would be good, brother, because I’m fairly certain things aren’t great at home for her.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? They need money or something? I sent Vi—”
“No, nothing like that,” I say, cutting him off. “They’re just butting heads. I suppose I’m partially to blame, I’ve been popping up every chance I can to check on Violet, and we know how your mother feels about me.”
He grumbles something incoherent into the line and I continue, “Violet’s talking about getting her own apartment and with your permission, I want to set that up for her.”
The second Violet told me Flora smacked her, my first thought was that I’d move her in here with me. But I knew that wasn’t an option. Sure, I had plenty of rooms to spare, but I need to be careful where Violet is concerned. Too many things were up in the air. Too many men were coming and going through these doors and until I got a firm handle on my life as the boss of the Pastore family, I couldn’t have her living here.
So, setting her up with her own place is the next best thing as far as I’m concerned. There’s a nice new complex down by the ferry. The condos are pricey, but I need as many legit business ventures as possible and you can’t go wrong with real estate these days.
The more thought I give it, the more it sounds like the best solution.
“You want my permission to set Violet up with an apartment,” he slurs, bringing my focus back to him. I don’t need anyone’s permission to do anything least of all Joaquin’s. I’m doing it out of respect. “I vaguely remember Jimmy Gold having us shop apartments in Bay Ridge a couple of years back for his mistress.”
I narrow my eyes.
“What are you getting at?”
“I don’t know man, you tell me. I call you to give you the weekly numbers on Temptations and my sister answers the phone. Come to find out you and her are having a cozy dinner for two in your fucking new pad. Now, you say you want to get her an apartment because she and my ma are having issues,” he scoffs, pausing before he goes on with his rant. “If my sister needs a place to go, I’ll take care of it. In the meantime, why don’t you put this kind of effort into protecting your own sister? Gina probably already has a bullseye on her back.”
I’ve been real easy on him since losing Pilar, but I’m having a hard time remaining cool right now.
“How the fuck are you going to set her up with a place to crash when you can’t take care of yourself and you never answer her fucking calls?”
“Fuck you,” he spats. “You want to throw stones meanwhile I’ve been cleaning up your messes for the last couple of years. Every relationship you have is a disaster. Your sister hates you, your uncle is just using you as a pawn in his game, and now you want to drag my sister into that wasteland you call a life.”
“You know what—fuck this and fuck you. I don’t need your permission to do anything. I’m taking care of Violet and if you don’t like it then come for me, motherfucker. Peel yourself away from the bottle and grab your fucking balls, I’ll be waiting for you on Todt Hill.”
With that I disconnect the call. It takes every fucking ounce of self-control not to throw the damn thing into the swimming pool. Instead, I shove it back inside my pocket and walk toward the railing. Bracing my hands around the iron, I stare out at the sprawling backyard and draw in a deep breath.
Your sister hates you, your uncle is just using you as a pawn in his game, and now you want to drag my sister into that wasteland you call a life.
Someone once told me if you don’t like the way the world sees you, don’t change yourself, change the world. I don’t think my mother meant the underworld per say, but maybe it’s time I take that advice.
~*~
My conversation with Joaquin left me in a piss poor mood and instead of joining Violet in the bathtub, I decided to pop open another bottle of wine and poured myself a tall glass. The alcohol didn’t do much—it never does.
I wasn’t about to adhere to Joaquin’s warning—that much I knew. The decision was already made where Violet was concerned. Tomorrow, after my