Page 69 of Fight Me Little Pearl
“He wants Terra de Barbieri,” I say quietly. “So he’s going out of his way to form what he thinks are strong alliances.”
And just like that he understood that I knew.
“He will never get it,” I continue, “but I’m giving you a chance to get into a really juicy deal.”
“I don’t trust you.”
“Good.”
There’s another long pause. “What are you proposing?”
“Where can we meet?” I ask. “I’m not speaking about this over the phone.”
“You want us to meet so you can kill me?”
“You’re of no use to me dead.”
“Let me think about this,” he says. “It’s too big of a risk.”
“You have till the end of the day,” I say and hang up.
“He will take the offer,” Federico says. “He’s too greedy not to.”
“You look well,” I tell Roberto. “Did you enjoy Rosalia?”
Roberto’s face falls. “She rejected me.”
“That’s because you have no game,” I scoff and throw a sideways glance at Federico. “If it wasn’t for our deal, I’m sure Federico would have scored with her.”
Federico coughs and clears his throat. “You’re right. The girls love me.”
“How is your wife?” I ask.
“Fine,” he says with a frown, then snaps his mouth shut.
Roberto’s gaze volleys between us for a moment before he slumps in the chair. He knows me enough to know something is wrong, but he dare not ask.
The phone in Dutch’s hands rings, and he glances down at it with a smirk. “Vinny.”
I nod. “Give it to me.”
“Valentino,” Vinny says. “Before I take your deal, tell me what my share of Terra de Barbieri is?”
“Nothing.”
He sucks in an angry breath. “What the fuck?”
“It’s going to be a bustling fifteen-minute city. Many thousands of people will live there. Someone has to run the drugs and set up the brothels. You get to call all the other bosses and bring the deal to the table. Even better, you get to pick the sweetest cherries for yourself and share out the rest. That’s the deal. Take it or leave it.”
Vinny knows a great deal when he sees it. He pounces on it instantly.
“I’ll take it. When can we meet?”
Chapter Thirty-Two
VALENTINO
Imeet Vinny two hours later in a modern cafe in town. He refused to meet me at any of my clubs so I’d let him choose the location since that was what made him feel safe. I’m not scared of Vinny and I walk into the cafe alone, but Roberto, Dutch, and Vance have eyes on me. If I die, I’m taking him down to hell with me.
