Chapter Twelve
ORAZIO
––––––––
The city lights blurred past the tinted windows of the black SUV as Raz pressed on the gas in a hurry to get to the restaurant. He and Cas were already running late, considering they’d only just heard about this emergency meeting a few minutes ago.
A damn meeting that shouldn’t have been called in the first place. Whatever their uncle was planning, they knew they wouldn’t be there in time to catch the beginning of his twisted scheme. But they hoped to get there in time to end it. Both Raz and Cas’s phone rang at the same time.
“Hello,” Raz answered.
“My informant had it wrong. He just updated me. My dad isn’t meeting with the organization,” Bryce told him. “He’s holding a meeting for the Board of Cattaneo Corporation.”
Raz closed his eyes and inhaled deeply before releasing the breath slowly. Uncle. Fucking. Patrick. Instead of going through the family and proper channels, this motherfucker was going straight to the money. Control the money, control the family.
“Thanks, Bryce. We’re on our way. I’ll deal with the Board.”
“They’re only going to want to deal with uncle, the Don.”
“They’re going to deal with me today. The future Don. See you soon.”
Raz ended the call just as Cas looked his way.
“Rome wants to know how many weapons he should bring,” Cas asked.
“All of them,” Raz ordered, growing more frustrated with each second that passed.
“As many as you can,” Cas said into his phone.
“Tell Rome to hurry,” Raz said, then relayed the message Bryce had just given him. “I’m thinking uncle is going to try to get the Board to vote him in as president since father can’t be reached. We need to get there as fast as we can.”
Cas stared out the window. “Traffic is heavy our way. By the time we get there, those bitches could’ve already voted.”
“The vote won’t count,” Raz stated as he peered out the window into the night.
A dozen thoughts were racing through his mind as Cas continued talking to Rome. Raz couldn’t seem to focus on one thing. His thoughts drifted from Monique to his uncle Patrick’s sneaky ass. Back to Monique. Then to the fucking Tatums and their schemes. Monique again. Then on to his father’s manipulative ass. Then, once again, back to Monique . Raz sighed.
Because of these bitches, he’d been forced to leave Monique’s side while she was in pain. Would she think he’d abandoned her if she awakened and found him gone? Fuck . Eyes on the road, jaw clenched, Raz told himself to calm down.
“Hey!” Cas called out. “Slow down. Let’s not wreck and end up in the hospital again.”
Raz eased up on the gas. Another wreck would only help his uncle’s agenda, and that was the last thing Raz wanted to do. The stakes were already high. There was no room for errors.
“Rome said he could be at the restaurant in no time. He’s taking the back roads. He’s ordered some of his men to be stationed outside Monique, Meka, and Toya’s rooms. Two each.” Cas relayed the information to Raz.
Good . Raz could rest a little easier on that front. He still wouldn’t be able to relax completely until he was the one watching over her, protecting her. That was his job, and he didn’t like handing it off to others.
Even those he trusted. But as don, he’d have to do that a lot, place the woman he loved in the care of others while he handled business. His father’s wife spent more time with her guard than she did with his father.
Her guard was the one who accompanied her on shopping sprees or when she wanted to go on a vacation, which was rare because his father had so many enemies. But even when she was just shut up in the house, her guard was still by her side, protecting her in place of his father.
Which was why when rumors popped up that she was fucking her guard, Raz had believed them. Apparently, his father had believed them also because he’d killed that guard and replaced him with another one.
She’d probably just end up fucking this new one soon. Replacing the guard didn’t solve the root of the problem. Was that a problem Raz and Monique would face one day, too? Raz shook his head to clear it.
No . That wouldn’t happen to him and Monique. No matter how busy he was, he’d make sure she came first. Always! The main reason he was doing all of this was because of her, to protect her and their future.
“Rome says he has a shitload of weapons, just in case things get heated.”
Raz nodded. A shitload sounded like a good amount.
