulty with my authority into town. This was a test of their loyalty and resolve as well. “The two of you head outside. While this location should be secure, I won’t put anything past Torino.”
“Not a problem, boss,” Rocky said, immediately heading for the door.
I took a deep breath, surprised that Francesco remained quiet.
“Madisen told you that?” I asked Stephen.
He nodded. “She’s very observant.”
Yes, she certainly was. It was something to keep in the back of my mind.
“Are we staying here, boss?” Gio asked.
I thought about his question. “For now, although it may be necessary to head to the compound. You and Francesco will remain here. We have other business to discuss regarding Killian O’Rourke.”
I could tell Francesco was ready to light into me again. Fortunately for him, he thought better of it, stalking toward the bar to make himself a drink. I wasn’t his father or his caretaker, refusing to treat him as a child. He’d lost his youth and his innocence long before Max and I had entered the picture.
“Max won’t be happy you’re fucking around with the alliance he established,” Francesco said.
“As I said, I’m in charge in this city. Period. One of Killian’s men arrived a couple weeks ago.”
“Who is he?” Gio asked.
