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“What about him?” I tense. He better not be testing me over my late old man.
“He was straight as an arrow, if memory serves me right. Liked to frequent one of my restaurants – Apachi’s. Was approached more than once to lend his construction services to the family. Always declined, asking if he could be left to eat with his family in peace, no disrespect,” Shadow says, and I know where he’s going. “How did the apple fall so far from the tree?”
“My father was a good man.” I shift in my seat.
Shadow puckers his lips. “No one’s saying otherwise—”
“However. I was born with a fire in me. He wasn’t.”
Shadow nods slowly. “I see.”
Another glance exchanged between the dons.
“Alright, Castor. I’ll give you Salty. But you better deliver.”
“So we’ll lock him up, then?” I ask.
Shadow shakes his head and makes a finger gun. “The kid has been a thorn in my side for years now. You just gave me an excuse to lay ’em to rest. We’ll do it, on the Rigiano side. My son-in-law will inform you when the job’s done. My side will be instructed never to utter a word, and I have just the man who can carry out the deed quietly. Then, when all is settled, you proceed with your plan.”
“Who you thinking?” Donny speaks up.
“My nephew,” Shadow says. “It’s about time we buried the hatchet.”
Donny laughs at that. “The Hook? Good luck. That man’s a ghost after the Don Carlo hit. Besides, he knows you’ve been trying to kill him for the better part of a decade.”
“For good reason.” Shadow bares his teeth. “That kid made me look a fool who couldn’t rein in his own blood. But that’s before I was stuck in a jumpsuit. Bring him out of retirement for me, will you? Give him a big one to entice. Hell, I’ll be able to afford it after Goldilocks over here reopens his channels, isn’t that right?”
I reach over the table with my hand out.
Shadow takes his time, but hearing his chains rattle under the table makes me smirk. I’m shaking hands with the head of the Rigiano family… something Marco and I would never have imagined in our crazier days. “I’d have my men over there crack open a bottle of champagne, but that’s bad luck before a job’s done.”
“Next time, then.”
Bzzt. My phone vibrates, but I ignore it. That’d be bad fucking manners in the middle of a meeting of this caliber.
“So tell me, Donny. How’s my daughter? You treating her well?” Shadow relaxes now that business talk is over.
Bzzt. Bzzt. My phone goes off again, so I take the intermission as an opportunity to sneak a peek.
Unknown number: Castor, it’s me… I don’t know what to do. I think I’m far away enough now that I’m not being followed, but this man assaulted me on my way to my car last week…
A drawing of one ugly motherfucker is sent over next, and heat starts pooling in my chest. It’s so rampant and consuming that I barely hear the conversation taking place right in front of me.
Gia: He said he’d kill me if I told anyone. I’m supposed to be your collateral for some ‘Patrovski.’ He sounded Russian. I’m sorry, I know you’re done with me or whatever, but I don’t know who else to turn to. And if I told Marco I was collateral… he’d know something happened between us.
My throat tightens. I’m gripping the screen of my phone so hard it’s turning colors.
“Bullion. Hey, Bull.” Donny puts an arm over my shoulder. “You alright?”
“Y—yeah. Just logistics,” I lie.
“This generation and their fucking gadgets,” Shadow snarls. “Next time I’m going to have security confiscate it.”
“Hey, hey. You like getting paid, right?” I hit back, joking. “This is the money maker.”
“It’s supposed to be this, kid.” Shadow points to his head.
My thoughts run a thousand miles a minute. I don’t have time for this useless banter. I don’t care about status, or dons, or kings right now. Gia’s in danger. And I’m the cause.
