27

Chapter 27
Dominic
There are six of us, so we divide into two teams of three.
Nico, Tony, and Peter head to SoHo while Johnny, Milo, and I make our way deep into the Downtown Eastside—Lorenzo’s territory, but not for much longer.
It’s true what they say. New York City never sleeps. Even though it’s a few minutes past midnight, the streets are still bustling with activity. There are late-night club goers, nurses working the nightshift, people up to no good. I suppose I fall into that last category. Plenty of lights are still on, and the sound of traffic never goes away. However, it’s less crowded now than during the day. We have to do this now or never.
We walk straight up to Lorenzo’s loan office. Johnny keeps an eye out while Milo douses the side of the building with gasoline. I stand just off to the side, ready to strike a match.
“I gotta hand it to you,” Milo says, laughing as he works. “I never thought you’d go through with this. Figured you’d just up and leave New York, not set your place of work on fire.”
“This is his most profitable business,” I explain casually. “The only way to hurt a man like him is to go after their wallet. The moment he stops producing is the moment he has to answer to the Family.”
“Damn, you really are a cutthroat. I thought you were just Lorenzo’s lapdog through and through.”
“Shut up and hurry,” I snap. “We’ve got to hit all seven of Lorenzo’s businesses.”
Milo steps back, admiring his handwork. “That oughta do it.” “Stand back.”
I strike the match, listening to the hiss and burn as the flame flickers to life. I toss the matchstick down, the fire catching in an instant. It crawls up the exterior wall, burning with ferocious and mesmerizing might. I’m
tempted to watch this place go up in smoke, but there’s still too much for us to destroy.
Within minutes, all of Lorenzo’s precious records will be nothing but ash. Anyone who’s ever owed him a penny will be free and clear now that their contracts are about to be destroyed. With nothing to hold over his customer’s heads, Lorenzo will have no leverage against them. This is a massive financial loss.
And I’ve still got plans for more destruction.
My intricate knowledge of Lorenzo’s territory means I know exactly which of his businesses to torch. We work efficiently and with impunity, moving on before we’re spotted either by a random pedestrian or patrol officer.
His gambling dens, the businesses he’s been extorting for decades, the laundromat and nail parlors he’s been using as a front for money laundering… All gone within a matter of hours. By the time we’re finished, the smell of gasoline and burning wood has seared itself inside my nostrils, the heavy feel of dirt and grime weighing on my skin. Sirens blare in the distance, a cacophony of sound.
And fuck does this feel good.
Who knew destruction could be so cathartic?
Every time I set a building ablaze, I think about my brother. I think about Elio. I think about all the time and dedication I gave Lorenzo only to be tossed aside because I was too competent. In hindsight, it’s incredibly telling of Lorenzo’s lack of confidence. He’d rather have me killed than improve his own capabilities.
Let’s see who he comes crying to once he realizes his empire has crumbled overnight.
“It’s done,” Johnny informs me when he gets off the phone with the other team. “The fire department’s working overtime, but it’s done. Neither Renato nor Lorenzo has anything left.”
Milo clicks his tongue. “The higher-ups are going to be pissed.”
I toss the remnants of my matchbook onto the ground. It bears the symbol of The Lilac Fountain Bar in SoHo, a dead giveaway for Lorenzo to stew over.
The chess pieces are finally moving where I want them to, and I’m about to capture the king.
* * *
The call goes out at five in the morning. A summons. In-person, too, which means shit’s as serious as it gets.
Hundreds of us are gathered together in a spacious conference room. Our capos sit at the front, the sottocapo at the helm.
Lorenzo and Renato are not in attendance.
Our sottocapo goes by no other name than Gabriele. He takes a long drag from his cigar, fat gold rings adorning his sausage-like fingers. His hair is thinning and grey, the few remaining strands caked in grease. He’s in his late sixties, though nobody knows for sure his real age. The man is a mystery, preferring to rule from the shadows. Public appearances are rare, which is a sign in and of itself that things are about to get ugly.
“Such a sad day,” he drawls, voice surprisingly high for a man of his rotund stature. “I’m sure you’ve all heard by now about the pitiful conflict amid our ranks.”
Nobody responds. Nobody dares.
“I suppose every family has their problem child,” he goes on. “I didn’t expect that we’d have two.”
Gabriele snaps his fingers. Two hooded figures are dragged out by the scruff of their collars. Even with his face obscured, I know one of them is Lorenzo. Blood stains his shirt, he has scrapes on his arms and sweat dripping from his neck.
I almost feel bad for the man until I remember the bastard’s been trying to kill me for no other reason than jealousy and out of fear of being replaced. My sympathy went out the window the moment I read his message logs. This plot of his has been in the making for months, but it ends here.
The men are forced to their knees in front of our entire faction, their hoods abruptly removed. Lorenzo’s sporting a nasty black eye and broken nose. If I squint, I’m fairly sure I can see two of his front teeth have been knocked out.
“We are a family,” Gabriele stresses. “We look out for one another. Nothing is more important than our sacred bond. The men you see here
before you have forgotten that and have chosen to wage war on each other for their own personal gain.”
