“My bad…”
“That would be like us calling you pale face,” Miles said with a smile on his face. He could feel the weight of Landon’s stare. “What? We all got a little Irish in us… you have the fair complexion and light eyes. I have the fortitude to drink myself sober. Get over it.”
“Seriously? Sober?”
Miles nodded.
It only happened once, but it’s legit, God damn it.
“Now stop skirting my question…” Miles barked, becoming annoyed that Landon had still not told him who the acting Boss was.
Landon let out a sharp breath as his brow furrowed. For the first time today, Landon genuinely looked stressed out. Seeing that he was not getting anywhere, Miles began to think out loud again, “Who else could it be. Doubt it’s Dustin. He’s too damn mouthy for that shit. It’s definitely not you… you’re still wet behind the friggin’ ears… and Dad, he’s dying…”
Landon looked over at me when I talked about our father.
“Shut the fuck up…” Miles said as a look of shock crosses his face. “The Butcher? They made the Butcher acting Boss?”
Landon didn’t reply and just looked out his window.
Miles’s heart stalled as he considered the news he was given. His mouth gaped open in shock.
What the fuck were they thinking? I thought the Capadonnos were keeping a low profile in light of the criminal charges coming down on Uncle Leon? Apparently not. The news has been speculating whether an acting boss had been named. I had wondered the very same thing. It was worse than I expected. Much worse. There’s no way in fucking hell that I am staying at that house for more than idle chit chat. Fuck that.
“This is going to turn into a blood bath.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
LETTY DIDN’T MOVE FROM the edge of Michael’s bed for a full forty minutes. Shock swirled through her body as she tried to keep herself from launching out the dining room window, head first. Although her instincts were telling her to run, she knew that would be the death of her. It’s dangerous enough knowing too much about the Capadonnos. It was certain death to run.
The gentle swish of a mop pushing a pungent combination of ammonia, Clorox and blood across the cream marble floor of the foyer was the only sound that Letty could hear. Raine hadn’t re-emerged from her bedroom since Michael’s rampage. Her terrible heaves had echoed through the massive house for over twenty minutes, but when a series of hard knocks fell upon the front door of the Capadonno residence, the house had become eerily quiet.
When Dustin Capadonno, Dante Sabotino and Vinnie “The Fish” Moretta walked through the front door, Letty felt as if her heart had stopped. Dustin was the third born son of Michael and Andie Capadonno, and Michael’s driver. Dustin wasn’t a foot soldier. He never wanted to get involved… but somewhere along the line, Michael had hooked him into the lifestyle. Dustin was a strong man with solid street smarts and he was a good man to have on your side in a pinch. At age twenty-seven, he was ready to forge a path of his own, and break free of his family’s shadow.
Meanwhile, Dante and Vinnie “The Fish” weren’t the toughest guys on the Capadonno payroll, but they certainly had a reputation that was well known throughout Carrion. They were known as the Eliminators. When a made man created a mess, the Eliminators came in and cleaned it up. They were foot soldiers with a proclivity for bloodshed and they weren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. In fact, they looked forward to it.
Michael hadn’t uttered a word to Letty since he pulled the trigger, and she wasn’t sure if that was a relief or the very thing that would unnerve her completely. Michael sat on a chaise lounge in the dark of the hall, allowing his head to fall into his hands. The look on Michael’s face was not one of remorse or sadness. It was a look you might see on a child’s face when they were caught doing something wrong.
Dustin showed up with Dante and the Fish at his sides, each of them carrying a leather duffel bag and a few bright blue Walmart bags. As the front door groaned open, the badly mutilated body of Anthony Spinelli could be seen from the curbside, the right half of his face completely blown away.
“What the fuck, man!” Dustin yelled when he saw the body of Anthony Spinelli on the floor of the foyer.
“Shut up…” Michael said. “Don’t be a pussy about it.”
“Where is my sister?” Dustin asked in an angry tone of voice. His eyes zoned in on his father’s face with deep scrutiny casting from his soft brown eyes.
“Oh, you know her! Ran upstairs in a tornado of calamity!” Michael said, completely disregarding his daughter’s feelings over her now dead boyfriend.
