Page 72 of His Savage Vow
Maximo’s laugh is humorless as I pass his phone back tohim. “Gentlemen don’t torch restaurants and murder families. They’ll meet us in my yard or not at all, if they’d rather take their chances on the streets of my city.”
He types out his reply, and this time holds onto the phone, which pings only a few seconds later. He reads me the message:The junkyard it is then, at 2 p.m. The Volkovs will be there with one associate. You may bring as many men as you like. The Russians want an end to this Maximo. They’re not happy with how Kirill’s handled this situation. Constance is welcome to attend as well. Making amends with her is the ultimate goal.
“Ultimate goal, my ass,” Maximo snorts. “They want a foothold in my city by taking over the drug trade in the projects. Let them think this will be civil, a ‘mediation among equals,’ as Salvatore says. The moment they step onto my ground, Spicy’s boys will light them up like Christmas. They’ve got badges, cruisers, sirens, the works. We’re going to make it look like we’re having the Volkovs arrested while we hustle Salvatore and his boys out of there, then finish the Russians once and for all. With a bit of luck, they’ll never see it coming.”
My blood heats up at the thought. “If Salvatore Bianchi helped them, if he gave them an inch of ground in New York, he’s no better than they are.”
Maximo shakes his head. “He’s always run Jersey, as long as I’ve been alive. And as long as he stays there, I’ll let him keep breathing. One war at a time, Constance.”
His hand finds mine on the table, and with a reassuring squeeze, helps ground my soaring emotions. He’s right, of course. Pick your battles, one at a time.
Throwing his napkin onto his plate, he picks his phone back up and calls Spicy. I listen in silence as they speak about the new SUVs. Once Spicy reassures Maximo that everything will be ready by tomorrow morning, he finally puts the phone down and walks over to the window to stare down at the city.
The rest of the day we don’t talk about the war. We don’t talk about the Volkovs or betrayal or blood. We lie tangled in each other in the quiet cocoon of the suite, trying to keep tomorrow’s weight from crushing us. I hold Maximo as though it could be enough to keep the world from ripping him away.
And in the back of my mind, the secret I’m keeping throbs like the wound in my arm.
I’m carrying his child. But I can’t tell him, can’t distract him from what we have to do. Not yet.
38
Maximo
When I stepout on the balcony of our suite the next morning, there’s a stillness in the air, the kind that comes before a winter storm. I’m on my phone double-checking everything with Spicy, the routes his men will take, how much time to give me before the fake police units arrive, even how to run their lights and sirens as they come through the junkyard gates. Nothing can be left to chance.
I’m not naïve enough to think that my plan will go off without a hitch. Salvatore and his Bratva buddies may be laying their own ambush for me. But if I can catch them off guard with my ruse and get the Volkovs isolated, I can end this war today. I’ve been in this life long enough to know that there are no certainties. One wrong move, one hesitation, and everything collapses.
Constance asked me to order breakfast before she disappeared into the shower. When I hear the knock at the door, Ipick up the pistol that Tony brought along in the overnight bag and rack it before going to the door. I leave the swing-bar locked in place and crack the door to make sure it’s just the hotel staff in the hall. When I see that it’s a small, elderly woman I tell her, “Just leave it there for me please,” before passing her a twenty-dollar bill through the gap.
“Of course, sir, thank you,” she replies with a small bow of her head before heading back towards the elevators.
I wait until I can no longer hear her feet on the carpeted floor before opening the door the rest of the way and peeking outside, then bringing in the cart. I know I’m being paranoid. The only people that know where we’re staying are Leonard, Tony, and Spicy. For now, though, that’s still three people too many.
While I have him on my mind, I call Leonard to make sure he’s still ready to accompany us today.
“Good morning, Maximo,” he greets me. His voice sounds worn, brittle, carrying the weight of a grief that no man should have to endure.
“How are you holding up, Leonard? Do you need any help making the funeral arrangements?”
“Your mother has been helping me. She came over to the house yesterday to deal with the contractor and his work crew. They’re already cleaning up the mess. She’s taking me over to the funeral home and we…well, you know.” The old man coughs to cover up the emotion in his voice, and I hear him take a drink. “Sorry about that,” he says a moment later.
“You don’t have to come with us today, Leonard. I can get Tony to drive us over to the junkyard. He can get the rest of Enzo’s crew together to join us.”
“No!” Leonard barks it out on a cough. “No, I want to be there. I want to face the men who did this to our family. It wasn’t just your mother that came by. Your uncle Phillipshowed up looking for you. He’s a mess over his boy Luca. Your mother and I talked to him, and he wants to have Luca’s funeral with Enzo’s. We’re all family, so I told him that was fine.”
“I’m sorry you have to deal with that, Leonard, but thank you.”
“Don’t thank me. Making these arrangements keeps my mind off things. Staying busy helps keep the grief from chewing me apart.”
I know how he feels. I’m distracting myself by making my plans for vengeance and burying myself in Constance to try to avoid the guilt and horror of losing Enzo and Luca. “Did you hear anything from any of Ricky’s people?”
“No, Spicy is looking into that and making arrangements for Ricky. From what I understand, he didn’t have any immediate family, other than the crew.”
“That’s even more heartbreaking, in a way.” I sigh. “I’ll make sure Spicy has everything he needs to give Ricky a proper send off. If you’re certain you’re up for it, then swing by the hotel and pick us up around noon. Call all of Enzo’s crew. They’ll want to come to the junkyard in Brooklyn to be a part of this. Tell them to be there by one-thirty. I want to get out there early to make sure Salvatore and his buddies don’t try to set up any surprises.”
“I’ll be there. I’ve loaded up a few weapons in the trunk, just in case. Did Tony bring you and Constance any body armor?”
“No, just clothes and some supplies. Bring the vests that fit under clothes, not the big bulky ones. No need to make it look like we’re showing up for war. This is supposed to just be a mediation.”
