You’re sure about this?” asks Enzo, who is watching Gino with a skeptically raised eyebrow.

We’re at Club Seven, it’s just past noon, so the place is empty except for employees who are cleaning up and preparing for the guests tonight. I asked Gino and Enzo to meet me here. Ana is curled up in one of the booths just a few tables away and sleeping like a baby. I made sure to position myself where I can see her clearly. I tried to get her to sleep upstairs in one of the beds because I didn’t like the idea of her lying in such a cramped space while she’s pregnant, but she didn’t want to be that far away from me.

Maybe it was selfish, but I couldn’t deny her that, because I didn’t want to let her out of my sight, either, even though I added so much security to my club since Rosiano forced his way in that it’d take a couple S.W.A.T. teams to get in.

“I’m as sure as I can be,” I say.

Gino leans against the bar while Enzo and I sit, facing him. His eyes are narrowed. “I’m starting to think if I let you do this, I’m going to end up finding some girl who makes me clean up my act in a few months and I’ll want to walk away too.”

I chuckle. “You should be so lucky.”

“Fuck,” says Gino, who looks more serious than his usual, laid-back self. He flicks his arms out, adjusting the sleeves on his jacket and pulls at one of the buttons below his neck. “You want me to run the family by myself?” he asks. “Not much of a family if both my brothers have bailed out.”

“There’s no other way,” I say.

“Did you try talking to Rosiano Torretti?” asks Gino.

“I did. On the phone, but his message was very clear. I’m sure he’d never admit as much, but we had the shit scared out of him in that basement last night. Probably could’ve got him to sign an agreement to disband the Torretti family then and there. But now he’s just pissed. Back to his old self, and I think being embarrassed like that has him even angrier. I need to get myself out of the family and find a quiet place to hunker down with Ana while everybody cools off. I can’t keep running the family.”

“He makes it sound hard,” says Enzo. “I made sure it’s a well-oiled machine before I handed it off to him. Took care of all the redundant, old-fashioned shit leftovers from dad, and cleaned it up. Hell, if this big idiot had half a brain, he could’ve had the entire operation legit a year ago. There’s enough money in the family that you could do it, Gino. Let the Torretti’s have the neutral territories. Give up on all the pride. We have enough real estate and connections. Let the accountants keep managing the money that’s coming in and you’ll never need to break the law for the rest of your life.”

“What he said,” I agree with a grin.

Gino leans back and blows out a sigh. “I don’t know about going legit,” he says after a few seconds, then smirks. “I’d kinda enjoy tearing Rosiano a new asshole. Maybe snag a couple of those neutral territories just to wipe the smug look off his face.”

I glance toward Ana, then back to my brother. “If that’s the way you go, there are no hits on Torretti guys. Understand? Unless it’s an eye for an eye. The Torretti’s may be shit stains, but once I marry Ana, they’re going to be my in-laws.”

“Even more reason to kill ‘em,” says Gino.

“I’m serious. Unless a Torretti comes knocking on your door and puts a gun in your face, you don’t shoot first. You find another way.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m not a violent guy. You know me.”

“I know,” I say. “So what do you say? You’ll do it?”

“Fuck. You know I’ll do it, Angelo. I think you’re a prick for putting me in this situation, but I understand. And I’ll enjoy my bigger share of the money.”

“Take all the money, for all I care,” I say. “I’ve got plenty to last me for a few lifetimes.”

“Nah,” says Gino. “I think I’ll keep giving you and Enzo a cut. That way I can hold it over your heads if I ever need a favor.”

Enzo gives Gino a dry look. “A favor? I’m on the straight and narrow now, and Angelo will be too. What kind of favors do you think we’ll do for you? Move a fridge?”

“Nothing so mundane,” says Gino, who is already puffing up his chest. “I was thinking you could call me Papa Gino from now on.”

“Like hell,” I say, reaching to shove him.

He tries to dodge, but nearly falls over anyway.

“Careful, that’s the head of the Luciani Crime Family you’re assaulting,” warns Enzo.

“Doesn’t look so tough,” I say.

Gino pops the collar of his suit dramatically and makes a severe face. “And that,” he says in his best Godfather voice, “will be the last time you underestimate me.” He tries to quickly jab his hand toward me and slap my face, but I catch him by the wrist and quickly pop him across the cheek with my palm.

He scrunches his face in irritation and then lunges for me, knocking me from my chair and into Enzo’s, who falls down with us. When Ana wakes up and groggily raises her head from the booth, she finds the three of us in a confused, tangled ball on the ground. When Gino finally manages to slap me, it’s only because Enzo locks my arms behind my back and kicks my knees out from behind.

The three of us grin like we’re boys again, then clear our throats a little awkwardly when we see Ana watching us with a slightly disapproving but still amused look on her face.

“If only my father knew his biggest rivals were just three overgrown children,” she says.