Chapter 17
Santino
“Hola, Santino,”
Javier greets, coming out of the shadows in the warehouse beside the Red Hook Terminal. After the shipping containers come in to port, they’re unloaded onto my trucks and brought here before transport.
“Good evening, Javier.”
“So, why did we have to meet? Is there a problem?”
“No, no problem. I have a deal to offer you.”
He tilts his head, skepticism written all over his face. “A deal?”
“Yes. I brought my new business partner with me to lay this out for you.”
“Who?”
he snaps, just as Leo walks through the door to join us. Javi reaches for his pistol, but I hold my hand up.
“This isn’t an ambush, Javi. I just wanted to warn you before I introduced you two. Javier, this is Leo Carfano. Leo, this is Javier Cardenas.”
“Leo Carfano,”
Javi says. “I’ve heard of you. It’s impossible not to in this city.”
Leo flashes him a wolfish grin that’s anything but friendly. “Good to hear. Now, would you like to hear about our deal? We’re both busy men who don’t like to waste time with small talk, aren’t we?”
“Sí, you’re correct.”
“Let’s sit.”
Leo extends his arm to the office in the corner of the warehouse, and we all take a seat around the table.
Outside, are twenty armed men, waiting and ready to take out every cartel member present if Leo gives them his signal. He has men hiding in the rafters of the warehouse with rifles for just that purpose, and have been in place for hours.
Javi doesn’t like to have a heavily manned security system method because he thinks it looks like he has something of importance in the warehouse and it will draw too much attention. Instead, he relies on cameras, which Leo’s cousin, Stefano, was able to hack so the men could get in and in place without being detected.
One thing I can commend Leo for is his thoroughness when planning any type of meeting. He doesn’t take anything for granted and risks no one’s safety. He has all angles and scenarios covered in the event things go sideways, and I can honestly say I learned a few things from planning this meeting with him.
“Let me preface this meeting by saying that Santino has married into my family this past weekend,”
Leo states. “With that being said, we are in the process of merging our families and our respected businesses together. My family does not touch the drug business. We never have and we never will. So, Santino’s connection to you was something I needed to take care of if him and I were going to move forward with our plans.”
“Are you trying to fire me, Mr. Carfano?”
Javi asks.
“Not at all. I am proposing to hand the transporting portion of your operation over to the Melcciona family. We’ve already met with them and they’ve agreed.”
“And you expect me to trust some new family with my product because you say so? You’ve already revealed my operation to the Carfanos and the Melccionas, Santino. Do you think that was wise?”
his voice takes on a deadly tone.
“My word is good, as you should already know,”
Leo tells him, ignoring the last statement directed towards me. “But to ease your doubts, I also have a signed agreement from them that mirrors your one with the Antonuccis. With an exception.” Leo pulls out the envelope from his inner suit jacket pocket and hands it to Javier. “They’ve agreed to a five percent cut in what you’re currently paying the Antonuccis for the same job.”
“Well now, that’s interesting.”
“I thought it would be.”
“Santino, what do you make of this deal? We’ve worked together for years. Leo says he doesn’t like the drug business, but we’ve never had an issue. Money is money, is it not?”
“Like Leo said, I got married last weekend. She’s a Carfano, and as such, we will now be merging our family businesses. I respect Leo’s wishes to not touch the drug game, and it was my father who made the deal with you, not me. If you are willing, the Melccionas are available to meet with you whenever you are.”
“And do they have an ulterior motive?”
“They want this deal. They know the drug business. The Jamaicans are encroaching on their territory and they need to get ahead again. They don’t want to steal anything out from under you or push you out from selling in their area.”
“Ah, so they have good motivation to remain loyal.”
“They do.”
“Alright, I agree to meet with them. We have a shipment that needs moving next week as you know, but I will not trust someone new on short notice to handle it. Alone, that is. If they pass the test, then I will meet with their boss.”
“What test?” Leo asks.
“I want men from the Melcciano family to ride along with you to show them how it’s done. If they handle it well, then we can talk. But,”
he emphasizes, holding up a finger, “if they get in the way, or it seems anything is going to go south, then you kill them, or I kill all of you. Entiendes?”
“Understood.”
“Bueno. Then we’ll talk again next week. I’ll be here when you come to pick it up.”
“You want me here to supervise?”
I ask him.
“No, I want you in one of the trucks.”
“I don’t go on runs, Javi,”
I inform him coldly.
“But you have,”
he points out.
“That was years ago when I had to prove myself to my father.”
His dark eyes are cold and calculating. “And now you have to prove yourself to me. I don’t like change, Santino, and you’ve sprung a big change on me here. If you want me to trust the Melccionas, then you need to show me that you do.”
I clench my jaw, keeping my temper from flaring. “If that’s an assurance you need so this transfer can happen, then fine, I’ll drive one of the trucks. However,”
I add, seeing Javi ready to speak, “this will be the only time and this will be the only test of trust you’re going to get from me.”
Javi cracks a grin that’s anything but friendly. “I see marrying into the Carfano family has given you a reinforced set of balls and a shield to hide behind.”
“I don’t need anyone or anything to hide behind, Javier,”
I almost growl out, but hold back my anger. Fucking prick. If I could get away with putting a bullet between his eyes and not have to worry about the cartel hunting me down for revenge, then I would. But I’m not putting my family, or Mia, in danger like that.
Leo clears his throat and I know it’s a message to get me to control myself.
I clench and unclench my fists under the table, needing a way to release the anger building up in me.
I hate this.
I hate having to walk on eggshells around Javi so I don’t piss him off and get killed. I hate playing second in command to Leo since he holds more power and respect in this city than I do. I hate that I have to go on a fucking run now when that’s the last fucking thing I want to do. I’m the goddamn head of the family and I’m being made to do a foot soldier’s job just to prove something to this asshole.
“If there’s nothing else to discuss tonight,”
Leo says, “then we’ll talk again after the shipments make it to their destinations.” We all stand and shake hands. “Until next week.”
Leo and I walk out of there and into our respective waiting SUVs, and I get a text from him straight away.
Leo: Tell your driver to head to Giorgio’s and have your brothers meet us there.
Me: Okay.
I text my brothers and then sit back and close my eyes as Vince starts driving, my thoughts going straight to Mia. We’re still not talking, and I don’t know how to start again.
She hasn’t left me any notes. She hasn’t texted me. She hasn’t uttered a single word to me.
To be fair, I’ve been coming home after she’s already gone to sleep and leaving before she wakes up, but that’s because I’m trying to be good. I’m trying to give her space. I’m trying to not push her too hard, too soon.
At least, that’s what I want to believe I’m doing.