by Alexa Land
The slender brunet said, “Of course. My husband wouldn’t have it any other way. Do you want to tell him what’s going on or should I?”
“You should talk to him,” Dante said. “After you call Vincent, take your son to a friend’s house to spend the night. It’s a long shot that Andreo Natori will look for Nico at your house, but I want to give him a wide berth. Make sure you call my brother Mikey, too. He and his boys probably should stay in a hotel tonight. Better safe than sorry.”
“On it,” Trevor said, pulling out his phone as he headed for the back door.
“What can I do?” Charlie wanted to know.
“Can you get Nana and Jessie out of her house this afternoon? I need her somewhere safe overnight, and like I said, I want to make sure she has no idea what’s going on. I don’t know when Andreo might show up at her place, but when he does, she needs to be anywhere but there.”
“Not a problem.” Charlie got up and asked, “Should Nico come with us?”
“I think it’s best if I go off on my own,” I said. “The last thing I want is to draw Andreo to Nana.”
“Alright. I’ll go make some plans.” Charlie headed for the stairs at the back of the building, which led to his and Dante’s apartment.
I turned to my cousin and said, “Andreo might be able to find me pretty easily, since he was monitoring my credit cards. That’s how he kept tabs on Luca and me. I got a different card when I returned to San Francisco, but I wouldn’t put it past him to have found that out and hacked the new account, too.”
“I’ve got you covered.”
“Thanks.”
“What are you going to do about Luca? If he’s a Natori, then he—”
“But he isn’t, not really. Sal Natori was little more than a sperm donor from the sound of it. Luca said he saw his father less than a dozen times in his life.”
“He’s also a liar, though. That’s why you left him, right?”
“I left him because I felt like he betrayed my trust. I kind of have a hair trigger after my last relationship, as you can probably imagine, and I bolted the moment I learned he’d kept that from me. But I can see why he didn’t tell me who his father was. Just look at the mess it’s stirring up.”
Dante considered that for a moment, then said, “If you decide to give Luca another chance, I need to meet him. I have to know he’s not a threat to this family.”
“He’s not a threat, but I’ll make sure you two meet.”
“Good. Now come on, we have work to do.”
I followed him to his office at the back of the building, and he opened a wall safe and handed me a thick stack of cash. “That should keep you going for a while,” he said.
“Thanks.” I flinched a bit when he reached deeper into the safe, pulled out a nine-millimeter Beretta, and checked the clip. “Do you really think that’s necessary?”
“You never know.”
“I’m so sorry about all of this, Dante. You’re going to end up in danger because of me. I never intended for that to happen.”
“This isn’t your fault, Nico.”
“Like hell it’s not.”
“All you did was fall for some guy on vacation. Where’d you say you met him, Viladembursa?” I nodded and he said, “The Natori family’s roots are as deep there as ours are, so I can see how you crossed paths. But you didn’t ask for this, so don’t beat yourself up over it.”
As he pulled a second gun from the safe, a compact .22, I said, “You know, when I came here, it was to just give you a heads-up and to figure out how to keep Nana safe. Now here you are, fighting my battle for me.”
“This is what we do, Nico. It’s what Vincent and I have always done. We protect our family.”
“And meanwhile, I run and hide like a coward.”
“That’s not what you’re doing. You’re just stepping out of the way of a potentially dangerous situation. Andreo Natori has one hell of a reputation, and I don’t think he’d hesitate to kill you.”
“He’s not completely unreasonable. I spent a couple hours in a car with him when I left Luca, he drove me to the airport. Obviously he was being agreeable because he was glad to be getting rid of me, but still,” I said.
“You’re lucky that didn’t go differently.”
“Luca’s afraid for his brother’s safety. You’ll try talking to Andreo, right?”
“Of course. Violence is the very last resort. We’re going to try to do everything we can to resolve this peacefully.”
“So, I should help with that. I should try to talk to him. He’s afraid of what our family might do to Luca. That’s what’s behind all of this, real concern for his brother. But maybe I can make him realize he’s off-base.”
“He’s not necessarily wrong. This arm of the family wouldn’t want to harm him, but that can’t be said for all Dombrusos. We’ve always tried to present a unified front to the world, but the fact is, not everyone in our family is on the same page. There are at least a couple people who’d potentially kill any Natori on sight, just out of spite."
The conversation I’d had with Andreo came rushing back to me. I’d chosen to write it off as total BS, but I found myself asking, “Dante, what does my father do for a living?” My cousin stopped what he was doing and stared at me. It seemed like he was trying to make up his mind about something. That pause told me all I needed to know. “So, he’s been lying to me my whole life,” I said quietly.
“Who told you about your dad, Andreo?”
“Yeah. He seemed to know a lot about him. The Natoris keep detailed records on every Dombruso, me included. ‘Know your enemy’ and all that.”
“I’m surprised they know about your dad, though. Al’s really good at flying under the radar. Nana doesn’t even know what he does, and she knows everything. Did Andreo tell you about your brother, too?”
“Oh God.”
“Shit, I guess not,” Dante said.
“Do I even want to know what my brother’s involved in?”
