Chapter 18 #2
Tommaso growls. “We need to get this under control now before we have an all-out war,” he insists. “I have some underground intel that can give me the scoop on the Bianchis.”
Carmine nods. “Yes, I agree. We need to find out just how deeply they have infiltrated, if they have. Some of our newer guards might not be completely on our side. But I don’t want you getting involved right now, Tommy.”
Tommy nearly sputters. “What?”
“You’ll just go in way too hot, we need someone who can keep a cool head,” Carmine insists.
“This is bullshit,” Tommaso points a finger. “There’s no one here who can get the job done better than me.”
“That might be so, but I need you here keeping your head on your shoulders and not getting blown up by the Bianchi family before we even know what they’re really up to.”
“Edwardo can tell us what they’re really up to,” Tommy says and walks around the table. “If he wants to fucking live.” He launches himself toward the older man but Carmine and Soren grab ahold of his shoulders and stop him before he can completely tackle the man.
“Get a hold of yourself!” Carmine snarls. “This is why you’re not going in first. You can’t even take orders from me, much less be trusted to be out in the field right now.”
“Fuck you,” Tommy spits and takes several steps back. “Whatever. Fine. I can get intel without running it through your precious system.”
“I don’t want you getting yourself involved yet,” Carmine repeats himself. “You’re staying here and cooling off, got it?”
“I might have to stay here, but I’m not staying in here with all of you fuckers,” Tommy growls and stomps out of the room.
“God, he’s like a toddler,” I mumble under my breath. “But he’s not wrong. He would be the best for the job, even if he might risk losing his head.”
Carmine ignores me. It makes me set my jaw and decide not to say anything else, if he wants to play the game his way, then fine. We will.
“Right now, I want Damian and a few other guys, Phillip and Margo, on intel,” he explains.
“I don’t want any arguments. We’ve had half a dozen walk out on us after the news of me taking over the Fiorellis as leader, I don’t need anyone else digging their heels in or making it any more difficult than it already is. ”
Damian nods. “You can count on me, just point me in the direction you want me to go.”
“Good. I want you to check in on their strip of businesses first.” Carmine adjusts his suit jacket.
“Tiberi and Cassian, I want you to dig up all of the info on the Bianchi we have in the files. Alessio, all I want you to do right now is not get in Damian’s way.
I don’t care what the two of you have going on; don’t let it keep either of you from doing your jobs. ”
I nod stiffly.
We’re dismissed just like that, while Carmine and Soren stay in the boardroom talking to Edwardo.
I follow Damian out of the room and down the hallway.
“I need to make a call before I head out,” he tells me.
I raise a brow. “Your cousin?” I ask him.
He nods. “She needs to know what’s going on, or at least…that I won’t be around anytime soon.”
“Alright. I’ll be here. You’d better say goodbye before you leave,” I remind him.
He smirks at me. “You know, I might start to think you’re obsessed with me.”
I roll my eyes. “Maybe just a little, Mr. Rossi.”
“Ohh, well, Mr. Dresvanni, I’ll be right back. I swear.” He gives me a little wink and then disappears into the living room. I can hear when he’s finally on the phone. Just the sound of his voice.
I lean against the wall near the entry way, and admittedly, I’m actively trying to listen in. Not because I don’t trust him, but because I want to know more about him. About his family, about how he interacts with one of the only members of his family he talks to.
“No, I’m not going to be there for a while,” he says into the phone. There’s a short pause. “No, it’s…well, it’s not about a woman.”
I smile to myself crookedly as I listen.
“It’s about a man. A man and his family.”
My eyes shift to the side as Cassian walks by me.
“Where’s Nikolas and Beau?” he asks.
“Upstairs I think, settling in,” I reply.
He nods. “I’m going to go check on them. I’m the youngest, besides them. I think it’ll be good to let them know they can talk to me. Someone around here needs to be willing to talk about their feelings,” he murmurs the last part.
“Be my guest,” I motion towards the end of the hallway and the stairs.
Cassian disappears up the stairs, and I tilt my head to the side, listening in once again.
“I’m safe, I promise. Safer than I’ve ever been on any other job at least,” Damian is telling his cousin. “There’s work for me to do here, and I want to be here. I promise I’ll visit as soon as I can.”
My brow knits. I wonder what it’s like to have no family you can turn to about this life. To be part of all this but not truly part of a family. Until now anyway.
A second later, I hear him say goodbye. I push off the wall and turn to walk into the family room where Damian is putting his phone into his pocket.
“A man and his family, huh?” I ask him quietly.
He gives me a suspicious look. “You were eavesdropping, weren’t you?”
“How could I not?” I ask him. “I needed to know.”
“If I was really calling my cousin?” he asks, as if I don’t trust him.
I scoff. “No, you ass,” I mumble. “If you would mention me.”
He blinks at me. “Oh. Well, I guess I sorta did.”
“You did,” I say as I step closer to him.
Damian steps closer to me and leans up toward me. “I guess I have to get going now. Work to do. Sons of bitches to spy on.”
“Hmm, that’s too bad. I was going to invite you up to my room,” I tease him as I brush my fingers along the front of his shirt.
I can feel his heart beat faster in his chest.
“Maybe later,” Damian replies.
I click my tongue. “Don’t make promises unless you can keep them.”
“Mr. Rossi, get going. Phillip and Margo are waiting,” Carmine’s voice comes from the doorway.
“Yes, Sir,” Damian replies.
Even though he’s speaking to my brother, the sound of those words makes me tingle from my head to my toes.
“Hmm, save some of that for later, will you?” I ask him in a whisper.
He smirks at me in return. “Will do.”
I lean down and press my lips to his firmly. He kisses me back ardently, and pulls me just a little bit closer. It only lasts a second though, before we part, and I look into his eyes.
“Come back in one piece,” I order him.
Damian nods. “For you, anything.”
He moves away from me, and leaves the room. Just like that, I watch the man I love head off to fight for my family. Our family.
A family that will live on for generations.