Page 187 of Only Fools Rush

“Maybe. He picked Tommaso for his alliance for a reason. Coincidentally, the Albanians have gone quiet? And have started infiltrating Philadelphia?” I shook my head. “Something feels off.”

“Do you think Max has made an alliance with the Albanians?” Ciel asked.

I bit my lip. “I don’t know. But if he did, that would fucking suck.”

Cas crossed his arms over his chest. “Max has surprised us before with his depravity. The version of him we knew? He would never. But the version he’s hid from us all these years? I have no idea what he’s capable of.”

“All the more reason why we need the other Families on our side,” Obi replied. “Do we know who is the most likely to hear us out? And who would be the most strategic to ally with?”

We already had the Russians on our side, which helped immensely with getting the Alacrán Cartel out of the city. But Obi was right. We needed the Italians on our side to take full control and push Max out.

Don Lucchese. Don Sandrini. Don Rossi.

I knew them as friends of my father, men who would appear at events before disappearing into meetings. Meetings my father barred me from attending. I didn’t know them as people. At most, we’d exchanged pleasantries. I only knew Don Tommaso better because Chiara was my best friend, and because I’d spent so much time at her house.

“I know Rossi pretty well,” Cas said.

“You know Don Rossi?” I asked, eyebrows raised. The way Cas spoke was like they were friends.

Cas shrugged. “More than Lucchese or Sandrini. Rossi is just a few years older than us. The youngest of all the Heads—well, besides Max, I guess. When he was coming up, after the Rossi Family blew apart, I ran into him a few times. Helped him get out of a bind or two.”

I blinked. “I never had any idea what you did when you weren’t with me. How the hell do you know so many people? The Irish, the Rossis, Giulio…I don’t get it.”

“When I was living on the streets, before you met me, I survived by making friends. Fallon, Colin, all of us shared food and helped each other survive.” He took a drink of his water, then stretched his neck from side to side as he continued. “After your dad took me in, that instinct didn’t go away. Yeah, I met people from different organizations that I might eventually have to kill, but I guess I thought if I could make friends, it might eventually pay off.”

Obi gave an approving nod. “That’s smart, Caspian.”

“Plus, it’s not like I fit in with your family when it wasn’t work-related.”

“What do you mean?”

“I guess I just felt more at home on the streets, my ear to the ground, making connections. Especially in the early years. I never felt like I belonged in your circle. That I was worthy of you. Fuck, your dad didn’t even let me eat at your table until I was thirteen.”

I blinked. “What? I didn’t know that. I thought you just lived with Alessio. I thought he took care of you.”

“He did. Alessio did his best. But I was still a street rat, and I snuck out most nights.” Cas rubbed his chin. “I didn’t blame your father, princess. I knew who I was. Once I earned his trust, he promoted me, and he brought me into the inner circle. The best thing he ever did was make me your bodyguard.” His smile was lopsided, half happy and half sad. “But that’s why I always questioned whether what I did was enough.”

“I’m sorry,amore,” I whispered. So much about his insecurities suddenly made sense. He never thought I’d choose to be with him because he’d always been told he would never be good enough. “I didn’t know.”

He brushed a thumb across my cheek. “It’s okay. It brought us here. But that’s how I know so many people.” He released my cheek and crossed his arms over his chest. “I know Rossi. He’s got the smallest territory out of all the rest of the Five Families, but he’s a good man. I’m certain he’d take issue with the proof that Tommaso was taking money to let Albanians into the city. We can use that to move him to our side and go after Max together.”

“Great, more underdogs teaming up with underdogs,” Ryuji said with a teasing smile. “I like it.”

Obi looked at me. “Do you agree?”

“I don’t know Rossi, but we need to use whatever we can to grow our army,” I said, glancing at the ring on my finger. “Even if the Rossi Family might be smaller than the others, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s weaker. He might surprise us all.”

“Cas, I’ll help you get a message out,” Ciel said. “We can set up an introduction after the board meeting.”

“Sounds good.” Cas titled his head to the side, but he glanced at Obi. “I know we’ve all moved past this but, Obi, I have to ask you a question.”

Obi inclined his head.

“Rossi is unmarried.”

Obi stiffened. “I believe he is.”

“Did you want to marry Leona to him? Is that what you meant when you mentioned someoneelse?”