Page 48 of Unrestricted
"You saw nothing."
"Whatever." Benito drains his glass and reaches for the second unopened bottle sitting on the table.
He studies the label for a moment before grabbing the corkscrew and opening it.
Apparently our conversation requires a lot of alcohol but I'm not going to indulge in any more. I need to keep a clear head or I'll admit to all sorts of things I don't want to acknowledge yet.
That list is getting longer all the time, but that’s a problem for another night.
"Okay," Benito says. "Let's lock it away for now and deal with it when it becomes a problem."
That's as close as he'll ever come to telling me he'll support me no matter what. I take it.
"Great." Now that's settled I drink some wine. "Anything else you want to discuss? Where we'll bury our father, perhaps?"
"The old bastard isn't worth a bullet." Benito hates our father with a passion and I can't say I blame him. I feel less animosity toward him but I can't stand the asshole either. "I'll let you deal with him however you want. We have more pressing matters."
"Such as?"
"Marseilles. Damiano wants you and me there. He asked me to convey the message in person."
"When?"
"Tomorrow night. Everyone's sending people since it's a shared issue. The Albanians are cocky and it requires a coordinated response."
"How long will this take?"
Benito scowls. "Why? Reluctant to be away from home all of a sudden?"
His obvious disapproval of Eliza doesn't surprise me. Where some men have their fingers crossed when they pledge their allegiance, my brother is loyal to the core. If someone hurts a person he’s sworn to lay down his life for, they’re the enemy as far as he’s concerned. His attitude toward Eliza does worry me, though.
"You won't say or do anything to her," I warn him.
"I'll be the model of civility." His reply is sarcastic but he means it. "We'll be away a couple of nights, three at most. It depends how cleanly we execute the plan. There are multiple locations to hit."
"Okay. I'll make arrangements."
Benito shakes his head disapprovingly. He knows what arrangements mean in this context. I need to ensure that Eliza is both contained and safe in my absence.
"Paolo can handle it, surely?"
"Yeah, but I need someone on site as well. I'll put Simone in charge."
"He's a good kid."
At twenty-eight, the good kid is two years older than my brother but his smooth skin and apparent inability to grow facial hair make him seem younger.
Now that's decided, Benito and I relax and talk about other things. He tells me about the training he's set up for new recruits to our organization and about Lorenzo's vineyard.
I'm not sure if it's the winemaking or the other aspects of our cousin's life he wishes he could have.
He talks with affection about Lorenzo's wife Lucia and their kids. There's a wistfulness in his tone that I've never heard from him before.
It could be that he's thinking of settling down. I can't tease him over that since my own thoughts are also heading in that direction. Fuck, I’m a mess.
One minute I’m denying being in love with Eliza and the next I’m imagining a future with her.
The man I was before I walked into that coffee shop in Edinburgh would be appalled at me.
