Dad calls us into his office as soon as Frankie leaves the building. Frankie has my whole body on high alert.
“What happened back there? What did he do?” Chad asks, stepping towards me.
The door flies open and Chad creates distance between us. Clearly he’s scared about my father’s reaction to him calling Frankie in on my orders.
“Ah, you’re both here. Frankie left, I assume?” A grin spreads across my dad’s face.
“You two have fucked up monumentally. So, you’re both on paperwork for the next two weeks.” He takes his seat at his desk.
“What–”
He holds up a finger to cut me off. “This is not up for debate.”
Chad shifts uncomfortably on his feet next to me and I shoot him a glare.
“Sorry, it won’t happen again.” He looks down at his boots and I want to slap him. We all know it was Frankie who did this. He just admitted it to me.
Dad pins him with a hard stare. “No, it won’t. Now, back to your desk.”
Chad opens the door, and I follow behind.
Father’s voice freezes my movement. “Not you, Zara. Sit down.”
My fists ball before turning back around to face him as Chad slams the door shut behind him.
My father leans back, his fingers folding into a point that he taps against his thin lips. “Zara, you need to stay away from Frankie.”
A lump forms in my throat, making me swallow.
He takes a deep breath. “We can’t trust him.”
“Whatever gave you that impression?” I ask mockingly. Who trusts a mafia boss, especially one as ruthless and cold as Mr. Falcone?
“I know you, you won’t let this go, but I am asking for all of our sakes–do not think about it.”
This is not what I expected. “Why?”
I don’t want to be anywhere near the man. A man who can wrap his fingers around my throat and spark something inside of me is someone I need to be far away from. But I can’t help this nagging feeling there is so much more going on that I have to find out about.
“This is exactly what I am talking about, Zara. Just leave it. We have to focus on your mother. That’s why I am going away.”
I let out an exasperated sigh and slump back in my seat. He’s right. With Mom’s heart condition, it’s a ticking time bomb.
“Is this where all the money is coming from?” I say, tapping my fingers against my jaw. She’s recently started a clinical trial for a new drug, something that could add years to her life.
He starts to loosen his navy tie, a bead of sweat forming on his wrinkled forehead.
“If it works, it’s worth every penny. You know that, Zara.”
“Look, take me off desk duty and I’ll leave him alone.” I offer him a sweet smile.
His fingertips splay on the desk as he looks at me pensively. “I’ll think about it.”
I draw in a long breath. “Or, maybe, I could go to the feds and start asking questions about Frankie and the Capris? There is something big going on between those two, especially for you to have us cover his tracks on Maria. I wonder what else is hiding out there, on them both. I can imagine Romano must have done something pretty awful to get that kind of retaliation from Frankie.”
His jaw starts to visibly shake, the vein on his forehead almost pops out.
Looks like I’m on the right track.
“Fine. Just leave it alone. Get on with your job, that is all I am asking.”
I give him a curt nod, and we sit in a moment of silence.
This is what it’s come down to between us. Since Mom started going downhill, it’s put a strain on our relationship. Now, I know why that might be.
