Top Dog

I shook my head as I twirled the empty glass in my fingers.

“There was an article in the newspaper,” I said.

“What kind of article?” Stefano asked.

“Three gun runners dead on the dock. Enrico told me he felt Romeo was behind it, but I didn't believe him.”

“Ah.”

“Did you know it was Romeo?” I asked.

I looked into my uncle’s eyes, and he sighed.

“I had a feeling. But I couldn’t be sure. I know there have been rumors about the Martine family wanting to seek out peace as well, but I also know there are people in their ranks that aren’t happy about it. At the very least, I figured Romeo might’ve tried to talk his way out of things, and his bodyguards got trigger-happy.”

“So there is a chance Romeo didn’t kill anyone,” I said, hating how pie-eyed and pathetic I sounded.

“I didn’t say that. Romeo still has control over those men. He does sit at the head of the family table now.”

“He wouldn't give me a straight answer. All he said was that he was trying to undo the knots his father had tied around the family’s neck or something like that. I don’t know.”

“He’s not wrong in that Julia,” Uncle Stefano said.“Malaphors,” he said.

“What?”

“Romeo uses malaphors.”

“What’s that?’

“Mixing metaphors. It’s called a ‘malaphor.’ Like when someone says ‘it’s not rocket surgery.’”

I furrowed my brow at my uncle, and he chuckled.

“You always know the most useless tidbits of knowledge, you know that?” I asked.

“I’m good at crossword puzzles,” he said as he raised his glass.

“I’m angry with him, Uncle. He promised me he wanted to bring peace to the families. Then two days later, he’s slaughtering men on the docks.”

“He did leave the guns behind.”

“For any number of reasons,” I said.

I watched my uncle nod, and I was hoping someone was finally stepping to my side of this thing.

“What if I told you that I thought I could talk some sense into him?” he asked.

“What do you mean?”

“I know I can help steer Romeo down a better course. Right the ship that seems to be taking on water from many sides he doesn’t even see. Mutiny’s looming over his shoulder, and if he wants to dig his family out from their self-made shadows, he’s going to be facing a lot of trials.”

“I don’t like the way you’re talking.”

“I believe the whispers, that the Martine family is looking for peace like I am. But peace doesn't always come without war. There will be people on both sides who don’t want that, who want things to remain the way they were. They will choose to stay in the past instead of leaping into the future. I can tell you this won’t be the last time something like this happens.”

“But he promised,” I said breathlessly.

“A man’s promise is always his bond, but that doesn't mean its execution happens the way a woman wants, Julia. If you can talk with him and plant the seed of having a meeting with me, I can help. Romeo and I can tackle the issues—”