Title: Crossed By The Mobster
Shirley
I’ve missed New York.
Not enough to move back, but enough to appreciate how much things have changed since I left. Yet, also remained the same.
The West Coast is fabulous and keeps me busy and distracted. Alessandro hasn’t called me back to the city for a long time. Hopefully, he’s happy with how Pierce and I run his operations there.
I briefly wonder how my brother Pierce is getting on with the business while I am out here, but I put the thought out of my head. My playboy brother knows better than to mix business and pleasure, and I trust he’ll keep things in order.
The limousine pulls up to the house, and a guard opens the door for me.
I get out and look up at Carmine standing just outside the door.
“Shirley McCannister,” he declares with arms wide open. “The little sister has returned.”
I smile broadly. “Carmine, I hear you’ve been up to no good with other little sisters while I’ve been away.”
Carmine dutifully inclines his head. “Perhaps, but you know, I love her.”
I leave the guards to bring in my luggage, walking to Carmine and letting him envelop me with a hug. Like Carmine, we are considered family to the Sorvino family. Arianna and I were like twins when we were younger, and Pierce and Francesco were thick as thieves. It’s so good to be back.
“Alessandro is already waiting for you,” he comments. “I’ll take you to his office before I get your stuff to your room.”
I loop my arm through his. “Straight to business, just how I like it.”
“Most importantly, he just wants to see you. It’s been a long time since you’ve been back to New York,” he comments as he walks me through to Alessandro’s office.
He opens the door for me, and I let go of his arm to walk ahead. Alessandro is kneeling, tying Miska’s shoes. Katya is standing with Mattia in her arms, and he is wriggling, trying to get down.
Alessandro groans as he stands up. “Now, next time, you can do it, Miska,” he rubs her head lovingly as he turns to me. “Shirls, you look amazing.”
“And you’re getting seriously old if you’re groaning when you stand up,” I tease.
“Hey, I’m heading to forty faster than I like. You remember Katya?”
“Of course,” I kiss her on both cheeks before kissing Mattia, “Hello, bambino.”
Miska hides behind Katya, and I smile. “Aren’t you going to say hi to Aunty Shirls?”
Miska shakes her head, and Katya smiles at me. “I’ll leave you both to your work. I’m taking the twins out on a play date with the rest of the kids.’
She kisses Alessandro deeply before leaving the room, Carmine following behind her.
“They’re getting so big,” I comment before I hug Alessandro. “It’s good to see you.”
“It’s good to see you, sorella,” he chuckles, holding onto me a little longer than usual before moving away. “Sit. Sit.”
I sit in front of his desk as he returns to his high-backed chair. “I’m so glad you could come up. How’s Pierce?”
“Depends. Are we talking about his professional life or his personal life? Although, according to him, he’s rocking both,” I joke, grinning from ear to ear.
Alessandro shakes his head. “Forever the playboy.”
There’s a brief moment of silence, comfortable, and then Alessandro sighs and leans forward. “I’ve brought you here because I need a massive deal negotiated. Something that has never been done before is going down, and I think you’re perfect for the job.”
I perk up. “Never been done before?”
“Let’s start with what you know. Are you familiar with the Pacheco family?” he asks, standing up to pour us each a drink.
I nod. “Don Ettore, two sons. They operate a huge opioid gig in
Staten Island. Worth a pretty penny to any family, really.”
“Indeed, well, Don Ettore, for whatever reason he holds personally, wants to essentially sell his family, the business, and the area to another family. He wants to return to Italy, apparently.”
“He’s selling the family?” I ask, confused.
“Basically, everyone who works for him, so that they still have work and positions and no one gets left behind,” Alessandro sets a glass of whiskey, neat, in front of me.
“You can’t sell loyalty,” I comment. “How do we know no one will try to overthrow us?”
“We don’t, but we can easily put any stragglers in their place,” he sipped his whiskey and sat down again. “I want you to bid against the other families and get me everything they have.”