“You’re cold as ice, man. I have no idea what my mother ever saw in you,” Dustin spat as he walked from the foyer into the hallway. Pausing in the doorway of the parlor, Dustin’s gaze fell upon Letty’s face as an understanding look crossed his face.
“Are you all right?” Dustin asked as his soft eyes met Letty’s frightened gaze.
Letty sighed heavily.
I like Dustin a lot. He has the same warm demeanor that Miles showed me during our time together. They were both decent men caught in a terrible war.
After Letty gave Dustin a slight nod, he turned his head away from Letty just in time to miss the tears filling up in her eyes.
“Well…” The Fish asked in a thick South Philly accent. “What do we have here? Sixty-four days without an accident… I think that sets a record around here,” The Fish said facetiously. “You were doing so well.”
“Did I ask for commentary, gentlemen? Do the job I’m payin’ you to do!” Michael spat with an angry look across his face.
“Which is what, exactly?” Dustin asked as he glared at his father with a look of utter disgust.
“Mop, sweep and dispose…” Michael said, giving his son an equally unhappy look.
“So let’s get this straight,” Dustin said as he pointed to The Fish and Dante. “You two are nothing more than glorified fucking trash men…”
Dante and the Fish glared at Dustin and proceeded to yell at him until he left the room. Crossing the parlor, Dustin climbed the spiral staircase to check on his sister. Dante and the Fish stepped into the parlor giving Letty a glaring look. Michael glanced over at Letty from his chaise lounge as the men regarded her. Their gazes were icy. It was as if they were cursing her for ever being born. Dante had his long hair pulled back into a ponytail and his shrewd eyes stared Letty up and down. Letty stared back, not giving him the opportunity to see her shake. The Fish, a man who had earned his nickname not only from his father’s fresh seafood business but also by his trout-like appearance, gave Letty a look of utter disgust.
“And what do ya propose we do wit’ her?” The Fish asked, pointing towards Letty as if she was last week’s garbage.
“You need us to take ’er out?” Dante asked in an inflammatory tone of voice.
So I am last week’s garbage, Letty thought.
Shifting her weight, Letty reached into the tall leg of her riding boot. Her fingers felt for the pocket knife that her father had given her for situations such as this.
Let them try and pull something on me. They don’t want to bring my crazy out… I’ll carry their balls around in my Berkeley bag.
Before Letty had the chance to pull a double Lorena Bobbitt, Michael shut the situation down. Michael backhanded each man’s head hard, damn near knocking Dante’s crown right out of his mouth. For being sick, Michael was still strong as a bull.
“Don’t you worry about her!” Michael spat. “Don’t you even look at her!”
“What if she talks?” The Fish asked, sounding defensive.
“Am I speakin’ fuckin’ Swahili?” Michael screamed, his face turning a violent shade of red.
“What if she goes to the Feds?” Dante demanded to know as he cast an evil look back at Letty.
“And so what if she does? What do I have to lose? The oncologist gave me two months. Two fucking months! That prick put his hands on my daughter. Now do what yo
u gotta do and go!”
“That’s you! We ain’t knocking on heaven’s door, though!” the Fish said.
Michael gritted his teeth at the Fish. Grabbing a newspaper off his end table, Michael swatted Fish with the paper, the day’s headlines leaving a smudge on his forehead.
“Insensitive prick!” Michael spat. “Way to treat a dying man.”
Letty wanted to laugh at the irony of the situation. Michael Capadonno just whacked someone, and here he was calling someone else insensitive. Somehow, she managed to contain her amusement.
“Yeah, we’ll just get to it, then,” Dante said, giving Michael a look of trepidation. Pulling a box of black trash bags from the Walmart bag, Dante prepared for the messy job ahead of him. “C’mon, Fish.”
The Fish pulled on a pair of rubber gloves, grabbed his bucket and mop and followed Dante from the room. Letty stayed out of the way as the mess was cleaned up. Dante and The Fish had come well prepared with trash bags, masking tape, rope and cleaning supplies. As the scent of ammonia wafted through the house, Letty tried to block out what was happening.
