Yeah. She was right.
“After our tea,” Val said, “would you mind watching Maria for the night? I think I kind of left Chris hanging even if he just said for me to think about it ... I don’t want him to assume that I don’t have an answer for him.”
Because she did. He was right. She’d just needed to think about it.
“Not a problem at all,” Cara assured.
12.
Chris
“TEN percent,” Kevin, a more recent addition to their Capos, offered.
Chris scoffed. “You’re being fucking offensive to my sensibilities.”
“Thought you Guzzis didn’t have sensibilities?”
“Only when it comes to our money.”
“Fine. Fifteen.”
Chris gave the man a look. “Absolutely not.”
“Christopher, be reasonable. This new racket will bring in two-point-two million yearly. I made this deal a reality. Your father is only going to have to sit back and collect. Surely, just this once, we can lessen the tribute percentage for this cash flow.”
“How do you think any of our money is made?” Chris asked, leaning back in the dining chair so he could get a good look at the restaurant floor behind the other man. He always sat with his back towards a wall without windows, never failed. He knew better than to be the fool with his back to a room of people he wasn’t sure he could trust. “Men like you, and a lot of others like you, go out and make deals. Or widen your illegal businesses through our other lines of power and control. This is how the mafia works, Kevin.”
“Yes, but—”
“And do you know what you get in return for your hard work and monthly tribute to our family?”
The man across the table sighed heavily. “No, but I am sure you’re going to tell me.”
“Of course. This is a learning opportunity for you, and I don’t want to waste it.”
“No need to be patronizing.”
Wrong.
It was always time for that.
There was a reason the Guzzis remained on top, and untouched. Chris had zero qualms with reminding the man across from him exactly what that reason happened to be. Kevin was new to his capo seat having taken it over after an older capo finally retired his position and specifically vouched for the man he’d mentored for years. Given Gian and the rest of the Guzzi men knew Kevin quite well and had worked with him at various points in his career over the years in their Cosa Nostra, there hadn’t been any objections to his new place.
There still wouldn’t be.
If the man shut his damn mouth.
“So,” Chris said, smiling a bit at the sight of a familiar woman nearing the windows of the restaurant, “allow me to make this quick because that right there is my wife coming in to see me. Since I wasn’t expecting her, she always makes my moods better, and I’m about over this conversation, listen closely, Kevin.”
The Capo said nothing.
Chris figured ... points to your favor, man.
“You see, this is how it has always worked. And in return for the money you make us, we offer you protection, respect, and a safe way to do your illegal business, Kevin. If for some reason you want the status quo to change because you think you deserve more for doing the same work better men have been doing for us for years, then I suggest,” Chris said, standing from the table and downing what was rest of his glass of whiskey at the same time, “that you make a choice to move on from our famiglia, or even, start out on your own.”
The man’s expression remained blank.
Chris set the glass down to the table, and pulled his jacket from the back of the chair he’d been using to slip it on at the same time that he added, “Although, do keep in mind with those actions also come consequences. Step out to someone else that isn’t an ally, and we’ll consider that a threat. Start out on your own, and we’ll see you as competition to remove.”
“Chris—”
“If you have something that is not an apology, then I suggest you keep your mouth shut as you’ve said more than enough to me. Thirty percent. That is the tribute. That will remain the tribute to my father for our business. Is that understood?”
Across the restaurant, Valeria finally laid eyes on Chris. She lifted a hand, smiled and waved. He did the same back, but his gaze quickly cut down to the man still sitting at the table while he waited patiently for an answer.
“My apologies,” Kevin muttered. “I understand how this famiglia works, Christopher.”
“Good. Keep it in mind. We’ll all be better for it.”
With his bit said, Chris left the table while he fixed the two buttons at the front of his blazer through their proper slits. He made his way toward his wife and enjoyed the growing smile on her face. He hadn’t expected to see her for hours—not until he made his way back home after his daily business was done.
As a Capo, and one that had a heavy hand in a lot of duties directly for his father and brothers ... well, his days sometimes felt never-ending.
This was a nice surprise.
“I’m not dressed for this place, am I?” Val asked when he was near enough to hear her.
Chris laughed. “I own the damn place, who cares how you fucking look? Besides, you look just fine, babe.”
And she did in her skinny jeans and a silk blouse. Never looked better. Then again, she always looked good to him. His walking wet dream with all those curves, and her brown skin that tasted of salt and sin when she was under him.
Yeah.
Perfect.
“Come here,” he said, arms already open.
The second she was in his hold, he kissed her. A long, lingering kiss. One that had their lips moving in tandem, the familiar rhythm soothing and yet still hot enough to make him harden beneath his slacks.
“How was the doctor?” he asked.
Val made a face. “About as you’d expect. At least, the cramping stopped and so did the spotting. Which means my night won’t be ruined. Did I interrupt something?”
“Pardon?”
She pointed over his shoulder.
Chris didn’t bother to look back. “Of course not. You could never interrupt.”
And the mafia?
It never touched his wife.
Chris made sure of it.
“Can I tell you something?” Val asked.
He smiled. “Always. Anything.”
“Sometimes, I still think all of this is a dream. Even though I know it isn’t and this is very much our happily ever after, I still sometimes worry I’m going to wake up and everything is going to change for me, or you ... or us.”
“Never.”
It was a promise.
He always kept those.
Valeria nodded, still locking onto his gaze and holding tight. “So, I did what you said. I thought about everything. Ended up thinking about it long after I had my IUD taken out and was told it would be a while before I could even get the shot.”
“Oh?”
“If everything changes, Chris, I want it to be because I chose for it to be different.”
“Everything is always your choice with me, Val. Even something like this.”
“A baby. Say it.”
Chris grinned, unashamed. “Yes, a baby.”
“I’m not going to have the shot.”