Page 103 of Single Malt Drama

“I’m going to throw Stuart off the fucking plane.” He balled his hands into fists and turned for the door.

“As much as I’d like to see if rats can fly, I have a better idea.” I waited for him to take a seat. “We can use him to feed Lazio bogus information.”

“Right, and from the sound of it, Giancarlo may be an ally.” He ran his hands over his head. “Are you serious about taking my place in the Fratellanza?”

“That depends.” I cracked my first smile since Enzo’s party. “Do I have to fight you for it?”

Frowning, Gabe sat beside me. “Not unless you tell me you intend to play along with Ma’s plan to stay in so the rest of us can get out.”

“Hell, no. Nico and I both want out.” Especially if we’re going to bring a child into the world. The thought made me clammy. I’d talked a big game about knocking her up, but now that it might have happened, I was scared shitless.

“What’s your plan?” Gabe motioned in my general direction. “Before you answer that, are you okay? You look a little green around the edges.”

“Headache. It’s nothing.” I looked him in the eye. “It’s time the other families know Pietro Lazio has been playing both sides.”

Gabe gave me an odd look. “Everyone knows Lazio set himself up as the deciding vote, and thinks of himself as the unofficial capo dei capi, boss of the bosses. Which is why everyone except Lazio and the Abruzzos are willing to let us walk. Us leaving breaks his stranglehold.”

Well shit. There goes my plan. “I didn’t think the other families were aware.”

“Tell me you weren’t planning to expose Lazio.”

“Okay. I won’t.” I tried to wiggle my brows but it hurt too freaking much. “How do I get us out without becoming Lazio and Ma’s puppet?”

Gabe bristled at the mention of our mother. “You won’t have to worry about Ma. I’m going to take her cell, lock her ass in Pop’s room, and cut the landlines to the house. If anyone as much as utters a word to her, I’ll have them fired.”

Nodding, I said, “We have to make sure Dante and Leo are on the same page. No weak links.”

“Agreed.” He rubbed his jaw. “As for getting us out, we have to change the vote. To do that one of two things have to happen. The other families have to vote to remove the Abruzzos from the table. That’ll take concrete proof they were responsible for Joe’s death.”

“And the other option?”

“We have to take Pietro Lazio down, or we get enough dirt on him to convince him to change his vote.”

Great.I thought I’d had the perfect blackmail material. I was not only wrong, but naive. “I’ll figure something out.”

Gabe clamped a hand on my shoulder. “How do you feel about me stepping into a consigliere role? I can guide you while you’re learning the ropes.”

I liked the idea of Gabe being my adviser. It’d cut my learning curve down considerably. “I’d appreciate that. I’m getting the feeling it’s best if I keep my head down and mouth shut for the time being.”

“You? Good luck with that.” He laughed. “I’ll send word to the other families about the change in leadership. They will want you in Palermo for the induction ceremony as soon as possible.”

Ah yes, the freaking pomp and circumstance of the mob. While I hated everything the ceremony stood for, it was one of the only times wives and other family members were invited to an official meeting. Nico would undoubtably be there. Not even Pietro Lazio would dare keep my wife from attending, and I’d be damned if I let her leave my side again.

I couldn’t help but wonder about Gabe’s apparent change in attitude. He’d all but insulted me when I said I wanted his position. “What made you change your mind about all of this?”

“It’ll be good for my marriage. With Maggie ready to pop any day, it’ll give me more time with her and the new baby.”

The mention of popping and babies tied my guts in knots. “How did you guys know Maggie was pregnant?”

“The doctors ran a pregnancy test after those psychopaths poisoned and kidnapped her.” He arched a brow. “Why?”

“During Giancarlo’s ranting, he mentioned something about the Lazios raising my son.” I gave him a half-grin and waved it off. “Probably nothing.”

“Sore tits, bloating, tired all the time, lots of puking.” He counted the symptoms on his fingers, furrowed his brow as if trying to remember the fifth one. “And a one-way ticket to crazy town. Crying one minute, laughing the next.”

“Other than eating antacids like candy and gaining a little weight, Nico doesn’t have any of that.”

Gabe rubbed his jaw. “You know how these things happen, right? Or do I need to have the always wear a raincoat talk with you, too?”

“Too?” I remembered the girl at the party. “Zach’s a little young for that isn’t he?”

“I’d rather give it to him too early than too late.” He frowned. “You stink. Get a shower and some rest before we land. Pops wants to see us before we meet with Pietro Lazio. Something about a problem with the other families.”

“He’ll have to wait. We need to deal with Stuart first.”

“Look at you, little brother. Already talking like a capo.” Gabe winked and left me to my thoughts.

I stretched out and closed my eyes, but it was worthless. No way in hell could I sleep. Besides the headache, I had too much on my mind. Namely, not screwing up an already impossibly complicated situation, finding a way to destroy Pietro Lazio, muzzling my mother, and asking my wife if she has a bun in the oven.

Just another freaking day in paradise.

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