Chapter 13
Castor
It’s a rainy day as I head to upstate New York, to the facility holding a mafia legend behind bars. There’s a few things to know. Don Shadow, Martino Rigiano’s father, is my ticket into this Russian bathhouse. We used to all be at odds, until my boss, Donny – the Stallion – Valentino made amends with the Rigianos after killing that prick, Martino. Now all’s hunky-dory between them, and they kind of rule together – one from a fucking jail cell, one from his ivory tower.
All this should be the number one priority since it’s about to double my whole crew’s income, but still, Gia consumes me.
I check my phone every few minutes, feeling the pain that she’s pulling back too.
Time apart was supposed to make our ties less powerful. Turns out it’s all working against me. I miss her that much more every day that passes and I can’t wrap her in my arms, inhaling that intoxicating scent of hers. Moreover, I feel like I’m betraying her daily by acting more and more aloof.
Even if we’re not technically exclusive, I haven’t so much as looked at another girl that way in weeks, which is a record for me. To top it off, ever since Marco called me out on it, more of the guys are noticing.
I pull up to the high-security prison of beige walls and barred windows. The sniper nests looming above me are cause for concern. They’re my enemies after all – the feds. But Don Stallion leaning on his SUV up ahead makes me wonder if even the prison is on his side. Hell, he’s got half the state under his thumb at this point.
He’s a mountain of muscle, like me. I always wondered who’d win in a fist-to-fist brawl. Probably me, since I’m always rolling around with ten golden weapons on my fingers. Ha. We get along well, actually. I stuff his pockets, he watches my back. It’s been our code since we were young… when the Valentino name was shit on the streets.
Now we’re gods.
I park next to him, get out, and give him a proper double-kiss. “Good to see you, Donny.”
“Quite the operation you’re poaching for.” He smirks at me, though his dark hair and silver eyes have hardened further since he took up the role of his late father. “You’re going to help me take over the world, aren’t you, Bull?”
“That’s the plan. Shall we?” I motion for him to lead the way.
As we strut into the visitor’s center – two Italian enforcers who should be in chains – he turns to me.
“Listen up. It took a lot to bring the old man to my side. He’s sharp as a whip and wields more power than anyone gives him credit for. Stay true. Stay straight. And whatever you do, don’t fucking insult the Rigianos.”
“I’m not Marco, Donny.”
He laughs low at that and drops a hand on my shoulder. “And we thank you every day for that. It’s not only him, though.” Donny buttons his blazer. “Tensions rise and fall between our families. I’m the fucking equalizer.”
“I don’t envy you.”
We both sign in and wait not even twenty seconds before we’re escorted to a private room. The detector we walk through beeps for all of our jewelry and cell phones, but the security guard just eyes us and waves us on.
“Such service.”
“We’re everywhere.” Donny winks, pulling out a chair for me to sit next to him. “Remember, Castor, he’s from a different time.”
Him using my real name gives me a chill. As kids, we never had the pleasure of the Rigiano’s high-table. This moment brings me back. A younger me would’ve been shitting my pants right about now. I’d be excited to share it with Marco, too. Back then, when the guy wasn’t high out of his mind, we’d start small with collections at the underground casinos. Low-level stuff. Sending a couple of teenagers into a mid-level poker game got our beaks wet, and I was the one who had to be held back. I remember when Marco had one of my arms while Donny had the other. Voices of reason.
My how times change.
Still though, the moment weighs.
The two giant officers unlatch a cement door, appearing more as bodyguards than wardens. Maybe it’s just Ronny Shadow’s confidence, but when he moves, everyone watches. Thick glasses, strong forearms, silver slicked-back hair. A man to be admired in my line of work.
I stand up to greet him. “It’s an honor, sir.”
The security officers wait at the gate and leave Ronny to his own devices, chains rattling around his boots. He eyes me up and down with a defiant frown, making me sweat inside my suit. But who am I fucking kidding? I don’t need him. His family needs me.
