“I told him.”
Devastation at first and then resignation took hold. Humphrey had to accept that his father had once again seamlessly outwitted him. Winning out against Liam Tesano was a thing Humphrey admitted he might never accomplish.
“What will you do?” Humphrey asked.
“I’ve already done it. Emilio’s out.”
“And me?”
“You’re my son.”
“But you don’t approve? Of the guns.”
“It’s not the guns, Humphrey, but the deception. That you were drawn to join Em in this tells me I’m not done with my job when it comes to you.”
“And if I was the one who drew Em in?”
Liam grinned. “Then I’m really not done with my job. Why’d you do it, Humphrey? Did you think I wouldn’t approve?”
Humphrey’s expression screamed yes.
Liam laughed then. “What would you say, son, if I told you we’re all here in America because of a shoot out I once got your Uncles Ric, Ton, Marc and Ben involved in?”
“You?” Disbelief hugged Humphrey’s outburst.
Liam sobered slowly. “I was once an angry young man and I um, I denied it for a very long time. I was at my angriest after your Uncle Giaimo was killed. I told myself I needed to feed the darkness or it would’ve destroyed me and I couldn’t be a father to you or your brothers if it did.
Truth is...I just wanted to feed it. Your Uncle Em gave me a way to do it and I worshipped him for it. So much, I lost sight of the darkness I once saw so clearly in him. Anything he asked after that, I gave. Now he doesn’t bother to ask.”
“You said he was betraying me.”
“And he was, wasn’t he?”
A few uncomfortable seconds passed and then Humphrey nodded stiffly.
“Emilio is my brother Humphrey, and I lost sight of his darkness. How easy do you think it’d be to spot that in someone you know nothing about?”
Humphrey studied his beer mug, his thoughts fixed on Jude Ophion then.
“You can’t afford to suffer from that kind of short sightedness, Humphrey.” Liam’s ebony eyes blazed with something visceral. “Tesano will be one of the most powerful companies in the world. In the wrong hands, it could be deadly. You will sit at its helm and I can’t let your hands be the wrong ones.”
“Pop?” Again, Humphrey frowned, not liking the strange chord in Liam’s tone.
“I never trusted my brothers,” he said. “Thankfully God saw fit to bring me honorable friends who became brothers I could trust. You’ve been blessed with honorable brothers. You don’t see the benefit of that now. My hope is you will soon.”
“Dad-”
“Aaron is the most honorable man I’ve ever known-it’s eerie how noble he is,” pride radiated as Liam spoke of his second son. “You may sit alone in my chair one day, but I’ll see to it that you don’t make a move unless both he and Stone approve.
Aaron’s nobility is matched only by Stone’s instincts. Gabe is wild, but he can be molded. Vale will do anything you ask of him. He’ll see you as more of a father than he ever will me. I don’t think I can change that- don’t think I’ll ever have the kind of effect on him that you will. As I worshipped Emilio, it’s you he worships. Don’t make light of that.”
Liam thanked the server who approached with fresh drinks. “As for Pitch and Roman,” Liam savored another hit of scotch. “Pitch has no interest in the day to day running of Tesano. He’s only interested in its security or the people who keep it secure, I should say. That’s why he’ll be in full control of the guards. Everything from their hiring and training to their salary and benefits will fall under his jurisdiction. That decision will be irreversible unless he chooses to see it dissolved.”
Humphrey bristled, but knew better than to think his father’s dictate was anything other than iron clad. “And Roman?” he forced himself to ask.
Liam chuckled. “We both know that boy is his own man.”
“Amen,” Humphrey threw back the rest of his beer and started on his next mug.
“Something’s going on with him,” Liam mused, stroking his jaw while he considered. “I’m not sure what. It has to do with the company, but not being part of it...I don’t think he wants to be steady part of the business, but he’ll find a way to somehow be involved.”
“In other words, Tesano will never be all mine.”
“Come on, Son. With six brothers did you ever think it would be?”
“Point made,” Humphrey swallowed more than half his beer and then enjoyed the rest of the lunch with his father.
~37~
Vale jumped when the newspaper landed with a ‘thwack’ on his desk. He quickly scanned the copy and wasn’t quite fast enough to keep his lips from twitching on a smile.
“This you?” Stone’s voice was leaden.
“Is what me?” Vale used his pencil eraser to push the paper aside as if it were something distasteful he didn’t wish to touch. When his brother offered no clarification, Vale sighed. “This would seem more you,” he said.
“Meaning?”
Vale’s sigh shifted into a short dry laugh. “Looks like you share a common interest with the subject of the story.”