“Signore, please,” Lorenzo begs. He sounds pathetic. “This isn’t what it looks like.”
“Do you think I’m a fool?” our sottocapo snaps. “We found evidence at the scenes of the crime. Your business card was found at The Lilac Fountain, and the Lilac Fountains’ matchbooks were found outside your loan office.”
“Signore, why would I torch Renato’s business and leave evidence behind to implicate myself? That makes no sense!”
“Because you have an ego, Lorenzo. Both of you do. You wanted the other to know who was responsible, but you failed to realize that I’ve had enough of your antics. You forced me to get involved.”
“That’s not—”
“It’s no secret the two of you have had it out for each other for years. I’ve been letting your petty squabbles slide, but now you’ve gone too far. Your reckless behavior has not only brought an immense amount of police attention but has cost the Family millions. This cannot go unpunished. Now, tell me which of your lackeys helped you pull this stunt off.”
Lorenzo squirms. “Nobody helped me because I didn’t do anything.” “No? Not even your right-hand man?” Gabriele looks directly at me, a
challenge in his eyes.
“I wasn’t aware of his plans, signore,” I speak calmly. “I was at home all night with my family.”
“I can vouch for him,” Johnny says, taking a step forward. “A bunch of us were over at his place for poker night. He let me crash on his couch.”
“Us, as well,” Nico, Tony, and Peter vouch.
“Me, too,” Milo adds. His alibi is the one that seals the deal. It’s no secret that the two of us don’t get along. If a weaselly bastard like Milo is putting himself in my corner, it must mean I’m telling the truth.
After a moment of contemplation, Gabriele nods. Satisfied. All according to plan.
“Your men have a lot of faith in you,” Gabriele says calmly. “And I’ve heard many good things. Rumor has it you’re the one behind the scenes running Lorenzo’s territory.”
“It’s true, signore,” Milo says. “Lorenzo spends all his time in Atlantic City. Dominic keeps everything running smoothly. Until everything got torched, that is.”
Lorenzo spits, his eyes red and bulging with fury. “You son of a bitch!
Why are you vouching for him?”
“I’m calling it like it is,” Milo says with a casual shrug. “Dominic always puts the Family’s interests first. You only care about yourself.”
“I’m going to fucking kill you!”
“Enough!” Gabriele seethes. He snaps two of his chubby fingers. “Dispose of this filth.”
The sottocapo’s men drag Lorenzo and Renato away. They kick and they scream around the gags quickly stuffed into their mouths, their howling growing quieter and quieter as they’re taken away. An anxious murmur sweeps through the room. We all know what’s going to happen to them.
“What’s going to happen to their territory?” someone at the back of the room asks.
“I’m more than happy to take over,” one of the other capos up front says proudly.
“Of course you would be,” snaps another, giving the first a derisive snort. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It’s all a little convenient, isn’t it? Your two biggest competitors are taken out of the game, and suddenly you’re ready to take over their territory? It’s kind of suspicious, no?”
“What are you implying?”
“You could have set this whole thing up!”
An argument erupts, loud voices shouting over the next. Gabriele calls for order, but the conversations are too heated and chaotic. This is going according to plan, too. They’re all so busy pointing the finger at one another that they don’t even suspect my men and me. I’ve finally got my payback and I’m free and clear.
This is shaping up nicely.
Milo nudges my arm with his elbow. “Now’s the time.”
I nod. I know exactly what he means. Stepping forward, I clear my throat and say, “Allow me to be a temporary replacement. Until the Family decides who will take over the territories, let me run the businesses. I’ll have things up and running to prepare for a smooth transition of power.”
One of the capos sneers. “A little opportunistic, don’t you think? Your boss isn’t even cold in the ground yet, and you’re already moving in to take over the reins.”
“I have no interest in replacing him,” I state clearly. “At the end of the
day, the Family’s interests are all I care about. A power vacuum will cause more harm than good. What if the Irish or the Russians realize there’s land for the taking? I know the territory well and I know how it functions. Place me as temporary head of Renato and Lorenzo’s rackets until a new capo is selected, at which point I will happily step aside.”
I’m lying, of course, but I do a good job of pretending to be earnest. No one is better suited for this position than me, but I can’t look too eager. That would only raise their suspicions. Once the higher-ups see what a tight ship I run, they’ll be begging me to keep the position forever.
I’m going to be a capo. I’ll finally have the say, the power, the money to do whatever I see fit. I’ll be able to protect Arin and Felicia, give them everything their hearts could ever desire and more.
And nobody is going to get in my way.
Gabriele arches a thick brow, appearing to mull things over. “Very well,” he says finally. “Until we can come to an agreement as to what to do with these territories, Dominic Costello will be in charge for the interim. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, signore,” the room says in unison.
I breathe a sigh of relief. That could have gone wrong in a million different ways, yet here I am. I’m thankful for my squeaky-clean reputation; otherwise, this plan wouldn’t have worked. They think me an honorable man, devoted entirely to our cause. None of them would ever suspect I’d have an ulterior motive. That’s their undoing.
I have to admit—Capo Costello has a nice ring to it.