Metal hooks and chains dropped from the ceiling and dangled from the stone walls. It appeared they tried to clean the blood from the floor and walls.
I spun around to leave, and Dante blocked my path.
“Dante, I don’t want to be in here.” I tried to step around him, and he moved with me. “Please. The smell is bothering my asthma.”
His fingers gripped my chin, forcing me to look up at him. “Now, do you understand what goes into our operation?”
He was acting too calm and in control. This was a threat, his way of reminding me of what was at stake.
“Yes,” I choked out. “I get it.”
Dante released his grip on me so I could rush out of the room. I dodged hotel staff in the laundry area with Dante on my heels. They didn’t even look at us, afraid to make eye contact. Dante had that effect on everyone.
I walked past the loud machines and didn’t stop until I was in the hallway, where I could breathe again. Reaching into my purse, I removed my inhaler and took a puff. Before moving into the Portofino Hotel, I only used my inhaler once a month. And it was usually because of stress from school.
“You can go back to your office,” Dante said as we headed toward the hotel entrance. “On Sunday night, I’ll meet you to collect the money from the clubs. Don’t be late.”
That was a few days away. So I assumed I would get a reprieve from Bossman until then.
“I won’t,” I said before we parted ways.
* * *
My dad popped his head into my office and shoved his fingers through his black, scruffy hair that looked unwashed. He needed to get his shit together.
“I’m heading home for the day,” he said with his eyes on the floor. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Okay.” I rose from the chair and met him at the door. “I’ll walk you to your car.”
His gaze flicked to the security camera in the room’s corner, then back to me. “Enzo is making chicken cacciatore for dinner,” he said on our way to the elevator. “You should come home. Eat with us.”
“I can’t tonight. But will you tell Angelina and Enzo I say hello, and I miss them?”
He pressed his lips together and nodded.
We rode the elevator to the ground floor in silence, and he didn’t push me for an explanation. I wasn’t allowed to leave the casino without notifying one of the brothers. Besides, I didn’t want to do anything to piss off Dante until my plan came to fruition.
Once in the parking garage, Dad stopped beside his car. It was a reserved space on the ground floor about twenty feet from the door.
“Ava, please be careful around them,” he whispered, avoiding the camera’s view. “You’re too comfortable with the Luciano brothers. They are using you to get information.”
“Dad, I know.” I patted his shoulder. “I got this covered. Trust me.”
“I trust you.” He hid his mouth with his hand as he spoke. “But the Vitales want their money. And I don’t have all of it.”
“Will they tell the Lucianos now that their families are merging?”
His shoulders rose a few inches. “I don’t know. I’m surprised Salvatore is even entertaining the idea of this marriage.”
“Why?”
“He was going to kill Vincenzo Vitale after Carlo attacked Angelo. And then, he dropped it for some reason and agreed to split the city into territories.” He scrubbed a hand across his jaw. “Salvatore has been getting softer over the years. I think he wants out of the Mafia to focus on the casino business.”
“His sons don’t understand why he’s making Nico marry Vittoria.”
“Because it doesn’t make sense.” He opened the car door and sighed. “Anyway, I better go before they spot us on the security feed.”
Pushing my hands onto my hips, I frowned. “We’re allowed to talk to each other, Dad.”