Page 37 of When She Falls (The Fallen)
I also need to stop worrying about her like she’s my damn problem to solve. It fucking sucks that she has to marry this asshole, but she’s an adult.
If she needs help, she’s got Vale to turn to. Otherwise, she’s responsible for her own life choices.
Rafaele pins me with his gaze, as if some part of him senses I’m thinking about his fiancée.
I scowl. “When is the wedding?”
“Soon,” Garzolo answers quickly.
“Is the date set?” Damiano asks.
Rafaele places his tumbler on the coffee table with a soft clink. “March sixth.”
That’s about five weeks from now. A heavy weight solidifies inside my gut, but I ignore it.
“Then let’s settle on three million for now and discuss how we can get comfortable with five after the wedding,” Damiano says.
Nero finishes off his drink. “We’ll see you there, won’t we? I don’t imagine your wife will want to miss her sister’s nuptials.”
“We wouldn’t dream of it,” Dem says.
My hand tightens around my glass. Great. Just great. That means I’m going too. Seeing Gemma walk down the aisle to this bastard is something I could definitely live without.
“Well, sounds like we’ve got it all worked out,” Nero says. “Is there anything else we should discuss? You’ve brought us out to paradise, De Rossi. Nothing would make me happier than a few hours to enjoy it.”
“What about the other family?” Napoletano asks.
Everyone turns to look at him. He’s been even more silent than Messero though all this, standing in the corner and observing us all.
“The one that used to run counterfeits before in New York,” he says. “I don’t imagine they’re happy about you taking over their territory.”
“Didn’t I already say to all of you a few days ago that the Riccis are done?” Garzolo snaps.
Suspicion licks up my spine. This topic really sets Garzolo off.
He finishes off his drink and slams the glass on the table. “Rabid dogs, that fucking family. They need to be put down. But now that word’s gotten around that Rafaele and I are merging forces, they won’t try anything stupid.”
“We just want to be helpful,” I offer. “You’d tell us if you needed any assistance from us, right, Garzolo?”
His eyes narrow on me. “Assistance? Do I look like a man who needs assistance? You want to come to New York and see how I run things down there? You’re welcome to come any time.”
I glare at him. “I’ll be sure to take you up on that.”
We end the meeting, exchanging handshakes so as not to end it on that terse note.
Once our guests leave, I turn to Dem. “All right, so what the fuck is going on here? If Garzolo’s sole value in this deal is to act as a broker between Messero and us, I don’t understand why we don’t just cut him out.”
“Because he’s family now.” Damiano drags his palm over his chin. “Maybe this is why he initiated the marriage between Messero and Gemma in the first place.”
“Messero isn’t stupid,” Napoletano says. “If all Garzolo had was his connection to Sal, and now to you, Messero wouldn’t have agreed to the marriage. No, Garzolo must have something else. Something Rafaele Messero wants.” He walks around the sofa and takes a seat at the end. “I overheard Gemma talking to Vale last night. She made it sound like Garzolo really needs this alliance. Like he’s weak without it.”
It’s an effort to keep my expression neutral since I overhead that conversation too.
Did Napoletano see Gemma and I in the kitchen afterwards?
I catch his eye, but he doesn’t react in any way that suggests he did.
“It’s possible,” Damiano mutters. “Let’s review what we know. Garzolo and Messero initially teamed up because the Riccis were getting too powerful in New York. The Riccis wanted to get their counterfeits supply from my predecessor, Sal, but Garzolo stepped in and tried to convince Sal to make the deal with him. When the Riccis found out, they went on the offensive against Garzolo.”
