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“Don’t forget that Roberto made a direct threat to all of us after we showed up to Stefano’s funeral,” Cayman added.
“We did so out of respect,” Viper answered. “Which was bold but not untypical.”
“Maybe, but Roberto saw it as a slap in his face. Even though he and his organization were criticized by other syndicates, losing business because of the attack at Gone Wild, that didn’t change that he’d lost his son. Blood is blood. Revenge has no time limit,” I added, glancing into the eyes of every man in the circle.
“He’s right, boss,” Gio added.
Max took a deep breath. “Understood and agreed. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be careful. The Bianchis are more powerful than they were three years ago. I did a little fact-finding mission of my own. It would seem they also have support from the Greeks, who as you know are also considered outsiders.”
That was something I didn’t know. “Fuck the Greeks.”
“Not so fast,” Max chided. “We have business with them as well. That’s why this needs to be handled with kid gloves.”
“Carmine was nervous. I think the man was under duress,” Cayman said.
“Fuck Carmine,” I added, trying to lighten up the conversation even as I continued to seethe inside.
“At minimum Carmine needs to be handled immediately as a deterrent if nothing else,” Viper interjected.
“I agree. He must be punished.” The last thing we needed was to appear weak right now
Max glanced from one to the other of us, nodding. “Yes, unfortunately, there is no other choice. Francesco, take care of the situation as soon as possible. Use it as a teaching tool.”
He didn’t need to ask me twice. “That’s exactly what I had in mind.”
“Then what do we do with the Bianchis at this point?” Gio asked.
“Suggestions?” Max glanced from Viper toward me, a curious look on his face. He continued testing me, ensuring that I had what he liked to call the brains and the brawns for accepting the position of Don when he formally retired.
“We find Dante’s weakness and exploit it. That shouldn’t be difficult. From what I’ve heard, he’s a man of excess in all aspects of his life.” I took a sip of my drink, hating the fact I’d worn a shoulder holster, even ignoring the rules of attire. I’d come straight from the streets, rousing a few informants.
“Good idea,” Viper said. “He’s an arrogant asshole with a penchant for women and fast cars. But like Francesco, I’ve also heard he enjoys some pretty sick proclivities.”
“Meaning what?” Gio asked, more than curious.
Viper gave him a hard look. “Let’s just say he enjoys beating women and I’m not talking about kink play.”
“Fuck. Bastard,” I snarled. I hadn’t realized how bad his behavior had gotten.
“Yeah. He’s been banned from several area clubs because he almost killed a woman.”
“That’s right,” Cayman said as he glanced at me. “I heard about that. The submissive had several broken bones, her jaw cracked, and had her mouth wired for two months. That was a single session of his brand of kink.”
I bristled. My hand was now fisted around the glass with enough force I was certain I would break it. I thought about what I’d heard over the last few weeks. “There’s something else going on within the family. I’m not certain what it is, but there’s a rumor that another syndicate is involved. I didn’t have the time to delve into it but now I will.”
Maxwell rubbed his jaw. “Are you thinking arranged marriage?”
“I don’t know. Possibly. I will find out,” I told him and polished off my drink. As badly as I’d craved relaxing, I had a feeling that wasn’t going to happen. If he did marry, the poor woman selected would be in for a terrible life of abuse. However, depending on who she was, the Bianchis would obtain an instant boost in respect as well as heightened loyalty among their men. Sometimes the ancient methods of doing business still worked. No matter how barbaric they seemed.
“I’ll have a few conversations with our informants,” Gio offered. “A couple have gotten pretty close to the youngest Bianchi, Luca. Maybe they can shed some light on what’s happening.”
While I wasn’t happy about what we were doing at this point, Maxwell was right in that we needed to determine the Bianchis’ course of action prior to acting.
“We have a plan in motion,” Maxwell said. “Now, it’s time to enjoy the party. Or Raleigh will kill me. Go. Eat. Drink. Ride a pony.”
“Yeah, right. I doubt my fat ass could fit on one of those poor creatures,” Gio said, half laughing.
“You have put on a little weight, buddy,” I teased. Hell, the man was two hundred seventy-five pounds of mostly muscles, although I could see the effects of his recent marriage like everyone else could.
