Lorenzo must be reeling. Not that I minded, but when the shit rolled uphill to my part of the world, it was time to take notice. Rock heads. It had been a while since blood rained on the streets. Maybe the time was right to send a message. A careful one.
I glanced at Angelo, who nodded. “Don’t like what we’re hearing. Whoever these fuckers are, they’re pushing Ecstasy laced with some dirty shit. They have some high rollers including a few celebrities, politicians, the usual.” Angelo’s gruff voice was laced with his own anger, his daughter having fallen prey to street drugs two years before.
I shot another sideways glance at Marco. I always knew when the fuckers were lying. The guy was on the up and up, terrified of the thugs who’d threatened him. “They’re bringing it into the casinos.” A risky move taking some serious balls.
“That’s what we heard,” Bruno snarked. “Marco might be of some help, if you can trust him.”
The man had a good point. I already had enough shit going down in the casinos. I nodded, chuckling under my breath. Two-bit assholes thought they could take on the mob. I’d play along. What the hell.
I weighed my options. If word got out on the street I’d allowed a thief to go without punishment, even the street gangs would believe they had an in because of… weakness. Fuck that. “I tell you what, Marco. You’re going to lure these boys into your shop. Put out the word you have some fresh powder and you gotta sell. When they come snooping, you’re going to call me. You’re going to find out what you can, but don’t push your luck.” This could work, as long as Marco followed orders.
Marco jerked his head, gasping for air. I wasn’t sure whether he was going to burst into tears or some tirade. “Thank you, Mr. Lugiano. I won’t let you down. I swear to God.”
I shoved the gun into my waistband. “You better not, Marco. Very few men ever get a second chance. If you fuck with me this time, there’s an oil barrel with your name on it. Do you know how long it takes to suffocate in a tight drum?” I didn’t need to say any more, his horrified expression registering how serious I was. I turned my attention back to Bruno. “Set it up, Bruno. Keep your eye on Marco. You know what to do. And clean him up, for God’s sake. He runs a legitimate business on our turf.”
The last thing I needed was my casino fucked with, including any hint of illegal activity. I might have Drummand under my thumb, but there were plenty of legislators who needed a win and taking down the Lugiano family would certainly bode well for their career advancement.
“You got it, boss.” Bruno grinned, showing off his ragged teeth. He was as brutal as his name suggested but the best soldier on my team.
“I think I’ll make a special trip to Club Med tomorrow night.” The casino had been taken over by my father a few years before, close to a million spent on renovation. The upscale facility drew in celebrities and powerful influencers night after night. I couldn’t pass by the opportunity to ensure our regime continued to have a firm hold. The two-year anniversary of the relaunch would certainly bring in the rich and famous.
The lure powerful for scums longing to make a fortune.
“Excellent idea, boss,” Bruno said, grinning. “Let me take care of this and I’ll make special arrangements.”
“Then get back to the house. I want you with my guest at all times.” I’d left a soldier at the house, one who was wet behind the ears. I was a cautious man, protective to a fault.
He seemed surprised. “Are you afraid of her safety or just trying to run?”
“Just a bad feeling, Bruno.”
“I’ll protect her with my life.”
And I knew he would.
I’d grown weary of the usual violence on the streets, preferring to leave the ‘heavy’ work to my soldiers and capos. My interest was in the gambling casinos instead of the drugs, but incidents on the streets were increasing, creating friction with my father. This wasn’t about going legitimate, but the heat from the Feds was hardcore. Maybe I just wanted a few months of peace.
Then there was my new relationship.
I wasn’t entirely certain how my father was going to take my news, but it had to be done. We also had a significant shipment coming in, another reason for my deal with Drummand. And there was the issue of the senator and his bill before Congress. He was trying desperately to eliminate all casinos in the state of New York, which would negate the board of supervisors vote on the proposed casino deal initiated by my father several months before. That wasn’t going to happen. Sadly, my father didn’t have as much control over the local politics as he’d like.
