Page 77 of Weaponized

“We can’t do that,” Anthony answers.

“We’ll consider it,” Matteo replies, looking at his cousin.

I keep looking at my glass of ice water. I don’t want to be here. Matteo. Anthony. It feels surreal.

“Luca made a mistake. He trusted the wrong person,” Matteo starts, but Rowan cuts him off.

“No. Absolutely not. I didn’t bring her here for that. Fuck your brother,” Rowan spits. “I brought my sister to see you, so you could admit that your fucked-up family filmed her most private moments, and so you could tell her how you plan to remediate the situation.”

Remediate. What a word.

Matteo sighs. “Itwasfucked up. It never should have happened. I didn’t want it to happen. Anthony didn’t want it to happen. My father didn’t want it to happen. And, my brother abso-fucking-lutely didn’t want it to happen.”

“And what about your good buddy, Gianni? Where is he this morning?” My brother is out for blood.

Eggs and pancakes are set in front of us, but no one touches their food.

“Gianni isn’t your problem,” Anthony says protectively.

“How will I know the video has been destroyed?” I ask in such a small voice that I’m surprised they hear me.

Pity. That’s what shines brightly in Matteo’s eyes. Anthony’s as well. They all feel sorry for me. I don’t know how much of the video they watched, and I don’t ask. “We know where the feed was uploaded. And it hasn’t been copied or duplicated, or the cloud file would show that,” Anthony says to me, softly, as if he is speaking to a victim. “You can come over and watch me delete it.”

“You can come to us,” my brother says flatly. “She’s never going back there.”

I look down at my hands. He’s right. I’m never going back there.

“We can do that,” Matteo agrees. And then he tries again, “but I wish you’d come to the house, Gráinne. He’s a wreck. I know he loves you, and—”

My brother slams his fist on the table. “We’re done.” He grabs my hand and pulls me from the booth. Neither of us have touched our food, but he pulls some bills from his wallet and throws them in front of the Larozzis. “Text me when you’re ready to meet. Make it soon.”

And with that, the meeting is over.

* * *

“When can I go back to my apartment?”

“I don’t know,” my brother states. He finally looks exhausted.“I did get your phone back, though. It wasn’t tampered with.”

I take it from him. “Did Da’s guys go through it?” I think of the photos they’ll find.

“No. They didn’t. I had my guys do it. There are an increasing number that are loyal to me, Gráinne, not Da. It’s more than the Walsh boys. Others have daughters, sisters, wives. They aren’t looking to go where Da wants to lead them.”

My eyes meet his as he speaks of joining the Bratva in the business of kidnapping and selling women. If the Greeks and Italians had engaged in a war, which, obviously, the Bratva tried to set up, the Irish and Russians could have truly dominated. If my father found a way to kill the heads of the Family, all the better. It gets him revenge and expands his business. He just has no idea his own son is plotting against him and that his daughter sabotaged the Bratva’s efforts.

“Is Seamus one of your guys?”Please say no.

Rowan laughs. “Hell, no. In fact, I have a feeling Da will be killing that arrogant fucker himself. Seems he’s been planning a coup.”

I gasp. “He has?”

Rowan shakes his head, smiles. “As far as the evidence shows, he has. He’s been asking difficult questions of the Russians. Making unfounded accusations.” He cocks an eyebrow at me, knowing I’m responsible for that. “Da has been discovering some unfortunate things lately. He’ll be discovering more over the next couple of weeks, I’m sure.” His grin is devious, and I see the future mob boss come alive.

“You’re going to need to be more specific,” I tell him.

“I’ve set a few things in motion for Da to uncover.Been keeping the old man busy.” He chuckles. “I also spoke with Victor this morning. We have mutual enemies—Da included—and this wasbeforehe knew what our father had done to his sons. Before I knew.” He shudders then rolls his shoulders to loosen the tension there. “He assured me that my family was safe, except for Da. He said he had special plans for Da. He wants to keep to our original terms.”

“But, do you believe Victor? That we’re safe?” I ask hopefully.

---