Chapter 9 #2
He nods and sighs, still wiping his hands on the rags.
“Yeah, we are. But sometimes he’s still a pest. Speaking of, I advise you don’t bring up the Nameless.
He’s uh…a bit peeved that he hasn’t been invited.
Especially since I was. In fact, he may ask you to put in a good word for him, especially since you’re going to be his son-in-law and all that… ”
I pinch the bridge of my nose between my fingers. That’s just what I needed, Astero begging to join an order that didn’t want him. I didn’t want to deny him and then cause him to be more of a pain in the ass than he already was.
The Nameless is an association of mafia leaders from around the globe.
We’re all powerful individuals that’ve gained control of their regions while remaining mostly unknown.
The average person has no idea we exist, even as we influence their daily lives.
It’s both great business connections, but also necessary.
We all have the same standards and honor codes, so when rivals rise up that don’t follow those same standards, we know the other members of the Nameless have our back.
It’s a highly exclusive club, and most people in our industry don’t even know about it.
Marshall was recently invited to it, which is the only way you’re allowed to join. Astero, on the other hand, has been waiting for his invite for years now. An invite that’s never going to come.
He operates under an old style of leadership that doesn’t align with the Nameless’ codes of conduct. He’s greedy but doesn’t have the modern business sense to back it up. His dealings with Marshall prove that. He tried to control him until he couldn’t anymore.
There was no respect, no appreciation of Marshall’s potential. If he’d handled it differently, then maybe Marshall would still be working for him, and Astero’s business would better prosper. It’s a pattern we’ve noticed, making Astero ineligible to join our ranks.
But Marshall, on the other hand, has shown his merit. How he handled Astero alone would’ve been enough to warrant an invite, but he’s done so much with New York City since taking it over from Astero, and already contributed to the Nameless immensely.
“Thanks for the heads-up.” I shake my head. “He’s desperate, and then he wonders why he’s not invited.”
This makes Marshall grin. “Yeah. That’s classic Astero for ya. Speaking of, is he coming?”
I nod. “Yes. I arrived a bit early to see if you have any information regarding him. And you’ve already provided me with some. But I’m wondering if you heard anything regarding the docks. Is he going to try to pull something?”
Marshall pulls out a cigarette and lights it as he looks over the bloodied man still on the concrete floor.
“The one in New Jersey he has access to?” He looks over to see my nod.
“As far as I know, he’s been telling everyone about his granddaughter’s upcoming wedding.
He seems pretty eager, you know. He’s betting that you’re going to bend over backward because you’re married to his grandkid.
He’s bragged to me about how he’s going to make deals in Ireland, getting into the Nameless, the whole she-bang. ”
I scoff. “Then he’s going to have quite the wake-up call.
The only thing we’ve agreed to is that his son’s debts are forgiven, his family isn’t killed, and his granddaughter is kept safe.
” Not that he had even asked for that. But I’m including it regardless.
Piece of shite didn’t even think of her safety as an afterthought.
“Wonderful. He needs a wake-up call or two. I gave him a good one, but he’s shifted his view on that to make him the hero of the story.
Like he gave the territory to me and is my mentor or something.
As if he taught me instead of sabotaging me.
It’s a testament to my skill that I was able to throw him out of his own territory.
He didn’t have a choice, otherwise he knew I’d put a bullet between his eyes. ”
I chuckle lowly. “Yes. You’ve already put him in his place and proven yourself a worthy member of our ranks.”
Marshall grins, and now that his hands aren’t covered in blood, he runs them through his black hair. With his tattoos and ebony locks, he looks like he could be in a rock band. I’m sure the ladies love him. “You know it.”
We chat idly for a few minutes as Marshall’s men finish the bloody mess on the floor, putting the man out of his misery before starting the cleanup work. Except they’re doing a shite job of it. I let out a low whistle. “They could use some training.”
Marshall scoffs. “You have no idea. They’re even trying extra hard with us watching. But they’re shit. Think your janitor could train them? Or at least recommend someone better for me to hire?”
“O’Brien?” I think about my janitor and chuckle. “Maybe. O’Brien is…peculiar. I can speak to her and see if she knows anyone in the States that she’d recommend. I know Sasaki has been asking to work with her, too.”
The eyebrows on Marshall’s face shoot up. “She? Your legendary janitor is a woman?” He laughs when I nod in confirmation. “Jesus. I’d love to see her work. I’ve heard she’s a master. But what does Sasaki want with her?”
I think about the Japanese crime boss who’s a fellow member of the Nameless.
“He has a project he wants her for, but she doesn’t want to go to Japan.
” I shrug. “I get it. There’s nowhere like home, especially when business is good.
I keep my nose out of her business unless she asks for help.
I get why Sasaki wants to work with her, though.
I’d be pissed to lose her, but unlike Astero, I know better than to try to control my people.
” I can’t help but grin. “But I sure as hell gave her a raise to keep her.”
Marshall laughs. “I’ll keep that in mind for wanting to work with her, too. If there’s a bidding war between you and Sasaki, then she’s probably too expensive for me. But I’d still appreciate a possible recommendation from her, if you could.”
I nod. “Happy to.”
Astero chooses that moment to walk in, the warehouse door banging open. Marshall’s men jump at the sudden sound, and all of our hands’ twitch to our guns hidden in various locations on our bodies. Of course the old man had to make a grand entrance.
Everyone relaxes when they see it’s just Astero and his men. The old man walks in with his shoulders back, his balding head reflecting in the overhead lights of the shitty warehouse. “Afternoon, gentlemen. I hope I haven’t missed anything.”
“Nah. Just some of my business being cleaned up,” Marshall says as he gestures towards the blood pool that’s still being mopped up. “How’s it going, Astero? Long time no see.”
The older man’s eyes narrow slightly. “Yes. It’s been some time. It’s going decently. Minus a few threats that I’m managing.” His eyes flicker to me.
I grin in response. He knows his place, even if he’s pushing it.
Marshall chuckles and throws up his hands.
“Eh, what can ya do? It’s the name of the game.
Threats mean nothing to men like us, right?
We know how to deal with ‘em.” Marshall plays innocent, as if he doesn’t know what Astero is referring to, but I know better.
He’s rubbing salt in the wound while having plausible deniability.
Now Astero can’t get mad at him without confessing that he was talking about me and provoking my wrath.
He’d also never want to admit to Marshall that he’s stumbling under the pressure I’m putting on him.
“Right.” Astero nods, but his eyebrows furrow and his jaw clenches. It makes me grin wider. “So, let’s get down to business. We have to figure out what we’re doing about the Las Vegas gang, right? That’s what tonight’s about. That and…well, Alasdair and I’s business.”
The truth was we weren’t going to handle the Las Vegas gang. Marshall was going to handle them, with my support, and Astero’s voiced support, although we all knew he’d do very little. He’s almost useless.
Marshall and I share a look, and then the younger man shows us around this warehouse.
While it looks abandoned on the outside, inside Marshall has turned it into a prime loading area for shipments.
Everything is organized with extreme precision, and it’s clear that Marshall is doing good business here.
Once he’s given us the tour, we head to dinner.
It doesn’t take long to get to the nice restaurant that Marshall picked out for us.
We’re quickly seated by a pretty hostess, who Astero ogles for too long, causing Marshall and I to share another look, this time of disgust. I take off my black jacket, leaving me in my white button-down shirt.
Marshall changed into a black v-neck and a leather jacket, not exactly upper-crust attire, but no one questions him.
Astero turns to us once the hostess leaves. He grins, placing his hands on the table. “So, let’s talk business.”
I lean forward. “Yes, let’s. How about we start by discussing your granddaughter?”