Page 131 of Thin Lines (Donati Bloodlines 2)

“He did it on the low, the meeting was very quiet withlittle men between us both, and it was over quickly.”

Still, Calisto wondered why Affonso would go behindhis back to meet with the Irish boss in Jersey. It was the sort of thing thathe should have been involved in, being Affonso’s consigliere.

“Affonso was interested in some of the undergroundtrades we have a hand in—importing, exporting, and that sort of thing,” Connorcontinued.

“He has a hand in all of that,” Calisto said,confused.

“I think he was interested in merging a few of ourtrades to maximize the profits,” Connor explained. “I was agreeable, but Iwanted an insurance, so to speak.”

“Which was what?”

“He promised to hand me over some of his territory,and he did for a while.”

Calisto sighed. “Would those be the streets where thefirst soldier was killed?”

“Ah, yes. Sorry about that, but it was bound to happenafter several scuffles.”

“He was seventeen,” Calisto said.

“This life is a hard one,” Connor replied, unaffected.

“Keep going. I don’t see how this justifies anything,or why it continued to grow into this huge of an issue between our families.”

“At our second meeting, I had invited Affonso to myhome,” Connor said, smiling sadly. “Again, he came alone. I didn’t think muchof it as our dealings were working out just fine. That time, my family wasinvolved. When I have business dinners, they usually are.”

A heaviness settled on Calisto’s shoulders.

“And?” he asked.

“Affonso met my daughter,” Connor said, eying Calistofrom the side. “She’s just nineteen, beginning college, and a dancer. Shecaught his eye, and I thought …”

Calisto practically forced the words out, “You thoughtwhat?”

“The man needed a wife, didn’t he? I knew his had diedthe year before, and the Italians favor bosses to be married when running theirorganization. My girl, as young as she is, seemed to get on quite well withAffonso. He came over to Jersey several times to take her out and make her feelspecial, I suppose. She was agreeable in the end.”

“And my uncle?” Calisto asked. “What of him?”

“He thought a marriage would be a good thing betweenour families.”

Calisto was stunned.

Speechless.

He could do the math in his head perfectly fine. Thetime when Affonso was running back and forth to Jersey to woo Connor’s daughterand the idea of a marriage with the girl, he had already agreed to a marriage withEmma’s family. It had already been set in stone.

Calisto couldn’t understand why his uncle would dothat. Double playing two families in the business of marriage was a dangerousgame to be mixed up in. Affonso would have had to know that. It was downrightstupid.

Why would he even bother?

Unless …

Calisto clenched his hands, his thoughts running wild.

Unless Affonso meant for an issue to be caused closeto home, one that would put his family in danger and make his seat as the bosslook bad to his men. It would be yet another way to force Calisto to protecthis family, step up the way Affonso wanted him to, and be the man he intendedfor him to be.

A man Calisto didn’t want to be.

“And then what?” Calisto asked, managing to keep theanger out of his tone.