Just twenty minutes was all it took for Dante and the Fish to turn Michael Capadonno’s foyer from a murder scene to a grand affair straight from the Lifestyles of the Rich and the Shameless, YO!TV’s answer to MTV cribs. As the men turned to leave, Michael re-entered the parlor with a grave look on his face. Michael Capadonno appeared as if he had aged twenty-five years since Letty had served him dinner. Michael’s rage had given him strength that he hadn’t had for quite some time. But now that he had calmed down, Michael felt more tired than ever. Giving Letty a weary look, Michael approached her with an outstretched hand. Brushing his hand against Letty’s cheek, he cupped Letty’s chin with the other.
“I am sorry that you had to witness that. I hope I didn’t frighten you…” Michael said as his eyes peered into Letty’s.
She sat silently as Michael talked, utterly bewildered and unsure of what to say.
“There are things that men must do that is not for the eyes of a woman. Things to keep our families safe.”
Letty nodded in understanding.
I know what Michael is saying makes perfect sense to him. To me, it’s clear that the man is bat shit insane.
Not trying to agitate the man further, Letty stared up at him, appearing doe-eyed and horrified.
“Us men have to protect the women and the children. We have to sometimes do things we’re not proud of… to protect our families. Do you understand?” Michael asked Letty with a calm look upon his face. Letty was amazed at how quickly he could turn on and off his wrath. The thought was horrifying to her. It was the sign of a true sociopath. They didn’t feel pain. Not emotional pain, sometimes not even physical pain. They could wear a smile with a gushing trauma wound. They could fake agony simply to manipulate someone into caring. Letty knew now more than ever, she had to be very careful.
Again, Letty nodded, not daring to let any emotion show. Inside, she was a wreck. She wanted to run. She wanted to break down in tears from the horror Michael had shown her. She wanted to break down in terror from the death threats she was offered by Dante and the Fish. She wouldn’t do any of these things though.
A lesson I learned a long time ago is to never to let a man see you at your weakest. They’ll treat you like a ragdoll for the rest of eternity.
Michael’s hand gently stroked Letty’s cheek as a sick feeling crept through her body. Slyly, Michael smiled.
“You’re a brave one, Leticia. This will be our little secret… Yes?” Michael said smoothly.
Without giving it any further thought, Letty replied, “Yes, Mr. Capadonno.”
“It’s Michael, Letty,” he said before lifting her hand to his mouth. He stroked his lips against the skin of her palm. The hair on her arms stood on end. “To you, Letty… it’s Michael.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
CORINA SLIPPED THROUGH the darkness like a bullet as Miles and Landon cut through the Pine Barrens largely unnoticed. Ripping down Route 70, the road seemed darker under the shadow of the Pines. Set amidst a vast and largely undisturbed expanse of coastal forest, Carrion, New Jersey, is the last place on earth you’d think would be rocked by mob activity. The Capadonnos used to be a Philadelphia name. Miles’s great-grandfather’s family took up half the block when they lived at 13th and Wolf Streets. Then, after a series of hits, federal busts and the controversial and very public murder of Gino Rigatti outside of the Federal Court House in Philly, Miles’s father, Michael, and his uncle Sonny decided to make a move. They packed up the Capadonnos—every last one of them—and moved to a little blip on the map called Carrion, New Jersey. It was nothing but swampland and forest before they came along.
In the summer months, the Pine Barrens is the setting for many a family vacation… and why not? The scenery is idyllic: heavily wooded with beautiful lakes and plenty of privacy. It was an escape from the big city for many people. But for the Capadonnos, there were no outside eyes looking in. Not even the feds bothered them much out here at first. The Capadonnos flocked to the Pine Barrens for a different reason than most people. The trees provided privacy, the setting was unassuming and with a coastal setting, there was no shortage of places to hide a body.
Not that I’d know anything about that, Miles thought. I took the fall on murder charges, but I never took a life ’til I entered the Franklin Correctional Facility and that was self-defense! Bill Tomaselli came at me with a shank in the prison yard. What do you expect me to do, stand there and get killed? Fuck that.
In the years since the Capadonnos settled in Carrion, the city was built up. Still hidden deep in the Pine Barrens, Carrion has a unique quality to it.
