Luca's Dilemma by Deneice Tarbox Read Free Book Online Page B

because of you and your boys. As far as I’m concerned, you Moriattis owe me everything.”
    Nathan was silent. He forced himself to remain calm while digesting Sal’s words. Of course he didn't agree with him but knew it would be best to keep a handle on Sal until he could figure out exactly what the little weasel was up to.
    “Let me think about it. I’ll get back to you by the end of the year.”
    “End of the year? Surely there's no need for procrastination, Nathan.”
    “You should know by now that I don't like to repeat myself,” Nathan said in a tone that brooked no argument.
    “The end of the year I can do… as long as the answer you give me is the one I want to hear.”
    Raising his eyebrows in astonishment, Nathan pulled the phone away from his ear and stared at it. After all these years, it would appear Patina had finally grown a pair. Nathan wasn't too worried about his old friend's newfound courage or, probably more appropriate, stupidity. Sal's power in the mafia world didn't begin to compare to that of the Moriatti Empire.
    “If Luca refuses to do it, I’ll just find someone who will,” Sal continued. “But I warn you, turning me down won’t bring our families any closer together.” The line went dead.
    That too–familiar burn churned in the depths of Nathan’s stomach as his blood began to boil. It rose rapidly, exploding through his mouth and hand when he could no longer contain it. He slammed the cordless phone down on the receiver with a loud curse, his anger echoing throughout the large office.
    “That fucked–up Patina family is going to literally be the death of me,” he whispered to himself, clenching and unclenching his fist on the surface of the desk before him. They had to be the whiniest creatures to walk the face of the Earth. Sal’s request was unusual, as he had his own people to handle such things. The Moriattis usually picked and chose their own assignments and only took on cases they felt were worthy of their attention. The fact that Sal was trying to force this on him meant something was definitely up, which only served to fuel Nathan’s rage all the more. Life was finally settling down for him and his family, and he was nowhere near in the mood for this.
    Needing to calm down, he moved from behind his large oak desk and strolled over to the grand floor–to–ceiling windows and French doors overlooking the lush backyard of his Upstate New York estate. Deep thoughts took his gaze far beyond the view of the edgeless pool and the treasured rose garden of his beloved, Hilde. A deep sigh escaped him, and he ran his hand over his face, bringing it to rest on his chin. Sal had it wrong, plain and simple. They owed him nothing. Those little bitches of his hadn't been anything close to angels, unless the angels he had been referring to were the kind spawned from the devil himself. The two lunatics had met their demise of their own accord, and he refused to do Sal a favor based on the guilt the man believed the Moriattis should harbor.
    Unfortunately, Nathan discerned declining Sal’s request would indubitably result in an all–out war between the two families, something else he wasn't particularly in the mood for. He’d managed to avoid one after the death of Sal’s daughters but wasn't so sure he could pull it off again. With that said, he didn’t want to drag any of his loved ones into the bullshit that was the Patina clan.
    Movement in the pool brought him out of his musings. He dropped his hands into his pockets and smiled at the sight of his nephew, Tyler, and Tyler's son as they floated in the pool. Apparently, Tyler had succeeded in convincing his wife, Evy, that the child wasn't too young for swimming lessons after all. As luck would have it, today was exceptionally warm for October and perfect for the activity.
    The interior door to his office opened and closed behind him. Nathan didn't need to turn around to know who it was. After nearly fifty years of marriage,