This is the happiest I’ve seen her in a while. I think we’re all relieved now that I’m made. The Irish hit did the trick. Dario and Dante took the oath with me. I wish Nonno would promote me to Don now, but I know that’s not going to happen.
“Come dance with me, baby,” Ny coos. She’s on the right side of tipsy.
I stand but hold my finger up as my phone rings. “Hold on, I need to take this.”
She pouts and goes to pull Jace from his seat. I turn to move to the home office for a bit of silence. Closing the door behind me, I answer the call.
“Big man, ya gud?”
“It’s good to hear from you, my friend. How you doing?”
“In-troot, not as gud as yuh. We need ta chat. I coming to sih yuh. Ya somebody now, eh? A lil’ nabody na mo. Tings changed and I need yuh to do some ting fuh muh. Yuh understand?”
“I’ve got you. When?”
“The judge be in touch soon. Yuh gimme a place, I provide the time.”
“Fair enough. I’ll be waiting.”
The call ends and I hang up and place my phone in my pocket. I puff at my cigar a few times, then pull it from my mouth to stare at the embers.
“Never a dull fucking moment.”
I go back out into the living room to find Jace spinning Ny. She takes one look at my face and her smile falls. I hate that she can feel my energy so easily.
“What? We didn’t even get one night. What now?”
“I don’t know. Our Bajan friend wants to talk.”
“Is that bad?”
“You let me worry about him. Dad is handing me some of the restaurant union takes. That’s all cool, but there’s money to be made on the internet that’s not illegal yet.
“I need you and Jace to find the loopholes, businesses, and earners that keep us paid and clean. No drug shit. That’s always going to be an attention drawer and the first thing they regulate.”
Jace places a hand on Ny’s back. “I’ll get my laptop.”
“Okay,” she murmurs.
Between Jace’s law degree and Ny’s business and technology degree, I’m giving this task to the perfect pair. It’s time to build my empire. I’m not falling with the Five Families— ’cause trust me, that shit’s coming. When my mother asked me how I’d handle this, I started to plan.
Dirty money is short money, I’m in this for the long run. So what I’ve been made, that’s just the beginning. I can’t get comfortable. In this thing, you never arrive and if you think you have that’s when they blow your brains out and you’re in someone’s trunk.
I’m only untouchable in theory. Now it’s time for me to make it an absolute. Whatever Kingston needs, I’ll handle it. I need him to do a few things for me as well.
Nyla
I sit out on the back deck in the hammock with Jace. I have his laptop in my lap as I sip at a cup of coffee to sober up. I’m not going to complain about the night being cut short.
It’s been so long since they have been here at the house with me, I’m just happy they’re here. Gio seemed to be so happy. I know how much this has meant. He’s waited so long for this promotion.
I honestly thought it would happen years ago. Although, doing it with his brothers has meant a lot to him. He’s proud of them.
“We can get to this in the morning,” Jace says, breaking into my thoughts.
“You sure?” I turn to look through the back door.
Gio is on the phone, I think he’s talking to Nonno or his mother. I smile because he looks relaxed and he’s so animated as he talks.
“He’s not going to mind. I’m sure once all the calls are done, we’re all going to be naked, making up for lost time.”
“I brought something special for tonight. I hope you guys like it.”
He cups my face and turns it up to peck my lips. “We’ll love anything you put on. Now tell me what’s on your mind.”
“I don’t know. A lot.”
“Talk to me.”
“Do you ever feel like we’re doing all of this in vain? Like, are we truly living life?”
“Do you remember how my parents were killed?”
“No. I remember more about when you arrived at the house. You went home that night because you had a tummy ache, right?”
“Yeah, Papa took me home. I didn’t want to leave you and Gio, but I got so sick.”
“I remember that part. I was so sad after you left. Gio got us ice cream and we watched a movie. It was a scary movie, so I curled into his bed in the middle of the night.
“I was getting into his bed when the commotion started downstairs. I hadn’t realized he was already gone.”