The residents built what they knew and Carrion, New Jersey quickly became a miniature replica of South Philly plopped down in the middle of the fuckin’ woods. Seriously… There’s no other way to describe it.
The kid cleared his throat breaking Miles from his thoughts.
“We’re here,” Landon said as he nodded to the bright green welcome sign that was illuminated on the side of the road. Anxiety slithered in Miles’s stomach like a boa constrictor, tightening and tightening until he could barely breathe.
Welcome to Carrion, New Jersey
Population, 3,292 – Mayor Leon F. Capadonno
“The Happiest Place in New Jersey”
“You’ve got to be shitting me…” Miles said as he looked at the bright green sign.
There is so much wrong with the effing sign that I don’t even know where to start. What a joke.
“What?” Landon asked as he began to chuckle. He knew exactly what Miles was referring to.
“They ripped up the old piney sign for that? I don’t know what’s worse, the fact that they even bother to count the townspeople anymore with all the hits, the slogan or Uncle Leon’s name on the sign.”
“It was Uncle Leon’s idea,” Landon said with a laugh. “We tried to talk him out of it.”
Good ol’ Uncle Leon. Esteemed Mayor of Carrion, who is embroiled in a sex scandal and a federal corruption case all at once.
“Did you try to talk him out of sleeping with six members of his staff, too?” Miles asked in a facetious tone of voice.
Landon laughed until he was red in the face.
“Shit, have you seen Uncle Leon lately? I’d say he was lucky that any of them even looked his way, let alone give him rim jobs on paid time… Then he gave them each a twenty-five thousand dollar raise, and that money was supposed to go to the fallen firefighters’ fund.”
“That is messed up,” Miles replied. “I have to say, I think Uncle Leon would have gotten away with it if the county didn’t reject the raises.”
Landon laughed. “Bitches love their money.”
“Shit… Love of money isn’t a female thing. Who doesn’t want money?” Miles replied as he maneuvered yet another jug handle.
“Yeah, true… Some more than others though,” Landon said with a dark edge to his gaze. Quickly changi
ng the subject, he continued, “I guess they need to fix that sign now.”
“You think?” Miles asked.
“I mean the population, dude. They need to factor you in.”
Miles laughed darkly as he glanced over at the sign. As they sped past the sign, Miles replied, “Don’t worry, kid, Carrion will definitely not forget about me.”
CHAPTER NINE
LETTY HAD A SICK FEELING in her stomach as Michael gazed at her. Letty knew Michael Capadonno well. For a long time, he had looked out for Letty like a daughter, but something in his eyes was different. There was a darkness lingering in his gaze, a hunger. The deadliest mobster in Carrion history had taken Letty’s kindness to mean something else entirely.
How do you tell a man like that that you don’t love him? The reality of the situation is that I am still very much in love with his son, Miles. There. I said it. It’s the truth. Oh, what a fine mess this is.
How do you say no to a man who has no comprehension of the word? Firmly. Confidently. But when you’re dealing with the Capadonno family, there’s no room for rash judgment.
I’ll cross that bridge when Michael brings me to it.
The metallic clink of a key meeting the lock in the front door of the Capadonno home launched Letty into an instant case of the cold sweats.
“What now?” Michael asked as he lowered Letty’s hand to his leg.
Quickly, Letty retracted her hands while Michael was distracted. Giving the foyer a scathing look, Michael looked downright murderous that anyone would dare interrupt his evening.
The first chance I get tomorrow, I’m calling his doctor and recommending another psych evaluation. The man is way off the reservation and I don’t want anyone else getting hurt… or worse. I have a responsibility to my son. I have to be smart about this and keep myself safe. One thing is sure, though… Quitting is no longer an option.
Letty rose from Michael’s bed and crossed the room to see who was entering the house. She was relieved to see that the foyer looked exactly as it had earlier today, before all the chaos began. Letty’s boots clicked loudly against the marble floor as she cut across the room towards the door. As she reached for the handle, the door swung open, damn near knocking her to the floor. As the door creaked open, and a tall man walked over the threshold, Letty’s mood suddenly changed.
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