Chapter 25
“I’m sorry. Did you say son?” Javier asks, his eyes wide.
Dad holds up a hand to quiet him.
“What do I need to know about Javier?” I question.
“The waves I’ve been making? Javier’s the earthquake that kick-started them.”
I shake my head in confusion. “Meaning?”
“I knew Javier’s father. He was a contract killer and the best one I knew.
He had no allegiances to anyone, and for a long time, he worked with any of the families.
Everyone used him, but I was the one who got close to him.
We were friends for several years, and I knew his son was following in his footsteps.
“When Diego died, I took Javier under my wing. He was already grown and already working, but we had a connection. We grieved together. We exacted revenge together.
“Hiring contract killers isn’t new for any mafia family, but they’re always Italian, and they can work with whoever they want.
Since it was a member of another family that killed Diego, both Javier and I wanted to keep our work exclusive.
He is my killer. And well, people don’t like that.
Now they’re talking about how I’m making changes they don’t like.
He’s not one of us. He shouldn’t work for just me, because it looks like he’s been made and brought into the family.
” Dad waves his hand in the air like it’s all nonsense.
Different thoughts and emotions swirl through me, but I filter them down to get to what’s important.
“When you were hiding before, he was the one who knew where you were?”
Dad nods. “Yes.”
“And when you were able to come back it was because…”
“Javier killed the man who was after me.”
“But there’s someone else?”
“There’s always someone else.”
“So when does this end?”
“When I kill them all,” Javier chimes in.
I turn and look at him. “I doubt that’s possible.”
His small grin is wicked. “You don’t know me very well.”
“Clearly,” I say after a few seconds.
“The other families don’t want the chance to work with Javier. Not anymore. They want him dead.”
I run my hands through my hair, completely overwhelmed with all this information.
“And I’m in the crosshairs because someone in some family now knows you have a son.”
“Yes. I was sent a picture of you in front of your house. On it was your full name. Not the name you’ve been going by, but Giancarlo Gallo. It was a threat.”
I massage my temple, feeling a headache coming on. “So all three of us have a target on our backs, and we hide out until when? Forever? Someone has to do something, otherwise we’ll never go back to our lives.”
“We’re going to take care of it,” Dad says. “But we’re laying low for now until we can execute our plan.”
“And that’s to kill the entirety of every mob family? Seems highly unlikely.”
“I have allies, Carlo. Not everyone, even in other families, wants me dead. Not when I have things to offer. Money and power always trump morality. We get rid of the troublemakers and incentivize others. It’s just taking some time.”
“And if you die in the process?”
“He won’t die,” Javier states.
“You said we get rid of the troublemakers. Who is we? I’m assuming that doesn’t include me.”
“No, you stay here.”
I shake my head. “Of course. But what happens if you die before this plan of yours can be seen through to the end?”
He hesitates, his eyes flashing to Javier briefly before looking back at me.
“Well, I don’t think it’s time to get into that just yet. The plan is for me to stay alive, so let’s focus on that.”
“You can’t possibly mean to have Javier take your place.”
“I’m going to try not to take offense to that,” Javier says.
“I just mean, you’re young. You’re…”
“Latino?” Javier offers, eyebrows up.
“That’s not what I was going to say.”
But we both know I can’t say what I was actually thinking, so I come up with something else. “You’re already a target.”
“Javier doesn’t want the job,” Dad says.
What bothers me about his tone is that it seems like he’s already asked him and was turned down.
“So, Johnny would take over?”
Dad and Javier share a look, and I start to get really irritated over feeling like an outsider.
“Probably not,” Dad says. “We think Johnny’s the rat that gave you up.”
“There’s no way,” I exclaim. “I was with him when you were gone. He seemed stressed and worried. You’ve been friends for decades. He wouldn’t do that.”
Dad doesn’t give me anything else. Just a shrug. “We’re looking into it.”
“Okay, so again, what happens if you die? Do I have to move away? Change my name?”
Dad’s eyes narrow, his jaw clenching. “No. We do not back down and cower.”
“So, what?”
He dusts some invisible dirt off his pants, shifting his position in the chair. “I want you to take over.”
I turn my head slightly, giving him my ear. I couldn't have possibly heard him correctly. “I’m sorry. What?”
“You are a Gallo,” he says with a bite. “You finish what I started.”
My eyes nearly fall out of my head as I stare at him. “I can’t. I’m also a target. I’d just be killed.”
“Javier will be your right hand man. He will not let that happen.”
I meet Javier’s gaze and he looks almost as surprised as I feel, but he’s doing a better job masking it.
“I’m not made. I haven’t been involved in any of this.”
Dad stands up, cutting his hand through the air as if to stop my train of thought. “It’s not something to worry about now. I don’t plan on dying, so this may never need to happen.”
“Right, but there’s also another issue with this backup plan if it does need to come to fruition.
I’m Italian, and I’m your son, but I’m also gay.
