Chapter 24 Sandro
MY INVESTIGATOR CALLED three days after the bail hearing with news that made my blood run cold.
"Vincent Paglia entered federal witness protection two weeks ago," Marcus said. "The FBI moved him to Phoenix under a new identity. He's been cooperating with them for eight months. Gave them everything they needed for the RICO charges."
I sat in my office at Inferno staring at the city lights. "Everything?"
"Transaction records. Organizational structure. Names of everyone involved in operations. Recorded conversations—he was wearing a wire for the last three months." Marcus paused. "He's their star witness. Without him, the RICO case is significantly weaker."
"Where in Phoenix?"
"Sandro—"
"Where in Phoenix?"
"I don't know yet. Witness protection locations are carefully guarded. But I'm working on it. Give me a week."
I hung up and called an emergency meeting with my partners.
They arrived within the hour. Matteo looked ready for violence. Elio looked calculating. Luca looked concerned but controlled. We gathered in the private conference room with the door locked and my security ensuring no one could listen.
"Vincent Paglia's in witness protection in Phoenix," I said without preamble. "He's been cooperating with the FBI for eight months. Wearing a wire. Recording our conversations. Giving them our financial records."
Matteo slammed his fist on the table. "That little bastard. I knew we should've handled him permanently when we had the chance."
"He gave them everything," I continued. "Transaction records. Organizational charts. Witness lists. He's the centerpiece of their RICO case. Without his testimony, they've got circumstantial evidence at best."
"Then we eliminate him before he can testify." Matteo's voice was cold. Flat. "I'll go to Phoenix myself. Find him. Make sure he never makes it to a courtroom."
"No." I kept my voice level. "We're not killing him."
"Why the fuck not? He betrayed us. Sold us out to the feds. He deserves—"
"He deserves to die, yes. But killing a federal witness creates murder charges on top of RICO.
It proves we're exactly what the FBI claims we are—a violent criminal organization that eliminates threats.
" I looked at each of them. "We handle this legally.
We destroy his credibility in court instead of eliminating him. "
Elio leaned forward. "How do you destroy the credibility of a witness who has eight months of documented evidence?"
"We prove he was embezzling. That he had motivation to lie to save himself.
That he was facing prosecution for his own crimes and cut a deal by manufacturing evidence against us.
" I pulled out the files we'd compiled on Vincent.
"He stole two hundred thousand from us. That's documented.
We show the jury he's a thief who's lying to avoid prison. "
"That's not as satisfying as making him disappear," Matteo said.
"No. But it's safer. And it's what Emilio would want me to do."
Luca raised an eyebrow. "Since when do we make strategic decisions based on what your boyfriend wants?"
"Since my boyfriend saved us all by paying off Antonio Costello's gambling debts and giving him the freedom to tell the truth.
Since my boyfriend has consistently pushed me to choose legal strategies over violent ones.
Since listening to him has worked out better than doing things my way.
" I met Matteo's eyes. "I'm calling you off.
Vincent lives. We destroy him in court instead. "
Matteo looked ready to argue. Then he sighed. "You've gone soft since Emilio. But fine. We do it legally. For now."
"For now is all I'm asking." I turned to Elio. "I need you to compile everything we have on Vincent's embezzlement. Every transaction. Every suspicious withdrawal. Everything that proves he's a thief."
"Already started. I'll have a complete dossier by tomorrow."
"Good. Luca, reach out to your contacts in Phoenix. See if you can find out where Vincent's living. Not to hurt him," I added when Matteo perked up. "Just to know. Information is power."
"On it."
The meeting adjourned. My partners left. I sat alone in the conference room thinking about the choice I'd just made.
A year ago—hell, six months ago—I would've sent Matteo to Phoenix without hesitation. Would've eliminated the threat permanently. Would've considered murder a reasonable business expense.
But Emilio had changed me. Made me consider consequences beyond immediate solutions. Made me think about the kind of man I wanted to be instead of just the kind of man I was raised to be.
It felt weak sometimes. This new tendency toward mercy. Toward legal strategies instead of violent ones. But it also felt right in ways I couldn't quite articulate.
My phone buzzed. Text from Emilio: How'd the meeting go?
I smiled despite everything. Called Matteo off. We're handling Vincent legally.
I'm proud of you.
Three simple words that shouldn't matter as much as they did. But they warmed something in my chest that had been cold for as long as I could remember.
Come to Inferno tonight. I want to celebrate choosing mercy with you.
I'll be there at 8.
I spent the afternoon handling business. Reviewing the legitimate operations that kept us profitable. Approving expense reports. Meeting with accountants who weren't betraying us to federal agents.
Normal work. Legal work. The kind of empire-building that didn't require violence or intimidation. Just intelligence and strategy and knowing how to read markets.
At 7 PM, my assistant brought in an envelope marked "personal delivery."
I opened it and found an embossed invitation on heavy cardstock.
The Costello Family requests the pleasure of your company at an exclusive gathering Saturday, November 7th, 9 PM Location to be provided upon RSVP
Black tie required Plus one welcome
I stared at the invitation. The Costello family had spent months trying to destroy me. Had planted lying witnesses. Had paid for false testimony. Had done everything possible to see me convicted.
Now they were inviting me to an exclusive gathering?
My phone rang. Peter Costello himself.
I answered cautiously. "Peter."
"Alessandro. I trust you received our invitation." His voice was smooth. Friendly. Like we were old associates instead of enemies.
"I did. What's this about?"
"Consider it an olive branch. The trial is over. My nephew told the truth. The charges were dismissed. We have no reason to continue our... disagreement."
"Your family tried to destroy me."
"And failed. As everyone knew we would." He chuckled. "You're a formidable opponent, Alessandro. We respect that. Now we'd like to move forward. Bury the hatchet, as it were."
