Page 56 of Velvet Cruelty

“You’re holding a knife,” I snarl. “But shut your fucking mouth and listen to me.”

To Doc’s credit, he doesn’t respond. I take a step backward so I can see all three of my brothers. “I hope you’re happy,” I tell them, looking from face to sulking face. “Now, no one gets to have it.”

Doc frowns. “The fuck are you talking about, Morelli?”

“This January Whitehall situation. It ends. Tonight.”

“What do you mean?” Bobby asks, going white.

“I’m sending her away. And you know why? Because you egotistical bastards don’t know how to compromise.”

Doc points his knife at me. “I don’t know how to compromise?”

“Put that away, you blond asshole. I haven’t forgotten about you almost burning us alive.”

Doc shakes his head, but I can tell he’s trying not to grin.

I expect further argument, but the stinging silence says the others understand what I’m doing. Maybe even hoped for it. The relief of a decision made, and a problem solved.

“Sit down,” I say. “I’ll get us all drinks and we can talk.”

As they take their seats I head to the bar and open a bottle of Bowmore. By the time I’m finished pouring drinks, the fight’s forgotten and they’re already discussing a married bouncer who got one of Doc’s strippers pregnant. Doc found him threatening the girl in the ladies’ bathroom.

“I gave her five grand, told her to go back to Dallas, but it’s not over. The prick’ll get at her again. He knows where her parents live.”

“Is this Revesby?” Adriano asks. “The Latvian?”

“That’s the one.”

“He fucked up a drop last year. Seems like the asshole’s more valuable dead than alive.”

“Yeah, but he’s with Enzo’s crew. We don’t need the drama.”

Bobby pulls out his phone and checks something. “He’s got a few days off next week. Marco could take him to Atlantic City. Accidental overdose.”

“Could work,” Doc muses. “He’s coked to the eyeballs most days. I could mix him a bad batch.”

As my brothers hammer out the details of dispatching this useless man, I grow more convinced of my own plan. For almost two decades the four of us have solved problems and respected each other’s opinions. We’ve built something that’s equal to any of the old families. It will not be compromised by one little virgin.

I take my seat at the head of the table. “As soon as we can arrange a passport, the girl goes to Naples. My cousin Gio will find her a place in his house.”

Doc downs half his scotch. “So, you’re gonna let your cousin earn on her after all our hard work?”

“She won’t be whoring. She’s a pretty girl from a rich family and she speaks Italian. She can be married to one of his caporegime.”

Doc’s mouth opens, but Bobby speaks first. “You’ll force January to marry someone else?”

“No. Gio will. But that’s none of your business. You offered her your hand and she didn’t take it.”

Bobby’s eyes go dark. “You—”

“Stop. Roberto, we’re family. Are you going to burn that down for a girl you barely know?”

“You don’t understand.”

“I understand better than you do. You’re in love with her and you want her to be your wife. She doesn’t want to be your wife. So you want to keep her around until she changes her mind. I say she goes to Italy before she completely fucks up your head.”

His hand tightens on his glass. “She’s our responsibility. You can’t just get rid of her because she’s not doing what you wanted.”

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