Chapter 7
Nico
Monday and I’m again behind my desk.
I’ve been continually in the office for the last three months and I have to say I’m ready for a day where I can relax.
But with everything going on as it is, I have to be on top of the issues or I could be a dead man.
A knock on the door has me looking up, and Lorenzo Palmeri walks inside.
Now, he has a cocky swagger in his step this morning.
That’s interesting! As my Underboss, he is second-in-command, but not for long.
Trouble is, he doesn’t know that yet.
“Boss, we have some movement from the Irish on the eastern side of the territory.
I’ve taken steps to reinforce that area.
I realize it’s the territory you’ve been monitoring, but I felt it had to be dealt with quickly.”
“I see.”
My reaction showing calm has a twitch in the corner of Lorenzo’s eye.
That tells me he isn’t as cool as he’s trying to show me.
“I have the monthly audit reports for Peter.
The accounts are fully up-to-date, and he’ll run through them as normal.
We have no issues with the casino.”
“Okay.
Don’t forget tonight we have the meeting at the warehouse.
Make sure you are there, and as underboss, I expect you to be on time.”
“Of course.
Have you anything you need to update me on?”
Lorenzo asks.
I can see he’s wondering why we are having the meeting.
Normally as my second-in-command, he would know every step I’m making and why, but me keeping quiet has his nerves on edge.
That is exactly what I want.
“No, everything is as it should be,”
I reply before looking down at the paperwork in front of me.
Bruno walks into the office and stops when he sees Lorenzo hovering in front of my desk.
“Everything okay, Boss?”
“Yeah, Lorenzo was just leaving.”
I look up and give Lorenzo a cold look, which has him quickly nod and leave the office.
“Watch that he leaves the property,”
I state and Bruno walks out to do my bidding.
My mansion is never used for work matters, keeping it clean in all aspects.
At the end of the property is the graveyard, which holds family members' remains.
The mausoleum is large, and when you enter it's cold and dirty, but the wall to the left with an image of the Madonna carved slides to the right, allowing us access to the underground structure.
This structure is where we do our wet work when it needs to be done without the eyes of anyone other than my inner circle.
My Capos do not know that this place exists and if they ever find out, it’s because they are the wet work that needs completing.
I’m in my office on the top floor of the building, which is a cover for what we really are and do.
The front is a realtor’s office, which I have to say is successful and brings in a lot of cash.
The people who run the office are part of the family, but they are not soldiers.
They are classed as associates.
Franko, who runs the realtor's office, is in his fifties and is solid.
I have no worries about him or his staff.
He runs a tight office, and when an incident happened, he took out four men without blinking an eye.
Saving Bruno’s life at the time.
I stand and stroll over to the window, knowing tonight is going to be brutal for some.
But if you are loyal to the family, you never have to worry about what could happen to you.
The family is all.
Bruno walks back into the office and throws himself into an easy chair.
“That fucker needs taking out.
I hate him.
He’s a smug bastard.”
“Yeah, he’ll not be breathing much longer,”
I respond, then look at the door when a soft knock grabs my attention.
“Come in.”
Gail walks into the office and gives me two envelopes, mail that she knows only I’ll deal with.
For the most part, Gail is capable of responding to much of the mail, but certain things she has to place in front of me.
“I have Alex Palmeri outside to see you, and a call on hold from Hunter Four.”
“Okay, I’ll take the call, but give Alex a drink while he waits.”
“Of course,”
Gail responds and quickly exits the office, softly closing the door.
I pick up the phone and hit the #4 as it is flashing, showing a call is waiting.
“Hunter, what do you have to report?”
“Good day, Boss.
I’ve news about DiMarco.
He’s ordered his territory to be locked down.
His soldiers have doubled around the territory border and they look twitchy.
Do you want me to get into the territory and find out what’s going on?”
Hunter Four quickly reports, and his question has me thinking…
“No, stay away.
But make it to the warehouse this afternoon.
Place yourself where you can pick off anyone who may need it.
Get two other hunters with you, and be alert because you may have to take out others that are going to get to the warehouse early.
They’ll be soldiers for Capos that I’m watching.”
“Okay, Boss.
We’ll be set up and ready,”
Hunter Four replies.
“Interesting, Nico.
Do you think Silvio is one that will need eliminating?”
Bruno asks.
