Page 5 of Deathless & Divided

Damian liked being alive.

“He wouldn’t. You’re still young to him, but he’s looking at you. He’s watching you, D. Because to him, you’ve got it. You fucking listen instead of running off at the goddamn mouth. You follow the rules, take his calls, and do what he asks. Haven’t you wondered why you don’t have a crew of your own, yet?”

Damian avoided Dino’s heady gaze. “Sometimes.”

“Because you’re too busy with him. Why would he give you more than you’ve already got with everybody else and the boss put together? That would mean you would have less time for his bullshit. And he likes having you close. How many times do the guys call you for the boss, anyway?”

“A few.”

… times a day, Damian held back from adding.

“You know what I heard Ben say to Riley when he called for the boss the other day?” Dino asked.

Ben DeLuca was Dino’s older uncle and the right-hand man to Terrance. Damian didn’t particularly like the guy, but he gave him the respect he was owed.

“What did Ben say?” Damian asked.

Dino nodded at Damian. “Said the guy might as well call you on whatever it was first.”

Damian shifted on his feet, uncomfortable. “So?”

“So, Ben is Terrance’s main guy—always has been. The underboss, that’s important. Like how Riley is important as the front boss on the streets and to the feds. Terrance takes Ben and Riley to the Commission meetings, runs shit past them for a second and third voice, and all that other good nonsense.”

“Why do I hear a but in there?”

“But … he kind of does that with you, too, huh?”

“I haven’t noticed,” Damian said quietly.

“I think you have. You went along with them to the last Commission, didn’t you?”

“Yeah.”

“How was that?” Dino asked.

Interesting and enlightening.

Damian had done passing business with the major families in New York, including the biggest and dominating Marcello clan, but that was his first time seeing them all together. He supposed he now understood why the families talked about the Marcellos like they were untouchable. They kind of were. Damian held a great deal of respect for the Marcello family. After all, it was better to know who your biggest rival was and admire their ability to be a challenge at all.

“Figured out Terrance isn’t fond of the Marcellos,” Damian said.

Dino shrugged like that didn’t make a difference. “We’re big time in Chicago. They’re big time in New York. Keeping the peace is better than starting a war with another family. Terrance knows that. Nonetheless, he invited you along. You’re the first person he’s done that for aside from Ben and Riley, of course.”

“It would make sense for Ben and Riley to go, Dino. Underboss and front boss, man.”

“But not you.”

“There were other lower associates at the meeting for the bosses.”

“Capos, likely,” Dino said. “Probably men who had a stake with one of the other families. Something to gain for their bosses. You, on the other hand, went there to learn. Terrance just didn’t tell you.”

Damian swallowed hard, feeling an invisible weight bearing down on his shoulders like never before. “I don’t want to be a boss.”

That was not one of his life goals. Being a boss meant constantly being watched. From officials, from your own men, and from the public. It never fucking ended. It also meant being one huge target for anyone that had eyes for your position. Damian liked being invisible when he wanted.

He liked being him, for fuck’s sake.

“Not even ten, fifteen years from now?” Dino asked.