That’s why I haven’t gone after Luca. I’m fucking scared for my crew. Scared for Shaye, for my family. I trust so few that I don’t have the confidence we’ll be able to withstand a full-blown war. And that’s exactly what this will become. Money can buy a lot, but fear buys much more.
And right now, Luca can afford way more than we can.
I clench my fists, struggling to keep my voice even. “Look, Tony. I know what the fuck I’m doing.”
“Well, it doesn’t look like you do…that either of you do. You think your grandfather would be deep in this shit right now? He’d have already taken care of this threat to his family, and there are plenty of people who’d have had his back, who would have followed his command without a second thought. Because he was that strong. He was a fucking leader!”
“Dad, relax and let them do—”
“Don’t tell me to relax, Maximo!” Tony shouts at Max. “There’s a lot at stake here, and we’re facing a war none of us has the confidence to fight, much less win. So, how does it feel, Joe? To be the captain of a sinking ship…a ship that was once king of the fucking fleet!”
The mention of Grandpa makes my gut clench. And what Tony said is true. Grandpa was revered. There was no shortage of people who would do anything for him. He did a lot of favors, and he made a lot of friends in the process.
Dad and I don’t have that luxury. Our favors come in the form of hard-earned money, and people are more confident about the leaders who grant favors in the form of protection. It gives them hope. It empowers them. They may never be rich, but they know they will be safe.
Tony is an example of someone who wants both, and he sees my dad and me as two obstacles holding him back from attaining either.
Fuck him. Fuck them all.
I inch closer to Tony, to my girlfriend’s hulking, sneering father, and narrow my eyes. “If you want any part of this family, you’d better remember who you’re talking to. Don’t fucking challenge me again. We are handling this, and you? You’re fucking lucky to be here in the first place after the shit you pulled. Let’s not forget that we’re here because of you, Tony. You fucked all of us, so consider yourself lucky to be standing in this room, in my presence.”
“Don’t you fucking—”
“I’m not finished!” I bellow. “You have a job. You’re running a construction site for a new strip mall. I suggest you do your fucking job and stay the hell out of mine, or else you might find yourself in a very different position very soon. You get me, Tony? Because I’m done dealing with your bullshit.”
“I want you to stay the fuck away from Shaye,” he growls, glaring at me so hard I’m convinced he’s trying to smoke me from the inside out. “I don’t trust you or your plans, and I don’t want my daughter caught in the middle again.”
“She’s a big girl. It’s her choice, not yours.” I fold my arms. “Besides, you didn’t seem to give a shit about her getting caught in the middle when you were playing both sides of the fence with Cappodamo. Let’s be honest. You want her as leverage.” I shrug. “She’s not a pawn in your fucking game, to strategically move at your whim. And trust me, there is no amount of leverage that will help you, Tony.”
Max springs up from his chair. “Dad, let’s get to the construction site. We need to meet with the contractors in half an hour.”
Tony doesn’t move a muscle. He just stares me down, his eyes dark and menacing. Kind of like his soul. If there was anything behind that anger, he’d be a force to be reckoned with. But he’s a fucking pussy. He talks about strength, which is ironic because he’s got none. He’s just a manipulative fuck who talks out of both sides of his mouth, and I’m done with this asshole.
All that talking he does just makes him dangerous and . Not strong.
I peel my glare off of Tony’s face and focus it on Max. My best friend who allowed me to ambushed by his dickhead father. Is there anyone out there who can fucking be trusted?
He averts his eyes and pushes past Tony to open the door. “Dad, we’re gonna be late. Let’s go.”
But Tony isn’t one to follow orders. He’s going to leave when he damn well pleases, not when someone else recommends that he gets the fuck out of this office. Everything has to be on his terms. He turns back to my father. “Joe, let’s talk later about the building schedule. I’ll bring over the plans so that we can review them.”
His glacial stare returns to me. I’m sure he’s disappointed that I don’t immediately fall into a deep freeze, but he has my blood boiling to the point where I could combust any second.
He leaves the office without another word, slamming the door so hard, the walls shake.
Cocksucker.
I fold my arms and turn toward my father. “Was that really necessary? Did you need to bring him in here? I wanted to talk to you in private. I thought I made that clear when I called you.”
“Nico, you know how he is. Max told him what happened, and he wanted to know how you’re going to respond. I can’t blame him. He’s worried about his daughter.” Dad runs a hand through his hair.
I let out a snort. “He’s not fucking concerned about Shaye. He just wants inside knowledge so he can figure out how to exploit it for cash. Besides, you know I can’t give him the information he wants. I told you what needs to be done, and you agreed with me earlier. What the hell changed your mind?”
“Nico, you’re putting all your eggs in one vodka-soaked basket. Are you sure this is the right path? Because once you get the ball rolling, there’s no turning back. You need to make sure Viktor has your back.”
“Why are you doubting me all of a sudden?” My spine stiffens. “I know what I’m doing. Shaye is taken care of. Nobody suspects anything.”
“And you really think that hooking her up with Katarina is going to cement your relationship with Viktor?”
I slam a hand down on the desk. “We’ve been over this. I couldn’t train her myself. I’m too involved, and I won’t be able to detach myself to teach her what she needs to know. I needed someone else to handle it for me, someone she could trust. Kat’s a perfect shot, and it was Viktor’s idea to get them together in the first place. If anyone can teach Shaye how to blow off someone’s head without so much as a blink, it’s Kat.” I sink into a chair in front of the desk. “Dad, I hate like hell that this is happening. I hate that I can’t have her with me all the time, that I spend most of my time worrying about her. And I fucking hate not knowing what’s coming next, knowing that I can’t plan my way out of it.”
“Nobody ever said this would be easy. Things have gone to shit since Grandpa died and there’s a lot of rumbling within the ranks. Taking out Frank Cappodamo was a good short-term move, but the long-term effects can crush us if we don’t have the right backing. Does Viktor know about your history with Luca? The real reason for his vendetta against you?”
“No.” I crack my knuckles one at a time. “It doesn’t matter. It’s all in the past.”
“It might matter to Viktor.”
“Why?
“This is about trust building, Nico. If you want to keep Viktor as an ally, you have to offer him more than just money. Anyone can line his pockets. Don’t let him get blindsided, even if you think it won’t matter to him.” Dad looks at me and reclines in his chair. “We’re very vulnerable right now. I know you don’t like to hear that, but it’s true. We need a strong alliance with the Russians to be taken seriously. That will give us controlling interest of the top money-making businesses in the tri-state area. That loyalty won’t come cheap, but it will keep us at the top of the food chain. The Russians don’t need us, Nico. Don’t kid yourself. They can align themselves with any of the other families unless we offer them something that nobody else can. Give them a reason to stick with us. We need them if we’re going to survive this fallout.”