The Accardi Twins: A Mafia Romance Duet

Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Joshua

“ S hould I be worried about your drug use?” I ask, glancing at Caleb as I drive us out of the city.

“Nah.” He moves his seat back, stretching his legs in front of him. “I’ve got it under control.”

“You’d tell me if you didn’t, right?”

He levels me with a sober expression, and tension bleeds into the air for a few beats. “I wouldn’t keep it from you.”

“Is that the truth? You were pissed that time I told Mom and the others what was going on.”

“That was years ago, and we were kids. I was pissed at you for a long time. It felt like a betrayal, but I see it now for what it was. You were protecting me. I might have died in Mott Haven that night if you hadn’t intervened.”

Caleb got in with a bad crowd when we were teens. It coincided with shit going down at home. He went off the rails, and I had to rescue him from a drug house. I’d given Mom scant details, but she knew where I was going, and she’d called in the cavalry. I’d never been happier to see Ben, Leo, and Alesso when they showed up. “You were completely out of it when I found you, and I was terrified. I decided in that moment to tell them everything. I couldn’t say nothing and let you die. I did it to save you because I couldn’t see you stopping.”

“I don’t think I would have. You did the right thing, brother.”

“I worry when I see you doing cocaine.” Cocaine and ketamine were his drug of choice at fourteen.

“It’s only recreational, and I’m not addicted. I learned my lesson young.” He clamps a hand on my shoulder. “Don’t worry about me. I’m not going down that path again.”

“Do you ever think about him?” I ask as I continue onto Pelham Parkway South. I can’t think about that night without thinking about our father because it was his secret partnership with Don Maximo Greco that led Caleb down that path. He was deliberately targeted by the drug dealers, on Greco’s command, making it too hard for him to resist.

A muscle pops in his jaw. “Not if I can help it.”

“I still have nightmares sometimes,” I admit. “I see the moment the bullet entered his skull. I remember the light dying in his eyes, and I wake up in a cold sweat.” Our father was gunned down in front of us not too long after that night in Mott Haven.

“I should have shot him when I had the chance and saved you the pain.” Caleb’s voice holds no warmth, like usual when he talks about Dad.

“I’m glad you didn’t. I wouldn’t want that on your conscience.” I keep left to stay on Bronx and Pelham Parkway.

“He doesn’t deserve to occupy any of your headspace, J,” Caleb says, popping a piece of gum. “Awake or sleeping.”

“He was still our father.”

“He was a shit father, and we both know it. As far as I’m concerned, Leo is my father. He’s the one who showed up for me, who continues to show up for me. I don’t waste any energy thinking about Gino Accardi, and you shouldn’t either. Don’t forget what he did to Mom.”

“I never forget how he treated her. I still feel guilty we didn’t do anything to stop it.”

“Me too, but we were kids. We weren’t aware of everything.”

“I’m glad Mom has Leo. She’s a different person since she married him.” I head onto Shore Road, glad the traffic is moving and not at a standstill.

“He’s good for her.” Caleb glances out the window while his foot taps on the floor.

“What’s up with you? You’ve been especially restless lately.”

My brother turns to look at me, brushing strands of dark-blond hair out of his eyes. “Honestly, I’m sick of my life. I’m bored, and nothing interests me. It feels like I’m just coasting through life, and I’m slowly going insane.”

“Coasting through life is not something I’d ever say about you. You live your life at warp speed, Caleb. You don’t coast through anything.”

“It’s hard to explain. I just know I’m not happy.”

“You sure looked happy an hour ago,” I quip, trying to lift my brother’s melancholy mood.

“Sex is great in the moment, but I’m even sick of that. I’m sick of women. I’m sick of me. I’m sick of everything.”

“You don’t feel fulfilled,” I surmise. “Even with everything you do and your busy life, you’re not satisfied.”

“I’m not. I go through the motions at work, but I’ve lost my passion for it. I’m not like you. You live and breathe the business, but my heart isn’t in it. It never really has been.”

It explains why he’s been lashing out so much lately. “You should have talked to me.”

“I’m not even sure what this shit in my head is, J, and I’m talking to you now.”

“I’d suggest we go overseas. Take a mini vacay. Head to Europe maybe, but the timing sucks.”

“I’m not sure that’d even help. I need to be doing something…active, proactive.” He shrugs. “I don’t know.”

“You should call Massimo. Ask him if you can do something in the field for The Commission. I know you’re itching for some action. I’ll look after the brand. Maybe we should give the senior management team more responsibility and free up some of your time.”

Caleb spent time training in Nepal, and he’s a skilled warrior and marksman. I’ve often thought it’s a shame he’s wasting that talent, but having a don actively out on the streets engaged in violence is not encouraged or even welcome. There are safety concerns, and it undermines the image that’s been cultivated of a legit businessman. However, if that’s what my brother needs to feel more content, I’ll make it happen for him.

“He’d probably say no just to spite me.” Caleb kicks his feet up on the dash, and I level him with a sharp look.

He chuckles, facing off with me before finally removing his offending appendages. “I swear you have legit OCD. No one could be this anal and not have it.”

“It’s called being organized and in control. Appreciating the things I have, and not wanting someone’s dirty shoes messing up the interior of my expensive car is normal behavior.”

“If you say so, bro.” He grins and whatever dark cloud was hanging over his head appears to have lifted.

I move onto Pelham Road just as an alert pings on my phone. My cell is connected to the system in the car, so the automated text message pops up on the screen, and I curse as I read it.