Talk about creating waves, unless of course you intend for me to continue being celibate.
Not to mention the fucking story of a priest becoming a crime boss.
” I stand up and run a hand over my face.
“Oh my God, I can’t even believe I’m talking about this.
I can’t do this. I can’t. I’m supposed to go back to St. Joseph’s. ”
Dad sighs, and when I turn around I can see him and Javier having an unspoken conversation with their eyes. I guess he didn’t want me to reveal that secret. Little does he know Javier isn’t going to be surprised about my sexuality.
“I don’t care about anyone’s private life,” Javier says, holding up his hands.
“Don’t get worked up over it when we don’t know if it’ll even have to end up that way,” Dad says. “But you were just in my office talking about this is the life you always thought you’d get. Well, be careful what you ask for.”
“It’s very different to be thrust into it after years of devoting your life to church and Jesus because your father gave you no choice, than to, I don’t know, be taken under someone’s wing and live it day in and day out.”
“Don’t get sensitive now,” Dad says. “Javier was in the life way before I knew him. I simply stepped in when his dad died.”
I move toward him, anger pulsing in my veins. “You had a son! I would’ve done anything for you. I idolized you! But you weren’t there when I needed you, so I don’t wanna hear that shit.”
“Carlo, watch yourself,” Dad warns. “I’ve supported—”
“No. You try to throw your money in my face as a way that you were there for me, but you set me up for failure. You can’t throw me in the ocean then expect me to thank you when you toss me a floatie.
You took away what I thought I’d do and become.
You forced me into a different life because you knew I couldn’t afford to do anything else on my own.
I was just barely an adult who still wanted his dad’s approval and respect, and I was constantly met with rejection and criticism even when I followed your rules.
So, no. You haven’t supported me, and I’d appreciate it if you could take some responsibility for your failures. ”
Dad remains quiet for several seconds, his face hard and etched with fury. Nobody talks to him like this, and he’s not used to it. If I were anyone else, I’d be on the floor right now.
He takes a deep breath. “You wouldn’t have been accepted or respected. I was still working my way up and you were being reckless and selfish.”
I step up to him, my foot hitting the tip of his fancy shoe. “Fuck you.”
“Hey,” Javier says, standing up and getting closer.
“You were young and dumb,” Dad continues.
“You only cared about yourself. You go on and on about the life, acting like you knew so much back then. If that was the case, why did you think you’d ever get in?
You knew your preferences. You say you knew enough about the lifestyle.
So, tell me, how would that have worked? ”
I inhale through my nose, my jaw clenched. “I would’ve made it work.”
“Oh? How would it have been different from what you’re doing now?
You’re lying. You’re hiding. Anything you do has to be done in secret.
You blame me for making it to where you have to do those things, but the same things would be happening if you were in the family.
You know the difference? Go on, if you’re so smart. Tell me what the difference is.”
I lean in even closer, my chest heaving with deep breaths as I try my best to stay under control. Javier remains close by, ready to push me away if need be.
“You were my dad.”
“I still am,” he bites back.
“I thought my dad would make sure his son was protected. I thought you’d threaten anyone who dared have anything to say about me.
That’s what you did for yourself. For Johnny.
For the last boss. I assumed you’d be frightening enough that if anyone ever found out, they’d be too afraid to say anything about it because they’d have to answer to you.
After all, that was the reputation you were getting.
” I shake my head. “No. You’re the head of the family, and you might even be pretty good at it, but you were a shit father. ”
“Come on, man,” Javier says, putting his hand on my shoulder and trying to move me away.
I shrug him off, pinning him with a glare before I look back at my father.
“The difference is, Carlo,” Dad continues, “I made it to where you could hide and lie and sneak in the priesthood because doing those things in the family would get you killed. If you’re caught, you’re killed.
What happens if you sneak around now? You lose your job? Boo fucking hoo. You’re still alive.”
“After years of indoctrination, I’d believe I’d go to hell!”
“Nobody said you had to buy into their beliefs.”
“You could’ve just sent me away to a college on the other side of the country.
You could’ve sent me to a whole new fucking country.
I’d have been able to live my life the way I wanted and would’ve been far enough from you that nobody would have found out your terrible secret. That you had a gay son.”
“Jesus Christ,” Dad huffs. “I’m done with this conversation. We have more important things to worry about.”
I snort, not backing away. “Typical.”
“Keep it up,” Dad spits, shoving his finger in my chest. “I only have so much patience.”
“I’m not afraid of you.”
“You never had to be, but that can change.”
My lips curl up into a wicked grin, holding more malice than happiness. “You think I won’t protect myself? Even against you?”
Dad’s own lips quirk, and I see a hint of amusement in his eyes.
“You may not think of me as your dad, but half of your DNA came from me. You’re more like me than you want to be, and if you’re not happy with how I went about things, then do them better.
” He smacks his palm on my chest twice. “Because I’m starting to think you just might be able to. ”