to do it. Joker has an abundance of respect in this city.”
“Leave two of the five alive, aside from myself. Defeats the purpose of hunting them all down and killing their entire lines. One is already gone and the second will be soon enough.”
“No. You leave Joker and his wife alive. You leave my fiancée and her father’s family alive. You take out everyone else, their families too if you’d like. Or I will, if you prefer. I’m not opposed to getting my hands dirty. What sort of bloke would I be if I didn’t offer to do my part? If it needs to be done, I can handle it.”
He’s silent, pondering my words. At least I hope he’s thinking over them, but who the fuck knows what goes through the tosser’s mind. “Three remain at the table. Three too many,” he eventually mentions, not giving two thoughts as to offering us a touch of leeway.
I have to hold myself back from sighing aloud and not stirring the pot. I’m not used to having to behave and it’s giving me hives. This bloody prick is going to drive me bonkers. He’s not going to make this easy on us. I cast my pissed-off gaze to Thaddaeus, gauging his reaction. He gives nothing away, not that I was expecting him to. “Then we negotiate. Leave my fiancée’s immediate family alive, but murder the rest.”
“No,” the barmy Vendetti barks out. “I leave her alive, not her famiglia. None of them sit at the table or they’ll wind up dead as well. Too many people have control sitting in those chairs and they don’t deserve as much.”
“We have business interests with her father. We offer him life in return for stepping down after he brings Joker’s uncle out into the open. The only two people sitting at the table will be you and Joker when this is finished. Power will be split between two chairs only.”
“Hm,” he grunts, not permitting any clues through as to what he’s thinking. Thank fuck this isn’t a bloody poker game. I’d be sweating. I’m not a patient man in the slightest, and Dante Vendetti clearly has no qualms with allowing people to wait until he’s good and ready.
I can’t stop imagining myself reaching forward and slamming his head into the table. My fists clench as my temper climbs my spine, an evil disease rapidly expanding through my body, gearing up for havoc. My limbs are vibrating from the need to punish the disrespectful fuck sitting across from us and having to hold back. I’m not known for my compassion or having a level head. I should get a bonus for this shit today.
“What can you offer me, Joker?” He releases a breath and shifts his attention back on my boss, cutting me out again. Fucking arsehole. I hope we have a chance to play when this is all said and done. I’d rather enjoy making the ogre bleed.
“Why do I need to offer you anything?” Thaddaeus retorts just as tenacious as Dante, apparently. This is never going to end at this rate.
“I don’t think you’ve grasped my position fully. My Capo has given his blessing for me to take my wrath out on this city. The Bottaro famiglia sat in my place at the table before. They made the dire mistake of crossing Ruthless, of threatening the safety of the Vendetti queen. I’m here to right that wrong. To rid this city of the bosses who once sat at the coveted table, giving orders they had no business making in the first place. It will happen, no matter who I have to go through and teach a lesson.”
T tilts his head, peering at Dante with a newfound respect. “I admire you for taking care of your famiglia. I would do the same if it involved my wife.” Of course, he would. It always comes back to Grace. It’s been that way since he saw her in the restaurant and became obsessed with her.
Dante nods. “Si.”
“I was cast out from my famiglia. I didn’t support how things were done, how Mafia came before famiglia to them, regardless of preaching the opposite as I grew up. I was charged with running the streets and only permitted to request help from the syndicate if it was a life or death situation. I wanted to make my own way, so it was no love lost on my part being a street boss to them. I learned to get my own crew—one