Page 81 of The Viper

Frank pulls up to the gates, and the guardhouse opens the door for us. Frank pulls up in front and stops the car. Marco opens the back door and waits for me to slide out. I do and button up my suit jacket before walking to the front door.

Maria opens the door and steps aside. “Mr. Sacco is in the game room, sir,” she says and signals down the hallway on the left.

I give her a curt nod and head toward the game room.

“Uncle,” I say as I approach him.

Ruben is setting up the pool table and looks over at the wall where there are six cue sticks lined up. “Dominic.” He racks up the balls, grabs a cue stick and breaks. “How are you, son?”

“There’s a problem.”

“Which is?”

“Earlier today I had a Fallen road captain in my dungeon.”

Ruben takes his next shot, and lifts his eyes to look at me. “Maria,” he calls. Within a few seconds Maria arrives. “Two coffees.”

“Yes, sir,” she says with a smile and leaves the room.

“What happened with the road captain?”

“He gave me useful information. He told me someone in the ranks is after my boss, and whoever this person is has been dipping their fingers into our businesses.”

“Your brother isn’t here telling me this.” Ruben’s wording is careful. He’s warning me about the hierarchy of the organization.

“He isn’t,” I agree as I take my shot on the pool table.

He arches a brow and lifts his chin. “Where’s the road captain now?”

“No longer with us.”

Ruben’s smile is slow, but he nods his acknowledgement. “And Adrian?”

“He’s preoccupied,” I too am cautious with my words.

“Not with Eliza considering she left him.” He stares at me, waiting for my expression, but I don’t give him one.

“You know?”

Maria enters the games room carrying a silver tray with two coffees and biscotti. “Freshly made,” she proudly announces.

“These are perfect, thank you, Maria,” Ruben replies. “You can retire for the evening.”

She smiles brightly at him, and if he wasn’t thirty years her junior, I’d suspect there’s something going on between them. But Maria is like Ruben’s nonna with the way she fusses over him. “Have a good night, signore.” She looks to me and grants me the same smile. “Mr. Sacco, a good night to you too.”

“Good night.” I lift my coffee and take a sip.

We wait until she leaves before Ruben lifts a biscotti and dunks it in his coffee. “Your woman left you too.” Again, it’s not a question, more like a statement.

“She did.”

“Adrian knows how I feel about lifting an angry hand toward a woman.” He looks to me and watches me for a moment. “Did your woman leave for the same reason?”

“God, no,” I say taken aback by his question. “She left because she’s afraid for her sister, and Eliza is afraid of Adrian.”

Ruben sweeps his tongue across his teeth as he lifts his chin. “Those girls need to feel safe, Dominic.”

“I know, which is why I’ve increased the number of my men on them.”

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