“I hope not, as he’s been a great capo up to this point.
His father before him was loyal and one that we could always rely on to do what was needed,”
I reply while rubbing my chin in thought.
Bruno chuckles, grabbing my attention.
“Do you want me to let Alex in? He may have information about your runaway bride.
Well, runaway bride two.”
“Fuck off, Bruno.
You wait until I find you a wife.
I’m going to find you the feistiest one I can.
Maybe even an ugly one.”
I grin broadly at the look on Bruno's face, which has horror written all over it.
“You wouldn’t find me an ugly bride.
Fuck, Nico, I may have to kill you myself if you do that.”
Throwing my head back, I laugh at the remaining horror on his face, and am not worried at all about his threat.
“Get Alex and let’s see what he has to say.”
Bruno leads Alex into the office and they both take a seat.
“Okay, what do you have to report?”
I ask Alex.
“I spoke with Elli early hours of this morning.
She’s working in the evenings, so she contacted me later than we had planned.
But she’s good.
She has a friend onboard with her, so she’s set for now.
I told her if our parents contact her, she has to run and run hard and fast.
We all in this room know that if they contact, it's because they’ll try to use her as a bargaining tool.
To twist what you do, or what I may do.
She’s happy to run if needed, and she’s happy if we have to take the fuckers out, which I think we do. Both our parents are rotten to the core. Father is after your position. He’s an evil fuck and I’m watching him the best that I can. Mother, well, she’s done as she’s been told so long that she’s as evil as he is. A bullet to her head would be no loss.”
“Okay, we’ll see what happens with them both, but I think you are right and they both will need to be gotten rid of.
Anything else regarding Elli?” I ask.
“Well, she’s joining a gym and taking her new sister with her,”
Alex chuckles.
“I bet that poor woman does not know what she’s let herself in for.
Oh, and she’s having her hair cut, not too short mind you, but she’s wanting change.
Probably thinks she can disguise herself so you don’t find her.”
Now we all chuckle at that last comment because we’ve known where she’s been from the start.
She is safer out there, than here at this time.
Until we get rid of her father, I’ll not bring her back.
We converse some more before Bruno and Alex go to work, and I get my head back down to the paperwork and check over the figures I’ve been given for the casino.
Figures that don’t add up at all, and Lorenzo will be answerable for that soon.
An hour later, Gail walks into the office with a sandwich and a coffee.
She places them on my desk while giving me a stern, motherly look.
“Eat.
I have a report from the man watching Elli.
I didn’t put the call through as he was following Elli as he was speaking to me.”
“Okay, what is he reporting?”
“On her way home from work last evening, three men approached Elli and tried to stop her walking further.
When one reached to grab her, she grabbed him, spun him, and had him on the ground with her foot on his throat before his friends could blink.
That was enough for the cowards and the two left, leaving the one on the ground who ran when she let him up.
Our man watched closely but said she handled it so fast he had no time to get to her.
But he said she was a perfect Don’s wife, and he couldn’t wait for her to stand at your side.”
Gail giggled as she turned and left the office, leaving me with my mouth half open.
The evening rolled around quickly, and I head out to the warehouse along with Bruno, and Tiny of course.
I notice Tiny has more weapons on his body than the arsenal we keep in my office weapons cabinet.
He’s ready for anything, and I can tell by the look on his face he wants to use his weapons, too.
My driver, Dante, has been with me from the start.
His father was my father's driver, which had me growing up knowing Dante.
I have full trust in his ability and his loyalty.
“Tiny, you need to particularly watch Lorenzo Palmeri.
If anyone gives a signal to start anything it will be him.”
“Yeah, don’t matter to me he’s the underboss.
As far as I’m concerned you are the boss, and any under you are dispensable.
Sorry Bruno, but the boss matters more,”
Tiny chortles and gives Bruno a wink.
“Yeah, yeah, no matter.
We all feel the same Tiny, and any that doesn’t, I’ll stand beside you while we take them down,”
Bruno responds with not a sign of mirth in his tone or body language.
Walking into the warehouse, Tiny behind me but to the right, and Bruno by my side on the left.
Around the table at the front of the room are my right-hand men, Aeron, Luigi, Philip and Andre.
However, TJ and Alex are standing at the left of the table, and they are both watching Lorenzo closely.
I look around at my Capos, giving each a close look, holding their eye for more than a moment.
