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“What’s on the menu, then?” Elio grunts, clearly trying to move the conversation along.
“I hope it’s Italian,” Russel says. “Italian food is the best, in myhumbleopinion.”
“We’ll start with some caviar,” Alessia says.
“Caviar? For the likes of me?” Russel beams. “That’s a treat I didn’t expect.”
* * *
It’s the first time I’ve ever eaten caviar. I have to admit, I’m not too impressed. Give me a burger or a steak and fries any day of the week. Russel and Alessia talk about opera, and Alessia clearly knows far more. Once the waiting staff clear away the plates, Elio nudges me under the table.
That’s my cue. Showtime. I’ve never been much of an actor—I was cruddy in high school the one time I auditioned—but today isn’t like any other day. All I have to do is let the tension and the pain bubble to the surface. I let myself think about losing Dad and almost losing Mom.
Soon, the tears come. I push away from the table, shuddering.
“Dear,” Alessia says, sounding like there’s genuine concern in her voice. “Is everything okay?”
As Elio and I planned, I stand, quickly rushing from the room. The tears are coming far faster and with far more intensity than I thought they would. There’s an aching desperation in me, just below the surface.
After cleaning myself up in the bathroom, I return to the dining room. “I’m so sorry, everyone.”
“Don’t be,” Elio says. “You’ve been through a lot. Your dad, your mom, the loan shark.”
I’m guessing Luca’s in on this, too. He says, “Loan shark?” But I’m sure he already knows. He and Elio seem very close.
Elio sighs, placing his elbows on the table. I’m pretending to dab at my cheek, but really, I’m watching Russel keenly. He’s staring at Elio with that look of panic again.
“Some lowlife broke into Scarlet’s apartment and threatened her because her dad owes a debt. He got physical with her.”
“Pathetic worm,” Luca says. “Absolute mongrel. No real man would do something like that.”
“Yeah,” Elio replies. “It takes a real piece of worthless scum to threaten a woman in her own home.”
“Fellas,” Russel says, the idiot. He should keep his mouth shut. He looks angry, pissed that they’re insulting him, even if they’re not explicitly callinghimout. “Surely you understand that if a man takes a debt and then runs, the loan shark must try to collect.”
“We don’t target women,” Luca snaps. “It’s pretty damn simple.”
“What sort of mafia has a policy like that?” Russel says, laughing as he takesanothersip of whiskey. He’s been sipping it ever since we sat down. He’s had three glasses more than everybody else. Maybe that’s why he’s making such a stupid tactical error.
“The Marinos don’t hurt women,” Luca says, leaning forward. “You sound like you’ve got a problem with that, Russel.”
“What’s with the tone, man?”
Luca suddenly slams his hand on the table. The cutlery leaps up and down. “Don’t fuck with me. You shouldn’t have come here.”
“Luca,” Elio says.
“No,” Luca growls. “You stupid fuck, Russel. Do you really think we’d go into business with somebody without vetting them? We’ve been following you for weeks. We saw you go to Scarlet’s apartment. We saw you leave. You were the only one that night. You’re the loan shark.”
I didn’t know Luca was going to say this. I guess Elio didn’t want to distract me from my role.
Russel drains the last of his whiskey, slams the glass down, and then sighs. “So you think you’ve got it all figured out?”
“It’s pretty simple,” Luca says. “You misjudged us. You thought we were scum like you. So you arranged that restaurant, thinking you’d have a chance to gloat about what you’d done.”
“I didn’t think you’d gone soft, but it’s true,” Russel says, shrugging.
“So you are the shark,” Elio says, standing up.
