Fight Me Little Pearl

Chapter 34

Chapter Thirty-Four

VALENTINO

S al doesn’t know yet that Vinny has betrayed him, but knowing how sly Vinny is, like The Penguin, he’ll know just how to manipulate Sal into thinking he did it for him. Sal doesn’t have much choice though. Without Vinny’s connection to the unlimited pockets of the money men, Sal knows he is nothing. Besides, once the other bosses smell the scent of money, Sal will have no choice but to step back and take his cut like everyone else.

After John Gotti’s downfall, everyone knows the heyday of a clique of mob bosses running the show is gone forever. War between the families is no longer even possible. Everyone will end up poorer or behind bars for life. Now they have to scurry around at night like rats and scrounge around for what they can when they can.

“You’ve been quiet ever since you arrived?” Federico notes, pausing his restless pacing to look at me speculatively.

I slide a glance at him. “Is thinking a foreign concept to you?”

He turns away from me and continues to pace.

I swivel my chair towards Vance, who is behind me. “Call Joseph Catalano.”

At my order, Roberto, who has been quiet this entire time, sits up. “Catalano? Why?”

“Yes. It’s time to light a fire under Vinny’s ass. He’ll know the clock is ticking and he better get going. Otherwise, all the sweetest biggest cherries will be gone.”

Federico and Roberto exchange glances before nodding at me. “When Vinny hears that you’re talking to the head of the Catalano family, he’ll assume you’ve started making deals with all the other bosses.”

“Yes,” I respond. Vance is beside me, his hand over the mouthpiece of the phone. “Joseph Catalano is on the phone.”

“Joseph.”

“Valentino,” he sounds drowsy.

“How would you like to take a trip with me to Terra de Barbieri today?”

“Did you say Terra de Barbeira?” His voice sharpens, the sleepiness clearing instantly.

“Yes. Are you interested?”

“Of course,” he agrees excitedly.

“Good. I’ll text you information about the flight and where to meet me. We’ll travel in my jet.”

“Sure. Sure.” he says.

I end the call and turn to Vance. “Call the Captain. I want us to leave this afternoon.”

When I rise to my feet, Federico and Roberto follow. “You’re not going to tell Francesca?”

“She doesn’t need to know,” I answer. “I’ll be back before this evening.”

“Dutch. You’re coming with me. Have Joseph meet us at the airport,” I say, heading for the exit. “Vance, go home and keep watch over Francesca.”

Dutch falls in step beside me, and Vance nods. “Yes, Boss.”

When I reach the garage, I turn to Federico. “Return to the office and wait for me. Roberto, get in the car.”

“What?” Federico shrieks, his eyes wide with disbelief. “I want to see Terra de Barbieri too.”

“Some other time.” I motion for Roberto to get into the car.

“You have no intention of taking me with you ever, do you?” Federico shouts. “I’m family, but I have to stay back while you go to Terra de Barbieri with the fucking enemy.”

Did this motherfucker just curse at me? My eyes narrow, but my voice is calm. “Don’t piss me off, Federico. Go up to the office and wait there until I return.”

“Why can’t I come?” he asks, coming towards me.

Roberto quickly but subtly places himself between me and his brother. He’s right to do that because I’m moments away from punching his lights out. My temper with him shortens every day. He’s literally walking on thin ice. How can he not see it?

“Rico!” Roberto scolds, placing his palm on his brother’s chest to push him away from me. “What the fuck is wrong with you? Go to the office now!”

“Can’t you see he hates me?” Federico slaps Roberto’s hand away. “He’s punishing me.”

“For what?” Roberto frowns. “You’re acting insane.”

“You can’t see it because you hero-worship him. He’s had it out for me since that day I supported what Matteo said,” Federico says.

My lips stretch in a smile. “Good boy.” I nod. “Now that you know your offense, go up to the office and don’t leave until you have my word.”

When he hesitates, Roberto makes a grunting noise in the back of his throat, and Federico backs away reluctantly. I turn away from his angry face and slip into the backseat. Dutch takes us out of the garage and drives smoothly onto the road.

Roberto is tense beside me. He is clearly upset with me, there’s no room for weakness when you have to deal with violent, psychopathic mob heads. When you show that you’re weak and emotional you will get crushed.

“You don’t trust Federico,” he says eventually.

“I don’t trust him around Catalano. He is too impulsive and often speaks before he thinks.”

Roberto sighs. “Do you trust me, Valentino?”

“Enough to tell you that Catalano has a mole in his organization who reports to me”

Roberto frowns. “What?”

I shrug. “It’s just business.”

Roberto smiles faintly. “That’s a brilliant idea, but I thought you were completely legit now.”

“Being legit doesn’t mean you don’t keep tabs on your competitors.”

Roberto nods and leans against the seat. “Thank you for trusting me,” he says. “This is huge information. If word of this gets out, all our plans will fail. Have you told anyone else?”

“No.”

Roberto nods at Dutch in the driver’s seat. “He heard you.”

I nod. “If word of this gets out, I’ll know it’s you.”

Roberto’s head snaps towards me, and there’s a hint of hurt in his clear brown eyes. “Why me? I just told you that Dutch heard you. If word gets out, why can’t it be him?”

“Because I trust him with my life.” My gaze meets Dutch’s eyes through the rearview mirror, and he immediately looks away, but not before I see the pride in them. He and Vance are the only ones who have my complete trust. I don’t trust anyone else except them.

Fifteen years ago, Dutch was kidnapped by a rival gang out for my blood. I searched for him for ten days, and when I found him on the eleventh day, he was barely alive. Through those ten days, he was tortured beyond comprehension for information about me, and he wouldn’t even give them my middle name. He endured this torture for ten days until I rescued him. He couldn’t walk for a year after the rescue.

Vance has seven bullet scars on his chest. It happened seven years ago when the Barone mansion was raided, and he took the bullets for me. We all thought he was going to die because, after seven bullets to the chest, there’s no way one wouldn’t touch his heart.

But the lucky bastard survived.

These men have knocked on death’s door to prove their loyalty to me, and in turn, they have mine. Roberto has a lot to prove if he wants my trust, and that involves staying solidly behind me at all times, even when my target is his brother.

“What the fuck? You trust Dutch more than me?” Roberto asks incredulously. “I’m family.”

“What matters is that I trust you enough to put my secrets in your hands.”

Roberto turns his gaze outside the window, saying nothing else. As far as affection goes, I care for him more than anyone else in the Barone family. But the presence of affection doesn’t guarantee trust. Roberto’s loyalty doesn’t lie completely with me, and I see it in subtle actions. His full loyalty is to his brother and that is fine by me.