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Ruben went to Marius as he ascended the stairs, and he was instantly wrapped in those big arms. Sel was jealous. Not that he would take that from his new friend, but when fear struck, there was maybe nothing more comforting than another man’s arms.
“I wish Dex would get back,” Prince said, as if echoing Sel’s thoughts.
“Where’d he go?”
“To check on Dallas and the cowboys,” Ruben explained. “He went with a couple of those mob guys.”
“Stop saying mob guys,” Prince told him, laughing. “They’re just…guys.”
“You’re just saying that because you’re one of the mob guys,” Ruben reasoned with a casual shrug.
Prince blinked over at him, then did his own shrugging. “I guess so, huh?”
“So, you’re a genius, right?” Sel asked.
Prince waved him on. “No. I’m just good with computers. My mom was a genius. She was the one that made all the software that made us rich. My mom was amazing. I’m just…following her.”
“You can do things with computers that no one can. You alone could make as much money. Why…why did you come here with Dex to work for my family when you could have made billions all on your own?”
Prince stared down at some spot on the porch, his smile a little sad. “I would have never gotten the chance to do it. My dad…he made me take business classes. He didn’t want me developing more software. He wanted others to do that, others that would be easily manipulated. Or cheaper, or whatever. He never gave me a real reason for it.”
“He was afraid you’d make your own, go off on your own to another company already big or make your own,” Sel said. “That’s an easy one.”
“Easy? How?”
Ruben and Prince were on the edges of their seats to hear more.
Sel took a deep breath as Indio stood over by his motorcycle, facing away from them. Sel watched him as he told the two, “Well, it’s like this. If my dad and uncle hadn’t been tight, and they had no trust for each other, Antonio would have kept Dante down, so there wouldn’t be any fight for the top job. Dante could have gone off and started his own family, but Antonio wouldn’t have wanted that either, so he’d give Dante jobs to appease him without ever letting him know the secrets of the family.”
Ruben gasped loudly. “Are you kidding me? His own dad was so worried about him starting his own company that he was going to give him some low level shit job?”
A sardonic bit of laughter came from Prince as he agreed. “That’s exactly it. How did your family get past it?”
“They trusted each other. My dad could have chosen anyone to head up the family while we were little kids. He knew he could trust Dante, and he was right. Dante turned the business into what it is and my dad was there all the way through it. Dante never cut my dad out of anything. Your dad, well, that’s just not how he wanted to do it.”
“That says it all, doesn’t it? My dad didn’t want me to take over.”
Sel grabbed his hand. “You have a new family now.”
“I know. I love this family. Dex…he’s my family.”
Again, huge twinges of pure jealousy fired through his veins.
Ruben stood and stretched, complaining, “We have to figure out dinner. I guess if I’m the little house husband right now, I should make it count.”
“House husband?”
“Oh, didn’t I tell you? Dallas and Marius, the two macho apes, won’t let me go out on the ranch. I have to stay home and safe.”
Sel got up with him. “Well, it just so happens I can make a mean baked ziti. Let me cook tonight.”
Ruben grabbed his hand and pulled him to the door. “Let’s go, then!”
“Prince, coming?”
Prince laughed and followed them into the kitchen. “Isn’t it a little early for dinner?”
“My sauce takes a while,” Sel explained. “Okay, sous chefs! I need onion, garlic, tomatoes, sausage, hamburger, olive oil, and wine.”
