"I'm stacking my deck momentarily. When I need you, I'll let you know. I wanted to ensure I had a jack up my sleeve when the time came."
"Understood. The Rawles will stand with you. I'll see myself out."
He clapped my shoulder as he passed but stopped in the doorway, glancing back briefly. "Your mother, she was gorgeous. I never saw two brothers fight over a girl more than Dayton and Benny. I think Seth would've thrown his hat in the ring as well if he wasn't already promised to the Lucero girl. Your father, he didn't love Shayna like Benny had, though. For Dayton, it was about winning. Don't ever forget that about your father."
"Good thing he's dead," I retorted, the comment causing my irritation to rise.
He dipped his head in acknowledgment and left as quietly as he’d come. I looked to Sax, and he studied where he’d left, before walking over to look at the picture. I followed but still didn't understand what was so interesting about it.
It was from before I was born, taken on the North shores of Chicago, the water in the background. My mother sat in the middle of two of the brothers. My father's hand was placed firmly on her thigh, his eyes holding confidence as he stared at whoever took the picture. Benny sat next to her, their legs touching, but nothing else. His eyes were looking at her, though, from the side. My mother's smile was forced, her eyes holding some fear as I peered closer. Looking more thoroughly, I pointed to something in the background.
"Wait… is that Ethan in the background?"
"It looks like Austin here too. Were the former three Don's friends at one point?" Sax asked, looking at me in shock.
"I don't think they were friends. I think they were all there for my mother."
The other two men stood off in the background, but it was clear who they stared at as well. I hadn't thought about her in years. For most of my life, she'd been gone, so it wasn't as if I missed someone I barely knew. But maybe I needed to look more into my mother's history. Just who was Shayna Costa?
* * *
The week passed,and I hadn’t found anything suspicious about my mother’s family that I hadn’t already known. She was a descendent from a family in Italy with ties to automobile manufacturers. I supposed that might be where my love of cars stemmed from. I racked my brain, trying to remember the story my father had told me about her. She died when I was young, from a heart condition. Which in the criminal underground could mean a variety of things.
Nothing stood out in the records or the bits of information I could gather from my father’s papers. Nothing as to why there would be future crime lords gathered together. It had me thinking of Benny too. He’d been reported dead during a crime fight when I was younger. I only remembered because a few years later, Nicco had come to live with us when his mother died too.
Shutting the photo album, I shoved it in the side drawer, locking it. If there were family secrets inside, I didn’t want anyone else finding them first. The phone ringing had me shoving the key into my pocket and quickly answering when I saw who it was.
“Mrs. Hildebrand, thank you for calling me back.”
“Of course, Mr. Mascro. How can I help you? You mentioned something about making a donation?”
“Yes, and I actually wondered if you’d be interested in a benefit dinner for the center, hosted by our family?”
“Oh, wow! That’s so generous of you, Mr. Mascro. We’d love to be the recipients of such a gift. Will Mr. Collins be involved?”
“Yes, I’ll clear it with him and be in touch. My assistant will take care of all the details. I want to make it something that Mr. Jude Franklin would like.”
“Well, Jude is very fond of photography. He’s also interested in music, hockey and has a knack for technology. How do you know Mr. Franklin, if I may ask?”
“He’s friends with my sister, and I’d like to do something for him and Mrs. Carter.”
“Ah, I see now.”
“Whatever, do you mean, Mrs. Hildebrand?”
“I think Loren will be happy with this.”
I choked, not expecting her to call me out so blatantly. Before I could respond, she was already prattling off ideas and letting me know she’d be in touch with my assistant. She hung up, and I sat there stunned, not sure what had just happened. Sax walked in, looking at me oddly at the look on my face.
“Everything okay, Mas?”
“I think I was just bamboozled by an old lady.”
Sax had been tossing peanuts into his mouth, and at my phrase, spat them out all over the floor. Now, he was coughing, a shocked look on his face as he attempted to regain his breath. I sat back smugly, feeling much better now at his distress.
“I feel like I should ask what this is about, but I’m scared to,” Loren’s voice said, filtering through the office. I sat up, nerves exploding in me now that I knew I wanted to be with her. Fuck. How did I do this? I’d never cared before.
Sax waved her off, laughing now at the whole thing. Loren looked between the two of us, not sure what to do. She cleared her throat and walked further in, addressing me as cold and polite as she had since that day in the car.