Page 24

Dominic

A fter sending Trey and Bash off to the real estate houses, we now have three days until Lily and Romona throw this party. I have already called the cleanup crew to tell them to be ready. Bash and Trey are set up to see what they can find and what body to drop. They have strict instructions that none of the women are to be harmed. I finally come back home, stepping into my bedroom where Gwen was last. The bed hasn’t been made, the sheets still tangled. I walk over to where she slept, grab the pillow, and inhale. Her scent still lingers in the pillowcase. I make the bed and clean up, working my way to the kitchen, picking up along the way. My phone rings in my pocket. Lily’s name flashes across the screen. I answer after the second ring.

“Yeah,” I say, not in the mood for her tricks. “Well, hello to you, Dominic. I was wondering if you would do me a tiny favor?” Letting out a sigh, I ask, “What do you want, Lily?” She giggles. “Well, I was hoping you’d let it be known that you will be there Saturday. Maybe a text or a post that you’ll be attending.” I roll my eyes. “I don’t do social media.”

“Also, I’m going to need some of your men on guard outside, just in case. We’re going to be letting a few of the new customers get a sneak peek at our products in the back rooms.” Ah, there it is. “And, darling, if you could supply some of your product, you know the buyers would appreciate it, and you’ll profit.”

She has some nerve asking me to supply drugs for her little sex party. “I’ll think about it.” I hang up before she can say another word. It could work in my favor. Jimmy likes his drugs, and I’m sure the men he has with him do too. Drawing him out even more. I’ll play along with her games.

The basement of Chophouse is cold. I make my way down the steps. Bash and Trey are meeting me here they found a few things. One of the houses they went to was rented by a man who paid to be there for twenty-four hours. They went in and did what they were paid to do, leaving the body behind for the cleanup crew.

I hear their footsteps approaching the basement. Bash enters first, carrying a small duffel bag, Trey following behind. Setting the bag down on the metal table, I unzip it to find a few baggies of cocaine and three guns two sawed-off shotguns and a pistol. Picking them up one by one, I inspect them, looking for the carved crown. Each gun bears a small crown on the handle. Only a few know that’s my signature. Bash takes a baggie of cocaine, opens it, and dips his finger in. Coating the tip with white powder, he sticks it to the inside of his jaw, rubbing the substance against his gums. “It’s legit,” he says.

“We have another address to go to in the morning,” Trey informs me. “Good. One by one, these rats will die.” A notification pops up on my phone. Someone just entered the parking lot of Chophouse. A blacked-out limo rolls into view on the screen. Smirking, I tell the boys, “We got company.”

They exchange glances before following me up the stairs to the front door of Chophouse. I lean against the doorframe as Bash and Trey crowd behind me, peering over my shoulder. The limo driver steps out, walks to the back, and opens the door. A slender leg in a black high heel touches the pavement, followed by the other. She takes his hand, a black-gloved hand, as she steps out. She wears a black dress hat and oversized dark sunglasses. Her tan skin glows under the streetlights, and her presence commands attention the moment she emerges.

With a slight push of her gloved hand, she lowers her sunglasses down her slender nose. I stand there, arms crossed in the doorway. A slow smile spreads across her face, revealing pearly white teeth. “Dominic!” she calls, her heels clicking with every step toward me. I step away from the doorframe and kiss her cheek. “Carmin, I didn’t think you were coming for a few days.”

Trey still hasn’t picked his jaw up off the ground, and Bash is practically bouncing, waiting for me to move. The second I step aside, Bash lunges forward, wrapping her up in a tight hug. “Bash, it’s so good to see you too,” she giggles as his arms engulf her. He bows dramatically in front of her, extending his hand.

“Right this way, my queen,” he says, winking up at her. Carmin laughs, stepping in the direction he points, walking through the doors of Chophouse like she owns the place. I follow behind her, smacking Bash on the back of the head as I pass. “My men will be here shortly,” she informs me, slipping off her gloves and glancing around. “Looks good in here, little brother. It’s good to be back in town.”

