Nobody has told her that everything she does gets put into a devil machine by someone else. I think my uncles just keep her here so she doesn’t have a meltdown about being old and unwanted.
“Ciao, Zia,” I greet, on my way past her to go down the passage.
I don’t have an office, but there is a room in the back with a TV and a couch where we all dump our shit before getting sent out to do what has to be done.
The thing with shady business is that it is usually conducted in the dark, so daytime is slow for us. Nights are when stuff gets moved, from cocaine, other drugs, arms, to people. During daylight we do random other tasks and today is no different.
Dumping my bags, I go in search of Rain, and hopefully not my father. Rain is good about keeping us on separate jobs, we don’t work well together.
“Rat.”
He greets me as I step into his office; it’s the one clean room in the whole space. Nothing is ever out of place, you could eat off his desk it’s so clean.
“Morning,” I greet and step into his space.
We get on, him and I, and even Vicki, although I don’t like working at the club because there are just too many people.
“You are late.” He checks his watch just to make sure.
It’s gold like the wedding ring on his finger, I wonder how he’s dealing with wifey coming home. The man isn’t exactly Mr. Personality – in truth, he’s a bit of a dick most days.
“I got distracted at the gym.”
He glares at me. “I want to put you in charge of something, it’s important, and I don’t have time to do it myself right now.”
I’m interested. He’s never put me in charge of anything before. No one has.
“My wife wants to renovate and expand that salon. I know you have done some work with construction before and I thought it could be your project.”
He looks at me, his lips pulling into a tight line and a frown on his face.
“Look, Salvi, your dad is going to be around this side of things, a lot more than normal while we move some blow for the Russians. This way you can stay out of his sight, because I want him where I can see him, I’m concerned about him.”
Concerned. The way Rain says it has an air of impending doom to it. My dad has pissed him off, he’s being watched – he’s made a mistake.
“Consider it a chance to do something different, and stay away from him while we deal with this … this stuff.”
“Sure. I guess. You are the boss, Rain.”
I run my fingers through my hair, pulling it back off my face. I feel like I’m being sidelined from the action, but also that he is protecting me from something.
“What exactly are we doing to the salon?”
“Whatever she wants, just do it. She wants the upstairs space too and I have made arrangements. It’s empty, but a mess. You will need to gut it down to the shell and start over.” He moves to sit down. “Use some of the guys we had helping at the old warehouse, they’ve all been after work. Rat, just make my wife happy, because nothing I do does.”
He shakes his head and cradles it in his hands. He looks old.
He’s not that much older than I am, but the responsibility of being the next in line to this family has aged him. Growing up, he always battled with right and wrong. Rain likes right and this entire business is built on foundations of wrong. We were close once, before we had to be men and do what our fathers said.
“Things a little harder than you thought? I don’t understand why now, Rain? Just let her go again, this looks like it’s killing you.”
“She doesn’t want to go.”
He looks up at me like that’s the worst thing ever. I thought she’d run for the hills, kicking and screaming, putting up a fight, but I don’t pretend to understand women.
“Isn’t that a good thing? I mean, that she wants to be with you?” I am so confused.
“I think she’s just staying because she’s afraid of me.”
He might have a point, he is a scary fucker.
“Okay, well, when do you want me to start this thing?” I certainly don’t want to be here if my father will be in and out.
“Go see her today, set it up with her, Rat,