Chapter 5
Adriano
I didn’t get to follow Laurie last night because Remo and Valentina insisted I come over for dinner.
Their place is in Manhattan, so I crashed at the penthouse suite I have on retainer at The Mark, a five-star hotel, seeing as I’m meeting with Christiano, our capo dei capi, this morning.
Before he took over from Uncle Damiano, there was talk that the title would pass to me because I’m the eldest out of all the kids.
However, Uncle Damiano was adamant about keeping the title in his bloodline, and honestly, I was relieved. Christiano was born for the position, and I don’t have to deal with all the businesses.
Being the older brother to the other twelve sons and daughters of the Cosa Nostra is enough for me.
Growing up, I was the one who made sure no one looked for shit with the younger kids. Now that most are married and settled, I’ve been able to take a step back from being an overprotective older brother and focus more on myself.
“Remo seems very happy,” Little Ricky mentions as we drive toward the warehouse where Christiano’s main office is situated.
“He does.” Happy for my brother, the corner of my mouth lifts. “Being with Valentina is a dream come true for him.”
Christiano killed Valentina’s husband when he found out the fucker was beating his sister. It was a good day, and since then Remo’s been glued to her side, taking on the role of father to her two kids.
Little Ricky stops the SUV in front of the warehouse, and my eyes sweep over Christiano’s men. I see Nico standing with a group, and when I get out of the vehicle, I give Christiano’s head of security a chin lift.
While Little Ricky walks toward Nico, I go into the warehouse. I tap my knuckles on the door as I step into Christiano’s office. Lifting his head, he spots the wooden box in my hand, and a grin spreads over his face.
“Fuck, you actually managed to get it,” he says.
When I scowl at him, he chuckles. “Not that I doubted you for a second.”
Stepping closer, I hold the box out to him. “Try not to get emotional.”
Christiano pushes back from his desk and takes it from me like I’m handing him a damn newborn. His fingers slide over the polished wood before he opens the clasp and lifts the lid. For a second, he just stares down at the bottle resting against the black velvet lining.
“Jesus Christ.” A burst of laughter leaves him as he carefully takes the bottle out. He turns it in his hand, studying every detail, then pats my shoulder. “Thanks, brother. This means a lot to me.”
I grab a seat in one of the open chairs and say, “Devran came through.”
That gets Christiano’s full attention. He carefully sets the bottle on his desk, and sitting down again, he asks, “No issues?”
I shake my head. “None. The shipment arrived exactly when he said it would. Every crate accounted for.”
A pleased expression settles on his face. “That’s good. I had my doubts about working with the Turkish mafia.”
“Especially with the kind of shit he moves.” I stretch my legs out in front of me. “I have a good feeling about Devran.”
Christiano’s gaze drifts over the bottle while he mentions, “It will be excellent for business.” His eyes lift to mine, sharp and calculating. “This was him proving he wants long-term business.”
“Exactly.” I climb to my feet again. “We’re going to make a fuck-ton of money.”
Before I can turn around and leave, Christiano asks, “How are things otherwise? We didn’t get to talk at the last poker game.”
All the men from the five families get together for a poker game once a month, but there are so many of us that it’s easy to miss talking to someone.
I shrug as I reply, “Everything is the same as always.” To direct his focus off me, I say, “I had dinner with Remo and Valentina last night. They look very happy.”
“Yeah.” A grin spreads over his face. “Hopefully they’ll get married soon, then I can call my best friend my brother-in-law.”
“They mentioned next summer,” I tell him.
“Gives me time to pad my bank account before my sister drains it with an expensive wedding.”
“Seeing as it’s Remo’s first marriage, I’ll pay.” When it looks like Christiano is going to argue, I add, “It would be my honor.”
Reluctantly, he nods and follows me to the doorway, then asks, “Are you heading back to the club?”
“No, I’ll be at the warehouse for the rest of the day to make sure everything runs smoothly.”
“What else did Devran send that I might be interested in?”
“Seventy-five boxes of Cohiba Behikes, five cases of Yamazaki 18, twenty bottles of Louis XIII, twelve Chateau Margaux, and ten Pétrus. There’s enough money sitting in those crates to make customs agents cry.”
