have a favor to ask.” Lorenzo stood like a soldier at attention. Asking for a favor made his body tense more than when he’d spent two months at military academy. He’d been kicked out of some of the best prep schools in California.
Grandpop nodded. His grey hair was thinning, but nothing else about him was less than robust. Even seated, his muscular frame and vitality intimidated more than the Patton-like commanding officer of that military school.
“My father’s been blackmailing me for years.”
Grandpop snuffed an angry hiss and shook his head. “ Bastardo .” He waved a hand at Lorenzo, signaling him to continue.
“He told me I could never escape who I am. But I’m not going to be him.” Lorenzo relaxed his shoulders and gripped the back of the sofa. “My father gave all the evidence to his associate, Uri Volkov. I have to convince him to exchange it.”
“For what?” Grandpop leaned forward, his silver eyebrows raised.
“The clubs. If that’s enough.” Uri wouldn’t broker a deal with Lorenzo. Uri only dealt with men he considered old enough to be wise, and wise enough to be in charge of their families—or men, like Lorenzo’s father, who had something on him.
Grandpop twisted the wedding ring he still wore, though his wife had passed a year before Aunt Angela. He pointed a sinewy finger at Lorenzo. “It will be, if I tell him it’s enough.” Grandpop rose. He walked to a side table and poured himself a shot of Sambuca. He raised the glass to Lorenzo. “Success.” Grandpop knocked back the clear liqueur in one gulp. “Vincente, go get Nico. He’ll drive.”
Vincente nodded and strode back out the door.
“I know why you’re doing this, Lorenzo.” Grandpop stood in front of him. He waited for Lorenzo to meet his stare.
Lorenzo shifted his feet and stared back. He scratched the side of his mouth. “I want to change.”
“For Lita. Enzo told me—”
“None of you can judge me.” Lorenzo stepped closer to Grandpop, looming over him.
Grandpop raised his eyebrows and frowned. He placed a hand on Lorenzo’s shoulder and squeezed. Lorenzo flinched at the sharp pinch to some nerve he hadn’t known was there.
Grandpop released his hold and patted Lorenzo’s shoulder. “We’ve all done wrong. But thinking love alone will change you—it’s a false hope. Enzo loves that girl like she was his daughter. And I see why. We have more experience—”
Lorenzo didn’t need to be told about false hopes. He needed to believe. “Then don’t help me.” Lorenzo turned.
“ Impaziente . Stop interrupting. I’ll help you. I know what it is to lose love.” Grandpop’s voice lowered to a whisper.
Lorenzo faced him. “I don’t know if Lita will have me.” His body ached. “I want her to see I can be the man she believes I could be…” He sank onto the arm of the sofa.
“The man she sees with eyes of love.” Grandpop nodded. “When she speaks of you…” He snorted out a breath, like a frustrated bull. “Up, up. Andiamo . We’re due for supper at Enzo’s in a few hours.” He snapped his fingers and strode out.
Lorenzo hopped up. Eyes of love…Lorenzo rubbed his hand over his mouth to wipe away his smile. He walked out. Lita loved him. Or so Grandpop thought. Her kisses said yes. Her body said yes. If he stopped saying no…yes would win.
***
Nico, Grandpop’s security man, parked the car outside the modest house of Uri Volkov. Volkov had been a business associate of Lorenzo’s father, who’d had no friends, only associates, and Lorenzo.
The sun filtered through the trees lining the block in the inner Richmond District, painting shadows along the sidewalk. Lorenzo gripped the paper bag of Celeste’s jam-filled cookies they’d stopped to buy at D’Angelo’s. Volkov had a sweet tooth. Besides, Grandpop never showed up empty-handed. Or without back-up.
Lorenzo followed Grandpop and Vincente up the stone stairs. Nico waited in the car. Vincente pushed the button
Grandpop nodded. His grey hair was thinning, but nothing else about him was less than robust. Even seated, his muscular frame and vitality intimidated more than the Patton-like commanding officer of that military school.
“My father’s been blackmailing me for years.”
Grandpop snuffed an angry hiss and shook his head. “ Bastardo .” He waved a hand at Lorenzo, signaling him to continue.
“He told me I could never escape who I am. But I’m not going to be him.” Lorenzo relaxed his shoulders and gripped the back of the sofa. “My father gave all the evidence to his associate, Uri Volkov. I have to convince him to exchange it.”
“For what?” Grandpop leaned forward, his silver eyebrows raised.
“The clubs. If that’s enough.” Uri wouldn’t broker a deal with Lorenzo. Uri only dealt with men he considered old enough to be wise, and wise enough to be in charge of their families—or men, like Lorenzo’s father, who had something on him.
Grandpop twisted the wedding ring he still wore, though his wife had passed a year before Aunt Angela. He pointed a sinewy finger at Lorenzo. “It will be, if I tell him it’s enough.” Grandpop rose. He walked to a side table and poured himself a shot of Sambuca. He raised the glass to Lorenzo. “Success.” Grandpop knocked back the clear liqueur in one gulp. “Vincente, go get Nico. He’ll drive.”
Vincente nodded and strode back out the door.
“I know why you’re doing this, Lorenzo.” Grandpop stood in front of him. He waited for Lorenzo to meet his stare.
Lorenzo shifted his feet and stared back. He scratched the side of his mouth. “I want to change.”
“For Lita. Enzo told me—”
“None of you can judge me.” Lorenzo stepped closer to Grandpop, looming over him.
Grandpop raised his eyebrows and frowned. He placed a hand on Lorenzo’s shoulder and squeezed. Lorenzo flinched at the sharp pinch to some nerve he hadn’t known was there.
Grandpop released his hold and patted Lorenzo’s shoulder. “We’ve all done wrong. But thinking love alone will change you—it’s a false hope. Enzo loves that girl like she was his daughter. And I see why. We have more experience—”
Lorenzo didn’t need to be told about false hopes. He needed to believe. “Then don’t help me.” Lorenzo turned.
“ Impaziente . Stop interrupting. I’ll help you. I know what it is to lose love.” Grandpop’s voice lowered to a whisper.
Lorenzo faced him. “I don’t know if Lita will have me.” His body ached. “I want her to see I can be the man she believes I could be…” He sank onto the arm of the sofa.
“The man she sees with eyes of love.” Grandpop nodded. “When she speaks of you…” He snorted out a breath, like a frustrated bull. “Up, up. Andiamo . We’re due for supper at Enzo’s in a few hours.” He snapped his fingers and strode out.
Lorenzo hopped up. Eyes of love…Lorenzo rubbed his hand over his mouth to wipe away his smile. He walked out. Lita loved him. Or so Grandpop thought. Her kisses said yes. Her body said yes. If he stopped saying no…yes would win.
***
Nico, Grandpop’s security man, parked the car outside the modest house of Uri Volkov. Volkov had been a business associate of Lorenzo’s father, who’d had no friends, only associates, and Lorenzo.
The sun filtered through the trees lining the block in the inner Richmond District, painting shadows along the sidewalk. Lorenzo gripped the paper bag of Celeste’s jam-filled cookies they’d stopped to buy at D’Angelo’s. Volkov had a sweet tooth. Besides, Grandpop never showed up empty-handed. Or without back-up.
Lorenzo followed Grandpop and Vincente up the stone stairs. Nico waited in the car. Vincente pushed the button
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