Total pages in book: 52
Estimated words: 49968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
“Anything else, boss?”
“No. Deliver it this afternoon. Brian will let you in.” I handed a slip of paper to Josh. “Make sure it happens.”
He nodded. “I’ll look after it myself.”
I headed upstairs, satisfied. I had helped Vi. Violet. Ms. Nelson.
She had a place to live, some furniture, and a job.
I could move on. Stop thinking about her.
In the office, I sat down, pouring a cup of coffee. Lunch with Nonna the day before had been its usual treat. The woman cooked all our favorites, and I had taken home leftovers. Always a bonus.
I scanned some reports, pleased at the dollar figures I saw. Roman would be happy as well.
He walked in, looking tired. He was an insomniac a lot of the time. It had started in his later teen years when his father would be on the prowl at night, ready to spring one of his surprises on the boys. It continued after his father died, and at times, I worried over his health. He grabbed naps, a few hours of sleep after roaming the casino at night. He told me he slept better at his estate, but given his schedule, he was here far more than he was there. Nonna nagged him all the time, but he never changed his ways.
He sat down heavily.
“You were at the estate. Did you not sleep at all?”
He waved his hand. “Too much on my mind. I’ll grab a few hours later before the crowds hit tonight.”
“Sleep is required for a strong body and mind.”
“Thanks, Mom,” he replied, his sarcasm evident.
The door opened and Luca came in, his expression neutral, his demeanor curiously subdued. He looked a little tired, which was unusual for him.
Roman and I exchanged a look.
“How was your weekend?” I asked lightly.
“I babysat the princess all weekend.” Luca sat down, reaching for the coffee. “I told her I was in meetings all day today. She’s at the spa at the Maple.” He glared at Roman. “You’re paying for a whole pampering day.”
“Is she that bad?”
Luca leaned his head back. “I thought so at first,” he admitted. “I took her to all the places her brother insisted she wanted to go to. Mostly shopping. She seemed to be the empty-headed princess I thought her to be.”
Another glance happened between Roman and me.
“Then last night, we talked. Actually talked. She told me she had done enough of the list her brother had put together. She told me what she really wanted to do.” He paused, taking a drink of coffee. “I hafta admit, I was surprised.”
“Like what?”
A glimmer of a smile tugged his mouth. “She wants to go bowling. To a movie. She’s never had a taco. She just wants to do some fun things. Her father and brother are so overprotective, her life is mapped out for her. She adores them but hates their control.” He ran his hand over his chin. “She has an idea what they are involved in but not the depth of it. She gets frustrated being kept on such a short lead. She hated me because of what I represented. I felt the same way.” He was quiet for a moment. “She isn’t the airhead her brother thinks she is. She’s well-read and funny. Smart.”
“You like her,” Roman stated.
Luca frowned and stood, no longer subdued. “I’m tolerating her. Trying to find common ground. She’s here all week, so I have to waste more of my time escorting her around. You owe me.”
Roman frowned. “I thought she was going back today.”
“She decided to stay.”
“And you offered to keep showing her around?” I asked, trying not to laugh.
Luca glared. “To keep peace.” He shook his head. “Fuckers.” He strode to the door. “I’m going to get some food then I want to meet in your office, Roman. We have business to discuss. I don’t have time to gossip over a pretty girl with you like some old ladies.”
He slammed the door behind him, and I grinned. Even Roman looked amused.
“Keeping the peace? I call BS on that one,” I observed.
“He called her a pretty girl. He’s taking her bowling. Luca hates bowling.” Roman sat back. “I think my brother protests too much. He’s pissed off because he dislikes liking her.”
“I think you’re right.” I rubbed my chin. “This could be interesting.”
He nodded, looking thoughtful. “I think so as well.”
The next few days passed, life as busy as always. I worked in the office, walked the floor, met with people. Sat with Roman. Escorted him to some meetings. He had a personal bodyguard, but I went with him to a lot of meetings outside the casino. And every one that happened inside. He trusted me implicitly. Often, he went on his own to his estate, but it was well guarded and secure and his car bulletproof.
Although he and Luca had changed their ways of doing things, cutting ties with the old, forming new alliances, danger still lurked. Roman remained a figurehead within the syndicate, controlling the Niagara region. Luca handled the Greater Toronto Area, and he was far more visible and more involved. They were heavily into legalized drugs, owning several of the marijuana grow farms and legal stores in the region. But they also double-dipped, selling undeclared plants to the hundreds of stores now retailing the product. It was a delicate balance, but Luca did it well. They refused to handle hard drugs some others in the syndicate dealt with. The brothers also liked art and found huge profits in smuggling it. Still illegal, but their piece of the pie was less violent and bloody than their father’s history within the organization. It was also more profitable.