Chapter 22: Chapter Twenty Two

*Enzo*

“Anything new?” I ask on the line as I watch outside my window to see Gabby walk leisurely with my grandfather.

She had her arm linked through his as they talked. Ernesto and his boys were already out in the fields continuing the work they had started before the break of dawn.

“He had a meeting with John Moretti again. From my standpoint the man didn’t look too pleased.”

I clench my jaw at the mention of the name Moretti. “Was Dario Moretti with them?” I needed to know.

“No, just the two fathers. After that he went to meet his wife at a little uptown flower shop, but they didn’t purchase anything as far as I know. From there they went to lunch at Le Bernardin, then after that he saw her off in her car and went to meet Ivy at an upscale clothing store. They spent about three hours in there. When they finally came out she was loaded with shopping bags, followed by three other employees who were also loaded with them. Then the two parted ways and he met up with…”

He went silent making me curious. “Spit it out Lucas.” I demanded.

“He met with Timothy Delgado.”

My eyes widen hearing the name. Delgado was notorious for major drug trafficking, gambling, money laundering, and shipments. Not just that, he was also a murderer that couldn’t get pinned down because I soon discovered that three congressmen owed a debt to him. A very high debt.

He was Portuguese, who hated the Italians with a passion. Not sure why since the two ethnicities are damn near similar to one another. But as I heard it Delgado was an orphan growing up and he was treated horribly by Italian foster parents.

Why the hell were those two meeting up for? “By any chance did you overhear their conversation?”

A sinking gut feeling went in the pit of my stomach.

“Couldn’t, not without being seen. At first I was thinking he didn’t seem to care too much about his kid but then I started thinking maybe it’s all a ruse to make us think that.”

“I was thinking the same thing, get us to drop our guard.” My teeth clench as I look away from the window. To think I was stupid enough to fall for that trick.

“Exactly. But if he’s aware of being followed then why show that he’s meeting with Delgado?”

“Because he’s trying to scare us. Delgado’s a mean bastard. He doesn’t give any mercy to his victims.”

“That’s true, but he doesn’t just go around killing people just because someone asked him nicely.” He points out.

Which brings me to believe that Russo was either offering something worth of value or…this was all just a scheme to ruffle our feathers. I couldn’t take a chance on either. It was too risky to just have assumptions. He was playing smart, so I needed to play smarter.

“Keep me posted. If you even get an inch of a feeling that you’ve been caught, take off. Don’t risk your life.” I tell him, ready to end this conversation.

“You got it boss.” Wincing at him calling me that, he hangs up.

It was a habit most of my father’s men were starting to use with me. It didn’t help that he kept filling their heads with that taking over for him nonsense. But no matter how many times I tell them, they never listen. At this point I pretty much had given up.

I quickly shoot a text to Charlie and Domenico. There were things that needed to be discussed before we proceeded to the next step. Looking back out the window I see Gabby now talking to the oldest boy, Orlando. He was showing her something with one of the vines while my grandfather was talking to his dad.

Her hair was down today, making her look just as gorgeous when it’s pulled up. Last night wasn’t too far off from my mind and even though everything was a mess, I couldn’t help thinking it was a blessing in disguise. Somehow fate brought her back into my life but while they were at it, they decided to throw in an extra wrench to mess with my head.

I still can’t seem to figure out how to get my cousin out of the mess he landed us in, while still having her stay with me. It was going to be tricky, but I’ll eventually find a way. She wasn’t going back to her father. It was clear she didn’t want to, and I didn’t blame her for it.

The man was a menace who was forcing her against her will to marry someone who didn’t love or care about her. Someone who treated their women like steppingstones behind closed doors but stacked them on a trophy pedestal for all others to see when opened.

Dario and his father were not good men. I saw it firsthand. The Moretti’s didn’t have loyalty to anyone. Whoever can give them the most gain was their priorities. And by marrying the two families there was either something Russo wanted that they had, or Moretti saw something that was beneficial that Russo had.

And that was something I needed to find out and fast.

A knock sounds at my door and I call out for them to enter. Charlie walks in and waits for my instruction. Just as I was about to inform him on what I wanted him to do, Dom bursts in without so much as a knock. Slamming the door, he heads straight for my side bar and pours himself a tequila.

“Its only seven in the morning, Dom.” I chastise him.

“All the more reason to drink. Who the hell wakes up at this godawful hour?” He complains, downing the drink. “Ugh, Nonno always has the good shit here.”

I walk over and snatch the bottle from him and put it back. “Firstly, stop trying to get wasted. Secondly, you’re the only one here who sleeps like the dead until past noon because he doesn’t have a job.” I snap.

“Grouch much? Are you always like this in the mornings?” He pouts as he slumps into one of the armchairs in my room.

“He’s actually usually quite pleasant in the mornings. I think it’s just you that gets him to act like a grumpy bear.” Charlie casually supplies as he takes out his laptop that he brought and starts setting it up on my desk in the corner.

“Ouch, that’s a mean thing to say.” Dom sarcastically whines, watching him do his thing.

He then frowns. “What’s going on?”

I couldn’t help sighing heavily. I loved my cousin, I really do. And I would do anything for him, even though he was spoiled beyond all reason. But sometimes I just wanted to wring his freaking neck.

“What else other than to clean up your messes? I got some new intel from Lucas. We just might be in worse shape than we had hoped.”

Both men look up at me with concern on their faces. “How bad?” Charlie asks.

Slipping my hands in my jean pockets, seeing that they were both fully focused on me, I spill out, “Timothy Delgado might be involved now.”

Domenico’s face turned completely ashen, his eyes widening with pure fear. Charlie looked a bit shocked, then he turns to Dom and says in all seriousness,

“Si, you’re one dead motherfucker, amico.”