Chapter 4
“How’s the Atlantic City location going?” Antonio asks.
“Growing,” I reply, sitting across from him and Damien at the boardroom table at Lucky Kings Casino.
Antonio is the boss of the Lombardi Mafia family. For generations, my family has worked for them. My grandfather and father were both underbosses. Now, my brother, Damien, holds that position.
To cover their dirty-money trails and show legal wages on paper, the Lombardis started Lucky Kings. For the most part, it’s run as a legit business, but we just also perform illegal dealings through it. Consider it a side gig.
After his father’s death, Antonio gave Damien half the casino.
Six months ago, I offered them a business proposal to open a second Lucky Kings location.
I told them I’d fund the business and obviously provide them a cut.
Being a competitor wasn’t an option. Another business tried that, and people died on both sides.
We blew up all their construction locations.
They killed my family.
Damien and I became the only remaining Bellinis on our family tree.
We buried all the others.
We added one more recently—Damien’s little girl, Alessia.
I can never leave the Mafia world, but I wanted something for myself, something that was mine. I’m not a man who enjoys working with others.
It was a no-brainer for Antonio and Damien, providing them further resources to funnel illegal money and another income source. They accepted the proposal, and I opened Lucky Kings in Atlantic City three weeks ago.
“Carlisle Astor is dead,” I say with no emotion.
“Fuck,” Damien hisses, leaning back in his chair. He scrubs a hand over his forehead.
“I figured his bullshit would catch up to him,” Antonio adds dryly. “When I found out he was doing business with the Russians, I cut ties with him. I had enough problems on my hands.”
I did the same. The man might’ve helped me make so much money that I could retire in the Caribbean, but I don’t trust thieves. I believe if you steal from other people then you’ll eventually steal from me.
Antonio rests his elbows on the table. “What happened?”
“He put a bullet through his own head.” I crack my knuckles and slide an ashtray away from me. “A more peaceful death than what the Russians would’ve provided.”
Though I’d have preferred he suffer their wrath. Instead, he left that nightmare to his daughter.
“Carlisle and his wife signed this before he blew his dumbass brain out.” I open a manila folder and slide a contract to them.
Antonio reads it first. “Piece of shit,” he hisses, passing the paper to Damien. “Men— cowards —like that disgust me.”
Damien clenches his jaw as he reads. “I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and hope he killed himself over the guilt of signing over his daughter.”
“I’m not giving him the benefit of the doubt for shit,” I snarl.
“If the Russians want her—which it seems they do since they traded her for a million dollars—she’s theirs,” Antonio states matter-of-factly.
Antonio doesn’t know Genesis like Damien and I do.
I draw out the next contract from the folder and hand it to Antonio. “I fixed that.”
He reads it and then peers up at me in curiosity. “You didn’t pay the entire sum?”
“Why would I do that when I need leverage?” I ask.
“Leverage for what?” Damien takes the contract from Antonio.
“What I want from her,” I say simply, motioning for him to read the contract.
Antonio glares at me. “If you default on the contract with Yaroslav, there’ll be trouble for all of us.”
“You know me well enough to know that won’t happen,” I reply.
Damien scratches his cheek. “Sorry to break it to you, brother, but you might be out half a million dollars. You know how stubborn Genesis is.”
I shake my head. “Unless she wants to be a fucking Russian bride, she’ll do whatever I say.”
I found out about Carlisle’s deal with Yaroslav only two hours before Dima went to Carlisle’s office to collect his bride. I immediately called Yaroslav, negotiated a new deal, and transferred the money into his bank account.
I smirk, loving that I stole Genesis from Dima.
While Yaroslav cares about his son’s happiness, he loves money more. He also has the upper hand. If I don’t pay the balance, he’s half a million dollars richer, and Dima gets Genesis.
It’s a win-win for him.
Though not for Dima, but he has to follow the chain of command.
Until Yaroslav dies or steps down, Dima must follow his orders. Money is a huge factor in keeping families thriving, and that’s all Yaroslav cares about.
Dima will probably take his anger out on a poor soul tonight.
The need for violence when we’re angry in our world is common.
It’s also dangerous, and it has taken us to war multiple times.
Lately, it seems like war is all I know.
We went to war with the Marchetti family after Antonio kidnapped Cristian Marchetti’s daughter.
The Marchetti Mafia family is one of the most notorious and deadliest Italian Mafias in New York City.
Antonio didn’t only kidnap her, but he also forced her to marry him while we were in the middle of a war with Antonio’s Uncle Sonny.
Sonny wanted to take over, become boss of the Lombardi family, and Antonio had to kill him for it.
When that was over, we had to bail Damien out of a marriage contract with the Irish. And by bail, I mean murder the Irish boss and make it look like his underboss committed the murder.
Men start wars for several reasons—politics, religions, greed, women .
Women being in that category shows how powerful they are.
My phone rings, and I answer Warren’s call.
“Did you draw it up?” I ask my attorney.
While I have the contract Genesis’s parents signed and mine with Yaroslav, I don’t have one with Genesis yet. No business is done without contracts, period.
“Yes,” Warren answers.
“I’m on my way to your office now.” I end the call.
Fifteen minutes later, I take the elevator to the fifth floor of his building and walk straight into his office. I pay a steep retainer to have round-the-clock access to Warren. The man loves money, which I have plenty of, and also fears me, which he should.
He clicks off CNBC when I enter his office and hands over the contract. “With any other client, I’d say this contract would be a hard sell, but what does this woman have to lose?”
“Everything,” I state. “She has everything to lose.” I read over the contract and then toss a banded ten grand on his desk. “Buy your wife something nice.”
His lips form a smile. “She always says you’re her favorite client of mine.”
When I walk out of Warren’s law firm, I spot an unmarked Tahoe and stroll toward it.
Derrick rolls down his window to hand me Genesis’s phone. I instructed him to collect it from her car while the Feds raided Carlisle’s home.
“If she wants anything, I can get her into her place later,” he tells me. “I’ll text you the details.”
I salute him with one hand and shove the phone into my pocket with the other. He drives off, and I take it upon myself to look through Genesis’s phone when I’m back in the Escalade.
Her password is her birthday—so fucking obvious.
“Hmm,” I mutter, opening her messages. “Looks like I need to ruin some things for her.”