Page 62 of Mafia Redeemer

She hurries to lean back as the footsteps get closer. It’s not just one set, so either someone came out of the office with him, or they followed and closed the door more quietly.

“Chellie.”

I’m already watching him approach. When he sticks out his hand, I stand and hurry around the sofa. He takes it and pulls me close. The rage is pulsating off him, but he’s gentle.

“I’m going to talk to my girlfriend. Alone.”

We head upstairs to the room Serafina showed me. He goes to stand by the window and pushes open the curtains. I don’t know what to do as I watch him stand with his hands in his pockets, gazing into the dark. Is this the eye of the storm? The time when it fools you into thinking it’s over. He exhales and turns toward me. He looks me over, and I don’t know what to make of it.

“Come sit with me,piccolina.”

He walks to the bed and kicks off his shoes. He climbs on and opens his arms to me. I follow him and lean against his chest.

“What happened, Daddy? Maria said you don’t get upset.”

“I usually don’t. I take most things in stride, but when I get angry, it’s zero to a hundred.”

“She called it Typhoon Lorenzo.”

“That joke’s getting old. But it isn’t far off. Mama said I was such an easygoing baby and kid that I never learned how to self-sooth, so it takes me a while to calm down. I think I don’t get angry unless there’s a good fucking reason, so when I am, it’s justified that I’m pissed.”

“What did you find out from Maks? And before you start, I talked to Laura. She called to make sure I’m okay because Maks wouldn’t tell her anything.”

“Did she upset you?”

I lean back. It wasn’t an accusatory tone at all. It sounds like he’s scared I’m going to bolt.

“No. We talked about Lanie. She knew if she tried to be cheery and distract me with stupid shit, I would tune her out and worry. She knows giving me another problem to solve will keep my mind off whatever’s right in front of me.”

“I’d like to know what you decided, but right now there’s something more urgent. There’s no easy way to say this, but this is about you. Someone’s targeting you to get to the Kutsenkos. Maks doesn’t know who for sure, but we have an idea. We don’t know why beyond the feeling that whoever this is knows they can’t get directly at any of the Kutsenkos, so they think going after you is the next best thing.”

“But why me? I mean, why not an extended family member? I hate saying that, but why a friend who has no real ties to the bratva?”

“I think it’s because all the Kutsenko women’s families aren’t what they seem. They have connections besides the men their daughters married. Whoever this is can’t target any of them without bringing in way more trouble than they’re willing to accept. None of the other women have friendships as close as the one you and Laura have. Plus, Heather’s dad is a retired cop, and Anastasia’s dad and Katerina’s dad have ties to the bratva in Russia.”

“And Laura’s previous clients are an interesting collection of who’s who in the underworld.”

Enzo stills, and I realize I may have just given away something I shouldn’t have.

“You mean the Triad.”

Okay, maybe I didn’t.

“Yeah. Because she was the only one at her firm who spoke Russian or Chinese, she attracted clients from those countries, as well as older Eastern European clients who spoke Russian.”

“Did you know about those connections?”

“I guessed, but said nothing. Neither of us ever got into the specifics. But the rich foreign clients who almost never wanted to speak English in their meetings made me think twice about whether those terra-cotta pots were solely made of clay or if it was only vodka in those bottles. She asked no questions, so no one told her any lies.”

“The wives wouldn’t be any better targets than the men. It means their families aren’t either. Whoever this is believes you’re unprotected, therefore, an easy mark. I think whoever is doing this believes Maks won’t tell you what’s happening because it would mean admitting too much about him and his family. I’m certain they know Maks will assign you security, even if he never tells you. But they’d have to keep their distance, which means this piece of shit thinks there’s time and space to get to you.”

“Did they say they’re going to kill me?”

“Yes.”

That’s as blunt as Laura was. Fuck. I burrow against Enzo’s chest, and he lifts me onto his lap. I curl up, tucking my arms between us.

“Piccolina, whoever this is doesn’t know about us yet. If they did, they would have sent the threat to me, too. Or they’d know there’s no way anyone is getting close enough to you to do anything. Maks will make his detail discreet, but mine will be right next to you. It’ll also include a member of my family.”

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