When She Falls (The Fallen, #3)(6)

Dem’s good at playing the politician, but there’s no love lost between him and Garzolo. Their history is complicated, to say the least. But since Garzolo helped us in the early days of Dem making his bid to become the Don of the Casalesi, we’re allies now. And Garzolo’s determined to milk that for all it’s worth.

We’ve already started supplying him with Italian made luxury counterfeits, the kind of stuff that fetches a pretty penny in a status-obsessed market like New York.

If you ask me, Garzolo should be worshiping the ground Vale walks on. His daughter upgraded from the sick fuck he married her to, to a man with significantly more power and money. A man who loves her more than life itself. Garzolo’s not grateful though. In fact, I overheard him giving a stiff-tongued apology to her just a few minutes earlier in Damiano’s office. She accepted it equally as stiffly. Who can blame her? Her dad’s kind of a piece of shit.

“I’m eager to discuss a few things about our current arrangement,” the piece of shit says, leaning back into his chair. “But I think most of it should wait until Rafaele arrives. Given his role in all of this, it wouldn’t be respectful to talk business without him.”

I resist the urge to snort. Respectful? Jesus, Garzolo is really sucking the guy’s dick.

“He had a swift rise after his father passed away,” Dem says.

“Even before the old man died, Rafaele was already running much of the organization. His father’s health had been declining for a while,” Garzolo says.

“And the two of you are obviously getting on well.”

“With Rafaele and Gemma marrying, we plan to only expand our business relationship going forward. The counterfeits deal between the three of us has been a testing ground, and it has exceeded even our most optimistic expectations. We’re both invested in this partnership.”

“As are we,” Dem says. “We’re always looking to diversify our business geographically. We like having partners we can trust in New York.”

Garzolo’s lips tighten into a thin smile. “Likewise. It’s good to be doing business with paisans. Men who understand honor and the importance of omertà. New York’s changed since I first took control of the clan, and I’m disappointed to say the changes haven’t all been good.”

“Anything to be concerned about?” Dem asks.

Stefano makes a dismissive wave. “No, simple annoyances, nothing more.”

Dem nods. “So what happened with the Riccis? Has that threat been neutralized?”

Garzolo’s expression darkens at the mention of the New York clan he plunged into war with after his plan to steal their business was exposed. “They’re done. Rafaele and I have beaten them down to practically nothing. With us taking the counterfeits business from them, they’ve been left scrambling. Last thing I heard, they were fighting for scraps in the Bronx.”

“I heard you suffered significant casualties,” Napoletano says.

“So have they.”

“We’re sorry for your losses,” Damiano says.

Stefano waves a dismissing hand. “Let’s talk about more pleasant things, huh? Two weddings to celebrate, and another on the way.”

Napoletano and I look at each other. Garzolo sure as hell doesn’t want to talk about what happened with the Riccis. I wonder if he’s trying to minimize how badly he was hit.

Based on what I know, Garzolo kind of asked for it. The whole feud started because the Riccis got tipped off that Garzolo was planning on stealing their counterfeits business from them.

Garzolo succeeded. But it seems like his family paid a price.

I glance over my shoulder to where Gemma is standing. Whenever she’s around, I feel an inexplicable need to know exactly what she’s doing.

I wonder how she feels about her upcoming marriage. Vale mentioned to me that she wants to feel the whole thing out while Gemma is here, to make sure her sister isn’t being forced into something she has no interest in. The truth is, even if Gemma is being forced into something, there isn’t much any of us can do without blowing up our relationship with the Garzolos. They’re not our most important allies, but they’ve become a key part in Dem’s plan to expand the Casalesi influence across the globe.

The servers appear with trays of antipasti and bread, and the women take it as their signal to join us at the table.

The men are outnumbered. There are the three Garzolo sisters and their mother, plus Mari, Damiano’s younger sister. She takes a seat to Napoletano’s left and places a kiss on her fiancé’s cheek. Honestly, I still can’t quite believe those two are a pair. Age gap notwithstanding, Napoletano’s always been so reserved, while Mari is as easygoing as one gets. Guess she melted his ice with her sunshine.

When Mari realizes I’m watching her, she grins and sticks out her tongue at me. I huff a chuckle. That girl’s always been like a sister to me, and she definitely acts like one.

A server comes around to serve us bread, and I ask for two big chunks. I fucking love bread. It’s one of life’s greatest pleasures.

When he gets to Gemma, she eyes the basket. She’s changed out of her travel clothes into a light-blue dress that makes her eyes stand out even more than usual.

Fuck, she’s pretty. Would look even prettier with my cock inside her mouth.

Her gaze flicks to my face, and I wink.