Mafia Kings: Dario by Olivia Thorn

37

When we sat down in the parlor, the daggers finally came out.

“You vouched for the Turk,” Dario said coldly. “I turned down his business proposal. Not an hour later, Massimo, Valentino, and Alessandra were attacked.”

“Regrettable, truly,” Fausto said. He sounded pained as he said it.

“Why did you send a viper into my home?” Dario asked, his voice angry but controlled.

“I’m not so sure that he is the viper you’re searching for,” Fausto said. “And I would caution you against assuming it was the Turk who ordered the hit.”

“You’re saying it was the Agrellas?”

“I didn’t say that, either.”

“The Turk is working with the Agrellas,” Dario said. “You don’t think it’s an extraordinary coincidence that the attack took place in their territory?”

“Someone certainly wants you to believe the Agrellas and the Turk are behind this.”

“But you don’t believe they are,” Dario said contemptuously.

“No.”

“And why is that?”

“Because we’re working with him, too,” Aurelio spoke up.

Everyone in the room looked at him in surprise – then turned back to Fausto.

Fausto gave his son a reproachful look, then sighed. “Yes, it’s true – we’re in business with him.”

Dario stared at him. “Why didn’t you tell me this before yesterday’s meeting?”

“Because I didn’t want you to feel pressured by my decision.”

Dario narrowed his eyes. “I wouldn’t have. Believe me.”

“Mm,” Fausto murmured noncommittally.

“What exactly are the terms of your deal?” Roberto asked.

“Always the head for business, this one,” Fausto said with a chuckle. “The Turk wants to sell some of his wares in our territory, and he offered a healthy cut of the profits. I said yes.”

Dario glared at his uncle. “Sex trafficking and drugs.”

Fausto made a face like What can I do? “Business is business.”

“Not everyone is as squeamish as you, cousin,” Aurelio smirked.

Dario glared at Aurelio. “And not everyone will whore themselves out for a dollar like you… cousin.”

Aurelio’s face showed barely restrained fury.

There was an instant crackle of tension in the room.

Adriano, Lars, and Massimo all leaned forward in their chairs.

Fausto’s men inched their hands towards the insides of their jackets.

“Boys,” Fausto said loudly as he gave Aurelio an angry look.

“I’m not your boy,” Dario snarled.

“No, but you’re very new to your position,” Fausto replied. “Your father wouldn’t have said ‘no’ to the Turk.”

“I’m not my father.”

“That much is apparent,” Aurelio muttered.

Before Dario could respond with another insult, Niccolo jumped in. “We’ve made the decision not to deal in certain things going forward. That’s all.”

“What, you’re a bunch of angels, now?” Fausto said contemptuously. “Last I checked, the authorities would hang you for all the other crimes you dabble in.”

“Yes, well, that’s why we own the authorities,” Dario said with a cold smile.

“Which is why I sent you the Turk. You need to shore up your territory if you want to survive. You can offer him access to the police and judges, and he can give you a steady stream of revenue. It’s a win-win proposition.”

Niccolo shook his head. “The police and judges are willing to look away when it comes to gambling and stolen goods. They won’t ignore trafficking women and drugs.”

“So throw them some more money,” Fausto said with a shrug.

“Let me be clear, Uncle,” Dario said. “I refuse to deal with trafficking women and drugs.”

“You should go into the priesthood, then,” Fausto replied. “Maybe you could become pope. You do the ‘sanctimonious’ part extremely well.”

“Gentlemen,” Niccolo said, “this has nothing to do with the most pressing matter at hand. Members of our family were shot at yesterday. We must retaliate.”

“Or you’ll look weak,” Fausto said with a benevolent smile.

“Exactly.”

The older man’s smile disappeared. “You already look weak. The whole of the Cosa Nostra knows you’re struggling. The wolves are salivating over what they’ll do to you. Your territory is divided – ”

“Half of which went to you,” Dario pointed out.

“Which is why I made a deal with the Turk,” Fausto shot back. “How long can you sustain your current operations?”

