Page 35 of Bitter Poetry

If circumstances left us alone in a room again, I’d be breeding that good girl in a heartbeat.

Fuck my life.

“I had to sit and listen to him spell out in clear, concise terms how he didn’t want me around his wife. This, right after letting me know Jimmy was a few floors away, waiting to be turned into worm food. He has all the power here. I’m a consigliere, turned capo of a shit show. So, I’m going to do the only thing I can. Try to clean up the mess Jimmy left, build up whatever assets I’ve inherited, and make it the most profitable enterprise in the family. Amass soldiers and as much fucking power as I can.” My smile holds no humor. “Quietly, and all the while ensuring I’m scratching the backs of the other capos. Making myself invaluable.”

“What if he just takes all your hard work off you? What if he sees you as a threat?”

“I am a threat. That’s why he’s moving me out of his circle. But he’s too busy worrying about how I’m a threat to his wife. He won’t be expecting me to present as the other kind of threat. At least not until it’s too late.”

“You’re going to break him from the inside out,” he says, nodding. “It’s fucking ballsy, and I like it.”

My next smile is genuine. “I’m glad it meets with your approval,” I say dryly, then shrug. “Maybe he wants me to succeed, and he’s killing two birds with one stone. Or maybe he’s hoping I will fuck up. By the way, I’ve spoken to Leon.”

Christian raises both brows and uncrosses his arms. “Yeah, how did that go?”

When I’d spoken to Leon after my father’s funeral, he’d been adamant he would never make America his permanent home. But, as the saying goes, things change. Back when the family was whole, I always presumed he would take over as underboss from his father, just as I would take over as consigliere from mine.

We’d both been both screwed over, just in different ways.

“I thought it might be harder to persuade him to come back, but I’d barely finished talking and he was organizing a flight.”

“Yeah? You two were always close.” Christian grins. “That’s going to piss Ettore off, him turning up. What’s he going to be doing?”

“Officially, working for me managing my new business concerns.”

“Unofficially?”

“To be determined. Once he’s back, we can talk in detail. I have a strong feeling our life goals will align.”

“Ettore should have kept you as consigliere. I don’t know who he’s going to replace you with, but they’re not going to cut it. No one knows the family business like you do.”

“He should have. That was his first mistake.”

“Maybe he thought you’d fold in with his plans. I guess he doesn’t see you as his enemy.”

“Then that would be his second mistake.”

CHAPTER 13

CHRISTIAN

I’m not sure how or why it happened, but I’m lumbered with Carmela-watching duties again the next day. The downside, apart from having to hang out with the woman responsible for my brother being fucked over, is that I’m expected to wear a suit.

Jero, dressed casually, gives me a chin nod when I turn up at the mansion. He’s in the kitchen drinking a coffee and chatting to Brigida. “Boss wants to talk to you in his office before you head out.”

Fucking great. Either he’s going to give me the same caveman talk he gave Dante about leaving his woman alone, which won’t be hard when I hate her fucking guts, or I’ve fucked something else up.

In the short walk from the kitchen to Ettore’s office, I pass Helena with a young, nervous-looking woman in tow. “…and these will have to go.” Helena gestures at the curtains in the hallway window.

The house is classically designed, with dark wood, soft carpets underfoot, and chandeliers in every room. It’s not mything, but still, Helena is more trashy than classy, and I shudder at the thought of her making decisions about decor.

“Christian,” she says, noticing me and smiling brightly.

She’s got her eye on Dante and his big bank balance. She probably thinks making friends with me will buy her some points—it won’t. “Morning, Helena,” I say cheerfully.

The young woman holding an iPad at her side and taking notes sends me a quick glance. I wink just to fuck with her as I pass on my way to Ettore’s office.

I knock. He calls me straight in.