Renato, page 22
“You’re right.” He leaned across the seat and placed his hand on my thigh.
The Honda did a U-turn into the street and followed a few cars behind Dome. It was apparent that Renato had another enemy waiting in the wings to strike, even though we’d hoped to bury everything in the past and start fresh. It might be for the best that I pushed my dreams to the side and stayed home.
Chapter 29
Renato
The next day
* * *
I stood in the back and watched as they put her in the ground as faint cries were heard through the graveyard a few feet away. I wanted to comfort and protect Sonya from any pain, but she needed to handle this moment on her own. Sonya hooked a hand with her mom and wiped a tear from her cheek. After we left the gallery, I drove us straight to a nice restaurant like a normal couple as best as I could without wanting to snap at Gallagher while he continued to spy on us.
Brilynn had very little family besides Sonya, her mom, and a few others, which made it about ten people total that paid respects. Sonya put on a brave face, and I admired her strength and tenacity with everything that comes being the wife of a mobster. Even though we left in separate cars, I did hold her hand when she got out of the car and walked her to her mom, then fell back in the shadows. Gallagher had it in his mind that I would do something to interrupt the funeral, so he came and brought a few police cars for protection. He refused to move on, determined to place Brilynn’s death on me.
Sonya tried to force me to be okay with RJ being at the funeral, and we were fighting for a while last night. I didn’t want my son exposed to any of the fake bullshit that Brilynn came from.
Sonya started toward her car with her mom, then my phone rang with a name I hadn’t talked to in a while.
“It must mean money is involved.” I left and motioned for Dome to help Courtney and Sonya into their car.
“No reason to speak on fruitless things, cousin.”
“Don’t let my father hear you say that.” Both of us chuckled at my admission as I put the key in the ignition and shut the door of my car.
“We might have a problem.”
“Giosuè, you know I don’t like to hear that, as your cousin, hearing that makes me suspicious.”
“Well, it should because it’s my fucking money.”
“I was coming for a visit, not to do business.”
“Business is always a priority for me. Are you getting soft on me, cousin?”
“Fuck you, Giosuè.”
He laughed, then cleared his throat.
“I had a deal not go through.”
“Is this something you need my services for?”
“Possibly, but I have another potential one that could benefit us both.”
“How?”
“When you come to New York, we can discuss.”
“What am I missing?”
“Art, my dear cousin, art.”
“Then EJ can help with the paperwork of handling the shipment. You know he and Vincenzo run that area.”
“I do and I will speak with him next, but I can’t move forward until we lock in what I want.”
I checked my watch. “I plan to go there next month.”
“When you get here to New York, we can have a cigar and catch up with the family.”
“My wife is coming.”
“Why would someone be that desperate to marry you, cousin? A death wish?” he joked, and I started to curse him out, but out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Gallagher on my tail.
“Listen, we have a lot to talk about when I get there.”
“Something that could hurt the family?”
“If we do it right, the family will be fine.”
“I heard about the situation with Kennth Sanchez out there and some FBI agent.”
Giosuè and I had a lot of heat on us from the police, but it’s a different type of heat when an agent is basically stalking your family.
“Give EJ the information you have.”
“I know more than you think, cousin.”
“Meaning?”
“Talk to Mayor Sanchez.”
“You know that’s not happening.”
“He has the answers you seek.”
“Stop talking in riddles, Giosuè.” I sped through the yellow light. Gallagher had to stop, and he lost my tail when I turned down a side street.
“Cade Gallagher has long roots in the police field. His father was a cop.”
“Send me the information, and I’ll get EJ to look into your situation.”
“Only fair. Tell Aunt and Uncle I said hello.” He ended the call, and I tossed the phone in the passenger seat and focused on the road. No way I could show my face at a prison to speak with the mayor and not become suspicious. EJ could pull strings and maybe have Jason get some information on Cade, but Kenneth Sanchez hated my guts. I turned at the gate and motioned for my guard to open it. I drove up and parked, turning the car off. Finally, I looked up and noticed my father’s and EJ’s cars in the driveway. Family visits rarely happened without the rest of my brothers, so it had to be bad if I only saw two cars.
Entering the front door, I shuffled to the kitchen but didn’t see anyone, so I angled to the living room and saw my father and EJ playing with RJ.
“Where’s Sonya?”
“Upstairs studying.” EJ tossed a ball to RJ.
“Must be important for you two to be here.”
“We got off the phone with Vaughn,” Dad said.
To hear our family attorney’s name could only mean someone was in trouble.
“Tell me.”
“I didn’t tell you too much about my past,” Dad said.
“What did Vaughn say?”
“The mayor clarified some things that could answer why Cade Gallagher has been watching all of our homes,” EJ grumbled.
I lifted RJ up and called for our nanny.
“Let’s go to my office. Deborah, can you take him while I talk with my father and don’t disturb Sonya while she studies.”
