Chapter 22
TWENTY-TWO
GINO
EARLY DECEMBER
I’ve spent the last eight hours in a warehouse with three of Russo’s men. Ryan, Jake, Gabe, and I have been questioning them for hours. None of us wants to do this, but we feel like we have to.
It’s early December now, and at this point Mateo coming back before the end of the year is less realistic and more of a hope and a dream.
According to every single one of them, Anthony knows nothing; none of them have been sent orders to do anything to us in New York.
But there’s no way Anthony knows nothing.
He has to know something or, at the very least, suspect something.
You don’t hear accusations of your son kidnapping and torturing someone, especially someone you just made a deal with, without there being some validity to it.
The four of us are in the corner of the room watching them, seeing if any will tick.
“How long do you want to hold them?” Ryan asks.
“Not long, I want to see if any of them will reveal something. Anthony’s network isn’t massive here, and he doesn’t have hundreds of men crawling the streets. These men don’t seem to be as violent; they're here to run his real estate portfolio and be bookies.”
“Do you think this will get Anthony to do anything?” Jake asks.
“Probably not, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he calls me once we let them go.”
“When do you want to let them go?” Gabe asks.
“Once I know they’ll call their boss,” I say.
“You want the call from Anthony,” Jake says.
“Yes, I do. I’ve noticed Lorenzo calls me almost as soon as I get off the phone with Anthony,” I say.
“So this is a way to try and draw Lorenzo out?” Ryan asks.
“Exactly. Wait thirty minutes, then let them go. I’m heading back to the house, so when Anthony calls, Drew will be there to do his tech stuff to help us figure this out,” I reply.
The three of them give a curt nod, and I leave the room.
The drive to the house is quiet. And I’m with my own thoughts for the first time in a while.
I’ve done everything that Lorenzo has asked of me. I’ve given him the money and drugs he’s wanted, but there’s clearly something more he wants. And I don't know what that is.
I’ve tried everything; I know I have. It’s almost like Lorenzo is doing this out of spite.
Pulling my car into the garage. I take a deep breath before walking into the house.
Walking into the house. I see Juliet in the kitchen, making dinner.
“Hey,” I say, clearing my throat. “What’re you making?”
“Chicken Piccata,” she replies.
I give her a soft smile. “Thank you.”
She turns, facing me with a spatula in her hand. “For what?”
“All of this. I know we thank you for it often, but truly, thank you. I probably would’ve gone complete mafia boss by now if it wasn’t for you.”
“How am I doing that?” she asks.
I walk closer to her. “A lot of ways. You’ve listened to every wild idea we’ve had. You’ve continued to be the listening ear to me and everyone else. You’ve become close with Vanessa, and that’s all I could’ve asked for when it comes to my sister.”
“Gino, you didn’t need to ask me to do any of that. I’ve always been the one who’d listen to any wild idea and then talk you down from the dumb ones.” She smiles. The perfect smile that lights up a room. And a smile that goes right to my cock.
I clear my throat. “Just thank you. I’m expecting a call any minute now from Anthony or Lorenzo, so I’m going to head upstairs. Don’t worry, I’ve already called Drew, and he’ll be here in a few minutes.”
I make the walk into my office, and as soon as Drew walks in, Anthony calls.
“Gino, you have some nerve attacking my men,” he says, the annoyance in his voice evident.
“Well, I wouldn’t continue to do this if you’d just tell me where Mateo is. I know you know something,” I reply.
“I know nothing, as I’ve told you many times. Maybe your man wants to leave and is soaking up the Italian sun,” he says, like it’s a joke.
I scoff. “Believe me, he wouldn’t do that.”
“Well then, tell your men to fall back, or I’m going to start messing up your deals in the States. I’ve been holding off, knowing that your man seems to be somewhere no one can find him.”
Before I can give any reply, he hangs up. I throw my phone on the desk and drop my head, leaning my body against the desk.
I look up at Drew and cross my arms.
“He’s at his villa; that's all I got,” Drew mutters, looking at me.
“Shit.”
Within seconds, Lorenzo’s name lights up my phone.
“Lorenzo,” I grumble.
“Listen, stop calling my father; it’s no use. He knows nothing. He won’t know anything,” he tells me.
“He called me. What else do you want?”
“Honestly? Nothing. I just want you to suffer. Your man may come back eventually, but I’ll decide when that is,” and he hangs up.
What is it with these Russos constantly needing to have the last word?
I look at Drew again.
“He’s at his father’s villa,” he replies.
“So he’s still using it as his cover,” I say.
“He has to be,” he replies.
Juliet walks into the office. “What if he’s using his father for more than just a cover for the phone calls?”
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“He could be using his father for a lot of things without Anthony knowing. He could be using money, assets, and men from him that he doesn’t know about,” she replies.
“Drew?” I ask.
“I’ll look into it.” Drew gets up and leaves the room.
“Dinner’s ready,” Juliet says.
“Thank you.” I give her a soft smile, and she leaves the room.
I can’t keep these feelings of want and need for her in much longer. I waited eight years to make my first move, and I’m not going to wait another eight to make the second.