Page 7 of Stolen Christmas
“Either way, he’s dead and now we need a fucking clean-up. Let’s get some lunch and not discuss that. We have other matters to deal with. Like, who the hell is Fields seeing, and how can we use this woman to our advantage?”
“Are we going to wait until after the holiday? I’m going to Italy tomorrow.”
“Don’t worry about the matter. You enjoy seeing the family, and give them my love. I need to go out tomorrow and pick up a gift for my mother.”
“Not a child?” he questions with a teasing smile that’s going to get him popped in the jaw. Cousin or not, that shit isn’t funny.
“Where the fuck do you think I’m going to get one? I know science has come a long way, but I prefer to create one the old-fashioned way and allow the process to take its course.”
He chuckles. “Of course. I couldn’t agree more. I’m sure my mother feels the same way for me.”
“We know she does. I believe our mothers are in cahoots, planning our downfalls together.” We both laugh and get something to eat in the kitchen while we talk about our mothers’ plans. The women want to extend the family, and we can’t say we blame them. Our fathers don’t fight it because as their only sons,we need to carry on the family and we’re falling behind. I’m not that old, but in my world, I might as well be a dinosaur.
“Yo, so I was thinking that maybe you could come out this year.” He pours us some milk.
“Nah. There’s just too much going on here. Maybe when Torcello is handled, and my mother is off my case.” I walk our sandwiches over to the table where we sit to bullshit before he leaves.
“Maybe she’ll get off your case if you go to the mother country and try to find a wife there.” I roll my eyes and take a drink because there is no way in hell am I doing that.
“That means trying to find a wife, which I have no intention of doing. God, you sound more annoying than she does about this. If I wanted a wife, I’d search for one.”
“I’m just saying, you’re the head of this family and with that, there comes expectations of carrying on the line.” I nod because he’s right. My mother never mentions that because she would never bring up the unsavory aspects of my world.
“Fair enough.” I toss my napkin at him. “Now, shut up and eat, so I can relax with a good book.” He chuckles as he sloppily catches it.
“Cooked or literature?” He bites into his sandwich.
“A form of fiction written before my time,” I reply. What I don’t say is it includes the books of the Torcello family that I’ve scammed. Now, it’s a matter of learning what I can about their warehouses and their dealings to my advantage. I want all their territory now. Before, I could have settled for peace between us, but he crossed a big fucking line between us. Now I have to reassess all my men.
“Well, I have to go. Call me if you find the future Mrs. D’Antonio,” he laughs out, setting his plate in the sink.
“Don’t wait up.” I walk him out and shake his hand. “Have a safe trip.”
“You stay safe and don’t play that shit so close next time,” he snarls. I nod, remembering that they are cleaning up the mess in my office.
After he’s gone, I walk back to my office and check on the progress. They are sterilizing the room. “Boss, we’re almost done. Sorry, but it was a bit messy.”
“Yes, well, that’s what happens when I’m betrayed.”
“He had this on him.” He slides a flash drive over to me. “I’m not sure how much it will work. It had a lot of blood on it.”
“Thank you.” I take it to a special computer that runs several proxy servers, so if there is a trap and trace, as soon as I upload this drive they won’t be able to find the true upload source. It’s loaded with my locations, my future shipment deliveries, and the addresses to all my damn men and their codes to their houses, including all of mine. I’m glad that son of a bitch is dead. If this had gotten to Torcello, my men would be gone.
“I’d like to call a meeting,” I say, storming into the hallway. “I need everyone in the house and nearby to meet me in my office in twenty.”
I call my cousin and ask him to turn around and come back. “It’s important.”
My next call is to my father. “I need you to change your security codes for the house.”
“Has someone hacked them?” I explain the situation, and the silence on the other end of the line is palpable. “I hope you took care of the matter, or I’m going to do it for you.”
“I did. I have to go, since I’m about to have a staff meeting.”
“Good. Please join your mother and I for dinner, and we can discuss the holidays.”
“Sounds great. I’ll be there.” I end the call, and then there’s a knock on my door before Raul invites himself in.
“What is it?”
