Page 96 of The Deal

“You could say that.”

“How’s Lina dealing with …”

His words die off, but he doesn’t need to elaborate; Iknow what he wants to say. “Dealing with it as best she can, like all of us.”

“The feds were here earlier.”

“They were?” I ask, arching a brow. “What did they want?”

“A statement.”

“What did you tell them?”

“Apart from a resounding ‘fuck off’, I told them nothing. You know how it works in our world … we handle our own shit.”

“Don’t you think there’s been enough bloodshed?”

‘They killed our father.”

I sit forward in my seat and angrily whisper through gritted teeth, “And you guys killed theirs first.”

“Keep it down, will you? I wouldn’t be surprised if these walls had ears.”

“Can’t we just let this shit go? I think we’ve all lost enough.”

“Is that how you plan on running the show now that you’re in charge? You let them come onto our property and massacre us on Christmas Day, of all fucking days, and you just turn the other cheek?”

“I’m in charge of my own life … that’s it. I want no part of that world, and you know it.”

“But it was Dad’s wish that you be his successor.”

“And he knew it was a position I never wanted. I made that perfectly clear when he was alive. You and I both know you’re the better man for the job, but I still hope you walk away after everything that’s happened.”

“It’s not in my blood to walk away.”

“You are lucky to be alive, Dante. Next time?—”

“Can we talk about something else,” he snaps, cutting me off. “You’re pissing me off with your holier-than-thou attitude.”

“Fine, but for the record, it’s called common sense.”

“So, this chick … what’s her name again, Clara?”

“Chloe.”

“I was close.”

I chuckle. “Not even in the ballpark, little brother.”

“Like fuck I wasn’t. I got the first letter right.”

“That was it.”

He flicks his hand. “Is she hot like her mum?”

I rear back. “You think Lina is hot?”

“For an old chook, yeah. I mean, I wouldn’t do her or anything, but I bet she was a babe when she was younger.”

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