Chapter 40
Constance
The next morning, Maximo orders breakfast from room service like it’s any other day, not the day we’re going to say goodbye to his cousins.
We eat in slow, distracted bites, both of us dragging our feet about leaving.
Eventually, I tell him, “We’re going to have to leave for the memorial, eventually.”
“You’re right,” he agrees, running his fingers through his black hair that’s still damp from his shower. “I’m dreading it, but we should start making our way over. What time did you say you have to be at the doctor this afternoon? Four-thirty?”
“Yes, then I’m planning to go get something to eat with my friend Melissa. She texted me back last night and said to meet her at six at Gino’s pizza, over near Monroe’s.”
“That sounds like a nice afternoon. I’ll drive us to the funeral home, then back to the estate so you can get your car.”
“Okay, thank you,” I reply. I thought Maximo would insist on coming with me or try to convince me not to go alone. I’m glad it’s not turning into an argument right before the memorial service.
When we finally leave the hotel, it’s almost noon. I sigh as I settle into the passenger seat of the black Escalade we drove over last night, sinking back into the cool leather and closing my eyes for a moment as we drive out of the parking deck and into the bright midday sun.
“I’m glad you’re going out to see a friend.
You need some normalcy back in your life after everything you’ve been through the last few weeks,” Maximo says as he navigates through the crowded city streets.
“It’s not good to be in your own head too much.
I’ve been fighting that habit ever since my father died and I had to step into his shadow. ”
“Has it always been like this? Constant violence, always looking over your shoulder, never staying still? It’s exhausting.”
“Not always. I told you about the turf war when I first took over, Castilla, the shooting, losing part of a lung. Then the Chinese tried to push in with fentanyl, but public outrage made it easy to sic the cops on them. The Russians were different. Quieter. Salvatore introduced me to Alexei Volkov about five years ago.”
“You knew the Volkovs before they murdered my father? You did business with them?” The words come out sharper than I intend.
“I knew Alexei, not his maniac nephew Kirill. Alexei Volkov wanted permission to set up a series of nightclubs in the city where he could rent out his high-end call girls. Alexei was just a pimp as far as I could tell, but as long as a businessman pays his tributes, I don’t give a damn how he earns his money. ”
“But then Alexei turned their New York business enterprises over to Kirill. He was greedy and sloppy, and he ended up murdering my father.” My voice is still trembling with my emotions, and Maximo reaches over to pat my leg reassuringly.
“And my cousins, Enzo and Luca, along with several other members of my crew. He racked up one hell of a bill, and you made sure he paid it in full, didn’t you? I’m proud of you, Constance, and I know your father would be, too.”
“Thank you,” I reply. “But tell me the truth, Maximo. Is it over? Are we going to have any more trouble out of the Bratva, or Salvatore?”
“Who can say?” Maximo just shrugs, eyes on the road. He doesn’t elaborate, and his non-answer only tightens the knot already twisting in my stomach.
When we arrive at the funeral home for the memorial service, Leonard is standing outside on the front steps greeting the attendees. His face is haggard, and he looks even wearier than when we last saw him yesterday. The grief weighing him down seems to add another decade to his stooped frame.
“Maximo, Constance, thank you both for coming,” Leonard greets us as we walk up the stairs together.
“If you’re hungry, your mother brought over a fruit basket and a bunch of pastries from that bakery she loves.
She’s just inside setting things up and helping Phillip and Dana.
They’re not handling things well. Luca was still so young… ”
“I’ll go talk to them and try to offer my condolences,” Maximo replies. “How are you holding up today? You look exhausted.”
“I’m not sleeping well,” the old man admits.
“Don’t worry about me though. I’ve got your mother to lean on and help me through all this.
While you’re here though, I do have a question.
You remember Enzo’s lieutenants, Sam Campoli, Trenton D’Angelo, and Jamie Nicolo?
They stopped by the estate together last night to ask who you want overseeing operations. ”
“You know Enzo’s friends and associates even better than I do,” Maximo admits after a moment’s thought. “Which one would you recommend? From what I remember all three of them are steady.”