He grabs my hand before I decide to pull it back and kisses me once on the cheek. “I hear good things.” He let’s go, giving me permission to sit. “Donny, the good son.” He winks at him while taking his own.
“Ellie says hello.” Donny winks back.
“I’ll bet she’s furious that this one’s a boy’s club.” Ronny cackles.
“She’ll get her revenge, I’m sure.”
They’re talking about Shadow’s daughter, Donny’s wife. Her clout grew tremendously after Donny became boss. Truth be told, she’s smart too. Ronny’s right to be proud.
“So.” Ronny slaps the table, leaning back. “What is this top-secret meeting about?”
Donny nods at me to begin.
“Speak freely?” I ask.
Ronny’s lips crack into a devious smile. He peers over his shoulder at the officers. “Twisted a man’s neck all the way around once. Buried him in the foundation of the corner house on Epson and Orono, Little Lake.”
I clench my jaw. The balls on this man.
The two officers break into a low chuckle, shaking their heads.
Ronny turns back to me. “Free to speak, son.”
“Yuri Patrovski. Mega-dealer of arms, commodities, and—”
Ronny cackles in between. “I know the Russki. My son took it upon himself to hit one of his brothers. We’ll never see eye-to-eye again ’cause of that, unfortunately.”
“He said as much. But, what if…” I lean closer, “we can make it appear that my crew is at odds with the Rigianos. There are some stray members of your son’s old crew that got absorbed into others’.”
“Who are now protected,” Shadow growls.
“I’m not suggesting anything be done—”
“You better not, you flashy Aryan-looking fuck.” His temper is getting the better of him, but I refuse to back down.
“Stage a murder, have the guy lay low on graveyard shifts.”
Ronny leans back in his chair, looking at Donny like he brought a fucking idiot to come see him. “What are we, CSI? We playing house, Donny boy? What the fuck kind of operation does this kid think we’re running?”
Donny doesn’t flinch for either of us. Instead, he lets it keep going.
“Don Shadow, with respect—”
“No, you listen here. You stage a murder, you’ll get found out. Patrovski has eyes and ears everywhere. He’s a premier fucking mobster, like us. Underestimating his intelligence, both literally and tactically, will be your undoing, kid.”
Now I lean back in the chair. He hasn’t heard what’s on the table yet. Maybe this will change his tune. “If Patrovski’s channels reopen, we have the bulk to move seventeen large per quarter, profit. That’s one-point-two big ones – seven percent – to the Rigianos, just for… playing house.”
He shuts the fuck up real quick.
Donny finally raises his eyebrows at his father-in-law.
Shadow eyes me with a serious expression, testing whether I’d fold under the pressure of two dons.
I don’t. I’m a better earner than both of them. I know it. They know it. But we can’t live without each other, now can we?
Shadow’s smirk reforms in the corner of his mouth and he starts pointing his finger at me a little too much like Robert De Niro. “You got me interested, Flash. Keep talking.”
I thought so.
“Salty Dom from Martino’s old crew – he just fucked up a simple collection that got two call-girls killed and nearly started a war with the Albanians. He’s ripe for a faux hit, and has been nothing but trouble for the family. Throw him in a basement somewhere for a few months, give him some lavish TV-dinners, and let me make you both some fucking money.”
Shadow’s mouth twitches as he considers my ask. He looks to Donny more than once. “This guy the real deal?”
Donny nods slowly, keeping quiet.
“Your father, Dario DeMatteo.”
“What about him?” I tense. He better not be testing me over my late old man.
“He was straight as an arrow, if memory serves me right. Liked to frequent one of my restaurants – Apachi’s. Was approached more than once to lend his construction services to the family. Always declined, asking if he could be left to eat with his family in peace, no disrespect,” Shadow says, and I know where he’s going. “How did the apple fall so far from the tree?”
“My father was a good man.” I shift in my seat.
Shadow puckers his lips. “No one’s saying otherwise—”
“However. I was born with a fire in me. He wasn’t.”
