Authors: Bethany-Kris

Tags: #The Chicago War

Reckless & Ruined (8 page)

Adriano’s fingernails bit into his palms as the newscast kept playing. The pain of clenching his fists so hard only served to keep Adriano from speaking. He wanted to demand answers from his father, but Riley didn’t look like he was in the mood to give any.

On the screen of the television, Adriano watched as a stretcher was rolled out of the entrance of a familiar mansion. Two EMTs stepped back from the lump on the stretcher as men wearing blue windbreakers moved closer. With their shoulders touching, the view of the stretcher was obscured on the camera, but the three letters on the backs of the officials’ coats were as clear as day: FBI.

After a few seconds, the officials stepped away from the stretcher. The EMTs took their place again. One fixed the top of the body bag before they resumed moving the stretcher down the large steps of the home. Police tape barricaded the front entrance and several vehicles swarmed with people, clearly investigators, stood chatting in groups.

The reporter on the left of the screen touched the ear piece on the side of her head and nodded.

“Officials have confirmed the identity of the deceased,” the woman stated, her voice monotone. “Terrance Trentini, aged sixty-nine with one living son and a daughter who is deceased, has been found dead in his home office early this morning. Mr. Trentini had a long running affiliation to the Chicago mob. In fact, many believe he was the purported leader of the family although others have argued that Riley Corrado Conti runs the main operation.

“Regardless of who is controlling the infamous Outfit, everyone agrees there has been a great deal of trouble within the crime empire. Several recent shootings and deaths have been linked back to the mob and all signs point to an inside war that is raging with no reason to name. This death could very well be yet another incident in this growing feud.”

Riley barked out a bitter laugh. “Sweetheart, you have no idea.”

The reporter touched her ear piece once more and said, “The officials will not release the name of the family member who found the body, but they did say the alleged mob boss had been celebrating at a wedding last night before returning home early without his family. As of now, they’re calling the death suspicious but no other information, including cause of death, has been given. The FBI is scheduled to give a public statement alongside the commissioner of the Chicago Police Department later in the afternoon. We will keep you updated on this story. Parker, back to you.”

“Yes, thank you, Delilah,” a new reporter said as the screen flashed back to the station.

Riley turned off the television.

“Of course,” Riley muttered. “It couldn’t be just a regular investigation. It has to be those fucking pigs. They just keep digging no matter what kind of mud they have to crawl through.”

Eve said nothing beside her father, but she shot Adriano a questioning look. Adriano shrugged his shoulders in response. He didn’t know what, if anything, to tell his sister about what they saw played out on the broadcast.

“I should call my lawyer and give him a heads-up,” Riley said.

“Why?” Adriano asked.

Riley waved at the television. “Didn’t you see that?”

Yes.

“So?”

Riley blew out his frustration in a breath. “Chances are, I’ll be called in for questioning. Not that I’d talk, but if I can help it, I don’t want to be dragged downtown at all.”

“Did you do it?” Adriano asked.

“Adriano!”

He didn’t even flinch at the heat in his father’s tone. “Did you?”

Riley passed a glance at Evelina. “This isn’t the time, son.”

“She isn’t stupid. She knows what goes on around here,” Adriano said.

“I’m uh … going to go get the breakfast started,” Evelina muttered, pushing up from the couch. “You’re staying for breakfast, Adriano?”

“Yeah,” he confirmed quietly.

Once Evelina was gone from the space, Riley stood from the chair. “You are unbelievable, Adriano.”

“You didn’t answer my question, Dad.”

“I am not required to, son.”

Adriano’s jaw clenched so hard, his molars ached. “You could have settled this without killing the boss.”

“I never said I did,” Riley murmured, appearing completely unbothered. “But it’ll all come out in the wash. Everything usually does, my boy.”

A small smile played at the corners of Riley’s mouth, proof of his joy over the news. It made Adriano sick.

“You had no reason to kill Terrance,” Adriano said.

“Assuming things only makes an ass out of you and me, Adriano. I had nothing to do with Terrance’s death.” Riley shrugged, asking, “But where were you last night, son?”

Adriano stilled. “I beg your pardon?”

“You didn’t stay for dinner like you were supposed to. I had guests after you left that asked after you. I need an excuse to pass off your absence if questioned. Give me one.”

“Are you suggesting I might have killed—”

“I suggested nothing. Give me an excuse.”

Adriano didn’t like liars and he wasn’t one, but he also didn’t want to get his sister in more trouble by telling on her for hanging around with Theo DeLuca. Adriano went with the next best thing—he didn’t mind taking his father’s bullshit.

“I went to see Alessa.”

Riley’s lips drew thin. “Well then. Why?”

“I wanted to check up on her.”

“This … little interest you have in that girl needs to stop, Adriano. I’ve never agreed with your fancy,” Riley said.

“I just look out for her, Dad.”

“Right. I didn’t realize my middle name was idiot.”

Adriano cleared his throat. “I didn’t say it was.”

“You are both beyond the age where people will believe you’re simply
looking out for her
, son. Right now, with the Outfit in an uproar, it is even more important that my children be open and available for a marriage if the need arises.”

Like fuck.

“I’m not going to marry someone just because you tell me to.”

“You will do as I say,” Riley replied.

“I have done everything you wanted me to. I quit college to work under your men fulltime. I look out for Eve like you ask. You’ve marked out every second of my future without my input, but I didn’t mind. I will not let you force me into a marriage with someone I don’t know or give a shit about.”

Riley’s expression remained passive and cool as he said, “I married a woman I barely knew and didn’t care much for. Look at how we turned out.”

