All I Believe (Firsts and Forever, #10)(66)
“I know. That was the whole reason he was coming to San Francisco, and then it all just got really complicated.”
*****
Luca called me the moment his plane was on the ground, even before he got out of his seat. “I have a plan for giving my brother the slip if he’s waiting for me in the terminal,” he said. “Please tell me you got yourself and your grandmother somewhere safe.”
“Nana and Jessie are at a high-end spa in Marin County for the next seventy-two hours, so her house is empty if Andreo comes calling.” Charlie had told her he’d won the spa getaway on a call-in radio show, but that he was needed at the restaurant and couldn’t take the time off. Apparently she bought it and gladly went in his place.
“And where are you?”
“After much deliberation, we’re at my cousin’s furniture store, just south of the city. It should be totally off Andreo’s radar, and since it’s closed for remodeling, it’s a good, quiet place to talk. I’ll text you the address, it’s pretty close to the airport.”
“You said ‘we’re’ at the furniture store. Who’s we?”
“My cousins Dante and Vincent are with me. I didn’t want to run. You and I need to talk, and we need to figure out what to do about your brother. In case he tracks me down, they’re here to ensure my safety.”
“Dante and Vincent Dombruso, Jesus,” he said. “I know very little about your family, but I know those names. My friend Theo told me who the heavy hitters are in your organization, and those two are at the top of the list, even above the person who’s supposed to be running the family these days.”
“They’re really good guys, Luca. I trust them completely. Now you just have to trust me and come here so we can make a plan.”
He exhaled slowly, then said, “Alright. I’ll get there as soon as I can. Almost everyone’s gotten off the plane now, so I need to exit, too.”
“Good luck with your brother.”
“Thanks. See you soon.”
When we disconnected, I sent him the address to the furniture store, than sighed and leaned back against the plush, dark brown sofa. The store took up a large warehouse in Daly City, and was currently being rearranged, so that instead of sections with all sofas, all beds, and so on, it would be made up of a series of fully appointed rooms. I was seated in a completely furnished living room, including knickknacks, art on the free-standing walls, and plastic houseplants. It looked pretty convincing at a glance, but on closer inspection, the books on the shelves were just a fa?ade, and the TV was cardboard.
I glanced at my cousins, who were drinking coffee across from me and talking to each other quietly. They were practically a matched set. Dante was a couple years older, but he and Vincent looked a lot alike, aside from the fact that Vincent wore glasses. They were both really tall with broad shoulders, olive skin, slightly longish black hair, and a penchant for dark, expensive suits. They were very different people, though. Vincent was much quieter and more reserved than his big brother, while Dante oozed charisma and had run the family with bold confidence before deciding to step down. Interestingly, they were both gay, and their brother Gianni was bisexual. The fourth brother, Mikey, was the only straight one in their immediate family. Genetics was a funny thing.
Dante turned to me and asked, “What’s going on with Luca?”
“He’s going to try to give his brother the slip if Andreo’s waiting for him at the airport. Then he’ll meet us here.” Dante nodded and went back to his conversation with his brother. I realized after a moment that they were talking about barbeque grills. I had to grin at that. At some point, they’d both married and settled down. Vincent and his husband Trevor had even adopted a son. I would never have predicted that either of my cousins would go the domestic bliss route, but they were both happy and deeply in love with their husbands, so what did I know?
*****
Maybe twenty minutes after Luca called me, he showed up at the warehouse in a taxi. I unlocked the front door and held it open for him as he paid the driver. When he came inside, I locked the door behind him and took a good look at him.
He was a mess. His hair was tousled, he was growing a beard, and his dark suit and overcoat looked like he’d slept in them (which he probably had, since he must have been on an overnight flight to New York before the flight to San Francisco). On top of that, his face looked thin and his eyes were underscored with dark shadows, which told me he’d been under a lot of stress recently. That, more than anything, made my heart ache.
Even though my pulse sped up at his proximity, I didn’t know what to do, whether to hug or kiss or shake hands. Apparently he didn’t either, so we both just stood there awkwardly. After a few moments I managed, “So, um, was your brother waiting for you at the airport?”
“Yeah, he and his two goons. He grabbed me by the lapels, which was perfect, because my plan had already been to sic TSA on him. I managed to slip something in his coat pocket before yelling for help. I then reported that they’d been on my flight, and I’d overheard them talking about smuggling drugs into the country.” Luca half-smiled and said, “You should have seen my brother’s face. If he was a cartoon, the top of his skull would have popped off and steam would have shot out.”
“What did you put in his pocket?”