“I haven’t risked my life to end up in jail. I plan to enjoy my ill-gotten goods.” His hand disappears under the desk.
I imagine he’s planning to shoot me, but I’m faster. My gun is out and aimed between his eyes. “You’ll have to enjoy your spoils in hell.” I pull the trigger. His head jerks back as the bullet rips through, dispersing brains and blood on the back wall.
This is who I am. This is what I do.
I stand over Darius’s body. Another necessary evil. This is the reality of my world. Swift justice, brutal consequences.
This is the truth Olivia will never accept about me. That I feel nothing but annoyance at what I’ve just done. I’m pissed thatDarius forced me to kill him here and now, instead of someplace where he’d be easier to dispose of.
I pull out my phone to call Angelo. “I need you to arrange a cleaning.” I give him the details. Then call in Tonio, the manager of the casino.
He looks at Darius but has no reaction.
“Did you know Darius was siphoning?”
He looks shocked. “Fuck no. I didn’t think he was that stupid.”
“He thinks I’m about to be thrown in jail. What about you? What do you think?”
He laughs. “I think the devil himself couldn’t put you in jail.”
I like his answer. I nod to Darius. “Make sure no one else sees this. Cleaners will be here shortly.”
“Sure thing, boss.”
I look at the money on the desk, some of which has blood splatter. A quick glance, it looks like ten-thousand.
“Burn the bills with blood.” I don’t need bloody bills somehow coming back to me. DNA from hands is easy to explain away. Money changes hands all the time. But blood DNA from someone who worked for me could be harder to explain. “Keep the rest. My appreciation for dealing with this.”
“You’re very generous. Thank you.”
This is why Olivia and I can never work. Not because she's FBI and I'm La Corona.
Not because of divided loyalties or conflicting interests.
But because at my core, I am a man who makes life-and-death decisions without hesitation.
A man who enforces his will through violence when necessary.
Today has made it clearer to me that I need to stay away from her.
For her sake as much as mine.
Some lines weren't meant to be crossed, and we've already gone too far.
OLIVIA
I'm hunched over my desk, squinting at the Vitale file for the hundredth time, hoping to find something, anything, I've missed.
My coffee sits cold beside me, forgotten during the three hours I've been reviewing evidence that seems to lead nowhere.
Blackwood's been prowling the halls more than usual today. Twice he's walked past my desk, peering over my shoulder.
I've made sure to look thoroughly engrossed in the Vitale case whenever he passes, though my mind keeps drifting to Rocco's kidnapping and the Ferraza murder.
I rub my temples, fighting the headache forming behind my eyes. The weight of my badge feels heavier lately, especially since Dom started occupying my bed.
"Agent Ricci?"
