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"Are you calling to get help to bail him out?" Marcus asked.
Not a chance in hell.
"No, sir. I'm calling to inform you that I called my grandfather and told him that Dante had been shot. When he told me that he would be flying here tomorrow morning, I told him he was not allowed in my territory."
"I see."
"He tried to argue that Brooklyn still belonged to him and he could take it back because I allowed my half-brother to be shot." I brushed my hand over the top of my head before glancing up at the ceiling of the car. "Frankly, sir, if I had been there, I would have shot Dante myself. He assaulted my husband."
"Your husband?"
"Yes, sir. I know it's not the norm and according to my grandfather I am an abomination for being gay, but my sexual preferences do not prevent me from leading Brooklyn. One has nothing to do with the other."
"I'm not sure how the other families would feel about that."
"The heads of the Italian, Russian, and Irish families here in New York are all married to men. It's actually given us better terms in dealing with each other. We are currently discussing a treaty agreement and opening up business opportunities between our territories."
"I see."
I hated it when he said that. It gave me no clue as to what he was thinking.
"Sir, Brooklyn was given to me by my grandfather under the conditions that I married Delancy and insured that my quarterly donations were made in full and on time. I've fulfilled one of those conditions when I married Delancy. I will fulfill the other one. Brooklyn is mine, not my grandfather's."
"Can you prove that?"
"Prove what?" I was confused.
"That he turned Brooklyn over to you."
"Yes, sir. I have the papers he signed the day I married Delancy giving me control of Brooklyn. I'm in the car right now, but I can fax a copy to you when I get home."
"Do that."
"Sir, were you not informed of this?"
"We were informed that Martinez was retiring, but my understanding was that your half-brother Dante was going to be taking over Brooklyn. You were just a temporary placement until Dante could get to New York."
"That bastard!" I slammed my fist into the ceiling of the car. "I knew he was going to try and pull a fast one. I just knew it."
"Might this be why Dante arrived at your house?"
"No." I tried not to snap, but I didn't think I was too successful. "That house belongs to me. I purchased it with money I earned. It doesn't belong to the family."
"You're not living in Martinez's old mansion?"
"No, sir. He's buddies with my grandfather. Who knows what he's done to that place?"
I was surprised by the chuckle I heard.
"Good call," Marcus said. "I wouldn't live there either."
"I did purchase an interesting place, though, sir. It used to belong to a mobster back in the 1920's. Delancy and I are restoring it now."
"We've held Brooklyn for generations. I believe the head of the family back in the 1920's was Don Carlos. I never met the man, but I've heard great things about him. He was quite the character."
"The house is quite the character, so it stands to reason the man would be, too," I said. God, there was still so much work that needed to be done on the place. "We've already found two hidden passageways and one hidden room."
"I'd be interested in seeing that."