Shadow nods slowly. “I see.”
Another glance exchanged between the dons.
“Alright, Castor. I’ll give you Salty. But you better deliver.”
“So we’ll lock him up, then?” I ask.
Shadow shakes his head and makes a finger gun. “The kid has been a thorn in my side for years now. You just gave me an excuse to lay ’em to rest. We’ll do it, on the Rigiano side. My son-in-law will inform you when the job’s done. My side will be instructed never to utter a word, and I have just the man who can carry out the deed quietly. Then, when all is settled,you proceed with your plan.”
“Who you thinking?” Donny speaks up.
“My nephew,” Shadow says. “It’s about time we buried the hatchet.”
Donny laughs at that. “The Hook? Good luck. That man’s a ghost after the Don Carlo hit. Besides, he knows you’ve been trying to kill him for the better part of a decade.”
“For good reason.” Shadow bares his teeth. “That kid made me look a fool who couldn’t rein in his own blood. But that’s before I was stuck in a jumpsuit. Bring him out of retirement for me, will you? Give him a big one to entice. Hell, I’ll be able to afford it after Goldilocks over here reopens his channels, isn’t that right?”
I reach over the table with my hand out.
Shadow takes his time, but hearing his chains rattle under the table makes me smirk. I’m shaking hands with the head of the Rigiano family… something Marco and I would never have imagined in our crazier days. “I’d have my men over there crack open a bottle of champagne, but that’s bad luck before a job’s done.”
“Next time, then.”
Bzzt. My phone vibrates, but I ignore it. That’d be bad fucking manners in the middle of a meeting of this caliber.
“So tell me, Donny. How’s my daughter? You treating her well?” Shadow relaxes now that business talk is over.
Bzzt. Bzzt. My phone goes off again, so I take the intermission as an opportunity to sneak a peek.
Unknown number: Castor, it’s me… I don’t know what to do. I think I’m far away enough now that I’m not being followed, but this man assaulted me on my way to my car last week…
A drawing of one ugly motherfucker is sent over next, and heat starts pooling in my chest. It’s so rampant and consuming that I barely hear the conversation taking place right in front of me.
Gia: He said he’d kill me if I told anyone. I’m supposed to be your collateral for some ‘Patrovski.’ He sounded Russian. I’m sorry, I know you’re done with me or whatever, but I don’t know who else to turn to. And if I told Marco I was collateral… he’d know something happened between us.
My throat tightens. I’m gripping the screen of my phone so hard it’s turning colors.
“Bullion. Hey, Bull.” Donny puts an arm over my shoulder. “You alright?”
“Y—yeah. Just logistics,” I lie.
“This generation and their fucking gadgets,” Shadow snarls. “Next time I’m going to have security confiscate it.”
“Hey, hey. You like getting paid, right?” I hit back, joking. “This is the money maker.”
“It’s supposed to be this, kid.” Shadow points to his head.
My thoughts run a thousand miles a minute. I don’t have time for this useless banter. I don’t care about status, or dons, or kings right now. Gia’s in danger. And I’m the cause.
What’s worse, she thinks I’m done with her. How cold have I been to her trying to remove suspicion? Every part of my body is firing to get out of here. Excusing myself in the presence of two dons is not something either of them will take lightly.
I’ll just make it about the job. It’s technically not a lie, since the Russians over-fucking-stepped. “Duty calls, gentlemen.” I hold my phone up, not giving them the chance to be disgusted. “It’s him. Patrovski. Wish me luck.” I kiss Donny on the cheek, then step around the table to give Shadow the respectful moment an old legend deserves. “You won’t regret trusting in me, Shadow. I’m here to strengthen our alliance.” A double-kiss seals the deal, and I hear him saying ‘good kid’ to Donny on my way out.
Now I don’t have to hide my anger. My fists are clenched to the point my rings cut into my fingers.
Don’t fucking move, Gia.
I’m coming.