Page 5 of Vicious Impulses (The Capo and Ballerina)
His mere presence renders me speechless and makes nerves flutter in my stomach. I blink and then cautiously peel myself off the wall.
He takes a step to block my exit. He’s peering down at me like he knows me—like he knows everything there is to know about me—and as if he hasn’t just beaten a man half to death right in front of me.
A cold shiver crawls up my spine.
“Hello, ballerina,” he says in a husky voice that bears a hint of an Italian accent. “I’ve been dreaming of you.”
TWO
Caelian
“Our survival is on the line.”
Pa pushes away his dinner plate and reclines in his chair at the head of the table. His hands settle on his spare tire of a stomach, the large gold ring on his pinky finger glinting. The heavy dinner has left his eyelids droopier than usual. He peers lazily around the table like he’ll be out any second; like there’s a chance he’ll be midsentence and then he’ll face plant into the table, streaking the perfect white cloth with the shoe polish in his hair.
It wouldn’t be the first time. The men in attendance—thetopmen in the family—are more than used to it.
Everybody in the Ziccardi family is used to the circus. They’re part of the act. The more incompetent Pa is, the greater the possibility it’ll work to their advantage.
It’s just a matter of when. Who will take the mantle and how.
I remain the only one uninterested in any of the politics. I might as well be an outsider altogether.
The butler on staff rushes forward to present Pa his after-dinner drink and cigar. Pa puffs on the cigar, taking his time to finish his train of thought.
“Where was I?” Smoke blows past his lips and curls in the air as he speaks. “Oh, yeah. Our survival. It’s on the line.”
Several guys nod their heads along. Some with hunger on their faces. Others with cool composure. Many of us are blood-related, but that hasn’t stopped them circling him like vultures.
Coreno leans closer, his face breaking into a grin as crooked as his nose. “Uncle, there’s nothing to worry about. If you would like the situation handled, I can take care of it. I have always negotiated the best deals.”
Pa considers his offer, then nods. “That is true, nephew. Claudio taught you well.”
“He learned from you,” Coreno says. The flattery oozing from his voice is enough to nauseate anybody.
“You have made bad business decisions for Zinc Co,” points out my younger half brother, Cristian. He’s shorter, fatter, blonder, and worst of all, more spoiled than anybody at the table. A product of an affair, he’s convinced himself he’s a rightful heir regardless. He shoots Pa a petulant look like he’s expecting an apology. “If it should be anybody, it should be me. Your son.”
“Cristian,” Pa says, his cigar smoldering between his fingers. “You don’t wake up before noon. If women with big bazookas aren’t there, you’re never interested. In fact, I’m surprised you made it here tonight.”
A round of laughter peals out of the guys seated at the table. Other capos like Joey D’Amato and Vic Sandino don’t miss the chance to laugh at Cristian’s expense. My younger brother responds by sulking and turning red.
“It should be someone impartial,” offers up Carmelo, who may be the only family member I can stand for more than five minutes. He gives an even-keeled shrug, resembling every bit of the stereotypicalcapothat makes women want to fuck him. “I would be fine attending, uncle. If you can’t make up your mind.”
Pa waves off his offer like all the rest. He turns in my direction, a swirl of cigar smoke surrounding him. “Caelian,” he wheezes. “You’re going to be my representation at the meet up.”
The others around the table erupt in objections. Coreno leans even closer than he already is, launching into a detailed explanation why it’s a bad business move to send me. Cristian wastes no time whining about how he’s always done everything Pa has asked, even though he’s a lazy slob. Nobody’s happy about Pa’s decision.
Not even me.
I sit with a deadpan expression and wait out their bitching. I wouldn’t be here tonight if the dinner hadn’t been mandatory. And yet these fuckers believe I have any real interest in attending some meeting on the family’s behalf.
“There’s nothing I can do that hasn’t been negotiated,” I say once the complaints die down. “It’s a waste of time. Choose someone else.”
“See!” Cristian explodes. “He doesn’t even want the job, Pa—you act like he’s your only son!”
“Hey, fat fuck, he has two nephews!” Coreno glares.
Before the outrage can spiral out of control again, Pa holds up a hand to silence the room. “Everybody needs to shut the fuck up. I’ve made my decision. It’ll be Caelian. He’s the least invested… which means he’s not emotional like yougoombahs.”