"By inviting me to an exclusive gathering."
"A very exclusive gathering. One where serious business gets conducted. Where alliances get formed. Where powerful people make deals that shape this city." He paused. "We think you'd find it valuable. And we'd like to show there are no hard feelings."
"What kind of gathering?"
"The kind where discretion is paramount and power is currency. Attend and see for yourself. Bring your attorney if you'd like. I understand you two are quite close now."
The way he said it made my skin crawl. But I kept my voice neutral. "I'll consider it."
"Please do. RSVP by Friday. We'll send the location details." He paused again. "Alessandro, this is a genuine offer of peace. Our families have been at odds for too long. It's time to find common ground."
"I'll let you know."
I hung up and stared at the invitation. This was a trap. Had to be. The Costellos didn't extend olive branches. They extended weapons disguised as peace offerings.
But it was also an opportunity. To see what they were really offering. To understand what they meant by "exclusive gathering" and "serious business." To gather intelligence on what they were planning.
Emilio arrived at 8 PM exactly. I was waiting in my apartment with wine and the invitation.
He kissed me hello. "What are we celebrating?"
"I chose mercy over murder. Vincent lives. We're destroying him legally instead of permanently."
"That's worth celebrating." He poured himself wine. "What's that?" He nodded at the invitation.
I handed it to him. Watched his face as he read it.
"The Costellos are inviting you to an exclusive gathering?" Disbelief colored his voice. "After everything?"
"They claim they want to bury the hatchet. Move forward. Form alliances." I sipped my wine. "It's obviously a trap."
"Obviously. But what kind of trap?"
"That's what I need to find out." I pulled him closer. "They said I could bring a plus one. Want to walk into a potential trap with me?"
"That's the most romantic thing you've ever said to me." He kissed me. "Of course I'll go. Should I be worried?"
"Extremely. But we'll be careful. My security will be watching. We'll have exit strategies. And if it's actually a genuine peace offering, we'll have valuable intelligence about what the Costellos are planning next."
Emilio set down his wine. "You know what kind of 'exclusive gatherings' powerful criminals host?"
"I have suspicions. Nothing good. But I need to see it for myself."
"And you want me there?"
"I want you to see who I really am. What my world really looks like. Not the sanitized version I show you. Not the businessman pretending to be legitimate. The real world I operate in." I cupped his face. "If you're going to love me, you should love me with full knowledge of what that means."
"I already know what it means."
"You know some of it. But there are depths you haven't seen yet.
Darkness I've kept you separated from because I wanted to protect you.
" I kissed him softly. "No more protection.
No more shields. You want to be with me?
You get all of me. Including the parts that'll make you question whether I'm worth loving. "
He pulled back to look at me. "Nothing will make me question that. I've already crossed every line. Compromised every principle. There's nothing you can show me that'll change how I feel."
"We'll see about that on Saturday."
We spent the evening celebrating the way I'd suggested. In bed. With tenderness and intensity and the kind of connection that made everything else fade into background noise.
Afterward, lying tangled together, Emilio asked quietly, "What do you think this gathering really is?"
"Peter mentioned 'power as currency' and 'serious business.' In our world, that usually means one thing." I traced patterns on his shoulder. "An auction."
"What kind of auction?"
"The kind where illegal things get sold to people with enough money and power that legality doesn't matter." I felt him tense. "Art. Information. Access. Sometimes people."
"People."
"Not slavery. But influence. Connections. Arrangements." I pulled him closer. "I've heard rumors about these events for years but never been invited. The Costellos control access. They use it to build alliances and debts."
"And they're inviting you now because...?"
"Because they want something. Or they want to show me something. Or they genuinely want peace and think this is how to demonstrate good faith." I kissed the top of his head. "We'll find out Saturday."
"I'm not sure I want to see this."
"Then don't come. I'll go alone."
"No." He shifted to look at me. "I meant what I said. I want all of you. Even the parts that scare me. Especially those parts."
"Why?"
"Because love means accepting the whole person. Not just the sanitized version. Not just the parts that are comfortable." He kissed me. "Show me your world, Sandro. All of it. I can handle it."
I hoped he was right.
Because what we were about to walk into would either strengthen what we'd built or destroy it completely.
And I wasn't sure which outcome was more likely.
***
Friday morning I RSVP'd to the Costello invitation. Confirmed attendance for two. Received coordinates for a warehouse in Red Hook.
"Of course it's a warehouse," Emilio said when I told him. "Why would it be anywhere normal?"
"Because normal doesn't exist in our world." I pulled him close. "Last chance to back out."
"Not backing out. Just commenting on the predictability of criminal gatherings happening in warehouses."
"This won't be like anything you've seen before. I need you to promise me something."
"What?"
"Whatever you see tomorrow night, don't react. Don't judge. Don't try to fix it or stop it or report it." I looked at him seriously. "Just observe. Process. Decide afterward whether you can live with knowing this world exists."
"I can already live with it. I'm with you, aren't I?"
"This is different. This is the underbelly I've kept you away from. Once you see it, you can't unsee it."
"Then I'll see it." He kissed me. "And I'll love you anyway. Because that's what I do."
I pulled him into my arms and hoped he was right.
Hoped that love really was strong enough to survive the darkness.
Hoped that showing him the worst of my world wouldn't destroy what we'd built.
But I wasn't counting on hope.
I was counting on Emilio's strength.
On his capacity to see ugliness and still choose beauty.
On his ability to love me despite knowing exactly what kind of monster I could be.
Saturday would prove whether that faith was justified.
Or whether I was about to lose the best thing that ever happened to me.
Either way, no more hiding.
No more protection.
Just truth.
However dark it might be.