“You’d rather have a ballroom filled with capos and soldiers? Did you even make a list with people to invite?” Arturo asks and shoots me a devilish grin. He damn well knows I didn’t so much as lift one finger to do anything concerning the wedding.
I narrow my eyes. “Keep smiling, fucker. Your wedding is next and I might rat you out and have Gracy volunteer to organize your wedding too since she’s so good at it and all. She’s enjoying it more than the two people who are actually getting married.”
Arturo’s smile falls. “That’s because your sister turned into a hopeless romantic, and the fact that she’s not raised in the mafia world. Even if she’s now an old lady of the president of Unruly Defenders, Eddie protects and shields her from everything to keep her happy and safe.”
“Thank fuck for that,” I grumble and let myself drop into my leather chair, taking in the cold leather which reminds me of the fact I’m still only wearing sweatpants.
“Too early for whiskey?” Leandro chuckles and takes a seat in one of the chairs on the other side of my desk.
Arturo is now occupying the other one. “No alcohol. We need to focus on the shit at hand. And this is going to sound fucked-up, but the whole arrangement you just made for me and Caterina’s cousin is just what I need to regain focus. I’m getting too old for mindless fucks and with you taking a wife, it’s a perfect solution. They can keep each other company during our meetings and at the essential parties. And at night I have a beauty available just for me. Have you seen her? The most gorgeous redhead I’ve ever seen.”
Leandro snorts. “And for how long will you keep focus until your dick takes over again?”
Arturo shoots Leandro a deadly look. These two can go at it all day if I let them. “Cut it out. I arranged it because he damn well needs it. Our heads need to be on straight while showing everyone this Famiglia isn’t run by three stallions on the loose. And like Arturo said, having Donya here with Rina will allow for a better adjustment for all of us. And you better support this shit, Leandro, or I’ll find out if there’s another cousin to link your balls with.”
Leandro’s eyes bulge and he sinks deeper into his chair. Thought so. If it was up to him, that asshole would stay an everlasting bachelor.
“The phone call you overheard just now was with Chance Bateman. Those two drug dealers got out. I want all the details of their residence today,” I tell them to turn our meeting back to the business at hand.
“I’ll get into it. I have some of the details stashed anyway from the first time we ran a background check when Chance Bateman entered your sister’s life.” Arturo grabs his phone and lets his fingers dance over the screen to make a note to get this done. Without looking up he says, “I know we now have our suspicions for Fredo being linked to those illegal gambling parties, but there are also new players involved and it seems they’re led by a woman.”
“A woman?” Now this little piece of information catches me by surprise. “You’re sure?”
“I said ‘it seems they’re led by a woman.’ I’m not completely sure since it’s too obvious. It’s as if it’s a cover to throw off the attention of the one, or ones, who are really leading this gang.” Arturo puts his phone away and continues. “It’s too well set up. As if there’s some level of familiarity of how to run this on our turf. They know when to dodge random checks in the territory they’re operating in and are familiar with our routine so to say.”
“Fredo should be all over this and yet there still hasn’t been one fucking message or phone call from him. Crime is picking up in his district too. There are more visible drug deals on the street, break ins, robberies, something has to be done. It’s escalating quickly. We go from one or two illegal parties to a spiking crime rate in his district. We’ve been receiving concerned calls from our contacts in law enforcement asking why we’re not handling this shit,” Leandro growls out in frustration.
We forged an understanding with law enforcement decades ago. To make a long story short, it basically involves an agreement for us to keep crime at a minimum and work with them to wipe away any threats to citizens. And in return they turn a blind eye to some of our business deals.
For them it’s the lesser evil and makes work for the both of us more tolerable; keeping the streets of California safer. Of course, it’s not flawless and we do have confrontations at times, but both sides know when to cut their losses and when to gain small wins.
“Agreed,” I snap in return, feeling the same amount of anger. “This has been going on for a few weeks at least. Fredo should have been the first to know and reported his findings to us. By the time this shit hit our ears and with how long it’s been going on...it just reeks of him keeping it quiet from us.”
“At this point we’re not trusting any type of information coming from that district,” Arturo states and swings his head into Leandro’s direction. “No offense, I’m sure Pepe is trustworthy, but we need to draw a line here.”
Leandro lifts his chin in acknowledgement. “None taken, I fully agree. It’s too early to know who’s in on it or not. They’re fucking playing with us if they think they can keep it under wraps. Like Caterina mentioned, Fredo has the motivation and the abilities. His floating casino has the right contacts and with his gambling addiction he’s developed by running the casino, he’s more prone to accept shady shit which allows him to obtain more cash and parties to feed said addiction.”
“I’ve placed three soldiers of ours at strategic points and hope to have more information within a few days,” Arturo informs us.
“Good.” Standing, I place my palms on my desk and stare at Arturo. “That gives us time to settle with our future wives. I don’t have to remind you of the fact that you need to pick up yours from the airport later tonight.”
“Can’t. Fucking. Wait.” Arturo rubs his hands together. “One more thing, boss. When I showed Mattia the pleasures of visiting a whorehouse last night, a few of them told me they were approached to come work for someone else. Something about lower work hours, high pay during parties with a little gambling on the side along with the necessary entertainment.”
“A little gambling on the side...sounds to me like this is the same gang, sticking their fingers into everything that makes cash flow,” Leandro quips, and I have to agree with him.
“Do you have any details? Did they leave a number she could call if she wanted to accept?” Arturo shakes his head at my questions.
“He told her he’d be back later this week. He gave her, and a few of the others, a couple of days to think things through. The fucker promised more cash, less work, high-class clients, pretty clothes, that kind of big mountains, sunshine, and fairytales to lure them in.”
“Smart,” Leandro grumbles. “Not leaving a trail to contact them.”
I rub my fingers along the scruff of my jaw. “We need to know the second that fucker steps foot inside the whorehouse again.”
Arturo pats the pocket he keeps his phone in. “I was thinking the same thing and asked them to text me the second they recognized him.”
“Good,” I mutter and push off the desk.