Page 52 of Soulmate of the Mafia King
“You hold the shelf, I’ll measure,” I said. “We should have the two of them over for dinner soon. It’s been too long.”
She hefted the shelf. “Only if we can convince Miranda to stop experimenting. I love it, but Fred has a ‘sensitive stomach.’”
I chuckled as I adjusted the pencil marks on the wall and re-measured to actually line up the bottom edge with the top of the stove. “Deal. I could do without a night of gastronomy myself.”
She held up a box of nails. I lined one up with the hole as she grabbed a hammer. Working with her was easy, peaceful. She hadn’t been a part of planning any of our recent raids, with the chaos at the shelter, but maybe I could get her back in. Just doing things with her slowed my heart rate, despite the hammering and chatter elsewhere.
As I drove the last nail, my phone rang. She picked it up for me and sandwiched it between my shoulder and my ear.
“Tommaso,” Killian said. “Do you have a few minutes?”
“I will soon,” I replied. “Getting cold feet?” Their wedding was only a few days away.
“If Sera hears you say that, she’ll kill me,” he replied. “Just looking for a willing ear.”
The last nail met the wall, and I gestured for Paige to release the shelf. It held, handsome and perfectly even. I grinned at her.
“I’ve picked my successor,” Killian said.
CHAPTER 40
KILLIAN
Tommaso arrived so soon after I called him that I distantly expected police sirens on his tail. Having him back here was strange. He and Paige had been over for a few dinners since the Egypt incident, but it felt like old time to meet him in the entryway and lead him back to my office. The shadows on his face reminded me just how different his home was, how much time I’d spent there with him behind the big desk. Seeing him settle down across from me in his old chair called back old habits. I watched light shine through my drink onto my desk.
“I’ve been patient,” Tom said. “Let you do your whole scary set-up. Now, you have to tell me who your successor is.”
What an odd thing to have. I never really expected to leave this desk behind. But with Sera, I wanted more for the first time. A life where she didn’t have to look over her shoulder. Time.
“I thought for a long time,” I said.
“And it’s me, right?” He grinned. “You figured I could probably run two whole syndicates without missing anything or anyone deciding I’d gotten too big not to fail.”
I sighed and stared at my old friend. He sipped the awful scotch I kept for him.
“Adrian McGraw,” I said.
Tommaso raised his eyebrows and leaned back in his seat. I watched him. Adrian was the right choice, I knew that, but I’d told Tommaso first for a reason. I wanted to hear his thoughts.
“He didn’t grow up in the life,” he said after a long moment. “Hell, he was an IT guy when you picked him up. Why him? You’ve got other good people.”
“More than I can count.” I sipped my drink. “But the life gets more and more complicated every day. It’s no longer just about who knows who, who owes who. Family names are only half the battle. And Adrian, for all his newness, is smart enough to keep up.”
Tommaso nodded slowly. “Can he lead? Will anybody listen to him?”
I’d asked myself the same question. “As a test, I left him in charge when we were in Egypt.”
“I noticed he wasn’t there,” Tom said. “How’d that go?”
“Smoother than imagined.” I ran my fingers over my desk, remembering Sera’s glowing report of his work. “He’s a natural, and I know he learns well on the job.”
“I’ll drink to that.” Tom tipped the remainder of his drink into his mouth.
“So you approve?” I smiled wryly.
“Do you give a shit?” He grinned back at me.
“No,” I replied. “But I am curious.”
