It takes my father two hours to plan the transport of a very important shipment of our meth with Valentino Lorca, asking me for contributions every few minutes. I know what he's doing. He just wants to ensure I'm following up on his discussion with our host. I'm sure it's because I look bored and though that is just an inch of difference from my usual countenance, he's so perceptive.
"Roman, The Sacra dominates New England too, correct?"
Those bastards.
"Yes."
"How many states?"
"All six," I reply tiredly. "Maine, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Vermont."
"What do you propose we do? We can't cross those territories," Valentino points out.
"Simple. Avoid them. Take another route. Let's do Chicago. They still owe us a favor." I crack my knuckles to loosen them.
Valentino nods and my father looks proud like I fucking explained what the sun is made of.
My eyes drift to the time on the Rolex on my wrist. Evening is drawing closer. I still have that date with Bruni Santos.
While Valentino draws another map over the atlas spread open before him, Serena's eyes cut to me and she turns away instantly as our gazes meet.
It's almost four pm and I'm seated with Javi and Vito in that order, on a long sofa to the far side of the seating area, while my father is seated before Valentino's table. Valentino is behind this table, plotting a map, his daughter behind him. We're still in his extravagant boat and he's been seated like this, his eyebrows scrunched together for the last two hours, poring over maps and maps of New York, New England, New Jersey and Atlanta.
"She's hot," Vito says far down the seat, a little too loud given that our father seems to twitch a bit. "You're a lucky man."
I give Vito a warning gaze.
Javi laughs softly next to me.
"I didn't know this was a fucking set-up," I say under my breath with more tact than Vito could ever summon in all his life.
Javi is still grinning. "She looks scared of you. But then any sane woman would be."
I throw him a glare and it's Vito's turn to laugh. Loudly.
But he is right.
She's scared of you. But any sane woman would be.
Except my siren. She knows that danger lurks just behind her doors and is after her. Yet she's so calm.
That is fucking hot.
Though she doesn't know that said danger is me...She took a knife out and searched her house after my men were gone that night, like she stood a chance in the first place. It makes me happy though that the only danger she has to fear is me. If anyone else had threatened her life, I would have hunted them down.
"Roman, when do you think will be a good time to transport our merchandise?"
I turn to my father. "As soon as possible. I'm thinking, the end of the month. Before Teodora's wedding."
"Then it's settled." My father rubs his hand over his face and gets up. He's facing Valentino as he says this. "I'll contact you later tomorrow with all the details. I'm sure this partnership will bring us both great returns."
Valentino nods. "My regard to the lady and the girls." He also gets up. "Stay for dinner. I made arrangements."
While Valentino excuses himself with his daughter, my father invites me up to the deck.
"What the fuck?" I ask him.
"Language," he says mildly.
He's enjoying himself.
"Do you want to make her life miserable?"
"Don't be so dramatic." He moves his gaze to the open sea.
I tap the edge of the railings that circle the boat. Damascus steel glints off my index finger. "You know that you can't make me do it if I don't want to."
"I'm just trying to persuade you. She's a nice young woman. Dutiful, respectful. Quiet. She would do anything her father asks her. Marry you, for example."
In other words, a fucking idiot.
But probably, that is what our world turns our women to. People who would do whatever their family expects them to; for the family's sake. Family is, after all, everything to a mafioso.
"Persuasion?" I scoff. "You set me up."
"You might still change your mind." He shrugs, an amused look on his face. If only he knew. "In any case, you know where to find me."
I don't say anything.
"About our little problem… Any updates?" He asks.
"We haven't found him. He still hasn't communicated with his sister yet. We have the place bugged. We'll know." My gaze goes to the point in the horizon that his eyes are on.
"That mole has to pay."
"I will make him pay."
He nods. "The Sacra has descended a new low this time around, getting a spy to try to infiltrate our ranks."
"I have them on my radar too. It will only be a matter of time until they get our message. José Salvatore will be the message." My hand massages my neck, easing the tension there.
"Tomorrow, I will be in Las Vegas. I trust that you'll handle everything at home, especially our new headache."
I nod. "José Salvatore will contact his sister very soon. I know it. And then we will deal squarely with him."
***
An hour and a half later, I'm sitting in my car, staring across at a lit house.
The occupant only just arrived. Now, he's heating up his serving-for-one meal in the microwave. His kitchen faces the street and the curtains are drawn to the side so I see him move across his kitchen.
I study the three-bedroom house. The driveway has a Cadillac in it. There are some dying plants in the hedges that line the gravel drive. The porch is not lit.
His family does not live with him. I knew that before coming here. Fucking convenient.
I tap my fingers on my steering wheel. Should I give him time to eat? What if he throws up all he's ingested once I start? I think about globs of vomit on my oxfords and realize that he will not have the time to get that food in his system if I have anything to do with it.
My phone buzzes on the dashboard. I grab it.
"You left Valentino Lorca's dinner early," Javi says on the line. "Couldn't wait to be rid of your proposed bride?"
"That is not funny. Even your uncle dares not call her my bride." My voice is deathly calm as always. But probably, that is the problem.
"Woah, easy." Javi laughs. "I did try to warn your father. That you're a screwed-up ass."
"Well now he knows," I say drily. "He's not pushing the topic anymore but I'm sure a part of him thinks I will sleep over it and wake up convinced the next morning."
There is a grin in his voice. "Anyway, Vito and I are getting wasted later tonight. The Don is making a trip tonight and won't be back until next tomorrow. But I'm sure you already know."
"I do. He told me on the deck. He's going to Las Vegas."