Page 87

The casino conference room is heavily guarded. It stands to reason as some of the most important players in Italy’s mafia underworld are present within her cash cow walls. Elio and I take our places around the large table.
Corelli sits across from us. It’s lucky for him that the table is so wide, otherwise I'd reach across and snap his neck. We glare at each other while we wait for the others to arrive. My mentor once told me never to show emotion as it makes a man weak, but today I’m tossing caution to the wind. I loathe this worm.
“I hear you have a problem with me, Corelli,” I say in a calm voice.
“We all do, De Luca. Some of us just don;t bother hiding it.”
“I see. What’s the problem?”
“You are. Your boys are encroaching on the other families’ territory.”
“That’s bullshit, and you know it. That’s the kind of baseless rumor that could advance your position, Corelli. Whoever finds themselves in alignment with such fuckery will reap the rewards of their lies. I’ll see to that. Personally.”
“You don’t scare me, De Luca. You’re soft.”
I’m clenching my hands under the table. I refuse to give Corelli the satisfaction of showing him my fury. Not yet. That will come later.
* * *
I check my watch. It’s 10 p.m.
“Corelli should be staring down the barrel of a gun right about now,” I smile, taking a sip of my brandy.
“Uh-huh. I hope he enjoyed his last blowjob. That little whore of his will probably send us flowers tomorrow,” Elio adds.
“I’m sure his wife won’t be too sorry to see him gone either. On top of all his charming qualities, he likes to smack her around. I loathe a man who hits a woman. Pick on someone your own strength. Coward.”
“The community is going to blow up after this.”
“I don’t give a damn. Let them. Corelli is an arrogant, narcissistic megalomaniac who deserves what he’s about to get.”
“Cheers to that, brother.”
My cell rings.
“Hello.”
“It’s done, Boss.”
“Excellent.”
“And?” Elio asks.
“Corelli is officially swimming with the fishes, bro.”
“Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.”
20
MIA
“Come on, slowpoke! Get in the car. We’re going to be late.”
“Coming, Mom!” Angelo yells from upstairs.
“Oh, no, buddy. Not today,” I say as Splash, tries to jump into the car via the open back door.
It takes all my strength to hold onto his collar as he wiggles and thrashes to get in. The dog has grown to be quite the little ninja when it comes to slipping by me. He and Angelo are inseparable.