I nod as I scan the room with her. “We do pretty well. Most of our dealings don’t happen here, though. I have other drop-off locations.” She nods approvingly. “Smart. Don’t work where you eat.” I smirk. “Exactly.” I have a shipment drop tonight. My product comes in by private plane from Italy, courtesy of a few family connections.

“Speaking of eating,” Carmin says, “I’m starving. It’s a long drive from New York.” “Let’s get you some food, then, big sister.” I grab my keys, already knowing Bash will be right on my tail. “I’m coming too,” he announces. I roll my eyes, but Carmin only smiles at him. “Of course.” She beams like an idiot. Bash has always thought my sister was a walking goddess. But she’s just as ruthless as she is beautiful.

We pull up to an Italian restaurant in town a little place that has been here as long as I can remember. Gianni’s Pizza. Gianni is a little old man who runs my drugs out the back. One of the many places I have kept in business, all while using their doors to push the drugs and guns for me.

As we enter the restaurant, Gianni hurries toward us. “Ah, Dom! What can I get you, young man? And who is this lovely lady with you?” He takes my sister’s hand, planting a kiss on her knuckles. “Gianni, this is my sister, Carmin.” His gray mustache twitches upward with his smile as he gestures us toward a booth. “Whatever you want, it’s on the house.” A server appears, ready to take our order.

Bash stuffs his face with pizza, strings of cheese stretching with every bite. I have my spaghetti, and Carmin got the pasta alla boscaiola. Wiping her mouth, she looks at me. “This place is good! Do you remember when Mammeta used to make her homemade Millefoglie?” The memory flashes in my mind our mother in the kitchen, making dessert when Carmin and I were little. Bash was always there too. “Man, that was so good,” Bash chimes in. I nod in agreement.

Carmin’s eyes gleam with excitement as she leans in. “So, tell me about this girl who stole my brother’s heart. She must be special, considering we’re going to be slaughtering people for her.”

I shake my head. “Not we. You don’t need the blood on your hands.” Before she can argue, my phone rings. I answer. Trey’s voice comes through the line, tense. “Ah, Dom, a van full of Italian men just arrived here looking for your sister.” He sounds nervous.

“Tell them to come into Chop and make themselves at home. We’ll be there shortly.” Arriving back at Chophouse, we walk onto the main floor, where ten Italian men stand around talking. They all look exactly how you’d imagine the kind of guys working for my sister most in cut-off shirts, jeans, and combat boots. One of them steps forward, kissing Carmin on both cheeks. I extend my hand.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Santino.” He’s built, with a strong handshake. His slicked-back hair and the cherry-red lips tattooed on his neck make him stand out. “Dominic,” I introduce myself. “You must be the leader of the pack?” He nods, glancing back at Carmin with a smirk. “Well, I appreciate the help. Why don’t we head upstairs to my office and talk business?”

He agrees, following me and Carmin up the stairs. As I glance back, I see the gang settled at the booths. Bash and Trey are deep in conversation, examining the Italian-made guns laid out on the tabletops. Pulling out my chair at my desk, I motion for them to sit on the couch. “I’m going to assume my sister has filled you in. The party is in a couple of days. I’m hoping Jimmy will show his face, but if he stays in hiding, I’m supplying the drugs to lure him out.” I go to my desk, pull out a picture of Jimmy with Gwen on his lap, and hand it to Santino. “Make your men aware of what he looks like.” Carmin grabs the picture, eyeing it before looking up at me with a smile. “She’s very pretty.” I nod. “I need some of your men sent to these addresses. Their only job is to kill the men who are there.”

Santino leans forward, arms resting on his knees. “Alright. And when we find this Jimmy?” “You bring him to me. Any guns branded with a crown come back to the chophouse.” “And this is the guy after your girl?” he asks. “Yes. But she is to know nothing about this. I’ve kept my distance, so Jimmy should have no idea we’re coming for him.” I crack my neck.

Santino holds my gaze, dead serious. “And if he gets to her first?” Before I can answer, Carmin cuts in. “Then we burn this whole town to ash until she’s found. If my brother loves her, then we love her. That’s what family does.” She hands the picture back to me, smiling. “Let’s get to work.” Standing, she steps closer, and I wrap an arm around her shoulders, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.