That smile I pretend I don’t have a soft spot for makes an appearance as he nods.
“Thanks, boss.”
I have to groan. He knows I don’t like him calling me boss when it’s just family, but the little shit insists on showing me respect or some bullshit like that.
“Yeah, yeah.” I wave him back so he’ll relax against his pillows and Blake comes rushing back into the room right then.
“Boss.” The nerves tightening the sides of his mouth put me on alert once a-fucking-gain.
“What?”
“There’s someone here to talk to you.” He swallows hard and has me narrowing my eyes at him.
Now he’s nervous? What the fuck? Blake doesn’t get fucking nervous, and with the emotional roller coaster I just went on, I’ve had enough for the night. I never seem to catch a break when I’ve had enough, though. That’s not the way of this life.
I look back at Duffy and nod, then step out into the hallway with Blake. I don’t have to tell him to spit it out, thankfully.
“I don’t know what the fuck is going on, Boss, but I think you should hear them about before you shoot.”
That’s one way to get on my fucking nerves.
“Who?” I demand.
“The Di Leo bastard and Cecilia Venuti.”
“What the fuck?” I mutter.
I knowofthem, because I’ve made it my business to rid this city of Italian scum, but I’ve never met them.
Now they’re here?
In the very clinic I had built after the fucking Taccones—theirassociates—gunned down Da and he died because we couldn’t get him help fast enough?
I reach behind my back to grab my glock and unlock the safety on muscle memory alone. I don’t give a fuck what Blake thinks I should do, these motherfucking roaches have been killing my family for too long, and today I’m in just the right mood to start the extermination they deserve—the one I’ve been biding my time for.
I look around then rush to the back exit of the clinic where the same nurse who came to get Blake is standing by the door nervously.
“Get back to the desk,” I tell her, not bothering to soften my tone. I’m doing her a fucking favor.
Before I can open the door, I feel movement behind me, someone besides Blake is there. I turn back and see Rory, fire and brimstone in her eyes, so I guess she heard Blake. She hasn’t bothered to take out her gun, but I know she could shoot before me if she felt like it.
I think about telling her to get back with Duffy, but honestly, I wouldn’t mind seeing her scare our guests shitless. That’s always entertaining.
I open the door and find them leaning against the wall of the building next door like they don’t have a care in the world. I raise my arm, aiming my gun at them before I take three steps forward.
“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t kill you right fucking now.”
“My father is dying.” Cecilia’s words are irritatingly shocking. I mean, old man Marco Venuti is eighty-fucking-eight, so no wonder his time is near. With the life he’s lived, it’s a fucking miracle he made it past forty, but this... it changes things.
“Why should I give a fuck?” I ask, doing everything I’ve learned in fifty years on this planet to keep my face expressionless while I analyze every single reason why they would come tomewith this news.
“Because the second my brother takes control of the family, he’s coming for you,” Cecilia tells me, and this time there’s a bit of urgency in her voice. “You know what he’s been doing.” She doesn’t have to specify, or let the silence linger. I understand exactly what she’s talking about. “He’s been talking about killing you for years, and I don’t know exactly what it is, but he has a plan. One where he won’t even have to get his hands dirty, according to him.”
“You’re brother’s always been lacking a pair of balls,” I snarl. Lucian Venuti is weak, and the shit he’s been doing right under everyone’s noses is disgusting.
“I agree with that,” she says quickly, and even offers me a tiny smile.
I move on to her companion and aim my glock at the Di Leo bastard... Lorenzo.
