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At this, Blaze relaxes a little.
Goddammit.
He may be getting older, but his hearing is still just as sharp as ever.
“Something is up, though. I’m hoping Massimo is okay. He hasn’t answered my calls all day. I feel like something’s gone down, something I’m not privy to. It’s the only explanation as to why he hasn’t gotten back to me yet. He’s been my best friend, consigliere, and underboss for so many years, I can just sense it, you know.” He still sounds far off, stuck in his thoughts.
“I actually wanted to bring you both here, you and Massimo.”He now turns to actually face Blaze. I’m feeling awkward as heck.
“I want you to take over as second-in-charge. Massimo, like me, is getting on in years, and I think it’d be better for business to have you as our frontman. Besides, you’ve practically held the position and title of underboss lately anyway, with everything you’ve been doing for me.”
I look between them, feeling such adoration for both men, but in very different ways. One makes me feel like a princess, the other like a queen. I can’t help but thinkthis is exactly what every woman wishes for in their life.
“How does Massimo feel about this decision?” Blaze asks, sounding half-exuberant, half-tentative.
“I’ve left him a message to call me back. Don’t worry, I’ll handle him,” Dad replies reassuringly.
Blaze nods.
“Over the next couple of days, I will go over the very few details you don’t already know. And we’ll ramp up the last-minute organizing of stuff for Lake and her opening night next week,” Dad says as he rises from his chair and heads inside, leaving Blaze and me outside to watch over Lucifer, who is still snuffling through the yard.
“There’s actually not a lot left to be done now. Just one more delivery of alcohol and setting up the bar,” I say to Blaze, resting my head on his shoulder.
***
The next few days go by in a blur while we get everything set up at The Siren’s Speakeasy. Dad decided he wanted to take care of the security for the place, which was the one part I was willing to relinquish responsibility for. Considering everything in the city has been tense for the past month, I am more than happy to have Dad go through the grueling process of hiring private security.
Dad and Blaze have been huddled away in his office, tryingto get to the bottom of who has been trying to overturn the Morelli power in the city. Blaze says they are so close that he can practically taste their blood. As for Massimo, he hasn’t been around the past two days. He’s been ‘cooling off.’
It turned out Dad couldn’t get in contact with Massimo because he had gone on a drug, booze, and brothel bender. Dad wasnothappy and was ready to cut ties altogether because, being his consigliere and underboss, he should be accessible at all times unless he’s literally dying at someone else’s hand. I’m pretty sure it only cemented in Dad’s mind that the decision he’d made was the right call.
Massimo didn’t like having to step down from his role. Actually, he threw quite a little tantrum for a grown-ass man, yelling and screaming that Dad would regret letting someone like Blaze step up, Blaze wasn’t worthy, and didn’t their friendship account for anything? He seemed more infuriated that Blaze and I are together rather than the fact he essentially got demoted. Like he had some stake in claiming me, my stomach rolls with nausea at the thought. We haven’t seen him at all since he stormed out two days ago until today.
We’ve all fallen into some sense of normality. Even Massimo, with his nose still out of joint, has accepted his new role. With tomorrow being my big opening, the tension has again spiked. We sit around the table eating dinner. Thankfully, I didn’t have to cook tonight. Dad ordered pizza, my favorite, in celebration of me opening my first establishment.
Everyone is still tense and on edge, not willing to let our guard down. Everyone but Massimo, that is, which is weird. He and Dad usually feed off each other’s energy, so it’s odd they aren’t in sync tonight. I pass it off as Dad being hypervigilant.
Massimo breaks the silence. “So, Lakey, are you excited for tomorrow?”
“I am, actually.” Although I hate this man with a passion, Istill know how to be nice and civil, to keep the peace. I reach for Blaze’s hand and interlock our fingers. “Will you be coming by? I’ve already added your name to the guest list, naturally.”
He looks at my hand holding Blaze’s and takes a swig of his beer before answering with a tight smile. “I’ll be sure to make an appearance then.”
The rest of dinner goes just as awkwardly, and I’m not sure how much more I can tolerate. Standing, I ask Blaze, “You ready to go?”
He nods before standing.
“I’ll be staying at Blaze’s tonight. I’ll see you tomorrow night. I love you, Dad.” I lean down to kiss him on each cheek.
“Love you too,Bella, stay safe. Blaze, take care.” The implication that he should be taking care ofmerather than himself hangs heavy in the air.
“With my life,” is all he replies.
“See you tomorrow night, Massimo.” I give a half-hearted wave and a barely-there smile.
“Seeyou, Lakey.” His voice drips disgustingly in a honeyed tone. Blaze places his hand on my lower back in reassurance, knowing how gross Massimo makes me feel.
“Massimo.” Blaze nods at him in a goodbye. Massimo only responds with a grunt and a swig of his beer.
