Chapter 29
The clock of Romero”s gymnasium loudly ticked with each passing minute.
He looked at his own pocket watch, making sure the time was correct.
The boxing ring he was perched in became worn as he paced back and forth, waiting for Salvatore Jr. to come through the doors.
Ignoring his own racing heart beat, Romero tried distracting himself by cracking his knuckles or his neck.
After what seemed like forever, the gymnasium doors opened. Turning his head with a growl, a haze of smoke announced Jr.’s entrance.
The skinny man slid through the doors, letting them slam behind him.
Sal Jr. looked like he hadn’t slept in days, let alone bathed. His suit was a wrinkled mess, and the dark circles under his eyes were purple.
“Well, well, well. Mr. Romero Mancini. You caved earlier than expected. I’ll admit, I was hoping maybe you and the wifey would come to me and save me the trip of having to take her back home. On the likely chance she’ll fight me. Not that I’d mind, though.”
Romero swallowed back the bile building up in his throat.
“Might I see the girl so I at least know I’ll like the merchandise? Even if I don’t, I know for a fact I’m getting something extra along with her. Some twin babies come with the package, I understand.”
He grinned like a spoiled child who won a juvenile game of catch.
“A wife and kids and I barely did any work. I’d say I’ve done pretty good for myself so far, and I’ve only been boss for a year.”
Romero growled, exiting the boxing ring with his fists by his side.
Sal smelled even worse up close, it was almost overwhelming. He didn’t flinch when Romero approached, clearly believing he won.
Romero fisted his collar, pulling him close. More than anything, he wanted to beat him until there was nothing left. Whatever he did to Doc, Romero fantasized about doing worse.
But he couldn’t let Jr. see that he knew about the death.
He needed a confession.
So, he had to keep him talking.
Romero inhaled slowly, smoothing out Jr.’s shirt.
“And how exactly would you make her your wife? I married her, all legal and sound.”
Jr. scoffed.
“Exactly how you freed her up to marry you, fool. If you really want to test my patience, I could repeat it down to the most minute detail. But I could be nice and let you release her to me fairly. Then, we can both walk away from this. But I’ll have everything, and you”ll have…well nothing.” The pathetic man began hysterically laughing.
Romero felt every limb in his body get hot under the burning blood pumping from his heart.
“So what do you say? Can I see the broad?”
Romero turned his head.
“Sweetheart, will you come out, please?” He called behind him.
As planned, Lucrezia stepped out of the shadows. She cradled the swell of her belly, keeping her distance.
“Mmm, prettier than I thought she would be. Far along with the pregnancy, too, I can see. I won’t have to wait too long for my heirs. Do a little spin for me, baby.” Sal twirled his finger.
Romero could feel the disgusted expression from behind him, but Lucrezia didn’t obey. Just as her Daddy told her, she remained where she was.
Jr. tried to step forward, but Romero put a hand to his chest to stop him.
“Tell me. How exactly did you know my wife was carrying twins?” He raised a brow, just betting on Sal’s ego to speak for itself.
He rolled his eyes.
“Well, I had to figure it out for myself. You didn’t exactly protect your doctor very well. All I had to do was follow him home to see what I could get out of him. But he apparently took his confidentiality oath quite seriously. Not a peep from his lips, you’d be proud. Even after I knocked his fucking teeth out of his skull. I broke into his filing cabinets once I was through with him, and there it was. Written in his own hand. A healthy twin pregnancy. Couldn’t believe my luck.”
Romero shook his head, knowing he was looking at evil incarnate. He had to be, given his flippance. A born psycho.
“Since I’m feeling generous today, I think I’ll make you a deal.”
“A deal?”
“Yes.”
“Do tell.” Romero pocketed his hands.
“You keep one baby when they’re born. Something to remember her by, if you will. I, of course, keep her and the other baby. Provided that it’s a son. Otherwise, I’ll just have to get her caught again.”
Romero heard the soft gasp of his wife behind him. Lucrezia said she could handle this, and he prayed she could hold on just a little longer.
He looked back at her, silently assuring her with just his eyes that this would never be.
This would all be over soon.
“You speak like we’re talking about a pair of shoes here, Esposito. That’s beyond cold.”
Jr. shrugged.
“Hey, I am my father’s son after all. I think this will more than make up for the interest incurred when your uncle borrowed that money. Sure, he paid him back, but Pops was forever seen as weak after that. Everyone called him soft, the whole damn family and everyone who worked beneath him. And when they looked at me…”
Sal scowled, taking angry puffs of his cigar.
“They didn’t see me as hope for the future. They saw me as just another useless Esposito. But I told myself, ‘They’ll see. They’ll all see. I’ll be better than Pops ever was!’”
He began maniacally laughing, rubbing his hand over his wrinkled forehead.
“So, that’s what this is all about. You want to shine and outdo your father.” Romero forced himself to fist the fabric of his pockets to keep from wringing his enemy’s neck.
