Roses & Ruin

Chapter 102 (Lexi)

Anthony and I left things off with quite the question mark. Today I have other things on my mind. I asked if he'd sit down with me and discuss an idea I've been trying to work through. He seemed suspicious, if not hesitant on my addressing of this. I think I made him nervous for whatever reason.

We decided to have breakfast together to talk before he went off to 'work', whatever that may entail for a mobster. I had my hot mug of coffee and some toast. He'd made himself eggs and offered me some from his plate.

"So what's this about? You have me a bit on edge here" he told me. I finished my sip of coffee and looked at my husband from across the kitchen table. "Did I ever tell you what sparked the argument between me and Enzo that night when I cut my hand?" I asked him. He tipped his head to think about it. "No."

"I've had this thought...about my shares of the contract between the Petrov's and you guys. I never wanted to be involved in the family business before, but after my father acted how he has I had this idea to take hold of his empire. Obviously that part isn't realistic, but I do wanna take the piece that's rightfully mine and make something out of it."

Anthony looked surprised. He didn't look angry like his cousin had when I mentioned this briefly, but he was definitely surprised "I'm not sure if that's how it works, sweetheart" he placed his fork down and looked me head on. "And why not?" I challenged the thought. He didn't seem to have an answer to that.

        "You can't ruin the contract Lex, without hurting us too" he pointed out. "I know that. That's why I said I just wanted control of my shares. To take control of something they're a part of the same way they took control of this" I waved around us. Still Anthony looked hesitant.

"You sound vengeful," he told me. I huffed a laugh. "You'd know if I was vengeful. Trust me."

"Alright, what were you thinking about doing with your shares?" He asked me. Not condescendingly. Just out of general curiosity. I slid my toast away and sat up straighter in my chair.

"You guys are always looking for new business fronts to launder your money and deflect from the illegal side of your business, right? I know this Philly deal means more territory, different channels, and new ventures" I started.

        "What if I opened my own business under the Rizzo-Petrov enterprise? A one stop shop agency for modeling, stylists, agents. Me and Mia could kick off the modeling side of things and we both have agents. Alonya knows the kind of business my family is in. She could get people on board"

"With the money that flies around between photoshoot equipment, hiring staff, the food catering, and renting spaces, it's hard to keep track of what money is going where. And with stylists you can set your own value on what your clothes is worth. Mia gets to create her designs, and we get to launder through bullshit values, sorta the way rich people buy art for tax avoidance. Paying off one painting and putting the money into another painting in a neat way around paying those taxes, only with fashion and branding and all that."

I took a breath after I rambled on. Anthony just sat quietly, whether it was because he was thinking on everything I just said or wasn't sure how to respond to it.

        "And before you say no, we already know a lot of people in the business. Mia has connections. She has her friend Sammi as a photographer and her friend Simon from Paris. They won't know the underbelly of the business, but they'll be the legitimate staff that covers what's really going on behind closed doors."

"Okay, I see your point. It's a lot of work though, Lex. The books have to look legit with absolutely no red flags" he told me what I already know.

"Like I said, money is allocated to many different places when running your own in house agents, photoshoots, and contracts with runways and designers and all that. The cost of clothing, and those making it. The resources we'd need, and the price we'd set behind getting them. I don't know...it's just a thought. I know there would need to be more research behind it."