“Yes, Mr. Calabresi. Are you hungry? I have dinner ready.”
“Not right now.”
The three of us scrambled to my office, and I shut the door and locked it behind me and waited for my father to speak.
“Vaughn only got a visit because he needed to get the mayor’s signature on some papers,” EJ announced, and I waited for my father to elaborate.
“Tell us the truth.”
“Years ago when I was in charge as the Don of the family, I made some choices. I don’t regret them all, but some I do,” Dad remembered, closing his eyes and clasping his hands together. Whatever he was about to spill could only be bad for us now.
“You killed Gallagher’s father,” I remarked, and EJ’s head whirled around at me.
“Come again.”
“That’s what the mayor was using against us.”
“It became a closed case about a beat cop in the wrong place that was caught up in a deal that went bad.”
“Shit.” I sat in my chair and slammed my hand on the desk.
“So all this time he might have worked with Sanchez to fuck with you,” EJ explained. It would make total sense because if he hated my father, what we stand for, then it would be easy to work underhandedly to take us down.
“Will Sanchez confirm all this?”
“If we get him a deal,” EJ said.
“He doesn’t get the special treatment,” Dad snapped.
“Did you help cover up his father’s shooting?” No matter how it played out, I would back my father up, but there had to be a reason behind the shooting.
“His father was crooked and wanted more. I don’t give in to people that like to blackmail me,” Dad complained in his thick Italian accent.
“Giosuè called me today.” The words flew out of my mouth.
“What did he call about?” Dad grilled, pacing in front of my desk.
“A potential deal that he got ripped off on and wants my help.”
“You have too much on your plate,” EJ reminded me.
“I suggested you could help since it dealt with an art collection.”
“Our hands can’t touch that right now. Call him back and say no,” Dad insisted, alluding to us trafficking drugs. My cousins were known as bigtime drug dealers. If he needed our help, there had to be a lot of money involved.
“We’re going to New York for Sonya’s birthday celebration next month and bringing the kids and McKayla.”
“Does Savio know about this trip?”
“EJ can tell him.” I went to the door and unlocked it to leave.
“Call him yourself. I have enough shit to handle.” EJ flipped me off, and I let them out of the house.
I started to head upstairs to check on Sonya when my phone rang in my pocket, and I pulled it out to see Alvize Brambilla’s name spring up.
“Has to be good for you to call so late.” I continued up the stairs.
“Tell me why I have an unmarked car outside of my house and a package with a picture of me and you together that was left on my doorstep.” Alvize’s statement made me freeze in place.
“Who was it from?”
“Just said Gallagher on top.”
“Fuck.”
“Tell me, Renato. I don’t like surprises.”
“Savio will have a meeting called in the morning,” I said and hung up.
“Hey, we need to talk.” I shut the door behind me, removed the folder out of her hands, and lay down on the bed across her lap.
“You made an appearance at the funeral.”
“Just as a precaution.”
“Okay, I think I know what this talk is going to be about.” She rubbed her fingers through my hair.
“Have you eaten?” Her eyes caught my attention.
“I ate already, now I’m studying and tried to watch a movie before you disturbed me.”
“How are you feeling about the funeral?”
She shrugged.
“Sad, content it’s over, but I do miss our old friendship.”
“You know the trip is coming up next month.”
“Yeah, I already spoke with McKayla.”
“There’s something I need to tell you about.”
“Besides us being followed?”
“Avoided the conversation long enough.” Sonya stopped her movements in my hair.
“It has to do with my job. I knew it wouldn’t take long before I ended up having to quit, but I refuse to just go back to the family business.” Sonya tried to push me off her.
“It’s not that. The trip to New York won’t just be about your birthday.”
“Explain.”
“My cousin has a business he runs with his family in New York, and he needs my assistance.”
“Let me guess, Giosuè Calabresi.”
“How did you know?”
“He’s a client of Prism Art Gallery.”
“Shit, I never kept up with the books like that, it’s a separate business that Vincenzo and Savio check in on from time to time.”
“Why does he need your help?”
“A few deals went bad.”
“He thinks you can rectify the situation how?”
“For now, EJ will help him, but when I talk with him, I hope to learn more of what the situation could be.”
Sonya rose out of bed and grabbed her nightgown off the back of the door and went to the bathroom. Her silent treatment was the worst, and she knew I hated to be ignored.
“It won’t touch you. I promise.”
“You can’t promise that. Does Agnese know?” Sonya wondered.
“Yes. But you will never handle things like that.”
I sat up and picked up my boxers under the sheets.
“She doesn’t handle it besides an auction purchase,” I informed her.
“Giosuè probably needs to recoup what he lost and plans on you agreeing to ship through the gallery to make it legit.”
“We haven’t gotten that far, baby.” I kissed her shoulder and wrapped my arms around her as we stood in front of the mirror.
“Birthday trip to close a mafia deal, great.”