“Make no mistake, I am outdoing my old man. I don’t care what I have to do to achieve that. I’ll steal, cheat, take whatever and whoever I want.”
Romero shook his head. This man truly was insane.
Having enough, he reached into his inner jacket pocket and pulled out two folded documents.
“Quickie divorce papers. I had them drawn up, and we’ve already signed them.” He put back that piece of paper and held up the remaining one.
“A contract. You’ll sign this, and I’ll hand you my wife freely on the condition that I never see you or hear your voice again.”
Salvatore smirked, flicking what was left of his cigar on the ground and grabbed the paper out of Romero’s hands, looking it over.
“It’s not in english.”
“All my important papers are in Italian. What, your pops never teach you?” Romero calmly procured a pen from his pocket, focusing on the sound of Lucrezia’s breathing behind him.
“I was never any good, focused on what was more important. Maybe you should try it sometime.”
Sal grabbed the pen and sloppily signed, handing the paper back to him.
“So, that’s it? We done here? I’d like to take my bride home now. If you file those divorce papers, we can be married by the end of the week. I’ll send you an invite.” Jr. winked at him, then snapped his fingers in Lucrezia’s direction.
“Come on, girl. I’ve got some big plans for you.”
From the corner of his eye, Romero saw his little girl take a step back.
Any second now.
“Give her a minute, she’s shy,” Romero said as he pretended to read over the paper.
“I don’t have all day, sweet cheeks.” Jr. annoyedly began walking toward her.
Romero snatched him by the arm like a vice, growling.
Sal looked at the offending hand, then up to his face with a smirk. “Aw, can’t let go so easily, can you?”
Romero bit the inside of his cheek to keep from blowing his cover, which was getting harder to do.
He swallowed the retort on the tip of his tongue.
“Give us a minute, won’t you?” Romero leaned in close, hoping it would reach Sal in some deep recess of his brain.
Sal silently stepped back, visibly aggravated.
Romero turned his back on him, his heart thrumming so fast he swore it would beat out of his chest. It was dangerous to do so with someone as unhinged as Sal. He carefully watched Lucrezia as he walked to her. She would signal him if Sal tried something funny.
When he reached her, his blood instantly cooled, and his breathing slowed.
Lucrezia brought her fingers to his cheek, dragging it across his face.
She happily brought his palm to her belly, and his babies immediately responded.
“Daddy’s here,”Romero spoke to his children, wishing there could be an invisible link between them.
He looked behind his wife through the small window of the back gymnasium door, where his dirty police, his guards, Charlie, Johnny, and Luca Romano waited for his signal.
“You know something, Jr.? I think I underestimated you.” Romero spoke to him without looking at him, wanting to keep his eyes only on Lucrezia.
“Is that so?” Sal said.
“Yeah. You’re actually stupider than I ever thought you would be. I mean, it truly boggles my mind. You’d think that it was common knowledge to read something before you sign it.”
Now, he looked at Sal, who’s skin took on a sickly white shade.
Romero procured the document from his jacket pocket, the “divorce papers” being nothing but fakes, and the “contract” nothing of the sort.
He demonstrated peeling another piece of paper away from the fake contract, attached to the initial sheet with adhesive. The ink from Sal’s signature, however, bled through on what would seal his fate.
“You should have paid attention in your Italian lessons. If so, you may not have just signed your own confession.” Romero grinned and waved the paper in the air, signaling his small army to rush into the gymnasium.
What followed was a whirlwind of bodies flooding through the doors.
The officers on Romero’s payroll subdued Salvatore, pushed him to the ground and began searching him.
Romero’s lawyers and the district attorney came to he and his wife’s side with their arms crossed, pleased that they were being served a class criminal on a silver platter.
Salvatore hollered and fought, screaming how it was a fixed sting and that the confession would never hold up.
Romero utterly ignored him, keeping a protective arm around Lucrezia as they hauled the little worm away.
“Didn’t I tell you that I would make it worth your while?” He asked the powerful men.
They agreed, looking over the confession Romero and Luca drew up themselves. It listed essentially every crime Luca had him on based on his own personal account of events and hard evidence.
Luca himself appeared at their side, producing the same envelope with all the damning documents. Doc’s gruesome picture was front and center.
Romero swelled with both sorrow and pride. He would miss him, but he was confident that justice would be done.
The politicians, who could always count on Romero’s support, assured him that Esposito would be quickly and quietly tried and put away. They reiterated that none of it would have been possible without Luca and him working together.
The two men exchanged brief glances, knowing that after today, they would likely never see each other again.
Once the commotion finally died down, Romero pulled Lucrezia away. Tony pulled up just in time.
“Can we go home now?” She pressed a warm hand to his chest.
For the first time in a very long time, he could completely relax.
“Yes, la mia piccola perla. Home.”