Capo Dei Capi (Secrets of the Famiglia Part 1) novel Chapter 12

“He needs his balls to drop, give him a fucking break. If it gets bad, we’ll intervene from the sides. He is only half as fucked up like us, leave him be. I mean it, Deno.”

“Okay, jeez, you’re a fucking asshole when you want.” Deno shakes his head and smiles, taking the crystal bottle that is only half-filled with the deep amber liquid we both love.

“You know that fucker’s hacker name is The Air?” He asks, referring to Luke.

“I know that he is the fucker Michael Stone offered me 5-mill to find.”

“Let me guess, you got nothing?” Deno chuckles as he pops the lid back on the bottle.

“Yeah, got fuck all. He doubled it an hour ago.”

“Still got nothing?”

“Nothing. Luke is going to make me much more than 10-mill. Stone insults me with his small number of pocket change. Luke cleaned him for 200-mill. Got it back, but Stone wants his lifeline.”

“So you let him lay low, soon Michael will focus on something else, the man’s known not to take shit personally for too long. Will join Vince in New York next time he is stopping by, and way the field.”

“That sounds like a plan.”

“How was the meeting with Sartini? DeMarco say what he wants?” Deno asks.

“Aleksei and his men want clear passage for the two shipments coming from the North. DeMarco wants The Shadows to oversee it runs smooth. Nice ammo, I agree with him on this. The Bratva are good businessmen, but smooth and simple isn’t their way. The Shadows, on the other hand, don’t seem keen to play bodyguard to Aleksei even if it’s for peace of mind. The Ghost told Filippo to go get fucked when he called him.”

Deno laughs, “Should’ve got Vince to give him a call, he’d given Vince at least a few more words than that,” he suggests.

"What's the good news?" He asks, as I take the bottle from him and fill my own glass up. Taking three ice cubes from the silver bucket behind me, I stand in front of my brother.

“The Cartel wants open gates on the South. After the stunt they pulled in The Satan Sniper’s territory, Paulo better start preparing for war. The MC owns that shitty town now. DeMarco also lives in the South, he is close to the Elites, no way they’ll get open any fucking thing without a fucking war. His words. He wants Filippo to send the message. With their recent activities, that conversation will be happening in another form, and Filippo won’t be the one delivering the message.”

“No, he won’t,” Deno promises before he sips his drink. The ring looming on his index finger. The Onyx square stone, the platinum craft holding it has been in our family for generations.

“Thought as much. I saw Sartini's little hellion today,” My lips tug up on the side at the memory of her glaring at me. She is shorter than I thought. I always thought she’d be taller. She certainly seems taller with the stories I have heard around my table.

“Did you manage to frighten her away already?” My brother’s brow quirks.

“Actually, I think she left imagining what it would feel like to gut me.”

He laughs, “Maybe we should actually be on time for this occasion. I think a little fun, brother, might be what we need tonight, all of us together under one roof.”

“Almost everyone." I correct, "Our sister will not be attending tonight.”

“Interesting you should mention that,” Deno’s lips tighten, “Gabriel said she called him yesterday to take over for the evening so she could attend tonight’s activities.”