Dox, the head of the Seven Quad gang and Diamond’s father, should have reached out to us about it by now. But staying quiet and taking no action when we’re supposed to be allies could easily lead to another war that no one is ready for.
"He's losing control of his people," Giovanni says, peering out of the window. I wonder if the irony of his statement is lost on him, considering how out of control Maximo has been lately. "He's getting old, and his son is going to take his gang right from under him."
"And then we'll be at war."
Diamond Hawthorne is a young hothead, someone not worth negotiating peace with. His father is an OG who has seen enough death and violence that made calling a ceasefire an easy decision after our last war. A decision that needs to remain in place. The family has too many other worries at the moment. The cartel is trying to get a bigger piece of the city, moving right into our territory. They started with having their drugs sold in our club and escalated by kidnaping Winter.
And tonight...
"We're already at war," Giovanni says, blowing out smoke. He's more level than earlier, but I can still see the tension in his shoulders. "Now's just the time to decide on how many fronts."
"It's time to make the deal with Sheffield more concrete," I tell him. "If we're going to war with the cartel, we need more resources. We haven't recouped since the last war with the Seven Quad, and while they're our allies for now, we both know that could turn at any moment. And the last thing we need is for it to happen while we're dealing with the cartel, when we're stretched far too thin."
It's a reality neither of us have wanted to be up front about. But our last squabble with the Seven Quad gang nearly tore the city up and the body counts on both sides had been high. A pang moves through my chest at the thought, but I ignore it. After the truce was made, Seven Quad was able to quickly recoup their numbers, picking anyone off the streets that said they wanted to be a shooter. The family's way has always been different, though, the selection process more tedious.
Except for Enzo, who Maximo did take off the streets. But I never agreed with that decision, even if Enzo has proved valuable.
"Sheffield has some nephews who he claims are perfect for the family, former marines."
"Haven't we gotten enough former soldiers with PTSD?" I ask him, thinking about how Enzo pointed a gun at my head not so long ago.
Giovanni lets out a laugh. "Maybe," he says wistfully before stubbing his cigar out. "But our deal with him is almost done, just needs the ink to seal it."
"Despite the fact that Maximo threatened him at the party?" Which had been another shit show with Maximo as the star.
Giovanni's gaze flickers over to me. "You and I both know Sheffield was in the wrong. He came at me wrong and my second put him in his place. It's the way things are supposed to be."
And this is my biggest problem with Giovanni, both as his closest friend and as his fixer. He'll always make excuses for his baby brother, no matter how wrong he is.
"Hmm, and how about tonight? He wasn't supposed to be at the club and yet he was. It doesn't matter if he saved Winter's life or not. He disobeyed a direct order and then flaunted it." I didn't have to be in the office to know what went down when Giovanni mentioned it to Maximo. I've known them long enough to know that Maximo is aware of his control over his brother. And he keeps pushing further and further.
"I'll deal with him," Giovanni says, his voice sharp.
I know he doesn't want to continue the conversation, but I can't help pressing just a little more. "He's going to seriously hurt her if you don't get him under control," I warn him. “Sending him to the basement isn’t enough anymore.”
Maximo has wanted Winter from the first moment he saw her, and when Maximo wants something he gets it, no matter the consequences. He's already taking liberties with her that weren't his to take. I'd fixed the problem and Giovanni had punished him, ordering him to stay away from Winter. But it's only a matter of time before his infatuation drives him to do something worse.
Something irreversible.
Giovanni looks at me, his eyes hard. "Don't worry about it," he says, his tone making it clear that this is the end of the conversation. "I know exactly how to handle my brother."