Page 13 of Empire of Seduction (New York State of Mafia #2)

Had he and Vito been comparing notes? “Mikey, I’m reeling from all of this. I can’t put a big smile on my face and pretend this is what I want when it isn’t.”

“So you’re just going to let me stand up there and do that?”

“This is your fault! So, yeah, I am. And you can consider this payback for those two months when I had to stand in front of the staff and pretend I knew where you were after you disappeared.”

He rocked on his heels, his eyes on his shoes. “I fuck up a lot, I get it. But I’m trying to make the best of this, Mags, because there’s no stopping it. And he’s the mafia, for fuck’s sake! Do you really want one of us to get killed?”

Killed? No, Vito wouldn’t do that.

At least, I didn’t think he would.

“That isn’t how it works. And Luca would never allow it.” With my best friend’s husband also being mobbed up, I was pretty sure I was whack-proof.

“In case you haven’t noticed, Luca isn’t here,” Mikey pointed out. “Even if he were, it doesn't help me . And I’d rather not end up in a ditch somewhere because you’re making Vito’s life difficult.”

“You’re not going to end up in a ditch. And I don’t give a single fuck if that man’s life is difficult or not. I want him to go away—and you should, too!”

He pressed his palms together, prayer-style. “Mags, I don’t know how many more times I can say it, but I’m sorry. I feel terrible. I can’t sleep, I can’t eat. I’m a fuckin’ mess. So believe me, this isn’t easy for me. But I need you. You’re the only family I have.”

My eyes prickled but I fought it. I couldn’t cry in the freezing cold. “You need to get your shit together. I want you in Gamblers Anonymous and you need to delete every single betting app from your phone.”

“I’ve already deleted them and I swear I’ll join and go to meetings if it means you’ll forgive me. So, can we please be a team again? Because I really miss it.”

“I’ll try.” His face fell, so I rushed to say, “Really, I will. It’s not easy. And it’s worse when I feel like you’re buddies with him.”

“We aren’t buddies, but he’s our new boss. Who is literally a boss. I have to work with him, even if I don’t like it.”

I stared off into the distance, unseeing, my mind racing with everything that had happened these past few days.

I had so much anger and confusion built up inside me that I almost didn’t know where to start.

“Why, Mikey? You know how important this winery is to me, to our family. I thought it was important to you, too. So why on earth would you ever risk it on a stupid game of cards?”

“I . . . ” He exhaled and shifted on his feet. “I’m really good at cards and every time I go to the casino, I win. This time I thought I could win enough money to finally help us get ahead.”

“God, Mikey,” I said, closing my eyes briefly. “That is both really sweet and incredibly stupid.”

“I know. But I’m twenty-six, Mags, and I feel like a big fucking failure all the time. This shit is hard. And sometimes . . . ”

“Sometimes, what,” I prompted when he fell silent.

“Nothing.” Mikey rubbed a hand through his short hair. “It just sucks. All of this sucks.”

“Agreed.” I paused and studied him. There was something underneath all of this, an emotion my brother hadn’t expressed before. “Mikey, you can talk to me, you know. If you’re unhappy, I mean.”

“I know.” But he didn’t say anything more, just stared off into space.

I decided to change topics. “You agreed to let Vito stay in the guest cottage.”

“There wasn’t really a choice to refuse. Besides, if he’s here, he’ll see we’re doing fine and go back to Toronto sooner.”

That made sense, I supposed. “He said he’s making updates out there. Should we be worried?”

“You going to tell him no?”

Yes, I would. I wasn’t afraid of Vito. “What else don’t I know?”

He stomped his feet and blew on his hands. “Chuck is gone. Vito found him trying to buy drugs off a biker behind the kitchen this morning.”

“What the fuck? Did you know Chuck was using?”

“I caught him taking pills a few times. He said they were for his knee, some injury back in high school. I told him to be careful, but I didn’t know it was this bad.”

“Jesus.” I took another bite of apple and considered the implications of not having a chef. “So we’re canceling the event Saturday night.”

“No.” Mikey grimaced. “Vito’s brother is coming from Rome.”

A low buzzing started in my head then spread to my ears. More D’Agostinos on the grounds wasn’t a good thing. “Vito’s brother happens to be a chef?”

“A chef-in-training.”

“Oh, my god.” I pinched the bridge of my nose between my gloved fingers. “We’re screwed.”

“Vito said his brother is a very good cook. But he has a problem with being told what to do.”

Must run in the family. “Great. Just great. And what if this brother can’t pull off the dinner?”

“Vito said he’d give them their money back and then some.”

So we’d start buying people off. Sure, why not? That made sense. “Any other good news for me?”

“No, that’s it,” Mikey said. “I’ve got the kitchen doing what they can until Vito’s brother arrives.”

“And when will that be?”

“Tonight. And don’t get mad, but I have a favor to ask.”

Instantly, I knew what he was about to ask and my knees locked up tight, like I was preparing for impact. “No, no, no. Come on, Mikey.”

“Please, Mags. You have all that room.”

“Let Vito’s brother stay with Vito in the guest cottage.”

“We can’t. Vito is tearing down the adjoining wall to make one big bedroom.”

“What!” I shoved Mikey’s shoulder. “Why did you say okay to that?” Another lie from Vito. He said he was only putting up blinds and installing an espresso machine.

“Again,” my brother said calmly. “Are you really going to tell him no?”

“Yes, I will.”

“Maggie, don’t cause trouble. We can put up another wall after he leaves. It’s not a big deal.”

It felt like a big deal. But I didn’t want to make any promises regarding Vito, so I changed the topic. “Let the brother take your room. Then you come and stay at the house.”

“You know I hate sleeping out there.” Mikey hadn’t slept in the house much in the last four years. I knew the memories of our parents were painful for him, just like they were for me, but would a few nights kill him?

Mikey smirked at me. “We could give the brother the cottage and Vito could come stay with you.”

“Fuck no.” God, could this day get any worse?

I tugged my knit hat lower on my head and considered going home and crawling under the covers.

“Fine, the brother can stay at the house—but just while Vito is here. Once Vito goes back to Toronto, the brother can take the cottage on the weeks when it isn’t rented. ”

“We need to build another rental property,” my brother said.

“Put it on the list for the new owner. Apparently, money is no object.”

“You have to admit, that’s a nice thought for once.”

Shoulders tight, I turned and walked away. “Yeah, but Vito’s money comes with strings and now we’re in bed with the mob.”

“Some of us literally,” he called to my back.

I lifted my middle finger up high over my head.