Page 104 of By Blade, I Love
It was a harsh joke, but it made Leo smirk slightly. “Yeah, that makes more sense.”
28
WOLFE
We got Leo transferred to a hospital closer to Caltanissetta, so it was easier for Francesca to see him every day. She wasn’t around the vineyard much over the following weeks because she spent all her time at the hospital. I saw her in the evenings when she came home and made dinner. I suggested we hire someone to cook since she was working so much, but she said it relaxed her. Who was I to argue when her cooking was better than anyone else’s.
I didn’t like being in charge of the business. I preferred to chase down assholes who didn’t comply with demands and enforce the boss’s orders. But I sucked it up and did it, looked through Francesca’s paperwork and made sure orders were on time and deliveries were made. I had to respond to emails too, which wasn’t my cup of tea. I had to text Francesca and ask her a lot of questions, and I found it even more laughable that Leo ever thought he could handle this job.
I was sitting at the desk, looking through her production reports, when Elio walked inside.
“How’d it go?” I immediately asked.
“Hector claims the guns are damaged.”
“Damaged how?”
“They’re scuffed, like they’ve already been used. I checked the other part of the batch from the warehouse, and it’s true. He says they paid top price for brand-new stuff, and he doesn’t want old shit.”
“I wonder if the Americans sent us the wrong batch.”
“Or they think we’ll just accept bullshit.”
I smirked. “Nah, they know I won’t accept bullshit. I’ll handle it. I’ll jump on a plane if I have to.”
He came closer to the desk, a couple years older than Don Mancini and still in excellent shape except for how leathery his skin was. He smoked way too many cigars, probably went through ten a day, and it was really starting to show on his face. “How’s Frankie?”
It used to annoy me when people called her that, but now I appreciated the fact that I was the only one who called her by her full, beautiful name. “Busy with Leo. She’s at the hospital with him all day, every day.”
“I guess they made up then, huh?”
“Yeah, seems so.”
“Well, I’m not so easily won over.”
I leaned back in the chair and rested my arms on the armrests as I gave a slow nod.
“Vincenzo was my best friend. I’ve known him forever. He did so much for those kids. Raised them and provided for them entirely on his own, and that’s what he got. I don’t think Leo deserves to be here. And I don’t think he deserves to live either.”
I knew some resentments were permanent. Francesca may be able to find her way around the painful past, but that didn’t mean others would feel the same way. I knew Elio’s rage would never dim, no matter how much time passed. The betrayal had drawn a permanent line in the sand.
“What do you think?”
“I don’t think anything. Francesca is the boss. Whatever she says goes.”
“I meant what do you think of him personally?”
I gave a shrug. “He’s her brother, so he’s my brother too.” I was loyal to my wife. If she wanted Leo to be in our lives, I would embrace him without a grudge. If she wanted him dead, I’d cut off his head and bring it to her. “But I think you have every right to feel the way you do, Elio.”
He started to turn away from the desk. “Damn right I do.”
I finished up early for the day, so I stopped by the hospital since Francesca was still there. For the last two weeks, I hadn’t paid a visit because I’d been too busy handling everything at the vineyard. Francesca said they would play cards together, she would bring him lunch from outside the hospital, and they would watch stuff she’d downloaded for him on her device.
They’d spent more time together in the last few weeks than they had for the last few years.
I walked down the hallway of the third floor of the hospital then turned the corner into his room. He was propped up in bed watching something on his device, and Francesca wasn’t in the room. I gently knocked on the open door to announce my presence.
He paused whatever he was watching before he turned to me. A quick look of surprise passed over his face, as if he hadn’t expected me to ever visit him. “Hey.”
