Am I starting a war? Maybe.
But all of New York will come to heel. This is my game now.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Rush
I step backinto the elevator with Gris. “Jesus,” he looks me up and down. “I can’t believe you just took that beating.”
I wipe my mouth. “You have to know you all did worse to me every day of my childhood.”
“Fuck off. Your nose is crooked. We didn’t break bones.”
I glare at him. “Killian did that. Your point is shit.”
He drops his head for a second, hiding his smile. Only a brother would laugh at that. But when he looks up at me, he winces again. “Doctor?”
“No. Not tonight. I’ll tape up the nose, wash off the blood, then go check on Gigi.”
Gris’s eyes close and his face spasms. “What Vigo did to them… I still can’t believe that shit.”
I can’t answer. I didn’t even know Gigi then, but I have this feeling like I should have known her. Should have protected her. “When Vigo punched me all I could think was, did he hit Gigi like this?”
“Fuck,” Gris turns, slamming his palm against the wall. “Gigi is such a gentle person. And Emma… How can he live with himself?”
“He’s not going to have to try after tonight,” I blow out.
“You mean it?” Gris steps closer to me.
“I mean it.”
“You sure you don’t want Killian to take care of it? He’s good at that sort of thing.”
“I’m sure. This is my job.” I’ve never been surer of anything in my life. I will kill that asshole, and then I’ll dismantle every piece of his empire.
“Rush.”
“It has to be me.” For Gigi. For Emma. And for the future I have in mind for us and for New York.
“What’s next?”
“Can you help me clean up?” I ask him, as the doors slide open. I step into the hall, Gris behind me. When the doors close, I lock the elevators again. “And I’m calling Matteo. I’d like you to listen.”
“Yes. And yes.” Gris follows me into my apartment. “Where is Killian?”
“Following Vigo. He’ll be in touch, I’m sure.” Somewhere through this, Killian and I now understand each other much better. It didn’t have to be said. He knew what I needed and I knew he’d understand.
We walk into my penthouse. It’s a huge modern space that I liked when I first moved in. But now…it feels cold. This is not the kind of space Emma should grow up in.
We’ll have to redecorate.
Then I realize, I might be getting a little ahead of myself. Gigi might not want anything to do with me after today.
I let out a long sigh, as I start removing my clothes on my way to the bathroom. My T-shirt hurts me the worst when it brushes my nose.
I wash off the blood and hold still while Gris pushes my nose back into place, taping it to keep it where it belongs.
I hold still, but my eyes water like a bitch.
