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I thought I would be sick. Through gritted teeth, I made myself say, “Real men don’t make deals with their father’s lackeys.”
Sal’s eyes lit up and I knew he was enjoying this, enjoying Zakary’s confusion and anger, enjoying Sara’s fear, and my attempts to hide my frustration and despair. I couldn’t let Zakary leave here with Sara. I’d have to take the risk and shoot him—kill him if my father tried to get me to go that route.
“Sal, you said she was mine, that you wanted to—”
Sal cut him a glance that I knew, one that I recognized. A cutting and reviling look that made Zakary all but grovel. “Did I say you could speak, dumbass?”
“No, but—”
“Shut the fuck up,” Sal snarled. “Joey Basilio, one of the older guys of the Michaelson crew—maybe the only guy left who saw it when things were in their prime under me and your uncle, he called me about an hour ago with an interesting offer.”
I feigned surprise, even though I’d told Artie to make Joey make that call. Of all the guys who my father might trust, Joey was the only one. He was a real old school guy, one who’d seemed unflinchingly loyal to the Reaper and the Rhino—until they were gone. And then we found out that Joey had barely been holding it together, his silence and stone-faced ways a coping mechanism for all the hell my father and uncle had put him through. Including threatening his wife and unborn kids.
Ty had offered to let him go, to let him vanish and start a new life, but Joey had too much family in the area, and instead, pledged a fervent loyalty to us. But Ty had always told him to keep that quiet, to make it seem like he was a soldier, simply following new orders and nothing more.
Just in case.
My father watched me carefully. “He said things are slow under you, but stable. You’ve got a decent thing going but not enough fire under your ass.” He scratched his chin. “Still, he warned methat the guys now are a bit softer, loyal to you.” He smirked. “But not all, isn’t that right, Slinky?”
Now, I glanced at Slinky, who started in real terror, and his eyes flicked between me and Sal.
“Slink’s a cockroach, Danny. Always knows how to survive—even through Nuclear Winter. That’s what we called the Dawes hit. Wiped out the whole clan in one easy evening, all thanks to Jonny givin’ us the heads up.” Sal let out a sharp whistle that made my stomach churn. “Come on over, dog. Danny needs to know how outnumbered he is.”
I smirked at Dawes, who began to walk, then stumbled a bit, putting a hand to his head and panting. “Woah, I—why do I…?” He staggered and fell over. My father stared at him, eyes bulging, and the big dude next to him went to take a step forward. “No, help me, Sal.”
“You dumb fuck,” Sal raged. “He made you. He made you and you didn’t notice.”
Johnny Dawes swiveled around to look at me, gasping and panicking. He tried to crawl forward, but gurgled and went still.
“Is he dead?” Sal shot at me, and I shrugged. “Hmph. Useless Irish cockroach. How’d you figure it out?”
“I knew there had to be at least one traitor, and it was none of my guys,” I said quietly.
“Joey Basilio?”
“Called you as a matter of honor, no?” I asked. “You came up through the family together. He knows you don’t know how things stand beyond me running things.” Sal’s jaw gritted and he glared at me. “He probably also told you we staved off a gang war two and a half years ago, just settled matters with theSons of Celtand the Bratva. He probably gave you a number—how much money we’re making. How much more we could be making.”
“Oh, Danny, maybe I did forget how smart you are,” Sal mused. “My bad.”
“Name your price, Sal,” I said and nodded at Sara. “You know mine.”
He stared at me for a moment and then threw back his head, laughing. “The balls on you. I can’t believe it. Maybe beingcaposcrewed your head on right.” He chuckled. “But it’s not for you, son. And that’s my price—the family. With your help.” His eyes glittered. “You kill the Russianconsigliereyou fucking muddied up the waters of our Sicilian thing with, you become myconsigliereand get the guys in line, obeyingme, and you do every last thing I tell you to.” He reached over and grabbed Sara’s hair, causing her to cry out in pain through the gag. “Or I hand her over to this animal and make you watch—cuckold or not.”
Sal shoved Sara’s head away and she glared at him, then gazed at me, beseeching me not to take the deal.
“You renege—you even think of betraying me, and I will find guys in prison who are a thousand times worse than Zakary to destroy her, son.” His eyes glittered. “And you’ll also give me that sweet apartment in the Seaport.”
“Let her go, first,” I said. “And I’ll do whatever you want.”
My father shot me a crafty grin. “Aw, I mean we can let Zakary have a little fun first, no? Just for a day?”
“No,” I said as Sara panicked and Zakary gripped her shoulder.
“She’s just pussy, son. There’s plenty more—”
“Sal—let me take her,” Zakary interrupted, and my gut went cold, instincts firing on high alert. I took half a step forward, even though I was still some distance away, and I got Sara’s attention.
Close your fucking eyes,I all but screamed at her in my head.
