“Mario wasn’t really nice to anyone unless he had the motivation. He did what he had to do in order to get what he wanted for our family.”
“You don’t make alliances that way. Sometimes it takes family sacrifice for the good of all your partners.”
“I wouldn’t argue with that.” Dante cracked his knuckles, and I glanced back at him. His light eyes contrasted with his bronzed skin and the tattoos across his neck. “We’ll have to keep a level head. I’ve heard about her through the underground channels.”
I checked my watch as the fall breeze picked up. It wasn’t enough to keep us cool in the Florida air, the humidity weighing everything down with it suffocating warmth. “I need a vacation.”
“You’re never going to get one.”
“Why not?”
Dante didn’t respond. He knew just as well as I did that the head of the mafia didn’t ever get to rest. That wasn’t an option.
I’d never had one to begin with.
The door swung open again but instead of an old woman, there stood the young one. Morina had the exact same shape of eyes as her grandmother. My mind wasn’t calculating fast enough but I knew the end result was going to be one I didn’t want.
“You’ve got to be kidding. Did you follow me here?” Her voice came out high pitched.
I took a step back with her statement. “I’m here to see your grandmother.”
“My grandmother?” she screeched. “You need to leave right now.”
I ignored her. “My father never mentioned Maribel had a granddaughter.”
“Probably because Maribel and I don’t tell suits like you our family business.”
Her grandmother hollered from down the hall to let us all in. I straightened a cuff link while she decided whether she wanted to obey. “We’re coming in either way, Morina.”
Her eyes narrowed, and I knew a snide comment was about to whip out of her mouth. “I’m definitely regretting the decision I made last week now.”
That would make two of us, piccola ragazza. I didn’t say it out loud. There was no need to fan the fire.
She backed away as I stepped in and took in the quaint home. A few plants lined the entryway and straight ahead, in the kitchen, a scuffed wooden table told me that Maribel was hiding her wealth. If my family knew, then most cartels, gangs, and other families did too.
Yet, Maribel hid from someone in plain sight and that was her granddaughter.
Morina waved at the table. “Well, take a seat or don’t. Grandma will be out in a minute.”
“We don’t intend to stay long,” I mumbled, hoping she’d leave. I didn’t want to discuss business in front of her.
“You intend to take our money, don’t you?” She tilted her head, her big eyes narrowed on me.
“What?”
“You’re here to collect on the town’s payment for protection and allegiance to you, right?”
“I don’t think that’s a conversation you and I should be having.”
“My grandmother’s dying, Bastian.” Her voice was quiet, whispering the pain of love for someone I’d never felt. She dragged a fingernail on the table and then over some beaded bracelets she wore. “She’s leaving everything to me. Including her debts and alliances. So that sort of is the conversation we should be having considering I’ll be paying you soon.”
I glanced at Dante who pinched the bridge of his nose and then ran a hand through his short curly hair.
“She’s smarter than I give her credit for, you know,” Grandma Maribel said as she appeared in the doorway. The woman had changed into a black dress with intricate pleating and layers.
Dante and I scanned her immediately. She most definitely was carrying but I wasn’t sure exactly where – I doubted Dante was either. “When I said I was sick, I meant very sick. Mo will take over business proceedings whether she likes it or not.”
“I don’t like it.” The younger woman’s eyebrows pulled together as she sighed and ran a hand through her long wavy hair. “I didn’t ask to be a part of the ridiculous–”
“No one asks for their lives, Mo,” her grandmother cut her off. “I didn’t ask for it either. You inherit it and you run with it.”
“I’m not made for”–she waved at me and Dante–“dealing with suits. I just want to run the food truck and…”
She stared at her grandma. Maribel’s eyes glistened and she rubbed her chest. Her other hand held the back of one of the wooden chairs so tightly, her knuckles turned white. “It’s just a few other loose ends, Mo.”
“I’m sorry, Grandma. I’m sorry. It’ll be fine.” Morina went to her side and put an arm around her. They stood with their heads bowed for a moment.
I was born into the business. I didn’t have the love they shared. Yet, I understood Morina’s struggle. I’d never wanted the business handed to me either.
I’d taken what was mine in the end though. I accepted that I’d been born into a life of sin and greed. I figured I’d change what I couldn’t live with and learn to live with what I couldn’t change.
I cleared my throat, and Morina glared up at me. “You’ve done this to us.”
I crossed my arms and studied her. “Your disrespect and accusations aren’t exactly the way to start a welcome meeting.”
“You’re not here to be welcomed.” Morina leaned her head on her grandma’s shoulder and dragged her eyes over both of us. “You don’t want a friend. You want a business transaction.”
I rocked back on my heels. She wasn’t wrong. Yet, most of my father’s business partners had taken kindly to our partnerships with no need to force their hands. I’d made a lot of alliances where my father couldn’t because I was strategic in dealing with families.
I treated everyone as one of our own.
Even if they weren’t.
“I’m under the impression you’d both like to continue a partnership with the Armanelli family.”
“Do we have a choice?” Morina raised an eyebrow.
Her grandmother chuckled and patted her cheek. “You’ll be fine when I’m gone, I think. So much fire in you even when you let the wind and water take your mind away half the time.”
I didn’t understand what she was alluding to. Nor did I care. Morina needed to be present and available for business proceedings for us and that was it. Outside of that, I didn’t care what the girl did. “Just make sure you hold up your end of the bargain, Maribel. I don’t know what’s going on with that food truck.”
“It will be done with. Everything else will stay the same if that’s done with, right? When I’m gone, Mo will need protection too.” Maribel raised her eyebrows, hopeful.
“I don’t need protection,” Morina pushed back. “No one cares about me. I’m secure enough with the sheriff and police around town.”
Grandma Maribel coughed and the sound almost shook the room. Instead of clearing her throat, though, the congestion rattled around and caused a fit of sorts. She gasped for air as Mo pulled out the seat for her to take at the table. Her skin grayed, paler than before.
She gripped her granddaughter’s hand and wheezed out, “No one’s safe around here once I’m gone.”
Morina glared at us like the coughing fit was our fault and rubbed Maribel’s back.