“We’re fine,” Roberto said. “Better than fine, actually. We plan to expand globally into online gambling. In fact, we could be fully legitimate within two years.”

That was the first I had heard of the family’s long-term plans.

I looked at Dario in surprise.

He smiled the tiniest bit and nodded almost imperceptibly.

Fausto wasn’t convinced, though.

“You’ve been going on and on about this online gambling nonsense for five years,” he said in a bored voice. “Talk, talk, talk.”

“Because Father never let me pursue it,” Roberto said in irritation. “But Dario is.”

“Lovely,” Fausto sneered, “but you yourself said it could take two years. You still have a significant number of bribes to pay every month – a lot of judges and police captains looking to wet their beaks. Where’s that money coming from?”

“It’s covered,” Roberto said, although he didn’t sound entirely convincing.

“Don’t bullshit me,” Fausto snapped. “I was your father’s consigliere for 20 years – I know the financials of this entire operation like the back of my hand. I know you have maybe six months left at your current levels of income. I sent you the Turk so you can prosper and grow. As of right now, you’re withering on the vine.”

Dario’s voice was full of contempt. “So we should bend the knee to some foreign bastard who insults me in my own home? Just because dear old Uncle Fausto knows best?”

“Again,” Niccolo said sharply, “back to the matter at hand. If we’re going to send a message, we need to know who to send it to.”

“It wasn’t the Agrellas or the Turk,” Fausto said with a sniff.

“And how do you know that?” Dario asked mockingly. “Did you ask them?”

“Did you ever find out about the Genoan?” Fausto pointed at Lars and me. “The one your Swede killed in her father’s café?”

Niccolo clenched his jaws. “We’re still working on it.”

“Why is she even here?” Aurelio snarled as he looked at me. Then he smirked at Dario. “Is she your whore now? Maybe you thought you might want a blowjob halfway through the meeting.”

I flinched at his ugly words.

Dario put his hand on mine before he answered.

“She survived a gunfight in the streets yesterday,” Dario said coldly. “Which is more than you’ve ever done, little boy.”

Aurelio immediately stood up, furious –

And every Rosolini brother bolted to their feet as well.

Lars even had his hand inside his jacket.

I was terrified, sure that there would be another gun battle –

“STOP!” Fausto roared. “Aurelio, sit DOWN, goddamn you! We’re family, so fucking act like it!”

Aurelio’s face twitched with rage, but he sat back down.

Lars and all the Rosolini brothers did as well – but slowly.

“I talked to Stefano Agrella,” Fausto said. “He swore on his mother’s grave that he had nothing to do with the hit yesterday.”

“So of course you believe him,” Dario replied sarcastically.

“I’ve done business with the Agrellas for 20 years. I’d know if Stefano was fucking me. He’s not.”

“What about the Turk?”

“I talked to him as well. He says he’s not involved, and I believe him.”

“You’re taking his money,” Adriano sneered. “It’s in your best interests to believe him.”

Fausto shot daggers at Adriano. “And it’s in your best interest not to open your mouth since you don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.”

Before Adriano could respond, Fausto turned back to Dario. “The Turk is doing business with me, so what possible reason would he have to enrage you? If he killed Massimo or Valentino – my own blood – he knows I would break off all business dealings with him. Not only that, but I’d join you and go to war against him. The Turk is a businessman, first and foremost. There’s no profit in war – he knows that.”

“Unless he could take our territory for himself,” Niccolo said.

“If he was going to kill you,” Fausto replied, “he would have murdered all of you at the same time. Not just pick off two of you in Florence, enrage the rest of you, and start a war.”

All of the brothers were silent.

Even I had to admit that what their uncle said made sense.

Fausto shook his head. “Someone wants you to think the Turk and the Agrellas are trying to kill you. Someone wants to blow up the situation. Find out who that is, and you’ll find out who tried to kill Massimo and Valentino yesterday.”

“And Alessandra,” Dario said.

“…and Alessandra,” Fausto agreed. He smiled at me… and a shiver ran down my spine.