“Oh, that’s because I was. Took a two week course on how to specifically piss you off.”
“Ah, so you’re a qualified con artist?”
I nod playfully, crossing my arms over my charcoal shirt and pinstriped vest. “Yeah, something like that.”
Lance throws his head back in laughter. “You sneaky son of a bitch!
“Okay…Thunderbolt.”
Lance jumps up from his seat with wide eyes. That did the trick. “Alright, alright. I’ll stop. I see what you’re trying to do by digging back to our college days and the most embarrassing moment of my life. I’m going to get us another bottle of Dom Pérignon to drown that memory.”
“Don’t knock yourself out in my wine cellar.”
“Oh, I won’t. I’ll bring the bottle here and knock myself out on the dining table instead.”
“Sure, stay the night even. Won’t be the first time I’ve tucked a child into bed,” I tease.
“Wow!” Lance mocks, gasping mid grin while loosening his tie. He averts his gaze to Sandro who simply watches. “Sandro my man, let’s schedule a meeting tomorrow morning. I need to take out this successful businessman with a qualification in sarcasm. Make it fast.”
“I was only joking.” I laugh, raising my hands in defense. “You know I love you and would do anything for you.”
“I know. Love you too, man. I’m always here for you too. Anytime and I mean it. Now, I’ll be back with one of your bottles of Dom Pérignon.” Lance snaps his fingers and points to the hall. “And best believe we’re playing another game of Scopa and I’ll get both your asses.”
“Famous last words.”
We all erupt in laughter as Lance takes his leave out into the dim hallway. It always goes like this when the three of us meet up during a work night at the start of the week. It’s nice to just breathe and spend a few hours with friends, rival card games, and burning cigars.
I set mine in the ashtray and collect all our cards, shuffling them into a neat pile at the center of the table. I feel Sandro’s eyes on me and swallow down the harsh reality of why I also called him over. This morning when SPD revealed the girl spotted wasn’t Addilyn, I did some digging of my own.
I first met Sandro a few years ago when my company designed and built one of his houses. I didn’t grasp what sort of house it was until during one of my final inspections when I witnessed Sandro pinning a man to an interior wall and putting two in his head.
Sandro’s explanation? “It’s my property and so I’ll do whatever the hell I wanna do in it. What the hell are you gonna do ‘bout it?”
I never pressed it. It was a safehouse after all and what happened within those walls stayed there. An unlikely friendship formed between us though, with a foundation based on that we are both native to New Jersey.
“I’ve asked all my associates and none of them know anything about your kid.”
“You sure?”
“Positive. You know I take care of you, Giulio. Everybody’s clean. Nobody knows a thing, and trust me, I’d know if they did. No underworld organization has anything to do with Addilyn. If you want me to start an investigation, I can gather some of my men and we—”
I cut him off. “No. No, that’s okay. Thank you. We’ll let SPD do their job. But are you certain it isn’t anybody you know? Perhaps you haven’t done business with them for a while?”
He chuckles coldly. “You don’t have to worry ‘bout any of those guys, Giulio.”
“Why’s that?”
Sandro takes one good look at me and those deadly eyes flicker to the floorboards beneath our feet. “Cause they’re all in the fucking burning pit below. All the guys I haven’t done business with for a while are either dead or on their fucking way there. Hai capito?”
“Si, ho capito.” I swallow thickly and glance over my shoulder to ensure Lance isn’t in sight before turning back to the Mafioso. When I lean forward with my forearms on my thighs and fingers laced together, my voice stays confidently low. “You know the thing we said earlier?”
Sandro nods.
“I’ll think I’ll be needing it after all.”
There’s a challenge in his eyes that dims the raging light in mine. Will this be a mistake? I rub my hands over my face, prepared to revoke the plan when Sandro smiles. It’s a lethal one that only edges on the pit of fire burning inside me. All he needs to do is light that match and I’ll withstand the blaze that consumes both my versions of heaven and hell—this will be something I can never take back.
Whatever happens from this point forth, I need Valencia to know I’m doing this for us.
“You sure you want it?”
“Positive.”
“You don’t seem like the type of man who would make a decision without thinking it through. I trust you. I won’t anymore if you fuck with me. If something happens and you let it slip that I gave it to you, you’re a dead man. I’ll do it myself. I’ll drive you to that safe house you made and so God help you if you even dare whisper my name to the boys in blue. Capisci?”
Nodding, I accept that this is my only choice if I want to protect my family right. “Si.”
We shake on it, sealing in every one of my fateful sins from this point forth.
“Marcus! Open the damn door!”
“Fuck off!”
“I know he’s in there!” My fists pound against his front door, adamant to get inside. It was a normal Tuesday morning up until Lance gave me the tipoff that he spotted Bryce’s orange pickup parked in my half-brother’s driveway upon passing Marcus’ house on his way to work.
Bryce is inside and I’ll be damned if I don’t see him. Tomorrow will mark a week since Bryce made an advance on Valencia. I’ve been hunting him down ever since to no avail.
“Let it go, Giulio!”
“This
