8. Marco

Chapter 8

Marco

" O kay, this is bizarre." Valentina gives me a confused glare as we walk toward a crowded coffee shop in the middle of downtown Chicago. Skyscrapers loom and business people hurry toward offices in slacks and jackets. "You've been grinning like a moron all morning. Seriously, why are you in a good mood?"

"I woke up on the right side of the bed."

"Yeah, okay, I don't buy that at all. Normally, you're all—" She rolls her eyes and does an extremely insulting impression of me. " The Bianco Famiglia must pay for what they did to your father, Valentina, stop drinking all the coffee, we're going to burn this city to the ground, Valentina, please clean the candy wrappers up ? —"

"Okay, I get the point." I glare at her and pause a half-block from our destination. Walkers swerve around us like we're stones in a fast-moving river. "I'm in a good mood. That's all."

Valentina shrugs and crosses her arms. She smiles at me, head tilted, and tosses her hair. Most men would be totally smitten with her—hell, most men are—but I've known her for way too long to be anything but platonic.

I get it, she's a classic Italian beauty, with big features and thick black hair, but all I see is a mediocre assistant and a total slob.

Besides, I made her old man a promise. It feels like forever ago when Luciano called me into his office and made me swear that I'd watch over his daughter if anything bad happened to him. At the time, I just laughed and said of course I would, but nothing's going to happen. That was a day before he was murdered, almost as if he knew it was coming.

"Don't worry, I'm not complaining," she says and jabs a finger into my arm. "I prefer you like this. But it's just weird, that's all."

"Are you done?" I glance over my shoulder toward the coffee place. "Adam's probably there already and we need to be on top of this. I told you what Ronan said."

Her smile fades and she narrows her eyes. Valentina may be messy and frustrating, but she's still Luciano Santoro's daughter, and her father was one of the cleverest and most ruthless men I've ever met in my life. And while she hides it well, she sure as hell takes after him.

"Ronan's probably right," she admits. "Adam's hard to read, which makes it seem like he's a deep thinker. But I've been looking into him, and I think there's only one thing that'll guarantee he's on our side."

I rub my face with a hand and make a gesture with my other. "And that is?"

"Let's go find out." She walks off and I hurry after her. Valentina loves being cryptic and withholding—it's her very annoying super power—and I know better than to push when she doesn't want to say something just yet. Instead, I have to trust that she'll play the right cards at the correct opportunity and doesn't fuck this up for both of us.

The coffee shop is hip, trendy, and crowded. The latter is probably what Adam was going for. He's sitting in the very back at a table all to himself. The huge man looks like he belongs wrestling bears in a circus, not sipping from a normal-sized coffee mug that somehow looks like a tiny little teacup in his big paws. When Valentina and I approach, he nods and doesn't bother trying to stand in greeting, since I think the guy's tree-trunk thighs would just flip the table.

"Thanks for meeting with us," I say and shake his hand.

"We appreciate it." Valentina takes the chair next to mine. "My father always spoke very highly of you and your family, Mr. Jankowski."

"Adam." His voice is low and soft. "And I liked your father very much. He was a difficult man sometimes but always fair in his business dealings."

"We're continuing his legacy." Valentina crosses her legs. Adam's eyes glance down, and I can't blame him, but his gaze doesn't linger, which I like. He's trying to be respectful. "The Biancos need an adversary. Without one, they'll dig in their heels and control this entire city for decades. Simon Bianco is a strong Don, and he's in the process of pumping out a bunch of heirs, just like his father did before him. Our window is limited."

Adam cocks his head. "You talk as if I care who runs Chicago. The Biancos barely bother me."

"That's not true," I say, cutting in. I can't let my assistant do all the damn talking. "Bianco soldiers harass your dealers all the time. Ronan complains about it constantly. The Biancos also have deep ties with the police department, and if they ever decide they want to get rid of you, they'll use the cops to round up your entire organization. They aren't bothering you now, but they will. The second you step out of line, they will."

