Page 64 of Princess's Revenge
De Soto reins back, but we lock eyes and never break the hateful gaze.
Don Cassaduchi takes three breaths from his oxygen, then looks at everyone at the table and rasps, “Would everyone mind giving us…some,” he takes oxygen again, “room to speak in private? Boss to boss?”
Don Torrio stands, “Of course, Michael.” Then he says to everyone else, “There’s a bottle of scotch just over there, how about we wet our whistles gentleman?”
Anthony squeezes my shoulder, so does Vincenzo. They file out with Josh, Leo and Don Torrio leading the way.
The guards are far enough away in the corners that they can’t hear anything.
When we’re both sure everyone is out of earshot, Don Cassaduchi takes a few more breaths from his oxygen.
He looks like dead shit. I have no idea how old he is, but I think some garlic and few well-placed crucifixes would send him to his grave.
He slowly leaves the mask on his chest and gasps, “You hate me, don’t you?”
“Hate is such a strong word, Don Cassaduchi. I don’t know you well enough to hate you. I hate what youdid, that goes without saying, but the more I become acquainted withmyfamily’s enterprises, the more I realize we shouldn’t let emotions rule us. It’s bad for business. It’s best to keep a cool head.”
I should get a fucking Oscar for my performance.
I go on, “Something Mr. de Soto seems incapable of at the moment, don’t you think?”
He nods pensively. “You are your father’s daughter,” he says, then pauses…maybe to gauge what I’m thinking. I’ve got him on the back foot now, I know it.
He breathes his oxygen again, “So, Donna Andrea Lupertazzi, you didn’t call thissit-downto…”he coughs anduses his mask, “announce your arrival. You’re no debutant. You already have a third of this city carved,”cough, cough, cough,“out for you.”He takestwo long hits of oxygen. “You have other things on your mind, yes?”
“Indeed, I do.”
He breathes through his mask…two breaths. “What are they?”
Hmm…
He coughs in a fit and one of the guards move toward him to help, but he puts his hand up in a—stop—kind of motion, then puts a handkerchief to his mouth, ejecting red and yellow. I don’t know if it’s puss or phlegm.
Fucking gross.
“If you seek an old man’s death, I assure you, I’m nearly there.”
Oh…I’m still going to kill you, you disgusting old prick.I’ll makesureI kill you before you die.“The lines must be redrawn, I want them back the way they were when my father was boss.”
He shakes his head—No.“Arrangements were made that cannot be undone.”
“You seem to be under the impression that I was asking. Allow me to explain—You made those arrangements with Vincenzo. They weren’t valid. You’re dealing with me now. I’ve told you what’s going to happen. How you choose to deal with it is up to you.”
The look he gives me is like he’s scared and trying to hide it. “This family sees four-million-dollars a year from that business.Yourfamily sees fifteen-percent of that. You’re willing to make your own pocket lighter for this?”
“I wouldn’t have said it otherwise, Don Cassaduchi.”
He stares at me for a long time, wearing a frown, the wheels in his head turning, then says, “It cannot be done. I think you know this. I think this is why you are asking for it.”
“I told you before—I’m not asking.”
“Maybe I can come up with a number that would put this unpleasantness to bed?”
“I said no to six-hundred-thousand-dollars a year and you think there’s a number?”
He takes some oxygen before he tries again. “I can offer you de Soto’s head for things to stay as they are.”He’s just showed his hand.All he cares about is money. He has no honor.
“I have a counter offer,” I smile politely.