“Stefano was there. He can fill them in.”
“He wants you to because he wasn’t there for all of it.” Sofia’s voice was patient but firm. “You’ll be back in no time. Just handle that part.”
I hated it, but they were right. Sofia could distance herself and work efficiently by Trey’s side. Gritting my teeth, I stepped back and let my sister take over for me. But I would be back after talking with Marco and Dante. And why the hell did Dante need information? I still had my suspicions where he was concerned, despite how accommodating they’d been to the families taking over their house and territory.
Everyone was gathered in the living room: Stefano, Emiliana, Marco, El, Enzo, Dante, Cal, and Adriano. Even Tom, Marco’s captain, was present. I kept tabs on Dante while going to the dry bar, where decanters of whiskey sat. Pouring two fingers, I downed it.
I relished the heat spreading through me from the whiskey as I struggled to compartmentalize my fear for Mia. I needed to focus on analyzing and strategizing.
Shifting my focus to Dante, that same swirl of mistrust gathered, and I narrowed my gaze at him. My fingers curled, itching for a computer to dive deeply into his life, searching for anything he was hiding. Something kept me from accepting the Verretti brothers’ good intentions toward the Five Families. I didn’t have an opinion about Cal yet. I was most comfortable with Adriano. He reminded me of Enzo but without as much humor.
I leaned against the bar and spoke to my brother. “I killed Ricco, and Guido is also dead.”
“And Joey?” Marco asked.
“We didn’t see him, and there wasn’t anyone else in the house.” I couldn’t help but wonder what we would’ve found if we’d arrived sooner. “From the few seconds, I heard Ricco and Guido’s argument. Joey had agreed to give Mia to him. It seems Joey changed his mind at the last minute and decided Ricco should kill her. We got there just in time.”
“While you were gone, we came to an agreement with Dante and just cleared it with Stefano.” A small tic formed in Marco’s jaw where the muscle jumped. It was the only tell he had when something concerned him.
“What the hell is going on?” My gut churned with trepidation. Whatever they’d discussed was going to be something I would disagree with.
“The Tucci family took a devastating hit,” Marco said. “By the time we left, the FBI was crawling all over the warzone we left them. Most of Ricco’s soldiers were killed or seriously injured and apprehended.”
“Why is this a problem?” There was something I was missing, and my gaze jumped back to Dante’s. There was worry beneath the steely confidence he wore like a second skin. My instinct about him flared to life.
“Joey’s working to put out fires,” Dante said. “Cal leaked a video clip to the feds of Ricco and his men unloading abducted women into the building. The trafficking outfit has been shut down. Adriano is siphoning his bank accounts. The money stripped from profits on the women will be used to return them to health and their families or give them new lives elsewhere.” As Dante explained what they were doing, Cal slipped from the room.
“Where are the victims?” While Mia was missing, I’d let the fallout sit heavily on Marco and Stefano’s shoulders. It was time I reengaged. Mia was in good hands with my brother, the trauma surgeon.
“We have a large house in Long Island that’ll work temporarily. Cal is working on purchasing a building and setting up contractors to have it converted to meet their needs with counselors, private rooms, recreation, and dining.”
“And who will monitor you, Dante?” I wanted to know what was stopping him from taking over Joey’s operation as his own.
“I was hoping Mia could be involved in running some of the programs or overseeing whatever she wanted to.” Dante ignored the dig.
“Why?”
“Because it’s her family who hurt them. It’ll give her a sense of closure to be involved in helping the victims.” Dante’s tone never wavered.
I couldn’t argue against that. It was a good idea and one I would discuss with her. “The decision will be hers.” I dismissed Dante and addressed Marco. “What else?” I knew there was more.
“A commission has been called.” Stefano stood after that statement.
Cal walked back in and gave a pointed look to Dante as he stood then left the way his brother had come. That was why I didn’t trust him. The conversation directly affected him and his brothers, but he was leaving to do something else.
I narrowed my eyes at Marco, whose mouth was set in a grim line, and couldn’t help but wonder if that had to do with what Joey had claimed was missing from his house.
Why Italian royalty had been called to Chicago for a meeting of all the bosses was beyond me. The New York Mafia shouldn’t have warranted such drastic measures.
A door opened, and a few seconds later, Sofia came in, flashing me a brilliant smile. “She’s good and asking for you, Nic.”
I hesitated for a second, divided in mind. Getting back to Mia’s side was my priority, but this discussion wasn’t finished. “Why?”
Stefano answered after pulling El into his lap. “The Verretti family wants in.”
Goddammit. “They’re not based in Chicago.”They had better not try to make the Five Families six.To do that, they would have to move to our city.
“Extenuating circumstances, and it may not come to that,” Stefano explained. “They want to be our allies, and it makes sense.”