Page 11 of Top Dog

I watched Matteo bolt out of the room and up the steps, then I turned back to my uncle as I shut the door behind me.

“Romeo demanded to see his son, and I told him that wasn’t how this was going to work

,” I said.

“Why not? Julia, that boy is the key to giving us the peace all of us deserve.”

“My son isn’t a pawn, Uncle. And Romeo didn’t come with innocent intentions. I left Enrico here because you agreed with me that we needed to show a friendly and unthreatening front. But when I stood to leave, six Martine goons stood from booths all around us.”

“What?” Enrico asked.

“Romeo didn’t come alone like you thought he would. How in the world am I supposed to let a man like that into my son’s life when he doesn’t even keep his word?”

“It was your job to open that door. Not close it in the man’s face. Above all else, he’s that child’s father.”

“No. Above all else, Matteo’s my son. And his father chose to take over one of the bloodiest jobs in this city. I have a duty to my son to protect him. From anything and everything. I’m more than willing to help bring our families together in peace, but it won’t be under the condition that Romeo sees his son,” I said.

“You don’t get a choice in that matter,” my uncle said.

“Okay, I think we all need to take a deep breath,” Enrico said.

“You shut up,” Uncle Stefano said.

“No, you listen. I’ve been hired to take care of Julia, and that order came from her father. My only dedication is to her and that boy. No one else. You won’t come at her this way and neither can Romeo,” Enrico said.

“Thank you,” I said.

“You need to think of Matteo,” my uncle said. “That boy deserves to know his father.”

“When his father doesn’t have blood on his hands, sure, I’ll allow it,” I said.

“And that won’t be possible until we can bring peace. And that peace starts with Matteo. You see how you’ve bound our hands in this?” my uncle asked.

“Calm that tone of voice,” Enrico said. “Or this conversation is over.”

I watched my uncle take a few deep breaths before turning his back. He walked over to his desk and cocked his hip, then crossed his arms over his chest. I knew he was in a tight place. I could see it written all over his features. But Matteo wasn’t going to be a pawn in some game. There had to be another way to do this.

“If you don’t want Matteo to do it, then you have to do it,” my uncle said.

“What?” I asked.

“If you don’t want to use Matteo to smooth things over, then you have to suck down your pride and do it in his place. Talk things out with Romeo,” my uncle said.

“I’m not stepping within another inch of that man,” I said.

“Then why did you come back. Hmm? When I called you and told you of my plans and ushered you back into the city after your father cast you out, what did you think you were coming to do? Make a life for yourself? When I asked you to help me make peace with the Martine family, what did you think your role was?”

I clenched my jaw as my eyes gazed out the window.

“I don’t know,” I said. “But I didn’t think it was this.”

“My great nephew—your son—is the only connection to the Martine family we have. You created a family with Romeo, whether you like that idea or not. And if you want to help me make peace and return this city to the glory days, then you need to recognize the part you play in that. I know you don’t like this lifestyle. I know you want to keep Matteo away from it, and I respect that. But making peace means making sacrifices.”

“I’m not sacrificing my son,” I said, hissing.

“Then you sacrifice yourself for the sake of your son. After all, isn’t that a mother’s job?” he asked.

I bit down onto the inside of my cheek and turned my back on him. I didn’t like where this was going. Not one damn bit. But as hard as I tried to poke holes in his theories and his beliefs, I couldn’t. If I wasn’t going to bring Matteo into this, then I had to step up and play my part to meet the end my family wanted.

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