Page 61 of Toxic

"Which is why we need to handle this," I maintain.

"No. We keep our eyes open and stay ready at all times. Hopefully, it's just the Abruzzos testing our patience, and they'll back off soon."

"Jesus, Papà. Do you hear yourself? They aren't going to back off," Gianni claims.

"You don't know that. They have before. And until Giuseppe sends more men—"

"At what point do we find our own men? Hmm? Relying on Giuseppe is putting us at greater risk. We need to revamp our recruiting," I insist.

"Agreed. We can't afford not to. Put Massimo and Tristano on it," Gianna orders.

Papà scrubs his face. "You know the risk we take if we vet anyone incorrectly."

"Then we triple check them, put our guys on them for several months, and watch their every move before letting them in. But we can't keep relying on Giuseppe every time something happens. And the future of the Marinos is in our hands. At some point, you have to let us make some calls," I remind my father.

Tense silence fills the air as his eyes lock on mine. It's a fight we're constantly having. How much leeway he turns over to us.

He finally nods. "All right. I'll allow you to step up the recruiting efforts. But I'm holding both of you responsible. If either of your brothers screw up, it's on your shoulders."

Gianni and I leave the room, exchange a glance, and go to my wing. Once we're in my office and the door's closed, he says, "Papà is wrong. We need to take out those bastards stepping into the gray zone. If we lose our power in the port, we can kiss everything goodbye."

I pour a glass of scotch and hand it to Gianni then take one myself. The liquor slides down my throat in a welcome burn. Disobeying my father's orders isn't something I thought I would ever do, but I can't disagree with Gianni. While the crime families of New York have an agreement, there have been instances of territories stolen in the past. Within a year, the losing family no longer existed. Without the port, you can't easily make money.

When the alcohol hits my stomach, I glance at the shut door and lower my voice. "Papà will have a fit."

Gianni arches his eyebrows. "We pin it on the Rossis."

I sit back in my chair. "Cause the Abruzzos to rethink their alliance?"

Gianni takes a large swallow of his drink then his lips curl. "I think Papà is wrong about it being the wrong time to start a war, don't you?"

"Only if it's between the right families."

He grunts. "Now you're getting the picture."

I lean closer. "In theory, it sounds smart. But implementation is a different story."

He shrugs. "I'll figure it out. Give me a few days."

I study him then say, "We should discuss this with Papà."

"So he can shut us down?"

I sigh, frustrated from my father's inability to see things how Gianni and I often do. Crossing him isn't something I would have considered years ago, but lately, we disagree on how to handle things. In some ways, I think he's stuck in an old-school mentality, just like Giuseppe Berlusconi, who holds even more power than my father.

Gianni adds, "It's the same thing the O'Malleys and Ivanovs have done. I'll fly to Chicago and speak with Killian and Liam. The Rossis are stronger in New York right now, but they have nowhere to pull from due to the war in Chicago. We could create a serious rift and decrease the overall threat of the Abruzzos and Rossis."

My chest tightens at the thought of going behind Papà's back, but what Gianni is proposing could secure my family's future for decades to come. I finish my scotch and stare at my brother.

His dark grin grows. He rises. "I'll tell Arianna I'm coming for a visit. Stay tuned."

I nod and watch him leave. When the doors shut, I take my phone out of my pocket and glance at the time. Then I text Bridget.

Me:Put on some jeans. I'm picking you up in an hour.

Bridget:What are you talking about?

Me:Just do what I say. Tell the kids we're volunteering at a homeless shelter for the night.

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