Page 48 of Devil's Deal

While I’d accomplished my mission to pamper Cory, when I’d gone up to change out of my gym clothes and turned my phone back on, I found I’d missed a phone call from Nico yesterday, followed by a missed call an hour from Dante, and then one more from Nico around dinnertime. If a person valued their life, they didn’t ignore a call from the Don of a crime Family. The fact Nico had calledtwicemeant this meeting wouldn’t be pretty.

As soon as Dante rolled up to the front of the house, he put his nondescript car in park, leaving it idling, and jumped out. Exiting the vehicle, I wasn’t surprised to find him waiting there for me. “Sorry about this, Romeo, but rules are rules.”

Holding up my arms, I spread my legs and allowed him to frisk me for weapons. I’d left my trusted girl at home, sheathed and underneath the mattress.At home?The idea of changing my routine and staying with Cory was settling in much easier than I’d expected. Which sort of freaked me out more than anything. More than whatever this little meeting I’d been forced into did.

“Good to go. I gotta move the car, so shoot me a text when you’re ready for me to take you back to your love nest.” Dante smirked.

This kid was a smartass, but he’d done me a solid, so I ignored his ridiculousness and moved toward the front door. It swung open, and a frowning Rocco glared at me while yelling, “Dante, have someone else move the car and get your ass in here. Boss wants to see you, too.”

Dante’s eyes widened as his gaze flitted toward me, but he responded to Rocco with a respectful, “Yes, sir.”

Rocco spun on his heels without another word and stomped down the hall toward Nico’s study. The guards lining the walls all stepped back, trying to avoid his wrath. I’d probably find it more intimidating if I couldn’t remember him as a little guy having the same kind of fit when he didn’t get his way with his mother.

“What the hell did I do?” Dante hissed in my ear. “You better not have gotten me in trouble.”

Well, shit.This already wasn’t going to plan. I needed Nico on my side, but if Rocco was angry with me, then it was because his oldest brother was. Picking up my pace, I followed Rocco across the threshold, unsurprised to find Nico sitting behind the desk, Vin leaning against the large piece of furniture on one side, and Rocco stopping, spinning around and planting his feet and crossing his arms over his chest on the other.

Ah. Intimidation. Nice.

None of them spared a glance at Dante as they focused on me. Rocco still glared, and if looks could kill, then Vin’s gaze would take me out, but it was the expression on Nico’s face that concerned me the most. It was completely blank and void of any type of emotion.Damn. I’d taught him that look. It was the same one I wore when confronting an adversary. It was the power move—intimidating as fuck.Normally.

I nodded my head at all three in turn, from oldest to youngest, before turning all of my attention back to the man in charge. “Nico?—”

“It’s Don Buccelli,” Vin interrupted.

“Show some respect,” Rocco added.

Anger welled up inside me, and I wanted to tell all three where they could go, but then Cory’s face floated through my mind. My sweet quirky boy, who not only had a home here, but a successful business filled with employees who he loved like family. A man who I’d do anything for, which included staying in one spot. There was no way I could safely do that without the backing of this Family.

Then there was also the matter of Emilio, Cory’s nephew. Quite frankly, I didn’t need their help to find him or rescue him if he was still alive—which I highly doubted, in all honesty—but he was the son of a soldier from another Family. If things got messy, I needed influence and power. Something the Buccelli name carried.

I tipped my head respectfully. “My apologies, Don Buccelli. I had planned to call you this morning. May I have a word with you alone?”

Immediately, Vin and Rocco started voicing their opinion on that. They weren’t in favor. Nico nonchalantly flipped his hand in the air, silencing them. “Tell me why I shouldn’t kill you,” he said softly.

If my life and career hadn’t depended on me knowing how to control my features and keep my face blank, they’d have all seen how much his words and delivery surprised me—in the best possible way. Behind me, Dante cleared his throat nervously, but I fought to keep a smirk off my face.

So Niccolo Buccelli really had grown up. I’d been worried about him taking over the Family, especially with the iron fist of control that his grandfather had maintained. Sure, the old man sent his grandsons to do his bidding, but he’d never given them real titles or roles. Everyone knew Nico would take over eventually. Although, I was pretty sure we all thought it would be after the old man died.

Seeing him like this now was encouraging. As much as I hoped to convince Nico’s Family to stand beside me, I hadn’t really been sure how much weight that would carry, considering what I’d observed of their territory since I’d been here. Maybe it really had all been the old man’s negligence. There might be hope yet that the brothers would turn it all around. Make this the Family they once were.

“Because you need me,” I stated matter of factly.

Vin pffted. “Need you for what? So far, all you’ve done is pile up bodies.” He thumped his fist into his chest. “And one of them was a Buccelli Capo. How dare you! Who do you think you are?”

Even though I hadn’t been invited, I sat down on one of the chairs in front of Nico’s desk. Rocco’s lips twitched, but Nico’s face remained impassive.

“You’re so arrogant,” Vin said, seething.

I shrugged and shook my head. “Confident, Vin. There’s a difference.” Okay, maybe a little arrogant, but I’d earned that right. “Your Capo was a menace, a disgrace to your Family name. You should be thanking me for dealing with that for you.” I cocked my eyebrow. “And free of charge, too.”

Rocco frowned. “Free? I had to clean that mess up, Bosley,” he said, drawing out my name mockingly.

I waved him off. “It seems I’ll be hanging around for a while. Might as well call me Romeo. There won’t be any hiding by the time I’m done.”

“So, youarehere for a job?” Vin turned, facing his brothers. “Didn’t I tell you? You wanted to act like this was some big family reunion,” he said to Rocco. “And you, you’re over here having private meetings with him.”

For the first time, Nico’s eyes moved past me toward the door. Vin paused his tirade long enough to follow his gaze, and his jaw tightened. Guess he finally realized that Dante was in the room. Not the best look reprimanding the Boss in front of a lowly soldier.

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