I notice the ones who cannot hold my gaze and those that stand firm.
Silvio DiMarco stands firm, and he has the look of a solid capo, not one that would stab you in the back.
“Welcome,”
I eventually speak, and I feel the tension build somewhat.
“We are here this evening, as I have some news to give you all.
I have, as you all know, Capos, each holding their own territory.
Most of you, this meeting will not affect, but for others, it will affect more than a little.”
Lorenzo steps forward, and as Underboss, that is nothing unusual, but as he steps closer, he holds his hand up to stop the meeting.
I turn, giving him my full attention, and I notice that he is sweating, a drop running down his cheek.
“You need to stand down, Nico.
We have had enough of your rule, and want a new Don,”
Lorenzo states, and I can’t help the burst of laughter that leaves me, right before mayhem erupts.
Capo against Capo, as everyone notices where each other stands.
I watch as Silvio steps forward, taking out his weapon and pointing it at me, but at the last moment, without saying a single word, he turns the weapon and shoots Lorenzo between his eyes.
The room erupts with gunfire and fighting.
I’m knocked down with Tiny standing over me.
I push that little fucker over and take my own weapon out, stand and shoot Mario Bianchi, who I notice squirreling his way towards where we are standing.
Silvio is killing any soldiers that come through the door that he knows have intent against the family, mainly they are Lorenzo, and Enrico Marchese’s, the latter I notice is propped against the wall with a dagger in his gut, one in his shoulder and one in his neck.
Yeah, he’ll not be getting up from that…
It really doesn’t take that long to get the warehouse under control.
I turn to Bruno.
“Take out any that are followers of the Capos we killed and let's get this meeting back to order.”
I take a seat at the table again, and watch everyone drag out bodies, clean the mess and return, ready for the meeting to continue.
Once everyone is calmly waiting, I turn to Silvio DiMarco.
“Silvio, how come you didn’t follow through?”
“Oh, I followed through, Boss.
My whole intent was to find out what was happening, with who, and when.
You called the meeting before I could report all my findings, but you’ll see them all in a file addressed to you in my safe.”
Silvio takes his phone from his jacket pocket and makes a call.
We all hear him clearly asking someone to bring the folder with Mr.
Vincholetti written on the file immediately.
“While we wait, let me sort out a few things.
Bruno, you will be the Underboss, and don’t fuck with me.
This you will do.”
Bruno nods, holds his fist over his heart and takes a knee, showing all in the room he is subservient to me, and honors my order as the Boss.
Once Bruno has risen and taken a stand on my left, I turn to Aeron.
“Aeron, you will be promoted to Consigliere, and you will work alongside myself and Bruno.”
“I’m honored, Boss.”
Aeron also takes the knee and covers his heart with a fist.
“Luigi, Philip, Alex, and Andre, you will all be promoted to Capo.
I will give you your territory and orders tomorrow.
The rest of you will report to me in the next two weeks.
I want a full report of your territory and I will make up my mind as to if you keep your territory or not.
You will all take a knee now, or you show you want to leave the family.
But know there is only one way to leave the family, and that’s in a coffin.”
I snarl the last because I’m sick of this night, and I’ll be happy to get to the mansion.
The room takes a knee and I have to admit not one wavered.
They all did it with ease and honor.
Before they stand a soldier enters the warehouse carrying a file and walks to Silvio who is still on his knee.
I hear Silvio tell the soldier to hand me the file, which he does quickly and gives me a nod before also taking a knee.
“I will look at this tomorrow, Silvio, and you will need to come to my office where we’ll have a long conversation.”
“Yes, Boss,”
Silvio replies, giving me a nod as he does so.
I watch as Bruno dismisses everyone, and I turn to speak to Tiny, but snarl when I see blood dripping down his arm.
“What the fuck, Tiny, you’ve been hit.”
“It’s just a scratch, Boss.”
Tiny rolls his eyes and I give him a snarl as I stand.
“It’s really okay, Boss.”
“Aeron, make sure this asshole is treated.
He’s not dying on me.
He may need to take a bullet another day.”
I grin at Tiny, who shakes his head, rolling his eyes once more.
That’s his signature move, I’m sure, and one I always ignore.
Back at the mansion, I take a sip of the whisky in my glass and can’t help but think that time will tell if we have another uprising, or for now, peace reigns within the family.