“Renzo, is that true?” Alesio didn’t break eye contact with me.
Renzo cleared his throat, and dipped his head against his chest. “It was a misunderstanding. I apologized and agreed not to go back there again. It’s all settled. There’s no reason for a sit-down.”
My dad dropped his hands to his sides, the corners of his eyes crinkling while he squinted at me. “What’s this about?”
I lowered my gun, stuffing it back into the holster hidden beneath my leather jacket. “He accosted Carmela Trassato in the bathroom, spewing all kinds of crap.”
“What the fuck was going through your head?” Alesio shoved his gun into the waistband of his pants. “We finally put that shit with the Trassatos behind us, and now you’re stirring the pot again. If Gian hears you harassed his sister, he’s going to be gunning for us again.”
Renzo backpedaled, his hands buried deep in the pockets of his black suit. I had no clue why the Italians felt the need to walk around like they were a bunch of pretentious bankers instead of seedy criminals like the rest of us.
“I know. Like I said, it was a misunderstanding. I was shitfaced. All that crap with the Trassatos came rushing back to me, and I acted like an ass.”
“That business between your brother and Rocco is over. I don’t want to hear about it again or you will be broken. You understand? I don’t care who was fucking who, who got who pregnant, or who threw the first punch. It doesn’t matter. It was buried with your brother and Rocco, and that’s where it needs to stay.”
“Got it,” Renzo said through gritted teeth. “It won’t happen again.”
A few tense moments passed with them eyeballing each other, presumably communicating silently.
Alesio cleared his throat. “So, Alix, why’d you call this meeting?”
“I think it’s time to renegotiate the DiTonnos’ cut of the car exports. We agreed to five percent a year ago. It was a fair deal for both of us back when the profits were lower and the business model wasn’t proven. Now, however, the business has grown and the risk has decreased. We think two point five percent would be more in line with the services you’re providing.”
Alesio’s shoulders snapped back and his hands flexed. “You want to cut our share in half?”
“Yeah, I do.” My dad’s smile curled up his face like a snake soaking up a little sunlight. “But it’s your choice. I could negotiate something with the Trassatos. I’m sure you heard about my daughter marrying Gian, and you already heard how close Kon is with Carmela. They’re practically family, whereas you guys are simply business partners. I know if I bring this opportunity to them, they’ll treat me right.”
Alesio’s fingers twitched at his sides and his eyes narrowed, calculating his next move. Renzo’s head seesawed. My dad’s smile stretched wider until he resembled a macabre jack-o-lantern. He thrived on danger and confrontation, loving it almost as much as the power and money.
The air conditioning unit hummed. A tiny plumbing leak struck a steady drip, drip, drip. The air churned with enough testosterone to supply twenty men. Alesio lifted his hand, making a move toward his gun.
“Don’t even think about it,” I snarled, pulling a gun from each side of my holster. There were a lot of rumors about me, some true and some false. My ability to shoot with either hand was true. I’d mastered it the summer I turned sixteen. I could take out both Alesio and Renzo before either of them could blink, much less get off a shot. I was that good. “We get into a shootout and neither of you will be walking out of here alive.”
“Fucking hell,” Alesio cursed. “The boss is not going to like it if I bend over and agree to half our profits.”
“He doesn’t have to like it,” I snapped. “He has to accept it or we’ll put out feelers for more cooperative business partners. I’m sure we’ll have more than a few takers.”
“Four percent,” Alesio countered. “With an option to reconsider in a year.”
“Three percent,” I said, jabbing the muzzle of my gun toward him.
“Three and a half.”
“Done,” Alix interjected. “The new percentage will be effective immediately.”
Grinning, I stuffed my guns back into the hostler. “As always, it was good doing business with you. Now get out of my face. I have shit to do to make sure the latest shipment sets sail tomorrow.”
“What about our other deals?” Alesio prodded.
My dad flipped the lock and opened the door. “Right now they’re fine. If anything changes, Kon or I will be in touch.”