We ordered waffles with strawberries and cream for her and French toast burnt for me. The host had forgotten to draw the privacy doors back in place, but it was fine seeing the other diners, listening to their merry chatter as she dug into her waffles with glee. The host came bustling in halfway through and whispered something urgent in my ear.
“What? Did she…?”
“No-no, the car’s okay, we stopped her in time, but she’s making a scene in the parking lot.” Gianna heard the word car and took off running for the exit with me hot on her heels. “Fuck!” I was afraid of this. This is what happens when you go off plan.
“You bitch, get away from my mother’s car.” Whoa, Gianna?
Okay, so a whole lot of things happened in quick succession, so my recollection might be out of sync, but this is what I remember. Gianna went running towards Becky, who looked like she was about to key the car; my men got there before she could. Victoria, who had been standing on the sidelines, stuck her foot out, then added a swift kick to the ribs while Gianna was going down.
I’m not sure how, but when I blinked again to compute what the fuck I’d just seen, I was standing in front of Victoria. I got as far as grabbing her around the neck before Gianna got ahold of me. One sharp flick to the right or left, and she’s done. Do it! That voice in my head was calm and precise.
I saw all the plays unfold in the split second it took for me to calm down. If I go to prison, she’s on her own, forget taking revenge in Sicily, she’d be on her own. Back in the clutches of this vermin. I choose her; I’m always going to choose her.
“Touch her again, and I’ll break your face,” I warned Victoria before releasing her with a slight shake for good measure. The mother came out of nowhere, howling like the wild beast she is.
“That’s assault; I’ll have you arrested, that.….” She turned her gaze to Gianna. “How did you get that car?”
“It’s hers; what’s it got to do with you?”
She gripped her keys and made a move toward the car again, totally unhinged. I didn’t want Gianna to hear what I was about to say, so I pushed Becky not so gently away. “Do you want me to call the cops and tell them you sold a stolen car worth a half a million dollars?” She lost all the color from her face.
“Let’s see, in this state, that will get you about twenty-twenty-five years. By the way, this car is insured, but it’s insured in a way that if you hit it or do anything to it, you’d never be able to pay. Think about what that means.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“No, I’m asking you to think of what is worth more to you, the car’s destruction or your life.” I went back to Gianna and took her hand, making sure she was okay. With one last warning look sent Victoria's way, I walked around Becky to help Gianna into the car, leaving her and her empty threats behind. Her daughter’s screams of outrage made me smile as I felt a coldness come over me. I heard screeching tires peel into the parking lot and turned to face this new threat. Fuck me, who called Draco Russo?
DRACO
“You okay, Gabe, Gianna?”
“Yes, Pop, we’re good. What brings you here?” I just gave him a look because I’m pretty sure he knows the answer to that already. “You two go ahead and get in the car and follow me.”
“Where are we going?”
“To Fontane’s house.”
I walked past my men, who’d raced to get here behind me. After I got the call, I didn’t have time to wait around for them. That’s why a car is always ready with a key in the ignition and sitting at the bottom of the front steps. A different one each day because enemies tend to notice routines.
I ignored the Fontane woman who was trying to get my attention and going about it the wrong way. A crowd had started to gather, and I guess that made her feel brave. “That’s right; the big bad wolf came to save his little snot-nosed brat of a son.” I laughed at that one, preposterous as it was.
She took a few steps back when I looked over my shoulder at her, and I hadn’t even opened my mouth yet. “Lady, I’m not here to save my son. I’m here to save you.” I kept going since the kids were in their car and, with a nod to Gabe’s team to follow them, got into my car and left.
I was still thawing out from the numbness that set in when Matthew called with the news that something was going down. Although I’m not expecting anyone to be brave enough to gun down my kid in the streets, I'm more worried about what he’d do if pushed too far.
I know more than he thinks about what went on in that house. For one, my wife and daughters won’t stop hounding me to do something about it, and for another, I have my way of finding things out that my son doesn’t want me to.
Then there’s Lance, who swears Gabe is going to off someone in that house. Apparently, some shit had gone down in Virginia that Gabe had shared with him while he was still there, and now he’s doubly convinced that Gabe is out for blood.
I didn’t expect things to go this far, but I guess I should’ve known. He’s my son, after all, and I’d do the same if I were in his shoes. But this isn’t like him. He’s a planner. This brawling in the streets is not his style, not even when provoked. But this is twice now in the space of a month that he’s been in a showdown, and I’m afraid he’s reached the point where his tolerance for bullshit is waning.
I wasn’t anywhere near calm by the time I reached Fontane’s house. I didn’t bother with the doorbell, just pounded on the door. The kids were already there, still sitting in the car that was parked on the street instead of the driveway for some reason. They came to meet me at the door just as my phone rang.
“Yeah, Tommy, what is it?”
“Um, we’ve got the twins; what do you want us to do with them?”
“What? Which twins? My daughters?” Why the hell is Tommy calling me with this? Didn’t I just leave him in the parking lot about to follow me?
“Yeah, it’s the girls.”
“What’s going on with my kids?”
“They uh, they jumped the younger one in the parking lot after you guys left.”
“Is she still standing?”
“Yeah, we stepped in before it got out of hand." Knowing him, they'd waited until the girls got their pound of flesh before moving in.
"The Fontane women are headed your way. It looks like there’s going to be trouble.”
“Fucking aye, there is. Take my kids back home and make sure they stay put. You stay on the house; call Gar if you have to.” If those two think something happened to their brother, it’ll take the law to get them off. That, or their uncle.
“What happened to my sisters?” Fuck me, what day is it?
“Nothing, they’re fine. Let’s go take care of this; then we can go check on them.” Fontane finally answered the door just as his wife flew into the driveway. I guess she and her daughter had taken separate cars because the girl wasn’t with her.
“Mr. Russo? Gia? What’s going on?”
“May we come in?”
“Sure, sure, excuse my manners. Come on into the parlor.” I let the kids walk ahead of me, keeping myself between the Fontane woman and them.