I wait for a moment before asking. “What’s the catch? If it were just straightforward, you’d send Frankie or Miguel?”
He smiles at me. “You know we’ve joined with the Volkov family through marriage? Vittoria married Ivan?”
“I missed the wedding, but I know it happened,” I comment. He knows that the Bratva family is a sore point for me, and I didn’t attend the wedding because of my history with them.
“Well, you may have missed that we share a lot now. Ivan is as giving as we are, and we keep things peaceful. But I want this for us. I want the Sorvino family, not our little coalition, to run Staten Island. Ivan won’t retaliate if we bid against him, but he knows most of the other family members and how they will bid. You’re a mystery to him.”
Maybe to him, but definitely not to his cousin. That’s the first thought that runs through my brain, and it’s almost as though Alessandro reads my mind.
“Ivan is going to send Evgenii to acquire Staten Island. He’s a good businessman who makes good strategic decisions. Are you going to be able to handle that?”
I nod confidently and without hesitation. “I can handle it. We have history, but that’s what it is. History.”
Alessandro looks a little doubtful, and I smile reassuringly. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve always got our family’s best interests at heart.”
“Once you acquire Staten, we can call in Pierce and ask him to manage things in the area while you return to the West Coast and head up operations there. This time on your own.”
It’s a promotion or the promise of one. One I’ve hoped for, for a long time, and I fill with pride. “I’ll get this done, don’t worry, Fratello.”
He chuckles and turns as his phone rings. “Give me two seconds,” he stands up and walks away to take the call, and I sit there, pondering my dilemma.
Evgenii, that fucking dickhead! I knew he couldn’t be dead yet, though I had hoped. The traitorous little rat didn’t deserve anything other than pain and death. I wish I could be the one to dish it out.
I grow frustrated and angry as I think about him and what he did to me those years ago. If I see him at Don Ettore’s house, I might accidentally drive over him with the car I’m going to borrow from the family, or maybe I can take out a hit on him. No, the two families are united, and Alessandro would never allow that, despite knowing my history with him. It’s nice to think about though. All the ways I could torture him for hours before finally ending his life.
Alessandro comes back and sits down. “So, are we all sorted? Just let Carmine know if you need anything, and he’ll get it for you.”
I finish my whiskey and smile. “Perfect, I’ll do that. Don’t worry,
Alessandro, the Sorvino family will get Staten Island and all it has to offer.” Alessandro’s smile is more like an evil smirk. “Oh, I know. It’s why I called you.”
I stand up. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to get settled in now so I can see Don Ettore as soon as possible to lay down a foundation for the acquisition.”
“Ever the businesswoman.” Alessandro stands as I stand. Manners are everything to him. “I’ll see you at dinner.”
I leave his office, waving at Carmine as I pass him in the entrance hall and walk upstairs. My room is on the second level, to the right, and my legs ache slightly as I reach the top. Having sat for the flight, the drive, and now the meeting, my legs feel stiff. I should hit the home gym later to stretch out my muscles.
I shut my door behind me and grimace, a slight doubt creeping into my heart now that I’m alone.
I don’t particularly want to deal with Evgenii, but I know he’ll speak to me if I see him. He will enjoy unsettling me, and I can’t let that happen.
Whatever happens, if I see him, I need to remain calm and composed, cold and businesslike. This isn’t a family gathering where we all love each other. This is a deal the likes of which I’ve never heard of. Families never “sell” their territory. Their children or someone high up in the family must inherit it. When I check with Don Ettore Pacheco, I can guarantee that he doesn’t feel confident that anyone can run the family business without running it into the ground.
The numbers are already crunching in my head. Staten Island is notorious for its opioid use. The market is booming day by day. We’ve tried to get in there before, but the Pacheco family runs good substances for a sustaining price. They’re good at business. They know how to keep their customers.