“Steady, sure,” Leonard agrees. “If you don’t mind Sam’s revolving door with rehab and Jamie constantly juggling women. Enzo would’ve picked Trenton. I’m sure of it.”
“That settles it then.” Maximo smiles and claps the old man on the shoulder. “Ask Trenton to come by the house for dinner tonight and we’ll talk it over. Thank you, Leonard,” he adds as he takes me by the arm and guides me to the front door.
“That’s it? I admire your ‘promote from within’ structure, but don’t you need a little more information to decide if you can trust this guy Trenton to be your new right-hand man?” I ask Maximo as he holds the door open for me.
“Oh, of course,” he agrees. “I’m going to go make some calls to talk to the men they work with. But if Leonard says Enzo would have recommended Trenton, that’s just about good enough for me.”
“Well, while you do that I’ll get changed after the service and then head out for my doctor’s appointment. Do you want me to bring you back anything to eat?”
“No, don’t worry about me. I’ll find my own dinner tonight. Call me if you need anything or have any issues, okay?” He gathers me up in a hug and kisses the top of my head. “God, I adore you. Come on, let’s go pay our respects and then I’ll drive you back to the house.”
He holds the door open for me, then once we step inside, we clasp hands tightly and approach Adeline. She’s hugging a woman I don’t recognize, but who I presume to be Luca’s mother, Dana, as Phillip is standing right next to them.
Phillip steps forward to take Maximo’s hand and says, “Thank you for coming, Maximo, and you too Constance. I wish we were seeing each other again under better circumstances.”
As soon as she hears Maximo’s name, Dana peels herself away from Adeline and stalks over to us, her heels digging marks in the carpet from her furious approach. “Why are you even here?” Luca’s mother hisses inches from his face.
I can’t help but gape at her as Maximo steps slightly in front of me, almost butting heads with the woman. “I came to pay my respects to my two dear friends and cousins,” he replies calmly.
Adeline swoops in trying to insert herself between them, whispering, “Dana, this isn’t the time or the place to make a scene. We’re all here to grieve this tragedy…”
“This tragedy!” Dana’s voice cracks as tears begin to pour down her face.
Her mascara is already smeared, and this fresh glut of tears falls in black trails down both of her cheeks.
“This is your fault. My son is dead because of you, you piece of shit!” she screams, jabbing a finger into Maximo’s chest.
“Phillip,” Maximo calls over to his uncle. “Handle your wife,” he orders. His tone leaves no room for argument, and I see several dark-suited men who have been milling about the foyer step forward as if they intend to intervene.
Phillip sees them as well, and he lunges forward to wrap his arms around his wife and pull her back. “Dana, please, don’t do this here. Whatever you have to say we can handle in private…” His voice trails off as he drags her away, down a nearby hall into a bathroom.
“I’m sorry, Maximo, Constance,” Adeline says as she dabs at her own eyes with a Kleenex.
“She’s been inconsolable and seeing Luca and Enzo lying in there…
” She glances meaningfully into the next room, where I can see the two coffins surrounded by flowers.
“Well…I think it broke something in her. Please don’t hold this against her,” she adds as she lays a hand on Maximo’s forearm.
Maximo doesn’t reply but instead reaches back to take my hand and says, “Let’s go pay our respects.”
“Are you okay?” I whisper to him as we walk into the viewing room.
“No, not really.” He sighs. “I understand her pain; I feel their loss too. She’ll never believe that, though. Dana hated my father, and she always thought I was just like him, willing to use and abuse anyone to get what I want. This certainly isn’t going to change her mind about me.”
As we approach the coffins, another woman I recognize turns towards us.
Enzo’s sister, Cindy, stares at the two of us with open hostility etched into every grim line of her frown.
“I heard Dana yelling,” she begins without any preamble or greeting.
“She was wrong. This isn’t on you, Maximo.
Things were fine until she showed up,” she spits, leveling a finger at me.
“You did this, you evil bitch. You got my brother killed!”
Her voice rises to a shriek, and before Maximo or I can even respond, she picks up a flower filled vase and hurls it right at my head.