He grunts and studies me. I can't tell what he's thinking, which is his greatest strength. Adam's very good at keeping his emotions hidden.

"You've said all this before." He cocks his head to the side. "And it hasn't totally convinced me yet. I assume there's a reason you called me here specifically without all the others."

Valentina's smile is dazzling. "You saw right through us."

"I'm big, not stupid." Adam stares at her. "What do you have to offer me?"

Now I sit back and watch, since it's her show. She uncrosses her legs and leans toward him, and I swear she's pushing her boobs together a little bit, drawing his eyes to her chest. I stifle a groan—this is pathetic, even for her, but what the fuck. If it works, it works.

However, this time, Adam doesn't even take a peek. The fucking self-control on this man must be intense.

"Your grandfather once owned a restaurant." She's speaking very softly, and I have to admit, I'm very curious where this is going. I hadn't heard anything about a restaurant, much less about a grandfather. From what I know about Adam's organization, he started it with his father ten years earlier—the grandfather hasn't been involved at all, if he's still alive.

"How did you know about that?" Adam asks, sounding genuinely surprised.

"I have my sources." Valentina's eyebrows arch. "But something happened to it, isn't that correct? Your grandfather got into debt with the wrong people."

Now Adam's expression darkens. "Dziadek slaved his whole life away in that kitchen. It was everything to him."

"An ugly story, and my heart goes out to him. But from what I understand, it was a Bianco Capo that repossessed your grandfather's restaurant, isn't that right? And for the past decade, it belongs to a Bianco associate, who turned it into an Italian place."

Adam studies Valentina. He says nothing, and it's hard to tell, but I'm guessing that story just affected him. His mouth is pressed into a tight line and he takes a slow drink of his coffee.

"Ten years ago is when you and your father began your organization," I say, drawing Adam's attention back to me. "I wonder where you got that idea."

The big man lets out a long, slow breath. "Yes, it's true, my dziadek went into debt to the Italians, and yes, they took his life from him. That angered me and many of the other Polish men in my community, and we decided to band together. I don't deny any of it."

I glance at Valentina, and she gives me the slightest nods. I know exactly where this is going, and I swoop in for the kill. "We will get your grandfather's restaurant back and return it to your family. If we can make that happen, I want your solemn word that you'll join our alliance and help us push back against the Biancos."

Adam goes still. His shoulders tense, and I'm not sure if I went too far. But slowly, he sinks further into the bench, and he tilts his chin upwards, looking at me through hooded eyes.

"You're right that I'd do almost anything to bring that place back into my fold. I hate the Biancos, maybe more than you do. But I already said that I'm not a stupid man, and you were right earlier. The moment we step a toe out of line, the Biancos will come destroy us. So I'll accept your terms, but only if all the others agree to join as well." He turns his body and slides out from behind the table. When he gets to his feet, it's like an ancient tree spreading its branches. "I'll stand up to the Biancos. I'll be happy to do it. But I won't get my family killed for some reckless and worthless venture. Those are my terms."

He walks away. I watch him go, impressed by that little speech. The guy sure as hell knows how to negotiate.

"I guess that's it," Valentina says, sounding chipper.

"Where'd you hear about that restaurant?" I glance back at her, slightly annoyed she kept me in the dark. I might've been able to negotiate better had I known.

"Dad told me about it." She grins at me and shrugs. "What? He had files on every little clan and gang in the whole damn city. I actually read through the stuff, unlike you."

I clench my jaw. She's got a point there. I've been neglecting Luciano's notes for a while now, but the guy's got fucking terrible handwriting. Reading it gives me a headache.

"At least we have a plan. Get that restaurant back, somehow, and convince all the others, also somehow."

"What would you do without me?" she asks and gets to her feet.

"Considering I'm subsidizing your lifestyle, I'd probably be rich at this point."

She laughs and throws an arm around my shoulder. "Ah, come on, I earn my keep, boss."

"Allegedly."