Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 91238 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91238 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
“Are you pregnant?” Carlo asks, frowning.
“Fuck all of you.” I flip them off, one after the other.
We’re in the billiards room at the bottom of the Rossi mansion. This place doesn’t get much use these days, but back when we were kids, we’d spend hours in here. Dad would kill us if he knew we were drinking, but sometimes we snuck a little alcohol and killed an entire evening shooting pool and talking shit.
“Seriously though,” Carlo says, leaning forward on his elbow. “You seem happy.”
“Why does it sound like you’re accusing me of something?”
“I’m not. You’re supposed to be. You’re a newlywed.”
“Stole her right out from under my nose, too,” Saul says as he sinks a shot.
“I’m going to hear that for the rest of my life, aren’t I?”
“Yes, pretty much.” Saul lines up another shot, but misses. “I’ll get sick of that joke eventually.”
“Don’t listen to him. You’re happy.” Carlo raises a glass. “Here’s to that.”
“I’m worried about her though.” I lean in closer, pitching my voice soft so Renzo and Saul can’t hear. They’re busy arguing about the game anyway. “She seems adrift. This shit with her family—”
“Those fucking pricks.” Carlo’s jaw sets. “They should be out on the street killing every single Russian and Irishman they can find.”
“That’d be half of Philadelphia. It’d be a slaughter.”
“They’d deserve it.” He glares at his drink. “Fuckers shot me.”
“To be fair, you’ve shot more than a few of them.”
“Only in revenge.”
“And how’s that going? Feel better yet?”
He makes a rude gesture at me. “Fuck off. I don’t need to hear it from you. I’m getting it enough from Renzo.”
That’s a surprise. I glance back at my older brother. He seems oblivious of our conversation. “Maybe you should listen to the Don.”
“Nah. I’m good. How about we discuss your problems some more instead?”
I grunt at him and accept his change of subject. “Maddie’s been trying to make Allegra feel welcome and that’s been good, but I can tell she misses her family.”
“Don’t know why. The cowards.”
“Carlo.”
“Alright, fine.” He waves me away. “Look, I get it. Allegra’s in a bad spot. She ditched her fiancé, twice, and now she’s paying for it.”
“How long’s that going to last?”
“I don’t know.”
I jostle my knee, unable to sit still. “I just want to fix this for her. That’s all.”
Carlo stares at me again. “You actually love her, don’t you?”
“That’s what I keep telling everyone.”
“No, I’m serious. Renzo thinks you’re full of shit. I thought you were too, but you’re not. You’re really in love.”
I meet his gaze and don’t look away. “Like I said.”
“Wow. Huh.” He leans back in his chair. “That sort of changes things.”
“How?”
“I figured you two had six months, max. But if you love her?”
“Don’t make wagers on how long I’ll stay married, you prick.”
He shrugs. “Can’t help myself. So what are you going to do?”
“She came up with a plan. It’s dangerous, but I’m at the point where I’ll do anything to make her happy.”
“Even if it means getting yourself hurt?”
I only look at him in reply.
He rubs his face and throws back his drink, shaking his head.
Saul and Renzo finish their game. We play some doubles, switching partners each time, talking shit on each other relentlessly. For a little while, it’s like being a kid again. I’m smiling, laughing, and I forget about the war and my problems with Allegra. I can focus on being a part of the family again, and I have to admit, it feels nice.
I don’t have a new business yet. I’m still a little lost, a little adrift, but my brothers are a good way to anchor myself. I just wish Allegra had the same thing.
After a while, Renzo drifts back to work. Saul grills me about the gambling business some more and eventually follows suit. I head out back with Carlo and sit on the porch overlooking the garden. I spot my butterfly bush, currently empty of its namesake.
“This plan your wife came up with,” Carlo says out of nowhere. It’s obvious he’s been thinking about what I said. “Tell me what she needs.”
I hesitate, not sure if I should share it. Not because I can’t trust my brother, but because I don’t want to involve more people if I don’t have to.
“She wants to find the Irishmen who attacked her father’s club.”
“That’ll solve her problems how, exactly?”
“It’ll show her family that she didn’t betray them and she hasn’t abandoned them.”
“Interesting.” Carlo drums his fingers on the arm of his rocking chair. “You think it’ll work?”
“I think you don’t need to worry about it. I’m already handling shit.”
“Let’s assume I’m already worried. Do you think it’s going to work?”
“Maybe. It’s hard to predict how her father will react.”
Carlo grunts, nodding to himself. He looks away, out at the garden. It’s twilight, birds chirp in the distance, and fireflies flicker between the flowers. “Fine. I’ll help.”