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What else could Antony D’Agostino do to me?
9
ANTONY
“Where’s Skip?” Ronnie Greco spits out as he and his associates approach our table in the private back room of Carmine Mucci’s restaurant. His eyes narrow as he takes in my presence next to Sera. “We had a meeting planned with him today. No one contacted me sayin’ it was canceled.”
Ronnie Greco is one of Carmine Mucci’s soldiers. He’s at this meeting because he’s the one who normally serves as the go-between with the union bosses for the dockworkers. He’s short, built like a fireplug, and ambitious as hell. He’s been with the Mucci crew for a couple of decades. It’s a not-so-secret secret that Greco is gunning to be the next capo of the Mucci family, when Carmine steps down.
“My father is away for a few days,” Sera tells Greco. “No doubt you’ve heard about what happened last night here at the compound.”
“Yeah.” The word comes out of the corner of Greco’s downturned mouth. He doesn’t say more. There’s nothing to be gained from him talking about family business in front ofassociates. Especially not when the business involves the capo of the family being shot.
“He sent me to hold this meeting in his absence,” Sera continues. “He sends his regards.”
The two union guys standing behind Greco are both frowning. They look like they don’t like what they’re seeing here. Greco himself looks like he wants to punch somebody. Not gonna lie, in his place I’d feel the same. The union guys will only read the fact that Carmine Mucci is absent from this meeting as a sign that Carmine doesn’t think it’s important enough to be here. Sending his daughter is unexpected, and not in a good way. It’s a slight they won’t take lightly.
I don’t know if Sera is reading their body language. That said, even if she is, I’m not sure what she’s gonna be able to do about it. Men like this don’t take orders from women. Not even when that woman is the daughter of the capo who runs their territory.
Everyone in the room is looking at her. The tension is so thick you can cut it with a knife, the only sounds the clinking of cutlery on plates in the front of the restaurant, where hungry patrons have no idea of the business taking place back here, away from the public gaze.
“The deal you brought to my father,” Sera continues, making eye contact with both of the union guys. She speaks with assurance, as though the tension doesn’t exist. “He thanks you for the respect you show him. I’m offering you ten percent of the cut for bringing it to us.”
“Each?” the taller, skinnier one asks.
“To split between you,” she counters.
“The fuck?” the shorter, stockier one fumes, turning to Greco. “What the hell is this shit?”
“Gentlemen,” I cut in sharply. “Please let’s remember there’s a lady present.”
Short and stocky scoffs. “What the fuck is Carmine Mucci doing here? Sending us a woman to bust our balls? This ain’t right, Ronnie. The fuck did you bring us here for, anyway, if this wasn’t a serious proposition?”
I didn’t have a good feeling about this meeting, but the speed with which it’s going off the rails is still surprising. The offer Sera made these guys isn’t a bad one. It’s hardball, sure, but they wouldn’t be reacting like this if it was her father who had made it. I glance over at Sera, whose arms are crossed tightly over her chest. Her knuckles are white. But other than that, she shows no sign that she’s upset.
“This is a waste of our time,” the skinny one mutters. “Fuckin’ bullshit, is what is it. Greco, next time you wanna bring us into a meeting with Mucci’s secretary, don’t bother, all right?”
Ronnie Greco lets out air through his considerable nose. He looks furious. He doesn’t know what to say, caught between wanting to save face with the union guys and wanting to avoid saying anything about this situation that might get back to Carmine Mucci. He turns a disdainful eye to Sera, his eyes flitting over her body. His gaze travels to her breasts. He stares at them pointedly, then turns to the skinnier union guy and raises a knowing brow. The skinny guy guffaws, the stocky one following suit a second later.
From out of nowhere, the urge to rip Greco’s dick off and feed it to him surges through me. It’s such a goddamn cliché I’d be tempted to laugh if I wasn’t so fucking pissed. Jesus, the fuckingdisrespecthe shows Sera, just to score points with these nothing men who aren’t worthy of licking the bottom of her shoe.
I think back to earlier, when she fired her father’s security guard, and suddenly I understand her anger on a visceral level. It fills me with a rage I have rarely felt in my life. I am literally seeing red, my blood pumping through my veins like lava.
The only thing that stops me from losing control completely is a little voice that reminds me of the reason I’m here.
Sera needs you. You’re the only one who can save this thing.
I clear my throat, ignoring the pounding in my head. “The deal Serafina is offering you is solid. You know the financial potential. Five percent a piece between you will make both of you very rich men in five years.”
Greco looks pissed. “This is Mucci territory. D’Agostino territory is downtown,” he says, cocking his head in that direction.
I could have you killed before the day is out,I think.You’d spend eternity nourishing the fishes in Mucci territory docks.
Sera will never have authority here, I realize. Not with Greco pissed off that she’s speaking for the capo instead of him. Something needs to change in this dynamic, and fast.
So, I change it.
“You show my fiancée some respect,” I say calmly. “Or I’ll rip your fucking tongue out and shove it up your ass.”
