Free Boss (Chianti Kisses #2) by Tara Oakes Page A

time, the pain had eased, and I’d chalked it all up to being a first love/teenage broken heart. I’d gone my way, she’d gone hers.
    But this afternoon, it was like the reset button had been pressed. It’s been four hours since I’d seen her last. I’m strong, I’m lethal, even. How the hell is she having this effect on me? I knew I’d see her again. It was one of the persuading points that convinced me to take this job so easily. Mr. Moretti wouldn’t have been happy if I turned him down, but I’m sure I could have made myself useful enough at home to have him think twice and send someone else. But the promise of helping Dom would help to pay back some of the generosity his family has afforded my family over the years.
    His father, back in the days when he was a real force to be reckoned with in the neighborhood, had offered my uncle enough money at a reasonable interest rate to start up Alberti’s. Where other bosses would look to run the restaurant into the group and use it as nothing more than a front to move money, run up tons of credit and then torch the place to collect the insurance, Mr. D. was different.
    He came here with nothing, as did my family. He wanted to help give my uncle a little slice of the American pie. Sure it was a pizza pie, but it was a damn good pie. Uncle Mario was able to pay Mr. D. back, leaving the restaurant free and clear. He could have walked away then, having no association to my family or its restaurant. But he didn’t, thankfully.
    No longer having the note for the restaurant held by one of the most powerful players in the game left us vulnerable. Many assumed that we no longer had the protection of Mr. D since his money was repaid. Others started to move in, hustling us for protection money, or running up huge tabs that they had no intention of paying off.
    Mr. D. caught wind of what was happening and stepped in, making it known that his men would be protecting our interests. Anyone from the other families who attempted to step in and bother us would be showing a direct sign of disrespect to the DiBenedettos and the Lombardis. Their help meant all the more to us because it was unsolicited. My uncle was too proud to ask for their help, wanting to take care of his family on his own.
    The generosity and protection of Dom and Vincenza’s family helped my family when there was no one else willing to help. In return, my uncle made a blood oath to their families. We were loyal to them, joining the numbers of supporters, soldiers for them, although they were one of the more peaceful of the families.
    They kept to themselves, protected their own, and never made any power grabs. The only trouble they ever had was when other families or some smaller gangs tried to overstep bounds or mess around with businesses.
    Things were good, everyone prospered. Every summer, I would come work at the restaurant and one day wanted to be just like my uncle, and make my own oath. 
    But that day never came. The family was disbanded after Mr. D. died. With Dom too young to take control himself, and the Lombardi boys, John, Tony, and Mike, also too young, they were discouraged from following the footsteps of their own father. Their own dad had died years before, under some pretty shady circumstances. It no doubt left a very bitter impression on his family, and I can understand why his boys wouldn’t want to risk a repeat.
    Rumors had swirled for years about who was responsible for the car crash. Nothing could be proven, though, and some very quick deals were struck to avoid an all-out war.
    When Mr. D followed, years later, from lung cancer, the family mostly got absorbed into others. Some die-hard old-timers like my uncle, chose to retire rather than swear loyalty to someone else.
    The Morettis were peaceful enough to the Lombardis where it seemed the obvious choice for me when I was old enough. Ties had been loosened over the years, as Dom and John have worked hard to distance themselves from their