I glanced at Lucia. “I can’t say I’m surprised.”
“He let her go all alone.” Lucia looked off into the distance. “He sent her money, though.” She rolled her eyes.
“Lucia.” I don’t know why I felt the need to defend Dominic. I wasn’t, really; I just needed to explain how things were at our house. How my father was. “My father is a very domineering man. When we were kids, Sergio was the only one brave enough to stand up to him.” She opened her mouth to speak, her expression unbelieving. “Wait. I’m not defending Dominic or what he did. I’m just telling you there is more to his story, another layer, like there is with your sister.”
I’m not sure if she accepted that or not.
“Luke and Isabella, they’re in love,” she said, changing the subject.
“I heard he’s out of surgery, and that he’s going to make it.”
“I’m so relieved.”
“There are still too many questions, Lucia. This isn’t over.”
“Who shot Luke?”
I shook my head. “Unclear. Luke was working with the younger Pagani, Paul Jr. His father forbade any interaction once he found out what his son was up to.”
“I think Dominic is more involved than you know, Salvatore.”
“What do you mean?”
“He and Isabella, I think they have been working together. She said they had an agreement.”
Fuck.
“I think she’s wondering if Dominic ordered Luke’s shooting.”
“So my little brother is working with Isabella DeMarco and Paul Pagani to bring down his own family?”
Our gazes locked, but neither of us said more.
As we pulled up to the tall gates of the house, I fished my phone out of my pocket and dialed Roman.
“What are you doing?” Lucia asked.
Roman answered.
“Where are you?” I asked.
“At your father’s. The last of the family is just leaving.”
“Are Natalie and Jacob there?”
“Just got here. She’s pissed.”
“Well, don’t unpack her.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m calling a family meeting. It’s an emergency. I want you to bring Natalie and Jacob to my house. And I want my father and Dominic here.”
“What?” Lucia asked.
“What meeting?” Roman asked. “What’s going on?”
“Tomorrow morning, I want a second meeting with you, my father, Dominic, both Paul Pagani Sr. and Jr., and Isabella DeMarco. I want you to arrange it.”
“Izzy?” Lucia asked, her eyes wide as I pulled the car to a stop at the front door.
“I’ll give you an hour to get the family over here. Call the others for tomorrow morning. Seven o’clock. That should give them enough time to get here. This is going to end.”
“Let’s meet with the family first and discuss this, Salvatore. I think it would be wise for us to—”
“This is fucking ending, Uncle. Period.”
I disconnected the call and turned to Lucia.
“Salvatore, you can’t involve my sister.”
“She’s already involved, Lucia. She involved herself.”
“No, I won’t allow it!”
“You won’t allow it?” I asked, getting out of the car and going around to her side. She’d already swung the door open and had her crutches on the ground, trying to climb out. I took the crutches in one hand and lifted her out with the other.
“Put me down. I can do this.”
“I don’t have time for this, Lucia.”
“I said put me down!”
“Christ. You are the most pigheaded…” I set her down, and she leaned on me until she could get the crutches under her. “Let’s go inside.”
“You want my sister in with that room full of killers?”
“It will be a peaceful meeting.” We entered the house, and I closed the front door behind us. “This is my house. I make the rules.” I dialed another number on my phone. Once it started to ring, I covered the mouthpiece and turned back to Lucia. “Go upstairs to your room. You’ll wait for me there.”
“I am not a goddamned child!”
“Then stop acting like one.”
Marco answered the call. He was still at the hospital. “Yes?”
“I need you back at the house. Arrange for two men to stay at the hospital. I’m calling a meeting for tomorrow morning. I need more men here. We’ll have the Pagani father and son along with Isabella DeMarco. The Paganis will bring their own guard. I’m calling for no weapons, but I want the manpower here.”
“I’m on it.”
“Thank you.” I could trust Marco to take care of things every time.