Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 75683 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75683 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
“The other part is the boss of a Family that has a reputation to uphold. And who values each of the members.”
“I get that too,” I agreed.
“I imagine this is the feeling I am going to deal with a lot as my kids grow up,” he concluded, shaking his head.
“Maybe it’s less of a one-or-other thing,” I suggested. “And more of an in-between.”
“Like training wheels,” he concluded.
“Exactly,” I agreed.
“I don’t want to send one of your brothers. Mass has a woman to think about now. I want you here while we figure out this assassination attempt. And Dante and Santo…”
“Yeah. I agree. What about Aurelio?” I suggested. Aurelio was the second oldest next to Lucky in his family. Plenty experienced to be trusted on a mission, and to keep an eye on a young blood, to make the right decisions.
“And he’s related, but not a brother. He’ll be more objective about the whole thing.”
“I agree,” I said.
“Alright. I will get in touch with him after you head out. He should be able to make his way over there in an hour, hour and half. I’ll tell him to try to keep his distance, but stay close. Let August think he’s working solo, but he’s got backup if he really needs it.”
“Thanks, Luca. I know this isn’t the kind of shit you should have to be dealing with.”
“Hey, we were all young and stupid once,” he said, shrugging. Though, honestly, Luca hadn’t ever been. He’d been born serious and wise, always knowing what needed to be done, and doing it. “We gotta let them fail if they need to fail. Or succeed. Whatever it is in August’s case. What about your mom?”
“Yeah,” I said, exhaling hard, getting a nod from him. His mom had been killed when he was a little kid, so he didn’t have the experience of a loving, yet overbearing mother, but he got to see it through all of us. “I’m not sure what I’m gonna tell her. I guess that he’s on a job. Since… it’s not a lie. Even if it’s not the truth.”
“Tell her that there’s a pretty girl involved,” he suggested. “She’ll soften to it.”
“That’s true,” I agreed. “She’s already picked out the flowers for my wedding,” I admitted.
“To Savannah?” he asked.
“Yeah.”
“I heard she’s gorgeous and very sweet. And back to work way too early.”
“Yes, to all,” I agreed. “I got her to agree to letting us install a security system. It will give me some peace of mind.”
“Yeah,” he agreed. “That’s a good idea. I think they’re safe enough. This had to be about us. But it doesn’t hurt to have the cameras. How’s she doing?”
“Working. Hard. It’s not good.”
“Maybe with all these new customers, they will be able to hire someone else to help out.”
That was possible.
But it wouldn’t happen soon enough to help Savannah while she was healing.
“I’m going to say something, and you feel free to tell me to mind my own fucking business,” Luca said.
“Okay,” I agreed.
“Guilt is a weird excuse to not pursue her if that’s what you want to do.”
“It’s complicated,” I insisted.
“Because you’d have to tell her that the bullets were meant for you. Definitively.”
“Something like that,” I agreed.
“Alright. That’s enough of my unsolicited advice,” he said, shrugging. “I will call Aurelio. Don’t worry too much bout August. Aurelio will keep me updated. And I, in turn, will keep you in the loop.”
“Thanks, Luca,” I said, standing, and clamping a hand on his shoulder before making my way out.
Maybe I should have been worrying about my brother as I drove myself home. Getting into fuck-knew what over a woman he barely even knew.
But then again, who the fuck was I to judge?
Since who I was thinking and even obsessing over on the way home was a woman that I barely knew.
One that I knew I needed to take a little break from if I was going to be able to keep my damn hands to myself.
CHAPTER TEN
Savannah
There was no accounting for the crushing sort of disappointment I felt the next day when I was in the middle of brewing the fifth pot of the day—which was a big deal because it was only after nine in the morning, and that was usually how much we went through all day—and a black SUV pulled into the lot with a name to a security company on the side.
No Nino.
Just a handsome man who sat with me and my mom during a lull and discussed the cameras that were going to be installed.
Apparently, Nino had found time to stop by this man’s office to talk about The Brunch Bar, what had happened, and how much security he was paying for.
Which, it seemed, was the best they had to offer.
When I’d tried to object, on the grounds of money, even if I didn’t say that, the man had given me a kind, indulgent kind of smile, and assured me that he was instructed to give me the ‘best of the best.’