“Sonya, I’d never let it ruin your trip.”
“I want to help.” She turned in my arms.
“Huh?”
“Your cousin Giosuè needs someone that’s familiar with art, and I’m that person.”
“Sonya, we were not at that stage, and even if we were, no.”
Sonya planted her hands on my chest.
“He called for a reason, and besides, you have no choice; we are going to New York. So it’s bound to come up.”
“That’s not reason enough to be involved.”
Sonya held her hands up in mock surrender.
“Ready to shower and go to bed.” She shuffled around me, and I heard RJ’s voice call for me.
“I’ll check on him and come back to join you in the shower.”
“Hurry.”
Deborah helped RJ out of the tub and dried him off.
“He’s ready for bed. I can take it from here, Deborah.”
“Thank you, Mr. Calabresi.”
“Are you giving your nanny a hard time?”
“No!” RJ clapped his hands together, and I tickled his stomach.
“Time for bed.”
“Go bed, Daddy,” RJ muttered, and I helped him change into his pajamas and removed his favorite books to read.
“I thought you were going to join me?”
Sonya stood at the bedroom door in her robe.
“He’s too hyper. I’ll be there soon.”
“I like you in Daddy mode.”
The desire in her eyes and the way she submitted had my tongue ready to dive into her pussy.
“Go, Sonya, before I change my mind.”
Sonya laughed at me, and I heard the door chime from Deborah leaving.
Buzz!
“Here, hold this for Daddy.” RJ took the book out of my hands.
Big Brother: Did you talk to EJ?
Me: Yeah. He just left here.
Big Brother: Why are we just now hearing about this?
Me: Dad keeps his secrets locked up tight.
Big Brother: This could be bad for our business.
Me: I’m handling it, Savio.
Big Brother: Make sure we get concrete information.
Me: I need you to get Gallo and Alvize onboard.
Big Brother: We’ve asked enough of them.
Me: Alvize received a gift tonight at his home.
Big Brother: From who?
Me: Agent Gallagher
Big Brother: I want this handled.
Chapter 30
Sonya
Days later
* * *
“Breaking news… Mayor Sanchez has issued a statement. He is resigning from his position as mayor of Chicago and he is going to be donating all of his money to charity. The Calabresi family attorney has spoken with the interim mayor and decided to drop all charges.”
Renato came into the den holding the newspaper with a wide smile across his face.
“Let me guess, you’ve thought over what I said.” I pointed the remote at the TV and relaxed on the couch. Work at Prism was going well, and Renato hadn’t told me yet if he agreed about me working with his cousin in New York. They replayed a lot of the Mayor Sanchez’s apology on each news station, and the media wanted to have us come and give an interview, but Savio declined to speak or have any of us speak.
He tossed the paper on the end of the table.
“No, but I have to head out for a business meeting soon.”
“At Calabresi or something else?”
“Something else.”
“Will it take all day?”
“What are you watching?”
“I’m watching the news about the mayor’s statement.”
“Time to move on, Sonya.”
“True, but I have a feeling I will never be rid of him.”
“He can’t hurt us anymore. Do you have class?”
“Yep, a pop quiz.”
“Great, I can drop you off.”
“You sure? Usually you let Dome handle my travel to school since you don’t like to see Sean,” I teased him about my classmate.
“Sean is no threat to me, and I’m going in that direction.”
“Okay, then I have the internship afterwards.”
“Maybe you can work from home for a few weeks.”
“No, that agent doesn’t scare me. Besides I know you will have it figured out soon.”
“Since I can’t convince you, make sure you stick with the security.”
“I have no reason to worry.”
“Savio and EJ are coming to New York.”
“Rena and Sante confirmed. Do we need to get the tickets?”
“Don’t leave without protection, and take the private jet.”
“I forgot you’re billionaires.” I tugged on the bottom of his shirt.
“We are billionaires. Keep me updated if you finish early.”
“I promise.”
Renato waited outside while I finished placing my books in my bags.
“Mrs. Calabresi, you’re all set,” Deborah said, and I jumped up to take the leftovers from her Cajun rice and beef strudel.
“Thanks, Deborah. Call me if you need anything. I’m going straight to work afterwards.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Deborah waved goodbye.
“This piece has been in the gallery for over five years.” Agnese explained the differences between the works of Van Gogh and Monet.
“Gorgeous.”
“We could never part with any of his work.”
“I understand, beyond the colors and streaks.”
“How was class today?” Agnese quizzed.
I skipped lunch and came straight to work after the pop quiz in class. Sean was disappointed I’d skipped lunch, but I wanted to get to work fast. I’d studied every day since I started and learned at least seventy percent of the paintings they housed.
“Excuse me, sir, the gallery is closed,” Rocky voiced, and I turned to see the same agent that had done the raid at our house.
“FBI. I need to talk to Mrs. Calabresi.”
