“If you were a copper, which train would you search?”
“If I was a copper, I’d have dropped you in the sea.”
“Liar. You love me really.”
“I don’t.” Luis folded the map and tucked it into his pocket. “I wish you were dead.”
It felt good to say, even if they were wasted words Dante would never take seriously. Hate simmered hotly in Luis’s veins.I could do it right now. Kick his fucking head in so he’d never wake up. But aside from the reasons he hadn’t already killed Dante, Luis knew how it felt to hurt a man that way, and he couldn’t live with more guilt.
He made for the door.
Somehow, Dante got there first and blocked his way. “I figured you’d pretend to ditch your man and your job, but you look heartsick, man. Don’t tell me you actually cut him loose for real?”
“What makes you thinkhedidn’t cut me loose after you started fucking with his business?”
“Cos no one turns away Pope dick, man. You know that.”
Luis cringed. “Whatever. It isn’t a thing anymore, so you can stop giving a shit. You got what you wanted. I’m unemployed and at your disposal.”
“Yeah, but you’re no good to me if you’re obsessing over a lost piece of ass. I know how that goes.”
“How? You don’t care about anyone but yourself.”
“No, but I had to deal with Asa’s soft self when you stopped fucking him, so...”
“What?”
Dante laughed. “You think I didn’t know about that? Man, you live in a fucking bubble, don’t you? Who do you think told him to come on to you in the first place?”
Luis’s head was too full of Paolo to process much else, let alone the nonsense that spewed from Dante’s mouth, but still he tried. “That makes no sense. I got drunk and fucked Asa once—”
“It was more than that.”
“Whatever. It was ten years ago. The fuck has that got to do with you?”
Dante shrugged. “I’d seen you eyeing him up, so I told him to get you drunk and into your bed. With you disappearing every couple of days to scratch your itch, it seemed like the ideal solution.”
“Yeah? How did that pan out for you?”
“It didn’t cos he couldn’t keep your interest. But that’s not my point.”
“What is your point?” Luis asked wearily. “Because if all you’re trying to do is demonstrate that you’ve manipulated me my whole god damn life, you can stop now. I already know.”
“And yet you’re still here.” Dante leaned back on the door he was blocking. “Why is that?”
Because despite that fact that you’re weak as fuck, I’m still terrified you’ll hurt the man I love.“I need money. How much you giving me for this transport shit?”
“Nothing. You’ll get your cut when it’s sold.”
“I can’t wait that long.” Luis could wait a hundred years for dirty drug money, but if he couldn’t convince Dante it was all he cared about, the game was up. “I got sacked, remember? No back pay, and I need to make rent now he’s not paying it for me.”
“You can live here.”
“No.”
“Why not? I need you close if you’re going to be my wingman again.”
“I was never your wingman. I was just an idiot who did as he was told.”
