“That’s not what this is about. Taylor is dead. I killed him a few hours ago. I need to know everything about Luca Toro you can find. I mean everything. If you can find out his favorite color, I want to know it.”
“You weren’t aware of his relation to you? I apologize, sir. We have a file on him. I’m sending it now.”
“Why do you have a file on him?” I ask, wondering what Luca might have done to draw the man’s attention.
“Sir, I have a file on everyone who matters in this country and one hundred and forty-two others. Luca Toro matters. He’s a good man with a deep abiding hatred of men who traffic women. The smart ones don’t even go through Vegas, let alone stop there anymore. He has a tendency to send them on their way without their dicks. It’s not in the file but his favorite color is green, he tells people his favorite food is Italian but he actually prefers Chinese with his favorite dish Kung Pao chicken, and he has a weakness for tall, leggy, blondes.”
A pause. “It’s in your email now.” He clears his throat. “I want to apologize. I made the assumption you were aware of his relation to you. Considering you are in the same crime family and the resemblance was glaring. As far as Taylor there will be no bill. We failed you, it won’t happen again.”
“It’s fine. Thank you for the file.”
I can hear my printer going in my office. It’s a large file. I consider this Valdez and what he could find on a member of the Outfit when we went out of our way to have little in a file. “This Valdez, he’s the one.”
“There is no one or nothing he can’t find. If I stop to think about it too long, it’s fucking spooky. But it’s what I need, so I don’t think about it.”
The printer finally stops. I’m going to find out about my son from a file. This is fucked up.
Dominic nods at me. “You want me to get it?”
I shake my head. “Pour me a drink.”
***
Tony
Waiting in Carlo’s office for Luca, I fight the tide of rage rising within me. Reading Luca’s file for the first time, each word burned into my soul. Linda had entrusted my flesh and blood to a bitter abusive drunk. The fucker broke Luca’s arm when he was nine years old. I recognized the break. It wasn’t from a fall, the way they told the social worker. If I hadn’t already known, the ER staff feeling the need to call in a social worker was confirmation.
Luca was raised speaking Italian the only good thing Linda had done. His school records indicated he was smart, but they noted neither Linda nor Al were involved. The nanny was more than likely to be the point of contact.
I remember the things other family had said about the moves he made in Vegas, the way he took control when Al was shot when Luca was only eighteen. Along with the things in the file, added up to the kid having a flair for the dramatic. He stopped trucks carrying sex cargo, pulled the men out and cut off their dicks with reported great enjoyment. It makes me uneasy, afraid he might have caught the bug I had. Until I reviewed his hits, none of them were uncalled for or particularly bloody.
A text comes through on Dominic’s phone. Fuck. I hadn’t even thought of how he’s doing with this. The front door opens, and I go still as I hear movement on the hardwood floors. Carlo had emptied the house. Was it odd to Luca?”
“Carlo?”
It’s a punch to the gut. He sounds just like Anthony. The door opens. There is a two-inch scar on his chin, and his eyes are brown, like Anthony’s. Fuck. He could be Anthony, only he’s not. His eyes go wide at the sight of me.
My throat threatens to close. No. I need to be stronger, for him, for Dominic. “Anthony Sabatini, your father. I’m sorry. I didn’t know. If I had, I would never have allowed what you endured.”
Luca closes his eyes, shakes his head then opens them again. “Quel che e fatto, e fatto.”
What’s done is done. Words my father and nonno raised me on. We could not undo what has been done. We must accept it and move forward or the pain and anger of the past would cloud the future, making it all for naught.
He offers his hand to me. “It’s good to finally meet you.”
I take it, my flesh and blood—a part of me. Without thought, I pull him to me, hugging him tight for all the hugs I’ve missed up to today. He stiffens then sighs before he hugs me back so tight I can barely breathe.
***
Tony
I know I’m asking too many questions. I can’t stop. The need to know everything about Luca is fucking with my head. After much prompting, he talked of his childhood. I didn’t need to have raised him to recognize when he was holding back. Dominic sighs, the sound hits me. I see guilt wash across his face.
An ache hits me all over again at what he might be feeling at this as well. Yesterday was his wedding day, and he had been so happy as I watched him with Regina. He didn’t realize he had fallen in love with her yet, even though it couldn’t be clearer when he looked at her. None of this is what he should be dealing with. He and Regina were to have left for Paris a few hours ago. Instead, he’s dealing with Johnny’s death this morning and an out of nowhere brother.
“Why don’t you go home and bring Regina back to my place for dinner?” To Luca. “I have an empty house with many bedrooms. You can pick one for your stay. When were you due to go back to
