Page 22 of The Godfather’s Christmas Twins
She gives me a wan smile. “Thank you. I, ah… I need to check the kids.”
I nod and watch as she hurries away. I wonder what changed from last year that she’s so eager not to be around me. Perhaps it’s a reaction to how I behaved the same toward her last year. I laugh bitterly at myself at the idea that I’ve brought this on myself.
I finish cleaning up, then find my tie and coat, check that security is full-throttle, and then head out to my office.
I’m barely in my chair at my desk when my phone vibrates. Nic’s name flashes on the screen. For a moment, I feel guilt atthe carnal thoughts I have about his sister. No. Not carnal. Or notjustcarnal, anyway. But affection, love, that’s not something Nic would care about. He’d focus on the carnal and not approve.
“Nic.”
“I wanted to check in, make sure everything is going alright.”
“Any reason it wouldn’t?” I roll my shoulders to defuse the feelings of defensiveness.
“No, just that it’s a big change for Gia and the kids. She doesn’t like uprooting them like this.”
What she doesn’t like is having me as her bodyguard, I think but don’t say. “They’re all settling in. Any updates on who’s behind the messages?”
“I’m taking a look at four. One is Benny?—”
“Aldo’s kid? I thought we scared him away.”
“Yeah, me too. He’s in Atlantic City right now. I’ve got men watching him.”
Benny was dumb enough to poke a bear, but I don’t think smart enough to do it without being obvious, and Gia’s stalker has been more insidious. He wouldn’t be at the top of my list.
“Anyone else?”
“What do you think about Rinella?”
I arch a brow. “Your wife’s father?” Then again, his father did some pretty heinous shit to family members.
“Yeah. He’s pissed that I put an end to the trafficking deal through my ports. He should be thanking me that the FBI isn’t on his ass.”
“You really think he’d go after Gia?”
“Fuck if I know. The D’Amato family… Bella’s sister married into?—”
“I remember.”
“They say Rinella is an asshole, but not stupid.”
I mentally put Rinella lower on the list. Not lower than Benny, but low. Nic made a lot of enemies when he killed hisfather and took over the family. Surely, there are other, more viable suspects. “Who else, then?”
“Well, there’s Yurchenko.”
“Bratva?” Normally, we got along with Russian organized crime.
“Same deal as Rinella. Pissed that I reneged on a deal my father negotiated.”
“What about your dad’s old associates?”
“Most are dead or have come around. I’m watching Ricky Avila, though.”
“That’s not new.” Ricky Avila’s father, Frank, had been a loyal soldier with Nic’s father. So loyal that when Nic killed Gino, Frank organized a small band of other loyalists to kill Nic. They failed and all ended up like Gino. Dead. Ricky was just coming up in the family, and while he appears loyal to Nic, Nic is wise to keep eyes on all the family members of those loyal to Gino.
“Has he done something to make him stand out?” I ask.
“No. He’s squeaky clean.”