“Yeah, look at how you turned out,” Adriano said, scoffing. “You fucked around on Mom every chance you had and now that she’s dead, you’re acting like the vengeful, grieving husband to propel yourself higher. Oh, I fucking see, Dad. Don’t worry.”

“Watch your mouth, Adriano.”

“I’ll refuse to marry if you push me into it.”

“You won’t have a choice. You’re more than aware that in this life, love has very little say, Adriano. You chose the button and the family, now you live with what it means. Do I have someone in mind for you yet? No. That doesn’t mean something might not come up in the near future. Make it easy on us all and cut whatever ties you have to Terrance’s granddaughter.”

Adriano’s spine straightened. “Alessa—”

“I don’t want to hear her name coming out of your mouth again.”

“Are you telling me to stay the fuck away from her entirely?” Adriano asked. “That even if this all blows over, I can’t have anything to do with her?”

Adriano didn’t think he could do that.

Riley just laughed. “Oh, Adriano. I won’t have to. After today, that girl won’t want a damn thing to do with you. Who do you think that family is going to blame for Terrance’s death? It doesn’t matter if I didn’t do it, they just need a proper scapegoat. We’re the perfect one to use.”

“You’re wrong,” Adriano said.

He had to be wrong.

“You know I’m not.”

“Christ, haven’t you heard of a dishwasher?” Evelina dropped the dishrag into the sink, splattering bubbles everywhere. “You have at least a few days’ worth of dishes to wash, Adriano.”

Adriano resisted the urge to bark at his sister. His irritation was beginning to manifest into annoyance at every little thing. Evelina didn’t deserve his anger. “I’ve been busy the last couple of days.”

“Doing what?”

“Nothing,” Adriano said quickly.

Eve eyed her brother over her shoulder. “You can talk to me. You know that, right?”

“Sure.”

“So talk, little brother.”

“You realize I tower over you, right?” Adriano asked.

Eve shrugged. “So? I was born almost two years before you. Size matters very little. I’m still the older one.”

“Whatever. I could pick you up and jog around the block and still not be out of breath. Little my fucking ass.”

“Keep thinking that,” his sister teased in a sing-song manner.

Adriano watched his sister begin washing the dishes in his sink again. “I can do those dishes, Eve.”

“I know.”

“So stop. I don’t need a damn maid.”

Eve sighed. “Yeah, but then I’d have to go back to Dad’s. At least when I’m at your apartment, he leaves me the hell alone.”

True enough.

Adriano dropped it and decided to move onto something different. He wanted to test the waters with Evelina and how she felt about their father’s actions and Terrance Trentini’s murder. Sometimes, with Adriano’s family, it was good to know who was thinking what before he blurted out his own thoughts.

“The funeral for Terrance is next week. Monday, actually.”

“I’ve heard,” Evelina said quietly. “How long did they hold the body before releasing it?”

“Not long,” Adriano answered. “But they had the cause of death. Bullet wound to the face. It’s probably going to be a closed casket.”

“Why wait so long for the funeral?”

“It’s not that long, Eve,” Adriano said. “They were lucky to get the body released after just four days with all the crap from the FBI.”

“Long enough, Adriano. They’re waiting another four days for the funeral.”

“I imagine they’re just getting everything sorted. Plus, they’re probably waiting for the happy couple to be done with their honeymoon so they can be at the funeral, too. We weren’t invited.”

“Heard that, too,” Evelina replied.

“Dad is going,” Adriano said.

Eve’s stance turned rigid. “Seriously?”

“Yeah.”

“He’s got some balls,” Evelina said, shaking her head.

“Well, it’s either that, or he wants to really piss someone off.”

“Considering how he kicked Terrance out at Mom’s funeral, does he really think the Trentini family is just going to welcome him in with open arms?” Evelina asked.

Adriano stayed silent, not knowing how to answer that question.

Evelina must have noticed his reluctance, because she turned to face him with a raised eyebrow. “Adriano?”

“I don’t think his point is to try and make up with them, Eve,” Adriano said slowly, hoping his sister would get the point.

“Oh?”

“No.”

Evelina chewed on her inner cheek before asking, “What, then?”

“I think he’s looking to make a point without saying anything at all.”

“Stop being a little shit and tell me whatever it is that you’re dancing around, Adriano.”

“Dad wants to show how powerful he is without Terrance’s influence on the other families,” Adriano explained. “Like, he’s the one making the calls. He’s the one who can make the calls. The boss is dead, you know.”

“And another one is ready to step up,” Evelina whispered.

“Basically.”

Eve frowned. “What about us? Are we going to have to go to the funeral, too?”

“Yeah,” Adriano confirmed.

“That seems really … asshole-ish.”

“I get it, Eve.” Adriano noted his sister’s long sleeved shirt. For it nearing the last weeks of August, it was a little muggy outside for her to be wearing that. “Bruises still there?”

Eve turned back to the sink quickly. “Don’t worry about it.”

“You know I’m going to.”

Especially now that Riley had ordered Evelina to live back at home. Adriano briefly considered moving back as well, just to keep an eye on his father and sister, but he had enough on his own plate and that would just mean extra travel. He didn’t think Riley would go after Evelina in a physical way again, not after Adriano stepped in the last time.

“He’s not being a fucking jackass, right?” Adriano asked.

“Dad isn’t talking to me at all,” Evelina replied.

“That’s not what I asked, Evelina.”

“I know.”

“So tell me.”

“He’s been okay, but sometimes he’s just off,” Evelina said. “Weird, you know.”

“My place is open,” Adriano told her.

Eve nodded, continuing her work at the sink. “I’ll keep that in mind if anything happens again.”

“Do that.”

“And what about you?” Evelina asked quietly.

“What about me?”

“You’ve been staring at your phone all afternoon, Adriano.”