I will bowl over the Pacheco family with my bid, make Evgenii look like a complete idiot, and seal my promotion with Alessandro all in one swoop.
Evgenii
I drive through the gates of Ivan’s property after the guards confirm who I am. It’s getting late, and I know that as the sun sets, Tori will want to put Roman down, and I hope I can see him before she does. I walk into the house and to Ivan’s office, where I see Tori ahead of me with Roman in her arms. I can’t help the little smile on my face. My little Romy is everything to me-an heir to the greatest family in the world. Tori doesn’t notice me, so I stand at the door watching her take the little tyke to his father.
“Time to say goodnight Papa,” she says as Ivan sits back and reaches for his toddler.
“Goodnight, baby boy,” Ivan says, kissing Roman’s cheek and making him giggle. He then sets Roman on his lap and starts tickling him.
“Don’t get him excited!” Tori groans though she’s smiling. “I just bathed him so he’d calm down.”
“Sorry, sorry,” Ivan says though he doesn’t sound it. He rocks Roman for a moment before he glances at me, making Tori turn to look at me. “Hi, Evgenii.”
I don’t hold back my broad smile. Since we rescued Ivan, Tori and I have become fast friends. We’re both fiercely loyal to him. Even the Sorvinos accept that of her, and we both adore Roman, who I approach. “Hi, Tori. Romy, come here.” I walk in, and Roman holds his arms out to me. Ivan gives him another kiss before depositing him in my arms. “Hello, little king.”
Roman coos in my arms, and I kiss his forehead. “Go sleep nicely for mama, don’t give her grief. Maybe tomorrow we’ll play.”
I doubt he understands me, he’s just over a year old, but I hand him back to Tori, and she smiles.
“How are you, Evgenii?” she asks, cradling Roman.
“Always great when I see my favorite cousins,” I chuckle, kissing her cheek. “We should have lunch together tomorrow. We can take Roman to the park.”
“Text me to arrange it,” she says. “I’ll be with Roman if anyone needs me.” She kisses Ivan softly and then leaves.
“Drink?” Ivan asks as he stands up.
I move out of his way, stepping toward the bookcase that lined the impressive room. “Please, a nightcap while we discuss business.”
“Tori would complain that we only ever talk business,” he chuckles. Both our beards and hair are streaked with silver, mine more than his, and it reminds me how old we’re getting in the grand scheme of things. I push the thought out of my mind, reasoning that I can still get twenty-somethings out on a date.
I study the titles on his bookshelf for a moment before I respond.
“She’s a fine one to talk. She’s always working.”
“Not always,” Ivan walks over and hands me a drink. “Come, I have the documents in my desk drawer.”
We both move back to his desk, and I sit in front of it in one of the winged armchairs. He opens the center drawer, takes out a manila folder, and hands it to me.
“What has Don Ettore asked for Staten Island?” Ivan asks as he sits back in his chair with his drink, sipping it but keeping his eyes on me.
“It’s simple enough. Each of the families can put in their bid for the family business, its members, and its territory. Don Ettore will agree to the best offer. There’s potential for fighting amongst the families over this one. He doesn’t want bloodshed or war, it’s too costly both in money and lives, but I don’t know, Ivan.” I open the folder and look at what we have to offer the Pacheco family. “Thanks for this. I can work on our proposal now. But as I said, it might be easier to take it by force.” I glance up. “There are very few families who can match our power and reach. We would find little opposition.”
“No, that will definitely cause war.” Ivan sits up again. “We’d be spitting in Alessandro’s and Miguel’s faces, for one thing, and other families will take it as a threat and go on the attack or even unite against us. That’s the last thing we want. We will adhere to the terms and prepare the best bid. Our best way forward is to infiltrate the biggest threats in terms of bids, find out what they are bidding, and outdo them. We don’t have to start a war, but we don’t have to play fair, either. I doubt anyone else will.”