“That’s a conversation for another time. For now we need to focus on the next twenty-four hours and this situation with Andreo, and you need to figure out where you’re going to go.” He tucked the Beretta in the back of his waistband, then took his keys from his pocket and detached a couple, which he handed to me. “Take my car. I’d suggest not going home to pack, that might tip off Nana that something’s up. And don’t worry, Nico. I’m going to try my damnedest to make sure no one gets hurt.”
As I watched him check the clip of the .22, I asked, “Do you ever get tired of it? Trying to keep everyone in this family safe, I mean? I know Jerry’s the official head of the family now, but I also know you’ve never stopped being its suit of armor. It seems like it must get exhausting.”
Dante said, “I had to take a big step back from the family business for my husband’s sake, because you know I love him more than life itself. When I went after Sal Natori and got shot, Charlie almost lost me. That’s the real reason I retired, because I didn’t want to put him through that kind of hell, ever again. But Charlie’s always understood something about me, something I didn’t even understand about myself at first. This isn’t actually a job you can retire from. I’ll always protect my family. It’s who I am, who I’ll always be. I don’t get tired of it, any more than I’d get tired of breathing.”
I thought about it for a minute, then put the car keys and the money on his desk. “I’m not going to run and hide. Thank you for trying to keep me out of harm’s way, but I need to man up and deal with Andreo.”
“I’m willing to bet he’s not easily dealt with, though. Men like that are used to getting what they want, by any means necessary.”
“I don’t expect him to back off just because I ask him nicely, but I can’t keep running from my troubles. I did that when I found out Luca’s secret, and that wasn’t the right call. I let my hurt and anger overshadow everything else. The thing is, Luca’s a good man. I’ve always known that. Yes, he kept a secret from me, but it’s pre
tty obvious why he did that.” I paused for a moment before adding, “I kind of feel like maybe I was looking for an excuse to run, even though it was going great, and even though I care about him so much…or maybe because it was going great, and because I care about him. Maybe that’s why I bolted, because he’s so much more than I bargained for, and I was so damn scared that it was all going to go up in flames that I actually set fire to it myself. Does that make any sense?”
Dante grinned at me. “It does, oddly enough. And you two really need to talk.”
“I know. That was the whole reason he was coming to San Francisco, and then it all just got really complicated.”
*****
Luca called me the moment his plane was on the ground, even before he got out of his seat. “I have a plan for giving my brother the slip if he’s waiting for me in the terminal,” he said. “Please tell me you got yourself and your grandmother somewhere safe.”
“Nana and Jessie are at a high-end spa in Marin County for the next seventy-two hours, so her house is empty if Andreo comes calling.” Charlie had told her he’d won the spa getaway on a call-in radio show, but that he was needed at the restaurant and couldn’t take the time off. Apparently she bought it and gladly went in his place.
“And where are you?”
“After much deliberation, we’re at my cousin’s furniture store, just south of the city. It should be totally off Andreo’s radar, and since it’s closed for remodeling, it’s a good, quiet place to talk. I’ll text you the address, it’s pretty close to the airport.”
“You said ‘we’re’ at the furniture store. Who’s we?”
“My cousins Dante and Vincent are with me. I didn’t want to run. You and I need to talk, and we need to figure out what to do about your brother. In case he tracks me down, they’re here to ensure my safety.”
“Dante and Vincent Dombruso, Jesus,” he said. “I know very little about your family, but I know those names. My friend Theo told me who the heavy hitters are in your organization, and those two are at the top of the list, even above the person who’s supposed to be running the family these days.”
“They’re really good guys, Luca. I trust them completely. Now you just have to trust me and come here so we can make a plan.”
He exhaled slowly, then said, “Alright. I’ll get there as soon as I can. Almost everyone’s gotten off the plane now, so I need to exit, too.”
“Good luck with your brother.”
“Thanks. See you soon.”
When we disconnected, I sent him the address to the furniture store, than sighed and leaned back against the plush, dark brown sofa. The store took up a large warehouse in Daly City, and was currently being rearranged, so that instead of sections with all sofas, all beds, and so on, it would be made up of a series of fully appointed rooms. I was seated in a completely furnished living room, including knickknacks, art on the free-standing walls, and plastic houseplants. It looked pretty convincing at a glance, but on closer inspection, the books on the shelves were just a façade, and the TV was cardboard.
I glanced at my cousins, who were drinking coffee across from me and talking to each other quietly. They were practically a matched set. Dante was a couple years older, but he and Vincent looked a lot alike, aside from the fact that Vincent wore glasses. They were both really tall with broad shoulders, olive skin, slightly longish black hair, and a penchant for dark, expensive suits. They were very different people, though. Vincent was much quieter and more reserved than his big brother, while Dante oozed charisma and had run the family with bold confidence before deciding to step down. Interestingly, they were both gay, and their brother Gianni was bisexual. The fourth brother, Mikey, was the only straight one in their immediate family. Genetics was a funny thing.
Dante turned to me and asked, “What’s going on with Luca?”
