Pulling her Visa debit card from her wallet, Letty paid for her groceries and let Miles carry the bags.
The sky had gotten dark since they entered the store. The parking lot was dimly lit outside of the grocery store. A single lamp post flickered haphazardly on the far side of the parking lot, setting Miles on edge. Letty walked a few feet in front of him, but Miles’s step quickened. As he caught up with Letty, he tugged on her arm, securing it tightly in his grasp. Miles passed Letty the groceries and the car keys, urging her to get inside the car. Looking back, Miles watched as the faint outline of a vintage black Cadillac pulled past where he stood. Standing in the dim light cast off by the supermarket sign, Miles put his hand on his belt just inches from his piece. It would take no more than a second to rip out his gun and take action. Miles glared at the car as a gentle cloud of smoke blew out of the passenger window as the car crept past. Miles recognized the car. It was the same car that had chased Miles and Letty all those years ago. Miles had a look of pure rage on his face. He didn’t break eye contact with the passenger side window. He couldn’t see who was riding in the car, but he knew exactly who it was. Jutting his chin out, Miles dared the watcher to make a move.
“Try it, fucker. See what happens,” Miles said in a no bullshit tone.
Much to Miles’s amusement, the Cadillac rolled on past, disappearing in the shadows of Downtown Carrion. Breaking his glare, Miles turned and walked back to Corina where Letty was waiting with bated breath.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“THERE ARE THREE things that you need to know about Miles Capadonno… so you better listen up,” Michael Capadonno said in a hushed voice, his thick accent fighting through.
Huddled in a circle by the blazing fire of the war room, Salvatore “Six” DiBlase, Anthony Schiabetta and Benny “Big Bang” Mancini filled up their arm chairs as their eyes peered at Michael with anticipation rank in their gaze. The fire illuminated his face, showing off old scars and battle wounds, his sunken eye sockets giving him the appearance of a ghost rather than a man who still drew breath. Clenching the arms of his chair, Michael prepared to give his men some key knowledge that they needed to take Miles out. He had no intentions of helping his son. Not when Miles was planning on getting revenge on the fifteen men who conspired to take him out seventeen years ago. Miles never issued a threat. It was automatically assumed that a Capadonno who was falsely imprisoned would be ready to raise hell.
“Go on, Butch…” Benny “Big Bang” Mancini urged, as he listened with broad eyes.
“Number one,” Michael said as he held up his pinky finger. “He’s strong. He’s probably the strongest guy I know. His brute strength only intensifies with rage. He’s mentally smart, too. Prison failed to break his mind. Intimidation from our guys on the inside didn’t break down his courage. Miles is not a guy you want to get on the wrong side of.”
“Yeah, well, boss, neither are we!” Anthony Schiabetta reminded Michael.
Michael laughed at Anthony and shook his head.
“It’s that kind of attitude that is gonna get you killed. Miles is not someone you want to fuck with.”
“Ant’ny! Shut up!” Big Bang said as he slapped the back of Anthony’s head. “Sorry, boss, go on.”
Michael shook his head in disgust as he continued, “Number two. Miles is smart. He scored at fuckin’ 1450 on his SATs and if his street life hadn’t caught up to him, Miles would have gone to Princeton.”
“Princeton? Fuck…” Six said in surprise.
“For what? Being a fuckin’ flake?” Anthony complained. His father had told him all too well about the night that Miles didn’t show. A made man was executed because of his slight.
Lifting his eyebrows, Michael had a serious look on his face. “He was going for Forensic Science.”
“Joining the opposing team, huh?” Big Bang said as he examined his watch.
Michael shrugged. “You know he’s never told me shit. I got all this from his mother before she passed, may God bless her soul.”
At Michael’s words, Anthony kissed the cross that was hanging from his neck. Big Bang closed his eyes as he appeared to say a silent prayer. Six blessed himself as his eyes darted to the ceiling. Don’t mistake their actions for being devout—it was all an act to stay on Michael’s good side. Despite the fact that Sonny wanted them to run jobs while Andie Cormack was on her death bed, Michael poised himself as the saint. Heads would roll if Miles saw the exchange.
“Number three…” Michael said as he held up three fingers. “Miles has lost everyone that has ever meant anything to him. Don’t get me wrong… He cares about his brothers and sisters. But the women he loved are gone. Letty isn’t gonna go for an ex-con… You can fuckin’ forget about that… and Miles’s mother is not coming back. Miles has no ties. He has nothing holding him down. That makes him a very dangerous man.”