“Rome wants to know if you checked on dad before leaving the hospital.”
“Shit,” Raz muttered, slamming his hand against the steering wheel.
No wonder he still had an uneasy feeling. He’d forgotten to check on his father. He’d planned to see for himself that his old man was securely detained and under their protection. But then Bryce had called, and they’d rushed out to stop their uncle’s meeting.
Fuck! He couldn’t afford any mistakes, not when Uncle Patrick was hellbent on taking over as don. Yet, he’d forgotten one of the most important tasks.
“Tell Rome to send extra guards to watch over dad,” Raz ordered, his voice strained. “Just in case.”
Cas nodded, quickly relaying the message over the phone.
“Rome’s sending more guards for dad. He also says we’re running out of men to send places. Men who are loyal to us, not dad.”
“That sounds about right,” Raz muttered, eyes fixed on the road ahead, jaw clenched.
Most of their men were their father’s men also. Over the years, they’d put their own men into positions. Yet, they didn’t have more than their father. Probably not more than their uncle, either. There was no telling who Uncle Patrick had made deals with over the years.
He was a wildcard. And the only way to stay ahead of a wildcard was to get rid of it. Get rid of it? Fuck! That wasn’t something he wanted to say about a family member. Yet, that was what this situation required.
If Patrick wasn’t his uncle, he’d been gotten rid of years ago. Even so, the man was still Bryceson’s father, still Raz’s uncle, still family. Raz clenched the wheel tighter. The weight on his shoulders grew heavier with every passing second, but there was no turning back now.
This wasn’t the route they’d wanted to take. This path had been chosen for them. They’d been forced to walk this road, whether they liked it or not. They had to be careful on this road. It was paved with traps set up by their enemies.
Which was why the whole not checking on his dad before leaving the hospital had him feeling uneasy. So was not knowing how many people his uncle had on his side. Pulling out his phone, Raz scrolled until he found the number to his casino’s security team. One of his security managers, Reggie, answered the call.
“Reggie, this is Orazio. I need a security detail surrounding Luxe Bistro Royale within ten minutes. Level five. Plain clothes. Hiding in plain sight.”
“Understood, boss,” Reggie answered without hesitation. “I’ll send a team out. You good, boss?”
“For now.”
“Do we need to shut the casino down and issue an alert to other branches?”
“Business as usual for now,” Raz told him. “No alerts. But be ready for anything.”
“Got it,” Reggie replied before ending the call.
Sliding his phone back into his pocket, Raz slowed down as a car swerved into his lane. Shit. Why was there so much fucking traffic?
“Should I shoot everyone’s tires out so we can get there faster?” Cas asked.
“I wish,” Raz drawled as the car that had just swerved in front of him proceeded to continue forward at a snail’s pace. “Why the fuck did he get in the fast lane if he was going to drive this fucking slow?” Raz yelled, anger rising.
“Calm down,” Cas told him. “Save that rage for the bitches in this meeting. Do you think all the business heads showed up?”
“I don’t know. But those who did are now on my shit list. Showing up here means they’re willing to go against dad. Even though I’m pissed off at the man, them going against him is still strike one to me. Then they’re showing up to a secret meeting without trying to contact any of the don’s sons. That means they’re sneaky and willing to go behind our backs for personal gain. That’s strike two. When I get to this meeting, I’ll decide whether they get a strike three or not.”
“What happens at strike three?” Cas asked.
“Blood will be shed.” Raz looked over at his brother to find Cas smiling. “What?” Raz asked.
“Nothing,” Cas shrugged. “I’m just listening to Don Cattaneo lay down the law.”
Raz chuckled, facing the road as they approached a red light.
“You sure you don’t want to be the don?” Raz asked his brother.
“Fuck no. Just let me run the casino. Maybe get married. Have a few babies. Let them run around the casino floor and flip cards over on the Blackjack Table. Let them terrorize security and shit.”
