Chapter 7 #2
“I don’t expect you to understand everything, but I need you to know that what happened to you tonight was my fault. I failed to keep you safe, but that won’t ever happen again. I won’t let it.”
“I’m sorry about what happened at the cabin.”
“I am too.” I clasped the bracelet around her wrist. “This is more than a piece of jewelry.”
“What do you mean?”
“I had a device put in it so that I would know where you are.”
“That’s why you said you’ll always be with me.” She rested her palm on my cheek. “That’s how you found me at the cabin.”
“I won’t apologize for doing what I have to do. If you want to understand who I am, you have to accept that I have my reasons for everything I do.”
“You don’t have to apologize for wanting to protect me.” She touched the bracelet. “I’ll never take it off.”
“Thank you. That gives me some sense of peace.” I tilted her chin and placed a tender kiss on her swollen lip. “I can’t keep my father waiting any longer.”
“Can you promise me something?”
“Anything.”
“Come home to me.”
“Always.”
Lucas met me at the entrance of the dealership once I stepped out of the car. If he was waiting for me, that meant my father’s patience had run out. I couldn’t exactly tell them I was having sex with Sable when he was looking for me.
But something told me he knew.
“They’re in the conference room,” Lucas said. “Waiting for you.”
“They?” I headed down the corridor and to the private meeting area. The one we reserved for dealings that didn’t have to do with the car business.
“Your father is with Medina and two representatives from Boston and Philadelphia.”
“Who is there on my dad’s behalf?” I hurried down the hall. “I should have been here.”
“Juan sent a few men,” he said. “But it would be best if you and your brother were by his side whenever possible. You have to show that you are strong, and the best way to do that is to stand together.”
“I’m working on getting Chello home.”
“But while Marchello isn’t here the responsibility to be your father’s second falls on you.”
“I’m not arguing that point.” I took a breath, straightened my tie, and entered the room.
Lucas followed me in and shut the door. Several members of the Boston and Philly organizations were seated at the long conference table. My father sat at the head as Juan’s men stood behind him. The chairs on either side of my father were empty. They were reserved for Marchello and I. The Trinity.
“How nice of you to join us, Milo,” Medina said as I took my seat to the left of my father. “You’ve wasted our time.”
“Maybe he would have been here had you not gone after Sable,” my dad said. “A move I’m not going to forget.”
“I didn’t ask Bello to hurt Sable. I just wanted to relay a message.” Medina spoke to his associates. “It was an unfortunate mistake.”
“A mistake that I won’t forget,” I said. “Next time, come to me like a fucking man.”
“You only have yourself to blame for Bello going rogue.” Medina tapped his hand on the freshly polished table. “You did drive a knife through his hand in front of a room full of influential men and made him look weak.”
“Because he is weak. He hit a woman.” I pointed at him. “My woman.”
“As I said, he did that on his own.”
“That’s not going unanswered.” I glanced at the representatives from the other cities. “I don’t care who sits beside you.”
My father leaned back in his chair, giving me the opportunity to control the vibe in the room. We had to get Philly and Boston on our side if we were going to shut this sex trafficking ring down once and for all.
“Bello is useful to me,” Medina said. “You can’t eliminate him. I’m not going to allow it.”
“I don’t take orders from you.”
“No.” Medina curved his lips into a smug smirk. “But you do take them from him.” He nodded at my dad. “I’m pretty certain Nico Accetti will be inclined to see things my way once he knows what I have.”
“Now who is wasting our time?” I asked.
“I have proof of Danny Collins’ whereabouts the night he went missing.” He leaned forward, resting his hands on the table. “I’m big on keeping insurance policies, because you never know when they’ll be useful.”
Shit.
“We all know Marchello will not let Lissia go down for what happened in that villa that night.”
“State your demands.” My father’s calm and steady voice unnerved me.
“Bello will not be harmed or eliminated, because if he is, I will release the information on Collins’ murder to the Feds. You know as well as I do, they will take anything I have on you and your family, including your impulsive daughter-in-law. She is, after all, a Gallanti.”
Fury churned in my stomach, kicking up enough rage to make me leap across this table and kill Medina with my bare hands.
A move my father would never make because he had too much control.
Impulsive urges weren't in his nature, especially not in front of an enemy.
He expected Marchello and I to follow his example.
“I’ve tried to work with you,” Medina said. “But now you’re going to get out of my way and let me use your ports to move my merchandise.”
“You’re talking about human beings,” I shouted. “What is wrong with you?” I scowled at the other men at the table. “How can you align yourself with this garbage?”
“You Accetti men are laughable.” Medina shook his head. “You’re no better than I am. I offered you a piece of the action and you spit in my face, so now you will look the other way while I run my business through the city.”
“I’ll kill you myself.” When I jumped out of my chair, my father turned and glared at me, shutting me down before I could escalate the situation.
“I’ll take the meeting," my dad said. “I’m not making any promises, but there may be room for compromise.”
“That’s all I want.” Medina stood. “I’m confident we can arrive at a solution that benefits all of us and no one will have to pay the price.”
The representatives from the other cities stood and followed Medina toward the exit. Juan’s men stayed behind, probably waiting for further instructions from my father.
“Remember,” Medina said as Lucas opened the door. “Bello is untouchable.”
“No harm will come to him at the Accettis’ hands as long as he doesn’t come for Sable again.” My dad got up from his chair. “That’s the best I can do.”
“As long as you don’t escalate things further, I’ll have no reason to relay messages through Sable.”
I clenched my fists when Medina said her name. I may not have been able to eliminate him now, but there would come a day when I could, and I would make him suffer.
“Lucas will see you to your cars.” My father nodded at the two cartel members Juan had sent. “Leave us. I’ll speak with you when I’m finished here.”
Neither my father nor I spoke until we were alone. Once the door shut, I couldn’t hold back my fury.
“Are you kidding me? I can’t touch Bello?” I leapt out of my chair, knocking it over when I stood. “You didn’t see Sable. That piece of shit hit her in her face.”
“I’m sorry that happened to her,” he said. “But until I can figure out how to keep my son and his wife safe, I have no choice but to appear that I’m giving in to Medina’s demands.”
“Do you have any idea what it’s like to not be able to keep the woman who trusts you more than anything or anyone safe?”
“What?” His eyes narrowed as he came toward me. “Are you serious? You dare ask me that question?”
“Dad, I didn’t mean…” What the hell is wrong with me? “It’s just that I…”
“The woman I loved more than anything in this world, the mother of my children, who happened to be pregnant with another of my heirs, was blown to pieces in my fucking driveway, so yes, I do know what that’s like. I hope to God, better than you’ll ever know.”
“I’m sorry.” My frustration got the better of me.
“I’m not only protecting Marchello and Lissia, but I’m keeping you safe too, because if Medina knows that Lissia was the one who killed Collins, he knows that you cleaned it up.
I will not jeopardize either of my children.
Do you understand that I won’t lose one more person I love because of who I am and what I do? ”
“Marchello and I chose to follow you into this life,” I said. “You have done everything you can to teach us how to manage it.”
“It’s still my job as your father to make sure you come home every night.”
“We can’t allow Medina to traffic through our territory.” We may have crossed the gray line on more than one occasion, but everyone had their limits. “Who is he to come here and make those demands?”
“He’ll be stopped.” He placed his hand on my shoulder. “You have to get that rage in check. That isn’t who you are. You know better than to let people see what you’re really thinking. You can’t show any cracks in your armor. Never give the enemy the upper-hand.”
“I’ve never had a weak spot before.”
“Women have a way of making us vulnerable.”
No one knew that better than my father, but I had to make sure Sable didn’t pay the price for the sins of my family.