Page 95 of The Woman with the Wallet

“You were too ambitious,” Cosimo told me. “I was waiting to see when you’d get the balls to go off on your own,” he added.

“What was that?”

“I wanted to make sure you had them.”

“Balls,” I clarified.

“Yeah. It was one thing to do my bidding, to anticipate my needs. That is shit you can train a dog to do. I needed to know you would be able to go off on your own, to take chances, to handle shit without conferring with a boss.”

“But that’s… not how this organization works.”

“It is, though. I mean, none of us would ever admit to that. We don’t want everyone going off and doing whatever the fuck they want before they’re ready. But before we’re gonna recommend you for a capo position, we want to make sure you have what it takes.”

“And what it takes is defying orders?”

“If you’re gonna be the one running shit, you need to prove you can do it before you get promoted. You did better than I did on my first solo venture. I fucked that shit up to high hell.”

“I got two women beaten, a man killed, and another almost murdered.”

“I dunno. There’s no way to know what might have happened if Max hadn’t lifted your wallet.”

“The guy was tracking me.”

“Yeah, but you might have been able to fight him off, off him. There were too many variables. Besides, that Henry fuck clearly talked to someone that he shouldn’t have. His death isn’t on you.If he kept his mouth shut, he’d probably still be alive. And living much easier on your dime.”

“True,” I agreed.

“And it’s not over. Clearly, this fuck still has your diamonds if he was trying to get that Lil chick to take them. As soon as Zeno has a name for you, you go over there, make him pay for what he did to the girls, get your diamonds back, kick up the money, and finally get your own crew.”

“What happens now?” I asked.

“What do you mean?”

“When it comes to finishing this?”

“I’m good with you handling it yourself. Pull in your brothers or Venezio, if needed. But I’m not gonna step in. I have faith in you. Now that that’s done, I gotta get going. Got a fucking headache from that kid over there,” he said, glancing over toward the kitchen.

Max looked away quickly, but not before I caught her watching and listening.

“Thanks, Cosimo,” I said.

“Bet you’ve been worrying yourself sick thinking this was gonna go another way.”

“You could say that.”

“Take care of your girl. Looking forward to the wedding invitations.”

With that, he was gone.

The relief was strong enough to make my fucking legs feel a little weak.

By the time my ass hit the cushion, Max was across the apartment.

“That didn’t seem too bad.”

“It wasn’t. He essentially told me that he was waiting for me to take the initiative like this and that now that I have, he thinks I’m ready for my own crew.”

“Wait, what? Really? I thought the mob was all about its rules.”

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