Chapter 6ANGELO

Chapter 6

ANGELO

The drive to my dark site across the Hudson in New Jersey will take less than twenty minutes. Plenty of time to ask Boomer questions.

Sounding bemused after the first couple, Boomer says, "That handsy perv was right, this is a job interview."

"You need to hire somebody, boss?" Derian gives me the side-eye.

As my next in command, he's the first pass for new hires, which usually come from within Cosa Nostra ranks. Because we are an elite crew with a job description that requires a level of loyalty that can't be measured on brief acquaintance.

But I'm not looking for another member for my enforcer crew.

"There was a time I might have been useful to you in the business," Boomer says. "But I'm not as fast as I used to be and I haven't shot a gun in over three years."

"You'll have to practice," I say. "No one on my staff is incapable of defending themselves."

"Even your housekeeper?"

"Don't have one." But that will have to change when I move to Long Island.

"You'll be taking care of my dog and helping with his training." I will attend enough of the classes so the Cane Corsica doesn't forget who his alpha is, but I don't have time for the extensive training he's going to need.

"You've got a dog?" Boomer asks. "What breed is he?"

"You got a dog, boss?" Shock tinges Derian's voice.

"Yeah. Adopted him tonight."

"You mean Mars?" Boomer's quick to catch on.

"Yep."

"But he belongs to that asshole who kicked him."

"Not anymore." I'll be paying a visit to Mars' former owner to make sure he understands that there are no more dogs in his future.

I've killed men for less than kicking a dog.

"You want me to dog sit?" Boomer asks. "I don't want no charity. I make my own way."

"Good. I'm not a charitable guy."

Derian coughs. "Got that right."

I'm not offended. It's the truth.

I pay my men well, but it's not generosity. They put their lives on the line to earn it. Just like I do.

Before Candi, there was no one I wanted to do nice things for. I'm loyal to Severu, but that's not the same. He doesn't need me to take care of him.

The only person I want to look after is Candi. I do the same for her mom and sister because they are part of her. "We'll share custody of the dog, but you'll have to live on my estate for that. You might as well work for me too. Mars has to be acclimated to being with a family. I want him in special training sessions daily."

"You got a family? Don't take this the wrong way, but you don't seem the type."

I turn down a darkened side street without using my blinker. "Nothing to be offended by. My family don't live with me yet. I'm moving my woman, her mom and her sister into my place in a couple of months."

Everything has to be ready for them.

"You don't know me from Adam. How are you going to trust me to train Mars right?"

"You fuck up and I'll kill you."

"The boss don't kill easy," Derian pipes up.

Again, truth.

"I figured as much with him having Hangman's job and all, but it still feels like a lot to take on faith and he doesn't strike me as a fool."

"Don't worry. The boss knows avan ou monte bwa, gade si ou ka desann li ."

Boomer frowns. "That's not Italian."

"Nah, it's one of my mamma's sayings. She's the smart one in the family."

"What does it mean?"

"Death knows he needs to know the details before committing to something. He'll have you investigated by our people. If something comes back hinky, he won't give you the chance to fuck up."

"Only thing hinky about my past is what my government had me do in the name of patriotism. Killing is one thing. Killing innocents is another." Boomer's voice is heavy with regret.

I shrug. "Innocence is in the eye of the beholder."

My don's enemies are guilty because they are his enemies. Doesn't matter if they've ever done anything deserving of death. If they are a risk to Severu and his family? They're charged and guilty in my book.

"You ever done any gardening?" I ask Boomer, thinking I can kill two birds with one stone.

Get someone to take care of the dog and put in a small vegetable garden for Candi.

I've got a service for maintaining the property, but this is different. She keeps a container garden on their tiny stoop. It's not much and she's told her little sister she wishes she had a garden plot, but the waitlist for a community plot nearby is too long.

Yes, I'm listening in on her conversations with her sister before they go to sleep at night. How else am I supposed to get to know my family?

"Where would I garden in the city?" Boomer asks.

"I bought a house for me and my family on Long Island. Need someone to put in a vegetable garden." I still remember nonna's and how she liked to spend time in it.

She went out there to cool off after she and nonno had words. Candi's going to need that kind of place too.

I'm bound to piss her off because despite my name, I'm more devil than angel.