Luca puts an arm around my shoulders and steers me from the room. I move with him, numb and scared, as he speaks to me softly. He kisses me lightly, but I can barely feel anything.
“Here’s to freedom,” I whisper, leaning into my husband as he holds me.
The gunshots keep ringing in my ears.
The screams echo through the halls.
Chapter 39
Luca
Six Months Later
There are shouts,clangs of tools, and laughter as I walk through the garage. The smell of oil and sweat hangs over the place. Cars sit around, some half-built, some expensive models stripped for parts, others being repaired for future sale. I smile to myself as I head toward the back office.
I miss this mess sometimes. Ever since I gave control of the depot over to Enzo, I haven’t been in a garage like this very often. But I liked the noise and the action and the camaraderie of all the guys who spent their days around the vehicles. Maybe I’ll get my own garage set up soon. Hell, maybe Fiorella will want to run one instead of getting her hands filthy all the time.
In the back, I find Raf and Filippo already hunched over a table. Papers, charts, books, and files cover most of the available space. A big whiteboard with schedules and routes covers one wall. It’s a no-bullshit space, which I’ve come to appreciate. I never thought Raf would end up a good manager, but here we are.
“Glad you made it,” my brother-in-law says, shaking my hand. “Only a little late.”
“Crosstown traffic. How’s life, Filippo?”
“Better and better.” He shakes my hand as well and gestures at a spreadsheet they were both going through. “Want to take a look at this?”
I smile to myself. Straight to business. “Show me what we’re dealing with.”
Filippo walks me through the garage’s finances, followed by the numbers for half a dozen more garages just like this one. They’re scattered throughout Philly, and based on what I’m seeing, they’re doing a good business.
“Better than it used to be,” Raf says, fishing a cigar from a pocket. He lights it up, puffing away. Filippo gives him a hard look, but neither man says anything about it. They’ve argued enough about this fucking topic. The accountant thinks it’s stupid to have fire near so much paper. The mafia Don thinks the accountant is a pain in his fucking ass and can go fuck himself. And on and on and on.
“Better is good. Don Marino will be pleased.” I slide a folder over and keep it in front of me. “I’ll show him these numbers later.”
“There’s nothing I love more than pleasing Don Marino,” Raf says, puffing away with a smirk. “Ask him if he likes his balls cupped while he gets his dick sucked for me, would you?”
“I’m sure that’d go over great.”
“Gentlemen.” Filippo’s frown could freeze the tail off a Siberian Husky. “If we could focus?” He turns another stack of papers in my direction. “Income is up across the board. Expenses aredown thanks to our most recent reforms.” He smiles thinly, and I resist the urge to say,your most recent reforms, you ruthless fuck, but that’d be counterproductive. “Our family’s debt has not been erased, but if trends continue as I’ve estimated, we’ll be purely profitable again within two years.”
“Two years,” Raf echoes, shaking his head. “Apparently, that’sfastin the business world.”
“Don Marino would be happy with five. Two is fantastic.” I give Raf a hard look. He’s got a good head for this stuff, but he likes messing with Filippo far too much.
“We’re not out of the woods yet, however. There are still problems that can arise. But we’ve done well.” Filippo turns to Raf. “You’vedone well, Don Serrano.”
Raf sits back in stunned silence. I’m just as surprised as him. I don’t think I’ve ever heard Filippo pay anyone a compliment, much less Raf. They’re constantly butting heads, and Filippo makes it clear that he thinks Raf is nothing more than a jumped-up thug with no education and a temper to match. Which makes this about as rare as blood from a statue.
“I appreciate you saying that, Filippo.” Raf clears his throat, looks at the cigar in his hand, and stubs it out. “It’s been a lot of work, but the business is coming together. I’m proud of what we’ve done together.”
My god. Pigs are flying. This is fucking madness.
“Very good.” Just like that, the nice moment is over. “I’ve left you with about a dozen documents to sign. You requested my vote on an expansion into Bucks County, and I’ve given you my approval. Don’t mess it up, Don Serrano.”
“I’d never dream of it,” Raf says through his teeth.
Filippo stands and adjusts his briefcase. “Gentlemen. Luca, would you walk me to the hallway?”
“Yeah, you’d better go, otherwise he might get lost.” Raf grins at me before looking down at the papers Filippo gave him, the smile fading away.