I throw my arms up to shield my face. The vase explodes against my forearms, a blast of cold water and glass knocking me flat onto the carpet.
The sting kicks in, and faint red lines bloom across my skin before the blood starts to bead.
Maximo looks to me and then to Cindy with a look of pure, murderous hatred.
She lunges towards another flower arrangement, but before she can lift it, he seizes her by the upper arm.
He raises his other hand above his head before bringing it down onto her cheek in a slap that echoes in the viewing room like a clap of thunder.
Cindy is hurled off her feet into the front row of chairs, where she sprawls, stunned and sobbing.
“Get her out here!” Maximo roars at several of the men who are milling around the room. He turns back to me as his men rush over and gather her up by her arms. Maximo helps me to my feet as Cindy is dragged screaming and cursing back down the aisle and out of the viewing room.
“Come on, we’re leaving,” Maximo says as he helps me to my feet. He takes my hands and turns my arms over examining the scratches I’ve suffered. “Let’s go wash these in the bathroom first and make sure you don’t have any glass caught anywhere. I’m so sorry, firefly. I had no idea…”
“None of this is your fault,” I tell him as he helps me down the hallway towards the bathroom. My heart aches at the agony on his face and at the accusations the women have flung.
“I don’t care if they blame me,” he says as he shoulders open the door to the men’s bathroom and pulls me inside.
It’s empty, thankfully, and he guides me to the sink where he turns on the hot water.
“But I should have known they might lash out, especially Cindy. I’m so sorry,” he repeats as he wets a towel and helps me wash the cuts on my arm.
They seem superficial and are barely bleeding, so Maximo gives me another towel to wrap my arm.
“Come on, let’s get out of here,” he says as he steps back over to open the door.
“Nothing good is going to come from staying here. My presence is just going to antagonize my family.”
Before I can respond, Leonard pushes the door open and joins us. “Oh no, Constance,” he breathes, taking in my soaked dress and scratched arms. “Maximo, what happened? Your mother said Dana and Cindy both lost it…”
“They both threw fits, but Cindy went a bit further and threw a vase at me,” I reply.
“She attacked you?” Leonard gasps in horror, looking up to Maximo for confirmation. “Is she…you didn’t hurt her, did you?”
“I slapped her and had her removed. Go help her, Leonard, and make sure she’s taking her medicine. You know how she gets around anything glass when she doesn’t,” he adds.
“I sincerely hope that’s all this is. I’ll talk to her, Maximo. Nothing like this will happen again. Constance, I’m so sorry. Cindy isn’t well, and…”
“You don’t have to explain,” I interrupt him. “Enzo actually warned me about…” I start to explain, but I get choked up as tears suddenly flood my eyes. I don’t know if it’s an adrenaline reaction or just the sudden reality of their deaths slamming into me after seeing so much grief.
“Go help your daughter.” Maximo sighs as he claps Leonard on the shoulder.
“I’ll take Constance back to the house and we’ll stay away from everyone until they’ve had more time to grieve and deal with their emotions.
Come on, firefly.” He takes my hand and guides me out of the bathroom, towards a nearby exit that puts us back out in the parking lot on the other side of the funeral home.
I try to get my sobbing under control as we walk back to the Escalade.
I use the towel that I was holding on my arm to dry my eyes now that the bleeding has mostly stopped.
Maximo climbs into the driver’s seat, and we ride back to the estate in grim silence.
I pull down the sun visor and use the mirror on the back to wipe at my own make-up and clean myself up.
“It never occurred to me that your family might blame us for everything those Russian bastards did. I’m sorry, Max. I feel like I’ve torn your family apart getting revenge for my father.”
“Nothing that has happened has been your fault,” he reassures me with a pat on the leg.
“My family knows that. They’re just lashing out blindly and blaming whoever is the easiest target.
If they knew what the Bratva really did, they’d understand.
But we can’t tell them. I can’t trust someone like Cindy with the truth of how our world works. ”
I just hope Maximo continues to trust me with the truth.