Page 86 of Where Wild Hearts Dance
“They’re looking into something for me now so I’ll have to duck out again shortly.”
“Anything I can help with?” Cristiano asks, his gaze still narrowed.
I suck my bottom lip into my mouth while seeming to consider his offer, then shake my head. “I’ll let you know.”
Beppe and Nicolò have resumed a conversation so Cristiano pulls me to one side. “I just got an update on the Marchesi situation,” he says. Normally,thiswould make me hard but it’s taking all my effort to focus squarely on the topic at hand.
“Go on.”
“Fury’s definitely handing the reins to his nephews.”
I nod while digesting what I’d suspected Fury would do all along. “The three brothers?”
“All three. Two had already been sworn in. The third is being sworn in as we speak.”
I wipe a bemused smile from my face. “Too green. All of them.”
“Don’t assume green to mean ineffective,” Cristiano warns. “They’re hungry and bitter. Sometimes, that’s all you need along with a good fucking aim.”
Cristiano’s gaze falls to my scar, reminding me thatthose were the same three qualities I brought to Gianni’s table sixteen years ago. He took a chance on me and now I’m the best arsenal the Di Santo’s have.
My thoughts turn back to Falconi. “Do we have a list of everyone they’ve made?”
His gaze diverts for a second. “No, but to my knowledge they’ve slowed right down. Haven’t made anyone in the last year.”
Federico’s note stated he’s “associating” with them, and it was written only a few months ago. Sure, he wouldn’t broadcast the fact he’s a made man in a letter if that was actually the case, but he’d have worded it differently, because a made man is a hell of a lot more formidable than a mere associate. Still, his father knew our business inside out. He could give them useful information if it came down to it. Federico Falconi could be a viable threat.
“We’ve always been rivals,” Cristiano continues, “for as long as I can remember. But bringing down the Mexicans my brother was cavorting with, and the group behind Gio’s murder started a war, you know that.”
“Yeah, which we won when we took Newark.”
“And then we twisted the knife with the drug bust.”
“They were on our turf,” I argue.
“Fair point, but we’re goading them.You’regoading them. The drug bust was your idea. We didn’t need to do it.”
I inhale a long breath. “Cristiano, you hire me as your advisor. For what? To help us plateau? We’re not just a bunch of fucking gangsters, we’rebusinessmen. We’re in this to makemoney. If we let others encroach on our space, we send the message we can be fucked in the ass. If you ask me, we need to be taking what little they have left. Letting everyone on the east coast know we mean fucking business. We have all the right people in our pockets—the world is our goddamn oyster. What are we waiting for?”
Cristiano sits back in his leather chair and rests his gaze on me thoughtfully.
“Okay. What are you suggesting?”
I don’t even need to think about it. Not after Contessa’s betrayal. “We ruin the Marchesi’s. Then, we take Boston.”
“I’ll need more captains.”
“Leave that with me.” I know exactly which of our soldiers are ready for promotion and which ones need a discreet shove off the Brooklyn Bridge.
“Alright.” Cristiano leans forward, his gaze trailing once again over my scar. He’s only three years older than me but it’s moments like this he reminds me so much of his father, Gianni. “We’ll take the Marchesi’s. Organize a crew to replace any of Fury’s soldiers who fall, then come back to me with a plan.”
I nod, feeling the embers catch light in my stomach once again. This is what gives me life—having a purpose, someone’s trust, and free rein to annihilate anyone who declares themselves my enemy. In this moment I feel a small, itchy need to celebrate, and I know exactly who I want to do that with.
“Ah, almost forgot,” I say, getting to my feet. “Need to make that call.”
Cristiano sits back again and watches me as he brings the whiskey glass to his lips. “Take all the time you need.”
Her head is resting to one side and her hair has fallen across her face.
