Chapter 140
Nico
It’s been a long and exhausting day. We have chosen to head to Luciano’s, downtown for a dinner. It’s more relaxed, with a vibe that suits my mood this evening. It feels as if the weight of the world is on my shoulders right now.
Plus, Luciano’s is owned by one of our father’s oldest friends. They go way back from when they still lived in Italy. My father, when he made it over to America sent for his childhood friend. They got up to pretty much everything and now he has his own chain of restaurants out of the eagle eyes of the law and launders money through them. Sure, we use him too for cleaning our money.
Hey, that’s what friends are for. As we enter the Italian restaurant with dim lighting, wood beams and a distressed oak wood floor, he greets us. Luciano himself is a svelte man, telling us many times as we were growing up that it is always best not to eat too much of his wife’s cooking. A fat man can’t run as fast as a slim man, he used to say. I can see that and sometimes men like us have been known to have to run.
“Nico, Tony, Dario, my boys. So nice to see you all. It’s been a while. You too busy for your uncle Luciano these days, huh?” He gives us all welcoming man hugs. He still looks good, only some gray hair laced through his very dark hair. His brown eyes still soft and warm, like chocolate buttons yet there is an edge to them that I never noticed as a kid growing up. He has seen too many street wars, violence and the rest.
“Nah, never too busy for you, uncle,” I tell him. He’s not blood related to us, but as far as uncle material goes, he comes out on top. Unlike my real uncle who is a snake in the grass and wants to get hold of my business. The mere fact he is flying into New York for a meeting tomorrow does not thrill me in the slightest.
“I have a table for you, the best in the house. Out back through the alcove where you can see the terrace. Which by the way is closed off so you will not be disturbed.”
“Thanks, uncle,” I say as he leads the way. Tonight, he wears his customary black pants, a Cumber band of burnished orange and a black shirt with just the one button at the top open.
“Tell me, how is the business? I hear there is trouble on the streets, my young one.” He pulls out a chair at the table for four. I take a seat followed by Tony to my right and Dario to my left. A small olive-green candle sits in a mason jar and flickers, offering a soft ambience. It’s what I need right now. No hustle and bustle of a Manhattan establishment, where in my opinion the tables are far too close to each other.
I chose not to go to one of our places as we’d only be constantly interrupted by people all wanting to shake the hand of Nico Santangelo. Tonight, I am not in the mood for meeting and greeting. I want a nice, relaxed meal with my brothers to catch up with ourselves.
A lot has happened over the last few months and we haven’t had a bonding night in some time. Yashimoto-san telling us no, was a kick in the balls. I will recover.
“Some, yes, Uncle. Petrov and his men are trying to create a war. They want what is mine and nobody takes from Nico Santangelo.”
“I agree. The man is a fool, Nico. He will see my knuckles if he continues.”
I give him a smile. “No need for you to get involved, Uncle. It is best we fight our own battles. First, we need to find the bastard.”
“Indeed, and he is a slimy motherfucker. Nobody knows where he hides out. Don’t you have a team to find him?”
The waitress arrives. A pretty Mexican looking girl with long dark lashes, tiny build and jet-black hair tied up in a high ponytail. She hands us the leather menus and makes herself scarce.
“Sure, we have a team. Aurora needs to be on the case, she’s the best and will do it her way. I can always rely on Aurora,” I tell him. Another waiting staff member arrives, this time a young man who pours us the water and hands me the wine menu.
“An honor to meet you, Mr. Santangelo,” he says which makes me smile.
“Thank you, Son,” I say as he backs away fluidly.
“Choose whatever you like, boys. The meal is on the house. Santangelo does not pay in the house of Luciano.” He clasps his hands together then squeezes my shoulder. “You will get him, Nico of that, I am sure. Now, tell me how is your beautiful fiancée?”
Talking of Lucky, I want to catch up with her and find out how her gown shopping went with her mother. The day got crazy and I haven’t even had a chance to call her yet.
“As beautiful as ever. I am looking forward to her carrying my name and being mine.”
“And she will be Queen of New York. You chose a good, strong woman there, Nico. If anyone can train an independent woman like Lucky Gianluca it’s you.” He chuckles. Training Lucky, ha. The woman is fierce and has a mind of her own. When she wants something, she goes for it.
I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that she has already cross examined her father, probably as soon as I left Atlanta.
He leaves my brothers and I to peruse the menus. “The steak, I am thinking,” Dario says. Tony continues to read the menu.
“Yeah, I think I’ll have a steak too,” he tells us.
“You guys eat way too much red meat. You know it’s not good for your colon, right?”
“Man, stop putting a downer on shit, Nico,” Dario says as he reaches for his glass of water.
“Just saying,” I reply raising my hands in a surrender motion. He swats them away.
“What are you having, Nico?” Tony asks.
To be honest, I’m not all that hungry but I do recognize that I need to eat. “I think I’ll go for a simple pasta dish with pan fried vegetables and a side of garlic bread. Nothing too fancy for me.”
The waitress comes back and asks if we are ready to order. Tony places the order for us and selects a full-bodied red wine. It doesn’t go unnoticed, that it is one of the best on offer at three-thousand dollars the bottle.
“Are we talking shop tonight?” Tony asks after he has handed the menus to the young waitress who smiles brightly. I’m happy she works for Luciano, at least I know she is well taken care of and paid a good wage, above minimum. Luciano is a fair employer and manages thus to keep his staff.
“No, not tonight. We need a break. Tomorrow we can reconvene. I need to speak with old man Gianluca. Call him back to New York.”
“You know,” Dario says, “you and Lucky can move back now. It seems you are out of danger, Nico.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Dario that is not going to happen. In Atlanta she is out of the focused eye, besides with Petrov being a menace it is safer. I’d rather keep travelling the distance. Tony is going to start showing you the ropes from tomorrow so be ready to be at the office for six-thirty. We start early and we work fourteen-hour days and then some.”
“I’ll be there, Nico. I swear to God, brother, I will not let you down.”
The look of earnestness on his face tells me he is being sincere.