I flip to the last page in the folder, which is a recent photo of a woman coming off a plane. I instantly recognize Shirley and raise an eyebrow. She was my girlfriend six years ago, and I haven’t seen her since we broke up. Not even at Sorvino and Volkov combined family events. As far as I know, she was working on the West Coast operations for Alessandro.
“She’s negotiating the Sorvino bid,” Ivan sips his drink. I can feel his eyes trained on me, and I do my best to keep my expression neutral.
“That’s one person I won’t have to worry about,” I’m overly confident about it, and Ivan instantly shakes his head.
“She’s a hard ass now. She’s not that naive, twenty-one-year-old girl you slept around with back then.”
Our eyes meet, and I sip my drink. “I know. She looks very serious.” I’m trying to break the tension with humor, but I can see my Pakhan is not impressed with me.
“I’m not joking, Evgenii,” Ivan’s tone drops. “You took advantage of her and got us information about the Sorvinos when we were enemies. She has a reason to approach this hard, especially when she learns you’re handling our bid. She’s going to want revenge, and seeing you fail to outbid her is exactly the sort of thing she’ll be after. I need you to keep her in mind and your emotions out of this.”
“I know Ivan, relax,” I finish my drink and set the glass down. “I can handle this. She’s still young. I can use that to my advantage. Just because she learned some things the hard way doesn’t mean she has experience in all areas. I’m twenty years her senior. I can definitely still manipulate her.”
Ivan shakes his head and sighs. “Okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. Don’t mess this up.”
“I never do,” I grin.
“She’s become rather infamous,” he says casually, almost as though he’s trying to stoke the fire he’s apparently trying to put out. “She apparently rules the West Coast with an iron fist.”
“Nonsense. After what happened, Alessandro wouldn’t put that much faith in her. She works for Pierce. That’s all it is. Pierce runs the West Coast between being a playboy. Also, she’s younger. She wouldn’t be above
Pierce. At most, she’s a glorified secretary.”
Ivan simply looks at me, but he doesn’t look confident. He sighs, though, and moves to stand up.
I also stand as he says, “You get home. I’m going to spend some time with my wife. Keep me updated on this. I want to make sure this deal doesn’t go south.”
“Another kingdom for Romy to rule,” I say happily.
Ivan shakes his head. “Stop calling him Romy. His name is Roman.”
I shrug. “It’s my special name for him. As Godfather, I should have a special calling card for my little king.”
Ivan laughs as we go out together. “Also, stop calling him a King. He’s going to develop a big head. I want to raise someone humble, smart, and business minded.”
“As you wish,” I smile. “I doubt I’ll stop, though. I make no promises. See you tomorrow.”
“Do svidaniya, Evgenii,” he turns toward the living area of the house, away from his office.
“Do svidaniya, Pakhan,” I say, turning to leave.
I wave at the guards to open the gate before I climb into my Ferrari. Cars-one thing Italians definitely did right. I speed out of the property and quickly join the flow of traffic to my beachside house.
Once there, I leave my car for my men to park and take the manila folder inside, holding onto it tightly. I set it on my desk and sit down, looking at it for what feels like too long. I can’t resist. I pull out the photo of Shirley. If possible, she’s even more beautiful than I remember her.
I trace the photo, admiring her straight hair falling forward because she’s looking down. I don’t think she looks very confident, and I doubt she’ll be a problem. Still, it would be a good idea to monitor her. You should never underestimate your competition.
I think about it for a few minutes before I make my final decision. I’m going to worm my way back into her personal space so that I can find out what she’s negotiating. I’ll have to pay people to spy on the other families, but if Shirley is as emotional and impulsive as she once was, she may just let me back in, giving me a lead on our main competition.
I set the photo in the drawer of my desk and go out to the deck. I pour myself a small glass of vodka and sit outside. The sun has set, and the solar lights surrounding my pool and backyard garden have turned on. I sit lost in thoughts of a dark-haired girl years ago.