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He snaps the box shut. “I’m depressed about Matteo, let’s go out and forget.”
“I wish we could,” Roberto says, pouring a glass of brandy. “There’s work to be done.” He fills his brother in on the information we got from Enzo, and Federico frowns, sitting on the chair next to Roberto.
“What do we do?”
“The alliance between Sal and Vinny is surface at best,” I say. “Right now, the other bosses feel left out. We need to bring them in and use them against Sal and Vinny.”
“They’ll try to stab us in the back,” Federico says warily. “We’re using them; who says we have to trust them?” I ask.
Federico laughs. “Sounds like a plan. Very risky, though.”
“Remember what happened the last time my plan didn't work?”
The brothers stare back at me with a frown, their faces full of confusion. “No,” they say finally.
“Exactly.” I nod. “Because my plans work.” I turn to Vance. “Vance, any update?”
“A few more minutes, Boss.”
“When you’re done, get me Vinny. I need him to arrange a meeting with me and the other bosses.”
“Yes, Boss.”
Federico reaches for Roberto’s brandy and takes a huge gulp, ignoring his brother’s glare.
“Now that we have a plan, can we please go out?” Federico groans. “I’ve been stuck in the trenches in Italy, and this is how you welcome me?”
“He’s right, Valentino. It’s been horrible for the last couple of days,” Roberto says. “Can’t we spare one evening? We can set the ball rolling tomorrow.”
I swivel my chair and look out the window overlooking the city of New York. Out there, a war is forming, and we have to be ready. Still, we can spare one evening to party and let loose. Federico may be a jester, but his thirst for blood is high; it’ll be good to give him the celebration he wants so that I can get his maximum effort from here on.
“Okay.” I turn back to them. “We can celebrate.”
Federico whoops. “My cock is already on fire. I’m ready to fuck a whole harem of American broads.”
I raise a finger. “Hang on. Didn’t you bring your wife and your little girl with you?”
“Yeah. So what? They get to shop and I get to fuck.”
I frown.
“What?” he screeches. “I don’t pretend to be a one-woman man like you. I’m a stallion. When I see a mare, my cock takes over. My wife knew that when she married me.” He winks at me. “Or is it that you worried you won’t be able to keep up the pretense that you’re a one-woman man?”
“I’m loyal to my wife.”
His eyes glitter. “There isn’t a man alive who can resist the temptation of the fresh flesh.”
I stare at him. I know it is impossible for him to believe, but I actually have no desire for any other woman, but Francesca. I’ve had so many and they all amount to nothing. The only woman who makes me feel something is Francesca.
“Go on. Prove it to me,” he taunts. “I’ll get a real woman to give you a dance, you know, nothing out of the ordinary. Just a dance. And let’s see how loyal you are then.”
I lean back in my chair. “Let’s up the ante a little bit.”
Excited that I’m playing along, Federico nods. “Anything.”
“If I can pass your test, you don’t get to fuck a single woman, and you’ll go back to your wife and daughter tonight.”
Federico sucks in a breath, and Roberto laughs at him because it looks like he’s about to back down. But seconds later, he shakes his head.