“He’s going to try to give his brother the slip if Andreo’s waiting for him at the airport. Then he’ll meet us here.” Dante nodded and went back to his conversation with his brother. I realized after a moment that they were talking about barbeque grills. I had to grin at that. At some point, they’d both married and settled down. Vincent and his husband Trevor had even adopted a son. I would never have predicted that either of my cousins would go the domestic bliss route, but they were both happy and deeply in love with their husbands, so what did I know?
*****
Maybe twenty minutes after Luca called me, he showed up at the warehouse in a taxi. I unlocked the front door and held it open for him as he paid the driver. When he came inside, I locked the door behind him and took a good look at him.
He was a mess. His hair was tousled, he was growing a beard, and his dark suit and overcoat looked like he’d slept in them (which he probably had, since he must have been on an overnight flight to New York before the flight to San Francisco). On top of that, his face looked thin and his eyes were underscored with dark shadows, which told me he’d been under a lot of stress recently. That, more than anything, made my heart ache.
Even though my pulse sped up at his proximity, I didn’t know what to do, whether to hug or kiss or shake hands. Apparently he didn’t either, so we both just stood there awkwardly. After a few moments I managed, “So, um, was your brother waiting for you at the airport?”
“Yeah, he and his two goons. He grabbed me by the lapels, which was perfect, because my plan had already been to sic TSA on him. I managed to slip something in his coat pocket before yelling for help. I then reported that they’d been on my flight, and I’d overheard them talking about smuggling drugs into the country.” Luca half-smiled and said, “You should have seen my brother’s face. If he was a cartoon, the top of his skull would have popped off and steam would have shot out.”
“What did you put in his pocket?”
“There was a mom with a baby on the plane, and I told her I had a problem with chafing and asked if I could borrow some talcum powder.” I had to grin at that. He went on, “She gladly obliged, and I dumped some into a zip-top baggie, which I planted on Andreo. It only kind of looks like cocaine, but between that and the fact that my brother was going ballistic, TSA kept him busy long enough for me to slip away and grab a cab.”
“Good job.”
“Thanks.”
“Didn’t you bring any luggage?”
“No, I’m traveling light. Passport and a toothbrush. I figured I could buy whatever else I needed when I got here.”
“That reminds me, I’m sorry I didn’t give you a heads-up about your brother monitoring your credit cards. I really should have.”
“It’s okay. You were busy not speaking to me,” he said.
“Yeah. Sorry about that, too. I know I didn’t handle any of this well at all. I shouldn’t have run off like that, and I shouldn’t have let your texts go unanswered.”
“I’m the one who needs to apologize. I should have told you who my father was the day I found out you were a Dombruso, but I didn’t want you to judge me based on the things he’d done. I planned to tell you after we’d spent some time together and you’d gotten to know me, but I was afraid of how you’d react, so I kept putting it off.”
“I understand.”
“I should have known better,” Luca said. “Trust is everything to you. I swore I’d never hurt you like your ex did, but then I found a whole new way to betray your trust. I’ll never be able to apologize enough for that.”
“I get why you didn’t tell me, and I accept your apology Luca. You don’t have to keep beating yourself up over it.” I reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze.
“Thank you,” he said quietly, taking my hand in both of his. “That’s more than I deserve.”
The apologies didn’t magically wipe away all our problems, of course. There was still uncertainty between us, and the huge unanswered question, now what? We shifted uncomfortably for a few moments before I finally said, “So, come on in and meet my cousins.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
&n
bsp; “You have nothing to worry about, I promise.” Luca took a deep breath and let me lead him hand-in-hand to the back of the warehouse.
Dante and Vincent were right where I’d left them. Vincent sat upright with his hands folded in his lap, while his brother was sprawled out and taking up a lot of room, one arm strewn over the back of the club chair, one foot up on a mahogany coffee table. They wore matching, serious expressions though, as they assessed Luca. I introduced both of them, then said, “I’d like you to meet Luca Caruso.”
The brothers rose to their feet slowly. They were both around six-four and solid muscle, but then, so was Luca. It was rare for me to feel tiny at six-one, but I did then. They shook hands with Luca solemnly, the tension thick and heavy around us. “Jesus,” Luca said, “I had a nightmare like this once, where all my father’s enemies confronted me, and I had to pay for his sins.” Dante raised an eyebrow at him, and he went on, “I can only imagine how much you must hate me, and I don’t blame you one bit. I know what Sal Natori did to your family, and it makes me sick to my stomach. I’m ashamed to carry his DNA, and if I could somehow cut out that part of me, I would. I apologize on behalf of the Natori family for his actions, and I know how ridiculously inadequate those words are, but I had to say it. I’m done talking now. Please don’t shoot me. ”
Dante considered that for a moment, then said, “You’re making it pretty fucking hard to hate you.”
“Good,” I said.
After an awkward pause, Dante said, “So, a couple things need to happen. You two have to work things out, but first we have to figure out what the hell we should do about Andreo Natori.” He turned to Luca and asked, “How far do you think he’s willing to go to keep you from getting involved with a Dombruso?”
“How far? A bullet in Nico’s brain. I hope to God I’m wrong, but I think he’s probably capable of that. To say he’s a control freak is putting it mildly, and the fact that he can’t control me enrages him. I think he’d kill Nico just to teach me a lesson.”