Page 27 of Bound to Him

My mouth hung slightly agape. Mia truly surprised me every chance she got. She was much more a queen than anyone ever gave her credit for. Except for Antonio, of course. Right now, she was looking out for him as a don, a godfather to us all. He didn’t like the way things worked right now—the way my father ran things. He had so much potential to be his own man and run this family the way he saw fit. She was completely right, and I never would have thought of it in such a way.

“Well shit, Mia.” I smiled, squeezing her shoulder. “Of course I’ll do that. You know exactly what Antonio needs even before he does. I’ll follow your lead any day.” I winked and left her smiling in the foyer while I knocked on the office doors.

“Come,” I heard my brother say, sounding even grumpier than his usual self.

Once inside, I shoved my hands into my pockets and wandered around the room. It was a huge office with shelves of books covering two entire walls. Behind Antonio at the desk, there was a massive floor-to-ceiling window that looked out over the lawns. Perhaps one thing my father did get right—was his excellent taste for architecture and decor.

“Good morning, brother.”

“Yes, Huxley? Was there something you wanted?”

I stopped, putting a hand to my chest. “Only to hear how you’re doing, that’s all!” His eyes finally lifted from the papers on his desk, reprimanding me for my sarcasm. I chuckled and took a seat. “You’re looking a bit stressed for so early in the day. Anything going on?”

He sighed, dropping his pen and stretching his arms, settling with clasped hands behind his head. “Nothing big. I guess I’m just trying to wrap my head around all the deals and connections Pops made.”

“That you’re expected to uphold?”

“Yeah.”

“What about your own?”

Antonio frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Weren’t you going to talk to the commissioner? After we found out about that labor union issue?”

Antonio nodded, dropping his hands back to the desk and leaning forward. “Yes… actually, it’s been on the back burner, but I’ve managed to contact his people and show my interest in a meeting.”

“Good.” I smiled. “I think you’ll benefit from having him in your pocket.”

“Well, no doubt. But my concern isn’t having him on my side, it’s who’s got him rooting against us. I think it has something to do with this True Workers company that Borini mentioned. Whoever the labor unionist is leading the company must have something on him.”

“You think it’s blackmail?”

“Either that or pure bribery. Something got the commissioner encouraging contractors to hire these company men for lower wages instead of our community men for fair, livable wages.”

“You’d think a union man would want higher wages for his men,” I said suspiciously.

“Yeah, so he must be getting paid by someone else. Someone with enough money to pay the commissioner off as well.” He spoke with narrowed eyes, looking ahead thoughtfully.

“Ah huh, I see. And that’s why you’re the boss around here, Don Antonio.”

“Oh, not because I was born first?”

“Naa.” I shook my head with a grin.

Antonio smiled, and I was glad to have at least pulled him from his gloominess. For a full second anyway because almost immediately he moved on to other business.

“By the way, another drug den was found on our turf yesterday. I had Vinnie and Johnny take care of it for us.”

“What the fuck? Who do you think is setting them up? The Rossis?”

“No. I don’t know who it is, but I very much doubt that Alfonso Rossi or Enzo Romano would be that daring.”

I rubbed my chin as I thought. “So, we have a new player…”

“A new supplier in the city, I’m assuming,” Antonio said, chewing on his lip. “Look, I want you to spend some time at the club tonight. Talk to the boys, take note of any new guys showing up there. Chances are these new players will want to scope us out.”

“Yeah, I was heading there later today anyway. I’ll talk to Johnny as well, see if he noticed anything from the busted den last night.”

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