Shutting out casinos didn’t bode well for anyone, but his presentation of extreme and horrific crimes centered around the business had family folk up in arms, condemning all aspects of gambling. He had a significant following, including members of law enforcement. The legislative session would be ending soon, which meant Drummand would need to work quickly. Things had certainly changed. I only hoped the pompous man had learned a valuable lesson. As long as he kept a chain on his buddies, no one would be the wiser.
“You’re going to get back to work, pretending we never talked. And Marco, I’m serious. You do not cross us again.” I didn’t wait for Marco’s answer, heading out to my Mercedes. The sports cars were reserved for entertainment only. I preferred driving myself, disgusted with the concept of a bodyguard, even though my father insisted. For some insane reason, I grabbed my phone, shifting to her picture and fingering her face. The moment shared had been one of my best experiences, at least with a woman. She was defiant and angry, just as I suspected, but she would soon learn. I snorted, shoving the phone back into my pocket. There was no time for lamenting. The engine roared to life and I swung out of the parking lot of the warehouse, heading to my father’s office.
My father, Giordano Lugiano, wasn’t a man to be fucked with. He’d amassed a fortune during his tenure as Don, touting influential friends including the vice president of the United States. The irony regarding my announcement wouldn’t be lost on him. He was well aware I was cunning in every decision I made. I maneuvered through the streets, enjoying the ride more than usual. Tension remained in my bones, my decision one my father would undoubtedly second guess.
There was no way to keep Caroline a secret and I had no intention of locking her in shackles and chains, secured in my home. Her appearance by my side would solidify my family’s control over the political arena, sending not only a shockwave but an unstated threat without being forced to lift a hand. She was far more valuable than she even knew. My cock ached just thinking about her.
And tomorrow night, she would be revealed.
The drive took little more than fifteen minutes, even with the heavy traffic. I pulled into the parking lot of the all glass office building, laughing at the fact my father’s balls were larger than life, his office located feet away from several attorneys.
They wouldn’t dare fuck with him or his command of the system. They simply looked the other way. I pulled into my usual parking space, glaring out the windshield. This was just another day in paradise for all the worker bees. Thank God I’d been born into higher ranks.
I walked through the set of double doors, heading directly for my father’s office. The majority of his staff had no idea about what my family did, my father keeping them working on the legitimate businesses. However, those who knew were paid very well for their silence. The office had been raided several times, neither the local cops nor the FBI finding anything. My father was a brilliant businessman.
I approached his office, hesitating more than usual. Then I simply opened the door.
“Well, I’m happy to hear that, Clive. I appreciate your call.” Giordano laughed. He stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, animated as he always was with every phone call. “Give Bev my best. We need to get together for golf soon, my friend.”
I stood in the doorway, leaning against the doorjamb. When my father ended the call, I clapped.
Startled, he turned, dropping the phone and holding out his arms. “Now to what do I owe this visit?”
“Clive. I didn’t realize you were buddies with the district attorney.” I closed the door, shoving my hands into my pockets as I headed toward his desk.
“I have friends in every walk of life, son. That’s the key to this business. He was warning me about some heat coming our way.” He chuckled and lifted an eyebrow. “As if that bothers me. Sit down. Do you want a drink?” He moved toward his bar.
“A little early, Pops. Don’t you think?”
“Never too early for a decent scotch.” He laughed, lifting an eyebrow as he glanced up and down the length of me, surveying as he always did. “What’s on your mind?”
“I wanted you to hear something from me and not one of the capos.”
He lifted the decanter, pouring a drink, his eyes never leaving me. “Is this about the final approval for the new casino? I’m going to guess you’ve handled the issues. I had a very encouraging phone call from our local district supervisor. Nice gal.”
“Not about that, but yes, there should be no more complications. I suspect the bill will die before it even gets to the Senate floor, which will mean that our board of supervisors will be happy to sign off on such an amazing opportunity for one thousand upstanding New York citizens. New jobs. Tourist money. They can’t lose.”