why Frankie and Dad have let them do it, but they’re getting greedy now, and that’s going to be a problem. Rumor has it they have serious ties to one of the Five Families in New York, which isn’t anything new because we all do, technically, but they seem to think they’re connections gives them a power the rest of us don’t have. They don’t know how wrong they are.
“How you doing, Donnie?” Sammy says as he saunters in with his hands in his pockets. He has sharp facial features—a long jaw and a pointy nose and chin—and his brother looks just like him, except he’s a little plumper in the belly. They walk to the front of Dad’s desk and wait to be addressed. Still following the rules, for now. Sammy and Alfonse aren’t made guys, they’re simply a crew trying to gain credibility on their own, so rules must be followed.
Dad blows smoke into the air and eyeballs the two goons. He knows why they’re here, and he doesn’t like it. Frankie takes a seat in the corner behind the Cestone brothers and folds his arms. Everyone is tense, even me as I sit next to dad and glance out the big window overlooking the casino floor.
“What the fuck is this, Sammy?” Dad begins. “You coming over here unannounced? I don’t like it.”
“I apologize for that,” Sammy says, remaining calm. “We don’t mean no disrespect, Donnie, we know you’re a capo now. We just had some business we’d like to discuss with you.”
Dad exhales in annoyance, but he relents and tells them to sit down. They do, and Sammy gets started while Alfonse remains silent, looking past my father like he’s not even listening.
“We had an idea. This casino thing is looking pretty lucrative. I mean, I don’t know how you pulled it off, but becoming owner of this place was fucking genius, Donnie, I gotta tell you.”
“I appreciate that, Sammy, but what’s the fucking point?” Dad snips.
“Well, I’m glad you asked. You know who my Uncle Carlo is, don’t’ you?” Sammy asks. He leans back in his chair and makes himself comfortable.
“Why would I know who your uncle is?” Dad asks.
“Because he’s the don of the Lucchese Family now.” Sammy throws one leg over the other and smiles. He’s trying to play the “my uncle’s a boss in New York” card, and you don’t do that without having an agenda. You don’t try to trump a capo with a guy who’s not even in the same state, even if they are related to you, and even if your relative is a boss of one of the Original Five Families of New York.
“Okay, your uncle’s a boss in New York,” my dad says with venom in his voice. “What the fuck do I care? What’s that got to do with me?”
Sammy exhales and somehow manages to sit back even further. Considering the tone of the conversation, he’s entirely too relaxed. He’s an arrogant asshole and it’s rubbing my father and Frankie the wrong way. He’s even managing to get on my fucking nerves.
“The reason it’s important to you, Donnie, is because I know you don’t wanna piss off a head of one of The Five. You don’t need that kind of drama in your life. So, to avoid any unnecessary suffering to your thriving crew, I think it’d be a good idea if you and I went into business together. You know, kind of as a favor to New York.”
Dad doesn’t say a word. Frankie sits up and taps his jacket like he’s looking for a pack of cigarettes, but he’s really making sure his gun is where he expects it to be.
“You understand what I’m saying, Donnie?” Sammy asks, narrowing his eyes. “I don’t even need to be seen, hell I don’t want to be seen. I’ll just be behind the scenes. My brother and I were thinking you kick us seven percent every week and everything will be good to go. Everybody’s happy. Especially New York.”
The air in the room is thin, and the tension is thick. Dad glances at me, then his eyes bounce to Frankie before he finally stands up and straightens out his suit. He puffs on his cigar and blows the smoke right into Sammy’s face. Sammy doesn’t flinch.
“You got alotta balls, kid. Coming in here and thinking you can tax me on my casino is the ballsiest thing I’ve ever seen, and I admire that. It’s also the dumbest thing I’ve