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Good. At least he let me know what I was going to face in that building. There was no reason for me to play nice. The gloves had come off right from the start…
“People say ‘good morning’ where I come from,” I said, not fazed by his show of anger. “They also introduce themselves. I assume you know my name. That’s why I didn’t bother. And you are?”
“Rocco DeLuca.” His posture was stiff as he told me his name. “Yeah, I know who you are. You’re one of the assholes who failed to hold up that truck the other day.”
“Wow, that really hurts coming from someone I know nothing about and don’t care to. Good thing I’m not here for you, but for Ms. Owens-Roselli. Is she in?”
“No.”
His response was blunt, his gaze intensifying. It was as if that guy viewed me as an enemy, and every step I took in his direction was being construed as an act of aggression.
“Even if she was, you wouldn’t get past me. I’m the head of her security. You’d need an appointment first.”
“Right,” I nodded. Did the mob have online booking these days? “Explain something to me, will you? Just what did I ever do to you? Or her?”
“To me and her? Nothing,” he stated, his tone firm. “But you did piss off some people we know.”
“Like the mob?” I asked, coming to a halt two feet in front of the big guy.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, but he didn’t make any effort to sell his lie.
“The whole fucking world knew what Roselli was. Your boss inherited his enterprises. Are you going to stand there and tell me she’s not running anything illegal?”
“She’s not,” he snapped, anger firing in his eyes. “And I don’t have to listen to you say she is. So get the fuck out of here.”
“Not so fast,” I said, my feet bolted to the ground. “Look, man. I just need to clear the air with her on a few things. How long until she gets here?”
“Maggie warned you, Borelli,” Rocco said, pointing at me. “Don’t fuck with the people you tried to steal from. They’ll tear you apart. Which part of this don’t you understand?”
If what he said was true, then the armored truck didn’t belong to Maggie. “Why?” I shrugged my shoulders. “Why did she warn me? And don’t give me any more bullshit, all right? Don’t say she did this out of the goodness of her heart, because I’m not buying it.”
“I don’t’ care what the fuck you buy. Buy Greenland for all I care.” The big man paused after what may have been an attempt at humor. Then he nodded. “Okay, here’s how it is. Maggie didn’t want anything to do with Roselli’s illegal enterprises, so she gave them up. I used to work for Roselli. To get out of the organization, my old associates and I had to work with them. None of those Dons want any outsiders barging in, Borelli. We’re keeping an eye on things, to let them know when someone tries to pull off anything smart.”
I squeezed my lips together, processing the information. “So, you and Maggie are out, but you’re not really out.”
“Pretty much,” he confirmed with a nod. “Me, Maggie, and my crew.”
I changed tactics. “What would happen if you looked the other way after we tried to rob that truck?”
I couldn’t wait to hear whatever he had to say, but Rocco wasn’t going to indulge me.
He wasn’t going to open his mouth.
He just pointed at me and mimicked a gun firing, his thumb staying bent.
“Now, you know why Maggie had to reach out to you,” he finally said. “Next time, there’ll be no warnings. The mobwillcome after you big time. Those guys—they don’t play around.”
“Noted. If you and your boss really are sincere, then thank you for the warning.”
“You can thank me by staying away from high-profile targets like those fucking trucks, Borelli,” he continued, his tone calm. “Do that and we’re cool. Nobody needs to get hurt.”
I gave him one last glance and turned around. I couldn’t make any promises. I couldn’t look him in the eye and lie to him. I wasn’t a good liar—both Cesare and Leonardo had told me that about a hundred times each.
Plus, this decision wasn’t only mine to make. The others had a say in this, too. And I doubted if Rocco’s massive presence plus his female boss who both was and wasn’t in charge of the Roselli family would be enough to persuade them to leave the riches that truck held alone.
10
PIPER