Raz chuckled. “Your kids can’t be on the gaming floor.”
“It’s their casino. They can run wherever the fuck they want.”
“And will the mother of these wild-ass kids be a certain friend of my lady?”
Cas went silent, staring out the window. “I’m just talking shit. Can you see me married with kids?”
“Yes,” Raz told him. “And I could see me being the overprotective uncle of those kids. The one who dares security to say shit when they little asses are destroying the tables.”
“Really?”
Raz nodded.
Cas chuckled. “I’d probably be a good dad. I mean, I am good at everything I do.”
Raz shook his head as the light changed. Pressing on the gas, he sped forward, then switched lanes to get around the car that was slowing him down.
“If I...” Cas started, then paused.
Raz waited for his brother to continue. When Cas didn’t, Raz asked, “What? What’s up? What were you about to say?”
“If...” Cas paused again.
“Just spit it out. You normally say whatever is on your mind anyway. What’s up?”
“If I did what you did, and Monique got mad at me for doing it. Would you be upset?”
Raz didn’t have to ask what he was referring to. He already knew. Cas was considering kidnapping Meka and wondering if Raz would be against it. Yeah, he would be upset, but only because Monique would be mad about it. No sane man would agree to anything that would upset his woman. However, Raz wasn’t sane one hundred percent of the time.
“I know you wouldn’t hurt Meka. So, if you took her on a short vacation to woo her, I’d pretend I was mad in front of Monique. I’d pretend to do everything I could to get you back. I’d curse you out on the phone. But in reality, I’d be rooting for you. And as long as you win her heart and don’t mistreat her, Monique shouldn’t hate you too much when you return with her friend.”
“I’m not saying I would do that. I’m just speaking hypothetically. I’m not into that kidnapping shit like you and Bryce.”
“Riiight!” Raz drawled as he merged onto the exit that would take him to the restaurant. A few minutes later, Luxe Bistro Royale loomed in front of them. “You sure you’re okay with seeing them?” Raz asked as he slowed the car to a crawl outside Luxe Bistro Royale.
“Seeing who?”
"The Tatums. It could just be Mr. Tatum present. But there’s a chance his wife and daughter are here also.”
Cas was quiet for a while. Finally, he asked, “If Mr. Tatum says some stupid shit, I can kill him, right?”
“On sight,” Raz told him.
Cas nodded. “Then yeah, I’m okay with seeing them.” Cas’s phone chimed. He checked the message and told Raz, “Rome, Bryce, and Leo are in the parking lot.”
“Good,” Raz muttered as he drove around the parking lot. His eyes narrowed, searching for any sign of his crew.
“Over there,” Cas announced, pointing to the vehicles parked near some trees on the back side of the restaurant.
As they pulled up beside them, the tension in Raz’s muscles tightened, preparing for the confrontation ahead. Once they entered the restaurant, there would be no going back.
“Let’s not waste any more time,” Raz ordered after parking. He and Cas stepped out of the car. Raz noticed Cas was no longer limping as they approached Rome, Bryce, and Leo.
“Everything in place?” Raz asked Rome.
Rome nodded, lifting the hood of his trunk to reveal enough weapons to level the entire building. Raz looked over his shoulder at Bryce.
“Things could go south fast,” Raz told his cousin. “Your father...”
“Will get what he deserves,” Bryce told him. “He stopped being my father a long time ago.”
“Will your mom hate us when this is over?” Raz asked.
“My mom acts like you all are her sons half the time, so no. Plus, with as much as he cheats on my mother, I’m sure she won’t miss him if he... disappears. Hell, I’m surprised she hasn’t offed him yet.”
“Yeah, but he’s still your father,” Raz pointed out.
“He left me for dead once, Raz. I won’t even get into the shit he just did with the Farrina family that pissed me the fuck off. Trust me, I’m okay with whatever his fate ends up being. Plus, it’s time for me to start my own family. A family I need to protect from Patrick Cattaneo.”
