Gian (Trassato Crime Family #1)(60)

“Jesus Christ, Gian.” He yanked on the collar of his t-shirt like he couldn’t breathe. “Tell me you asked her about this. Tell me you aren’t in this relationship with her based on blind faith.”

I glanced to the side, avoiding his condemning stare. I’d been living on my own for close to a decade, yet he could make me feel like a five-year-old kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar in a matter of seconds.

“You checked her out, didn’t you?”

“She’s not some stranger off the street. She’s Carmela’s friend,” I answered as though it made a difference. It didn’t, not to my dad.

He shot me a glare, his lips trembling with rage. “You didn’t listen to a damn thing I taught you. I went to bat for you. I thought you had a good head on your shoulders. Now you’re gonna make a fool out of me.” He pushed to his feet, cringing with pain. He shoes clipped over the hardwood floor, each thud more ominous that the last. He flung open the door and it banged against the wood paneling.

“Helena!” he yelled, his voice cracking. “Send Evangeline in here.”

My throat bulged with resentment. “Dad, back the hell off. I’m not a kid. I’ll talk to her tonight and find out what she knows. You’re too sick to deal with this.”

“Sta ta zee.” He grabbed a fistful of my shirt. “I can’t believe you. I can’t trust you when it comes to this chick, can I? She has your balls in a vise. You aren’t thinking straight.”

“Um, hi.” Evie stepped into the room, her attention boomeranging between my dad and me. “What’s going on? Is something wrong?”

My dad released my shirt, his face red and his eyes like daggers. “You could say that.”

“Evie—” I slipped my hand into hers “—we need to ask you a few questions.”

“Cut the bullshit, Gian.” My dad pointed a shaky finger at Evie. “Tell me everything you know about Alix Trincher.”

“Alix Trincher?”

“Yes. Alix Trincher. Bloody Alix. Vor.” His voice dropped to a gritty whisper. “Do any of these names ring a bell?”

Evie tipped up her chin, her flame-colored hair dancing around her shoulders. “No. Why?”

I squeezed her hand and tugged her closer to me. “Did Kevin ever mention that name?”

“Not that I remember. Is he an artist?”

My dad barked out a laugh. “No. He’s a f*cking psychopath who wants to meet with you and Gian tomorrow.”

Her eyes widened. “Me? Why would he want to meet with me?”

“Hell if I know.” My dad leaned against the wall, tiredness etched into every line of his face. “You two need to make an appearance at Carmine’s at two. My brother will join you.”

“He’s going too?”

“Yeah. Yeah. I think you’ll need someone with you. Alix is bringing his son.” He pushed away from the wall. “Now, get outta here. I’m going to bed,” he grumbled, exiting the room with an uneven gait.





CHAPTER





THIRTY-THREE


Evangeline



I sat a table in the back corner of Carmine’s, Gian on one side of me and Dominick on the other. Starched white linens covered the tables, and red drum-shaped pendant lights hung over every table. The smell of garlic, basil, and fresh bread filled the air.

Last night, Gian didn’t offer much information other than we had a meeting with Alix Trincher and his son, whoever he was, and that Kevin had gotten tangled up with him. Other than the staff and us, the restaurant was deserted. Still, Gian’s eyes routinely scanned the entrance behind me while his other hand periodically tucked inside his suit, fingering his gun.

Dominick hadn’t said one word to me since he joined us ten minutes ago. On the off chance I had misread the blatant hints that he disapproved of me at the engagement party, I couldn’t ignore it right now. I offered my hand when Gian introduced us again, and he looked at me like a piece of gum on the bottom of his shoe.

Gian tapped his fingers on the table. “So what’s the plan? They should be here in the next ten minutes and you haven’t said a single thing.”

Dominick grunted, his dark gaze glued to the front window. “We see what they want.”

“And if they push for access to our territories?”

Dominick brushed some invisible lint on his jacket. “We tell them to f*ck off.”

“Nico thought I should negotiate,” Gian said. “See if we could come to terms that were mutually beneficial.”

“I’m not going to negotiate with these animals,” Dominick said, slicing his hand through the air. “They don’t have anything I want.”

“You should make that clear to Nico.” Gian folded his arms across his chest, and his chair creaked. “Because he thinks we should bend over and take it up the ass. I’m starting to think he’s lost his edge.”

The bell over the front door jingled, and my muscles pulled tighter. Gian and Dominick stood, not ready to come face to face with the man known as bloody Alix, I froze in place. My heart sounded like machine gun fire in my ears. My breath became shallow, and I felt like someone had stuffed a plastic bag down my throat.

“Evangeline,” a familiar coarse voice echoed through my ears.