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“Who is it?”
“The guy’s name is Simon Shapiro.”
“I don’t recognize it. Have we done business with him?”
“No. This is personal.”
There’s a long pause. I’m certain he’s thinking the same thing Carmine did. I don’t ask for personal favors.
“Did a deal go bad?”
He’s trying not to flat out ask, but he knows I know what he’s doing.
“Luca, I just need the guys to do this for me. I’ll explain later. Can you spare them?”
“Of course. I’ll make it happen. Do you have an address or something? Do you want to give them instructions?”
“Sure. Have Luigi call me. Thanks.”
We hang up, and I look back at Carmine. He’s still working, acting as though I’m not even in his office. But there’s a hint of shit-eating grin on his face.
“I know, I know. You’re not going to say I told you so. You’re just going to let me know you’re thinking it.”
“If you say so, Enzo. You should have asked Luca about setting up a rotation for Michelle.”
“You know why I didn’t.”
“Yeah. You didn’t want to explain to your big brother what you had to explain to me. But the problem with your pride is you’ve left Michelle unprotected. Get over yourself, Enzo. Between this fucker and being involved with you, she needs guards.”
He’s right. Fuck. I pull my phone back out and call my brother back. I give him an abbreviated version of what’s going on with Michelle, including my connection to her. Of course, Luca asks the same thing Carmine did: am I going to tell Maks? By the end of the call, Carmine’s as smug as ever, and I feel like my big brother is bossing me around again. Fucking middle child life.
* * *
“Enzo?”
Hearing Michelle’s voice is like a choir of angels singing on high.
“Piccolina, I’m downstairs. Do you want me to come up?”
Today felt like it lasted for forever. Afonso and Luigi got on a call with me, and I explained to two of our Made Men what I wanted. Their families have beenCosa Nostrafor five generations at least. I didn’t have to spell it out. I’ve been trying to stay occupied between meeting with Carmine, talking to Luca, then talking to the guys. But there were a few hours with nothing for me to do but wait for it to be time to pick up Michelle. Well, that’s not true. I had plenty of work to do. But I couldn’t concentrate on any of it.
“I’m coming down. I was going to walk over and meet you there.”
“I know. We can still walk.”
“Okay. I’m getting on the elevator now, so I’ll lose you. Be there in a moment.”
I wait in the lobby, and I feel like my chest eases enough for me to breathe again when she steps off the elevator. Her smile brightens everything about my day. She stops next to me, and I lean to kiss her cheek, but she turns her head in time to snag my lips.
This isn’t a kiss for other people to watch, and it definitely isn’t one that two people who still haven’t had a proper date should share. We pull away at the same time, aware we’re in public. But I would have happily kept going. I open the door for her, and we head toward my restaurant.
“Were you worried about me, Enzo?”
How do I answer that? No, I wasn’t worried because Afonso and Luigi are already tailing Shapiro. I can’t tell her that.
“Of course,piccolina. Yesterday still has me rattled.”
That’s one hundred percent the truth. It’s why two of our most highly positioned Made Men are taking care of this. Carmine, Gabriele, Marco, Matteo, and I are allcapos. It’s like lieutenants if Luca were a colonel and Uncle Salvatore were a general. Matteo’s father is still acapo, but he doesn’t get involved in the dirty work like he did when we were younger. Carmine’s father technically got promoted to one when Uncle Salvatore became don, but it was more a courtesy. He keeps his hands clean, and that’s exactly what we need. He keeps us looking legitimate when we commit insurance fraud all the time.
