Page 54 of Twisted Trust
“If she is a Red Serpent and she betrayed you, then she succeeded in her goal, surely. You’d think she’d be high up in their hierarchy if that were the case, not scraping by while living here in Las Vegas.”
“True. But if it was someone in my circle who was in contact with her,” I say while turning back to Chip, “why would they contact her a year later and tell her to run?”
“Whoever it is must want her alive.”
“Definitely. I need to find out why.”
Unfortunately, I don’t have time to call Maeve because we pull up outside the casino we’re having the meeting and the show is immediately on the road. It’s all smiles as my mother and father greet Nazario Baudino, the Don of The Wolves. His golden skin seems to glow several shades darker under the Las Vegas sun and he stands smiling at the entranceway in a deep crimson suit and black shirt. We greet each other with a nod and a smile that promise we will talk later.
The meeting is held on the inner balcony of the casino overlooking the games floor where thousands of people mill about like ants, losing their hard-earned money on slot machines and roulette. Those like me in the know can pinpointthe plants I organized to push more drugs to eager customers. They flit about like moths attracted to the brightest lights and the money pours in without hindrance.
Dinner is a seafood broil with plenty of alcohol that I pass on. I want a clear head when talking to Maeve later. Temptation to drink rises when Antony arrives and stands at the head of the table, boasting about the millions the casinos have been bringing in under his skilled eye. I bite my tongue because telling him that his sitting back and watching the money pour in off the back of my hard work hardly takes skill, but an argument isn’t the way to go about it.
When I take power, I’m going to do it quietly. I’ll invite Antony to the penthouse for a drink and we’ll share a moment of kindness before I tell him that all his lying and stealing and downright shameful grabs for power have been for nothing.
The Gallos always remain on top.
“So you see,” Antony brags while clapping his hands together. “My esteemed hard work is what keeps the money pouring in and it benefits not just me but every family we hold under our wings.”
“ A deal I made with Levi,” mutters Nazario from across the table before burying his mouth in his beer bottle. If Antony hears him, he doesn’t react but he does inhale deeply as if preparing another tirade about all the great, amazing things he’s doing to keep the product cheap and the money flowing.
Before he speaks, my father suddenly stands and calls attention from all the generals and guests around the table from both the XXX Syndicate and The Wolves. “I have an announcement.”
Greed immediately fills Antony’s eyes and he doesn’t even try to hide it. Does he truly think he’s done enough that my father will suddenly roll over and grant him the most lucrative position in our organization? How arrogant is he?
“It has come to my attention that my son has been keeping secrets from me.”
All eyes slide in my direction and Antony looks like he’s about to wet himself from excitement.
“He’s engaged to a beautiful woman who is set to become his wife sooner rather than later. It’s truly a blessing that I am able to bring you this long-awaited news, and I hope it’s not much longer until a Gallo heir is running around this table!”
The only thing sweeter than the genuine congratulations from those eager to see the Gallos remain in power is the way Antony’s face twitches and jerks as the news sinks in. His smile remains but a cold emptiness fills his eyes as he sits down.
Victory is not as close as he thinks.
Two hours into the dinner, Antony makes himself scarce after one of his men approaches him about some sort of issue regarding a large payout on the casino floor. For a man with such power, I’m amused he has to deal with it personally. His absence allows me to change seats until I’m next to Nazario, who greets me with a smile. Chip remains with my parents, joining in their mini-card game provided by one of the guards.
“This entire meeting could have been an email,” Naz groans softly around the lip of his beer. “Why is everything so performative with that boy?”
“Beats me. His ego’s compensating for failure elsewhere,” I reply in a low mutter. “He wants us to see how well he’s doing while showing how gracious he’s being to the current Don. As if it will earn him any kind of bonus points.”
“In another life, I would take advantage of such turmoil within the Syndicate and sweep in with my Wolves.” Naz smirks lightly, lowering his bottle. “What a clash that would be.”
“And you would fail because even when I was in a coma and our people were slaughtered, you couldn’t make a dent.”
“I suppose the forty men I lost to the bombs were of no consequence?” Naz arches one jet-black brow. There’s a moment of silence between us, then we both break out into soft laughter. My years of work with Naz have long since soothed those wounds to the point that we can joke about that catastrophic deal, but it’s only between us.
“It is good to see you, my friend.” Naz sets his bottle down and briefly grasps my shoulder. “So, wedding bells are on the horizon?”
Smirking, I settle back in my chair. “Indeed.”
“And here I thought your heart was forever in the hands of another.”
“It’s a long story. I’ll explain it to you sometime.”
“I have time,” Naz says, but a sudden sharp chime from my phone distracts us both.
Angling my body, I slip it from my pocket as Chip suddenly darts up on the other side of the table with his gaze down on his own phone. The warm, pleasant sensation in my chest from a nice meal is replaced by ice shards the second I look at my phone where every security alert I have programmed into the hotel is going haywire, including the penthouse!
