Page 126 of Highball and Chain

Never in a million years would I have thought I’d find myself liking Enzo’s father, yet I could see why people were so enamored with him. Like his sons, the man oozed charm.

“Send the financials, emails, and Maggie’s press release. I’ll leak everything to the media as soon as I get them.” Marco stood and stretched. “Are we done here?”

Enzo frowned. “Losing Carter will hurt the Abruzzos, but it won’t stop them. They got to Tara. We have to assume they have other spies in our businesses.”

Papa Joe said, “This woman, the waitress, will she make a statement?”

That he’d suggest bringing the authorities into the situation surprised me. Enzo had seemed reluctant to do so the night of the party.

“She’s scared. They threatened her kids.” Enzo said.

“I spoke to her. She’s agreed to give a statement to the police in exchange for you helping her start over.” One look at Enzo and Marco’s faces and I knew I’d screwed up.

Enzo took my hand. “Testify in Sicily, to the heads of the other families.”

“Oh…shit…maybe?” My brain stuttered. “How would I? Who do I tell her she’s speaking to?”

Nico covered her mouth to hide her grin.

Gabe said, “The Italian authorities, and tell her she’s getting a week vacation for her entire family in the beautiful city of Palermo.”

Enzo frowned at the phone. “We’ll get the poison and the waitress on a plane as soon as the meeting is scheduled.”

Marco exaggerated a yawn. “If there’s nothing else, I smell Hildie’s sausage and mushroom quiche.”

“I’m going to catch a couple hours of sleep.” Enzo rubbed his eyes.

Papa Joe had other ideas. “The Lazios’ demands still stand.”

My heart fell into my shoes. After everything we’d been through, Enzo could still end up married to someone else. Charming or not, Papa Joe rose to the top of my shit-list.

Nicolina glanced between Enzo, Marco, and me. “Gabe, did my father specifically name Enzo as the Marchionni I was to marry?”

“Yeah, he did.” Gabe sounded as tired as I felt.

Her face fell. “I see.”

Marco shoved his hands in his pockets and stared at the floor.

“I will have a talk with him.” Nico stood and smoothed her pajama pants over her hips. “His demands are impossible. I am married to someone else.”

Enzo narrowed his eyes at his younger brother.

Marco, for his part, gave him a Gaelic shrug—palms up, goofy face.

I didn’t believe the two were married, not for a second. Besides the seventy-two-hour waiting period after they’d obtained a marriage license, Nico would need a passport and birth certificate. I highly doubted she’d had the documents in her back pocket when she’d arrived.

However, I kept my mouth shut.

“That complicates things.” Papa Joe chuckled. “I’ll leave it to you to share the joyous news with your father.”

“Thank you.” She sighed and headed for the door.

Enzo gave himself a visible shake and winked at me. “Goodnight, Pops.

Marco lunged for the desk and hit the disconnect button before his father could reply.

“You married her?” Enzo waffled between grinning and attempting to look stern.

“Not yet, but I will.” He flashed us a too-bright almost maniacal smile and bolted for the door.

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