Page 126 of Dirty Mafia King
Mine growing more and more alarmed. It isn’t a look you offer your men. Or one you give your chef. And it’s completely, utterly not a look a father-in-law casts on his daughter-in-law. He makes me want to cry, or throw something at him.
He set the rules. If I’m required to follow them, so must he.
“Sandro’s going to love it.”
I drag my attention back to Don Lucchese and then, in an Academy Award–winning performance, give the blushing bride role everything I’ve got, spurred on by Bastian’s furious expression.
CHAPTER46
BASTIAN
The happy little bride’s enthusiasm was unexpected. Was it an act? Or is she genuinely excited about marrying Sandro? Che cazzo? I head abroad for a few days, and this fucking happens?
Freido’s wicked smirk’s no help. And he’s been grinning like a madman ever since the phone call. All goddamn afternoon I’ve put up with his bullshit. If it weren’t for the business at hand, I’d order him from my office.
I jab a finger at him. Daring him. “Something amusing you?”
He fucking chuckles.
Fortunately, my phone chimes and diverts our attention.
Except, if Alessia’s change of heart inspires me to punch something, the news coming from the Atlanta casino site sends my fist into the nearest wall.
“Atlanta’s burned to the ground,” I’m informed.
Freido gestures, and I place the call on speaker.
Men on-site are frantically shouting. “Touched with gasoline. No way to put the fires out.” My man raises his voice so he can be heard. “Nothing remains, everything’s ashes. Construction outbuilding. Construction equipment. Timber and pallets of materials. And we lost five men. Probably shot before they died in the blaze. The guards who escaped said gunfire alerted them.”
“A messy job,” Freido remarks.
Exactly right. Everyone would be dead if I’d sabotaged the casino site. Dead men can’t talk. “They leave evidence behind?”
“We caught three of them, Mr. Beneventi. And you’re not going to like this.”
My expansion’s ash before construction even began.” I rub fingers across my jaw. “Go on. You know who’s behind this?”
If he says Dante, I’m going to lose my shit. I brought him into my home. Treated him like an younger brother. Shaped him to be ruthless in the boardroom and resilient in dealing with the other Ten. Then he abandons the gold mine I handed him? Coincidence or intentional?
“It was Benny Manocchio, sir.”
I relax slightly. Stupid stronzo, sloppy job, of course Bible Belt Benny did it. “You positive?”
“Joey, a local kid who runs errands for us, is a wannabe cowboy who hangs out in Nashville. Poor kid was delivering food when everything went up in flames. He recognized a guy. Get this, the man’s been a bartender at Manocchio’s country music joint for years. Joey actually knows the dude.”
If I wasn’t pissed off, I’d roll my eyes.
“I met the kid before,” Freido informs me. “He’s solid.”
I exhale sharply to clear my head. Think like Benny. What’s his next step? He scours Georgia to clean up his shit show? Sends every available man to search for our three captives?
“Get them out of there and head for Tennessee. Then have our men spread the news I’m coming to Atlanta to assess the damage.”
“Understood.”
Freido’s quick to catch on. “I’ll book a flight to Atlanta under your name.” Phone already to his ear, he charges out of the room.
“Cover your tracks, capisci?”