Caleb sits up straighter in his chair. “Who the fuck is trying to access your office?”

“I have a pretty good idea. Log into the security system, and call up the camera outside my office.” I’m strict about locking my office when I leave the room. There may be rare occasions where it’s unlocked for a couple minutes at a time, but I’m careful not to leave my space unattended. All sensitive and highly classified files are stored in the side room off my office, and the room can only be accessed by fingerprint scanner.

Caleb pulls out his cell and taps away on it, hissing under his breath a few seconds later.

“Is it my temp PA?” I ask.

“It’s her. What is the cunt up to?”

“I’m going to find out. I know she was thoroughly vetted before we hired her, but something doesn’t add up.”

I call HR and request a copy of her file to be emailed to me. I’ll talk to Ben at the house and ask for the security file. There’s a specialist division within Caltimore Holdings who conducts full background checks on employees for the five families upon request. No one is hired into the Accardi Company without a background check, so it’s possible Lavinia is trying to access my office for legitimate reasons. But my gut is telling me she’s up to something. I want someone to take another look at her file. If she’s working for McDermott or the rat, someone’s head will roll for this.

We head onto US-1 N, and the traffic eases considerably, and from there, it doesn’t take too long to reach the Mazzone estate where Mom and Leo live in their own lavish mansion on the vast grounds of the property.

“Don’t tell Mom what I told you,” Caleb says as we grab the gifts for our stepdad from the trunk of my car. “She’ll only worry.”

I grab the bouquet of flowers from the back seat. “Dude, she’ll always worry about us. It comes with the territory.”

“Well, I don’t want to add more worry onto the pile. She has her hands full with Rosa and Leif, her job, and her charity work.” Mom went back to NYU as a mature student and completed her medical studies. Now, she is assigned to the official mafioso medical team. The team of surgeons, doctors, and nurses are employed by the five families to handle our medical needs.

Sierra Mazzone set up a foundation to help victims of human trafficking a couple of years ago in partnership with Moonlight, an organization founded by Keanu Kennedy’s wife Selena. All the woman who volunteer at the foundation are mafioso wives, and they give their time for free so all the money raised through the various fundraising efforts goes directly to the people who need it. Mom works there two mornings a week while our younger half-siblings are at school.

“I won’t say anything if you don’t want me to.” I lock my car as the front door opens and our sister and brother charge out of the house, making a beeline for us.

Caleb sets the gift bag on the ground to scoop our nine-year-old sister into his arms. “How’s my little principessa ?” he asks, nuzzling his nose into Rosa’s hair as she wraps her arms and legs around him.

“Hey, Joshie.” Leif winds his bony arms around my waist. “Wanna play PlayStation? I got the new Spider-Man game for my birthday.”

“You betcha, little dude. I just need to talk to Uncle Ben first.”

The kids run off to the playroom while we make our way toward the kitchen. Delicious aromas waft in the air as we walk through the house. “Fuck, I’ve missed Mom’s cooking.” Caleb runs a hand across his toned stomach. “I literally have wet dreams about her apple cake.”

“You and me both, buddy,” Leo says, chuckling as he steps out of his study on our right.

“Hey, old man.” Caleb pulls him into a brief embrace. “I think I see more gray,” he teases, squinting at Leo’s hair. It’s still dark, like our siblings, with only a few gray strands.

“Less of the old man, punk.” Leo grabs Caleb into a headlock. “Haven’t you heard fifty is the new forty?”

“I thought I heard voices.” Mom walks toward us with a wide smile, wiping her hands on the front of her apron.

“Hey, Mom.” I lean in as she clasps my face in her hands, kissing both cheeks, before yanking me into her arms.

“I’ve missed you both.” She envelops me in her warmth and the comforting smell of Chanel No. 5.

I hand her the flowers when we break apart. “From both of us.”

Tears well in her eyes. “You’re such good sons. Always so thoughtful.” She hugs me again.

“Thanks, Caleb.” She pulls him into a hug after releasing me.

“Something smells delicious,” Caleb says, readily sinking into Mom’s embrace.

“Happy birthday, Leo,” I say, clapping him on the back. I don’t give him our gift, already knowing Mom will want everyone to give him their gifts together after we’ve eaten.

“It’s good to see you, kid. I hear shit’s really hitting the fan on the streets.”

“Yeah, it’s not good, and we can’t catch a break.”

“Maybe the five of us should talk in the morning before you head back to the city.”

“It can’t hurt to discuss it.”

Leo and Alesso are part of the Mazzone famiglia —as underboss and consigliere —and not involved with the street trade. As “outsiders” they might have some suggestions we haven’t considered. “I need to talk to Ben now about something that’s cropped up. What time will he be here?” Dinner isn’t until six, and we’re early. I was figuring I could talk to Ben in the meantime about the Lavinia problem.

“I’m here,” Ben opens the door from the inside of Leo’s study, holding a tumbler of scotch in his hand.

“Can we talk?”

“Of course.”

“You need me?” Leo asks.

“Nah. This won’t take long.”

The others wander toward the kitchen while Ben and I go into the study and close the door. I quickly fill him in, and he places a call to his team immediately, requesting another look at Lavinia as well as a copy of the report on file. In less than ten minutes, my cell pings with the document. “Thanks for this.”

“Let me know if we missed something. I’ll fire whoever fucked up.”

“I could be wrong. She might just be a harmless flirt.”

He perches on the edge of the desk. “Trusting your instincts will rarely steer you wrong. If you have a sixth sense about her, I’m betting you’re right.”