23. Salvatore
twenty-three
Salvatore
We ended up eating hotdogs and walking in the park.
Peaceful.
Normal.
No enemies lurking in the shadows. I could avoid everyone because I wasn’t wearing a suit, and a cap covered my head. Driving an old Toyota, no one would know who I was.
Letting my guard down was a relief. Having fun and laughing was something I didn’t expect when I forced Isabella to choose. Her laugh brought a smile to my face. Her love for discovering secrets and how excited she is when she discovers a new thing makes me feel satisfied.
For the first time, I want something other than to be the don of the Cosa Nostra.
For the first time, I feel I’m not my father’s son.
Isabella laughs, and I look at her. She is lying on her back on the grass, reading something her coworker sent her.
“What’s funny?”
She groans before turning off her phone. “The guy who does background checks is in Bali. It’ll be a week before he comes back.”
“I have a tech guy. If you want, he can help you.” The word leaves my mouth before I can think.
“I can’t use your guy. It would be unethical.”
“Why?”
“You are one of the people I investigated, not to mention who you are. I already feel like a hypocrite.”
A burst of laughter escapes me.
She gets into a sitting position, looking me dead in the eyes. “Why are you laughing?”
“Well, you are a hypocrite. You’re in bed with an enemy. I offered to help you, but your pride and hate at what I represent cloud your judgment.”
“I just want to make sure my work has no connection with you. If something happens and I can’t do my work, there are people who will pick up after me.”
“Fine, but if you need help, my tech guy will leave no trace to me.”
“I’ll wait.” She crosses her legs. “Isn’t your tech guy Marco?”
“Yes, how do you know that?” I look skeptically at her.
“Clara, the girl who planned our wedding, talked about him. Is he one of your friends?”
“I don’t have friends.” That is not a lie. I like to call them my family.
“What about Gabriel and Dante?”
“They work for me, and they are a part of the family. They are not my friends.”
Her nose scrunches and her eyes narrow. I can see the wheels spinning in her head, but I will not tell her what she wants to hear.
“You’re lying. There are things they do for you that only friends do for each other. Why are you lying?”
Instead of answering her, I just stare at her, even if she has a point.
“You can tell me. I will never use it against you.”
I chuckle. “That is doubtable.”
“Cross my heart and hope to die.” She crosses her fingers together. I shake my head and stand.
Giving her my hand, I stand up. “If you want the story, I need a drink.”
Taking my hand, she says, “Fine. There’s a bar down the street.”
I didn’t realize I was still holding her hand until we reached the bar and I let her go to open the door.
We take a table that’s out of the way. I tell myself it’s because I need to be cautious, not to keep the looks of the men inside away from her.
“I’ll take whiskey, neat.” I give my order to the waitress.
“Margarita.” We stay silent, only exchanging glances while I struggle with where to start with the story and what I want to tell her. Isabella seems more relaxed than me.
“Are we going to keep staring at each other, or are you going to speak?” It’s Isabella who breaks the silence between us.”
I shake my head. “You are infuriating.”
“Nobody has ever told me that.” A devious smile frames her face. “You brought me here for a reason.”
“To answer your question first. The three of them are my family, not friends.” I stop talking as the waitress places drinks on our table. “They are my loyal companions, and as they would do anything for me, I would do the same for them.”
“How long have you known each other?”
I take a sip of my drink, letting it burn down my throat. “Gabriel, since we were kids playing in the mud. Dante saved us from getting killed one night in a dark alley when we were teens. He was living on the streets. He never talked about what happened to him, but I welcomed him, and the rest is history.” She nods her head slightly. I expect questions, but nothing comes, so I continue. “I spent my childhood in Gabriel’s home until there was no playing anymore, and we were officially inducted and became made men.”
“How old were you?”
“I was twelve. My father thought the earlier I started, the better I would get. Gabriel had the privilege of waiting until his sixteenth birthday.”
“What about Marco?”
I chuckle at the memory. “He was a nosy bastard who basically forced his friendship on us in college. He used his skills to impress us, and no matter how I tried to keep him away from this life, he wanted in.”
“Aren’t those good memories? Why drink?”
“The drink is to match the sour taste of the life I lived.”
Her brows scrunch together. “I don’t understand.”
I run a hand over my face. “There are things I don’t like to talk about. Things about my life that I hate.”
Her face softens, but her eyes are asking questions her mouth isn’t. “Are you going to tell me?”
“Maybe.” Before I can spill all my secrets to her, my phone beeps with a message from Dante.
Got him.
“We have to go.” I throw the money on the table and stand up, heading for the door.
Isabella catches up behind me. “Why? What’s happening?”
“Dante has my traitor.”
I left Valentino with Isabella in the hotel and went to meet Dante at Twenty-Seven, where Dante has my father’s consigliere.
It’s late in the afternoon, and other than the manager and a few workers, there is no one here.
I place my hand on the screen to open the double metal door of the room under the club. This space is similar to the one in the hotel. It’s mostly used by Dante. The last time I used this room was years ago.
Entering, my eye catches those of Bernardo. He knows what’s coming and he wants to show me how strong he is. I know he isn’t scared, otherwise he would never be my father’s right-hand.
Dante has him already stripped and bound to a chair, his hands behind his back and his legs strapped to the foot of the chair. His time-ravaged skin is flushed red, probably from trying to wrestle himself out.
“You have plotted against me.” I slowly take one step after another. “I know you were my father’s loyal lapdog, but I never knew why you hated me so much. Even before I killed him.”
His jaded eyes flick toward me, filled with hatred. “You were supposed to be loyal to him, to do as he said. But you had to rebel against him. Each year you grew older, your spirit grew more rebellious.” Angry redness spreads across his chest and neck, rising up his face. “And what’s worse, his soldiers liked you more. I warned him. I told him one day you would overpower him.” He shakes his head. “Arturo didn’t listen. He gave you the freedom to start and build a business for yourself to be more than mafioso, thinking only of the money you would make for him. Your business grew, he grew. He was so proud of you, but you stabbed him in the back and killed him.” He spits near my feet. “I vowed on his grave to avenge him, and I am.” He laughs darkly. “You are going down. No matter what happens to me, there are others. You think Casto and the others weren’t the only ones? There are others, and they are coming. They are not alone.”
Two years ago, I found out there were traitors who wanted me gone. With the help of Matteo Rossi, I found out before it was too late. They were dealt with. Since then, Matteo has been one of my most loyal men.
“Oh, I know there are men. Men like you. Small-minded, depraved, who would love to see me gone, but unfortunately for them, I know how to win, and I will.” I take a step toward him until my feet touch his. I wrap my hand around his neck, squeezing enough for him to take shallow breaths.
“I’ll make a deal with you. If you tell me who you are conspiring against me with, I promise Dante here will make it easy for you. If not, you know his work. You’ve seen it before. He will make you beg for the end.”
Fear flashes across his face, but it’s gone in the same second. His voice is barely a whisper when he looks me dead in the eye. “I’ll take my chances.”
I squeeze hard until his eyes bulge out and his face turns blue but let go before I can end his miserable life.
I step aside with a nod at Dante, giving him a sign to start. He approaches Bernardo with a blank look on his face, completely detached.
I take my place in the corner of the room and wait.
Wait for him to break.
Wait for him to spill his secrets.