Christiano lets out a chuckle. “Save me a box of Cohiba Behikes.” He gives me a questioning look. “How much did the shipment cost?”
“Six-fifty.”
He lifts an eyebrow, looking impressed. “You’re going to make some serious profit.”
A smirk tugs at my mouth. “Of course. I don’t waste time on cheap shit.” Walking away, I add, “Enjoy the whiskey.”
“Fuck that. It’s going straight to the vault,” he calls out, which makes me chuckle.
It’s after ten when Little Ricky drives past Laurie’s work, and I’m surprised to see the lights are off.
I hope that means she’s done working so late.
“Go to her house,” I tell him.
“You’re tired. How about you skip tonight? We can stalk her tomorrow.”
I shoot him a look that says keep driving.
When Little Ricky parks the SUV across from Laurie’s place, all the lights are off.
I shove the door open and glance up and down the quiet street as I cross it. The truck is parked in the driveway, and as I move around the side of the house, everything is quiet.
I stop near the bedroom window and listen, but not hearing anything, I assume they already turned in for the night.
An itch spreads beneath my skin, and it feels dangerously like I’m going through withdrawal from not seeing Laurie for two days.
As I head back to the SUV, I seriously consider kidnapping her because I don’t have enough time to stalk her the way I’d like to.
I also hate knowing she’s living with another man.
Christ, I’m jealous, and I haven’t even spoken to the woman.
When I climb into the back of the SUV, Little Ricky asks, “You done?”
“Yeah, let’s go home.” I glare at the house, like it is responsible for keeping Laurie from me, and as we drive away, I mutter, “I think I should just kidnap Laurie.”
“Tomorrow night? Or I can get a group of men to grab her from the office?”
“Let me sleep on it.”
“Okay.” He turns on the radio and keeps the volume soft so it won’t annoy me.
During the drive to the property I share with my parents, I clear out my emails and messages.
When we drive through the heavy iron gates, I glance at my men who are on guard twenty-four-seven.
Like a Mediterranean villa, the mansion stands in the center of the property with perfectly trimmed gardens and water features.
Behind it, far enough away to give everyone breathing room, are the two smaller houses. Calling them cottages is bullshit because they're full-sized homes.
When Remo left to start a life with Valentina, everyone shuffled around. My parents traded the mansion for the house he’d been living in, and I took over the main residence while Big Ricky and Tiny settled into my old place.
Little Ricky now gets to live alone in the apartment above the garages.
After he parks the SUV and we get out, he says, “I’m gonna say hi to Pop. Call me if you need anything.”
I nod, and while he heads to his father’s place, I follow the cobbled path to my front door.
Letting myself in, I roll my shoulders to get rid of some of the stiffness. The lights switch on as I move toward the living room, and after I pour myself a tumbler of bourbon, I glance up at the old tree that’s visible through the glass ceiling.
Last year one of the branches fell on the roof, and we contemplated taking the tree down, but Mom wouldn’t hear of it.
My parents got married by the tree, and it holds a sentimental spot in my mother’s heart.
Instead, we had support beams installed to help carry the weight of the branches.
As I sip on my drink, my thoughts get stuck on my parents' wedding. Dad forced Mom to marry him, and somehow she fell in love with him afterward. Honestly, theirs is one of the happiest relationships I’ve ever seen.
I could do the same with Laurie. Marry her first, then we’d have the rest of our lives to get to know each other.
It worked for my parents, so I see no reason it won’t work for me.
After taking the last sip of bourbon, I set the tumbler down and head upstairs to my bedroom. While I strip out of my clothes and take a shower, I can’t stop thinking about making Laurie my wife.
There’s only one problem. Laurie isn’t from the Cosa Nostra. She’s a regular person who believes she has rights, and I’m not sure how I feel about coercing her at gunpoint to marry me.
By the time I climb into bed, I’ve made up my mind that I’m going to force her into a marriage. I just need to figure out how to go about it so I don’t traumatize her too much.
The corner of my mouth lifts.
I really like the idea of catching my little butterfly and making her mine.
Will she look at me with fear or fascination?
Will she beg or fight?
I can’t wait to find out.