Raz could understand that logic. Sometimes, you had to protect the family you cherished from the family who didn’t cherish you.
With a nod, Raz said, “Load up. Silencers on.”
Raz reached for a Glock, fingers curling around the cold weapon as he attached a silencer. Cas followed suit. Once everyone was ready, they made their way toward the restaurant’s entrance.
As they walked, Raz’s mind raced with possibilities, ways things could go bad, and shit they needed to be on the lookout for. He was sure the Tatums had cameras everywhere and had already seen them approaching, so the element of surprise was out.
“By the way,” Rome said from his left. “Once I was within range of their Wi-Fi, I hacked into their cameras. Their web security sucks. Their cams will be playing on a loop for the next hour. So, no one knows we’re coming.”
Raz clapped his brother on the shoulder. “You think of everything, brother. That’s precisely why the DeLucas tried to keep you in Italy for such a long time.”
“That isn’t the reason I stayed for so long,” Rome muttered.
“What was the reason?”
Rome chuckled but remained silent. There was something his brother wasn’t telling him. Was there a woman waiting for Rome in Italy? Raz would find out, just not now. Raz faced forward.
It was time to confront the truth, no matter how ugly or dangerous it might be. As they neared the entrance, his gaze flicked over the two men standing next to a red car. Staff from his hotel security team were in place.
He exchanged a brief nod with his undercover security officers before leading his crew through the restaurant’s entrance. They approached the podium, where a dark-haired young man stood smiling. The man appeared to be in his early twenties. His smile wavered as he took in Raz and his crew.
“R-Reservation?” the host stuttered.
Raz scanned the nearly empty room, noting the four shady-looking characters sitting at tables. Two were seated on the left side of the restaurant and two on the right. None of them were real customers. There was no food or drinks on their tables.
Plus, their whole vibe screamed that they were guards. All of them being dressed in black didn’t help them blend in at all. And the one with the scar across his cheek looked ready for action. Raz returned his focus to the nervous host.
“I’m here for a meeting,” Raz said curtly.
“Did you reserve a room, sir?” the host managed, his fingers fidgeting with the pen in his hand. “If you didn’t, I’ll have to ask you to leave and...”
“Listen,” Raz growled, his patience wearing thin. “If you don’t tell me what room Patrick Cattaneo is in, I’ll put a bullet in your head.”
The color drained from the host’s face as he swallowed hard, his gaze darting to the left. Raz followed his line of sight, taking in the closed door to one of the private dining rooms.
“You just saved your own life,” Raz told the host before motioning for his team to follow him. They hadn’t even taken one step forward when one of the men at the tables stood up, his eyes narrowing at Raz and his crew.
“Nice of you to join us. You must be Orazio Cattaneo,” the man with the scar on his cheek sneered, his hand hovering near his waistband.
They didn’t have time for this shit.
“You should have a seat before I sit you down,” Raz warned.
The guard smiled, then stepped away from the table, his intention clear. This man was here to keep them from going to the back room. Raz didn’t have the time or patience for a confrontation. With quickness no one expected, Raz pulled his weapon and fired. Headshot .
The silencer muffled the sound but not the impact. The guard stuttered back, shock painted across his face, before collapsing onto the seat he’d just vacated, knocking it over and hitting the ground hard.
The server cried out as the three other men seated around the restaurant stood up, reaching for their weapons. They were too slow. Shots rang out as the crew behind him sat those men back down. No one had told their bitch asses to stand up in the first place.
Raz stepped closer to the trembling host and told him, “Now, are you ready to escort me to the room Patrick Cattaneo is in? Or do we need to kill more people?”
The server nodded and stuttered, “R-right this way, sir.”
Raz and his crew followed the young man. They hadn’t even entered the meeting room yet, and already they’d had to drop some bodies. Raz had a feeling this was just the beginning of the bloodshed.