Fuck. Fuck everything.
Rafael interrupts my thoughts. “If the old man dies, it’ll mess things up for us, too. Carlo’s definitely not going to continue doing business with you.”
The second part of his statement is true, but I don’t give a fuck.
“Fuck him. I’ll be the one cutting ties. I don’t trust that bastard at all. But our operations won’t suffer. We’ll just need to cozy up to the senator a bit more to make up for the shortage from Colombia.”
It’s true I own several legitimate businesses in the States, but drugs are still my primary source of income.
I get up and head toward the door. “Let’s go. The jet’s ready.”
As Rafael walks past me, his scent hits my nose. “Go shower on the jet. You smell like cheap pussy.”
The bastard just smirks and walks past without a word.
***
The moment I step into the hospital, I see Carlo’s men scattered like an army, and none of them are happy to see me, obviously.
I walk toward the ICU. From what I’ve heard, Don Fernando’s surgery is over. The danger isn’t entirely gone, but the fact that he’s alive is a good sign.
The scene in the ICU hallway is almost laughable. The narrow corridor is packed with men who look like pure trouble.
I stride through the two rows of pure muscle and spot Carlo and Giuseppe. Carlo sits under the harsh fluorescent light, shaved head gleaming, tight black T-shirt stretched across his massive chest. One of his loyal dogs, Lorenzo, stands beside him. I’m surprised not to see Maxim around.
Giuseppe, standing a little farther away, leans forward, his bulging stomach leading the way as he talks on the phone. The moment his eyes land on me, I swear he pales. He hurriedly ends his call and rushes over to me.
“Tony, what are you doing here?” he asks.
Carlo’s head snaps toward me the moment he hears my name. The feral look in his gray eyes leaves no doubt—he wants to rip my throat out.
I stand beside Giuseppe with utmost confidence. “I heard about the accident. I came to see him.”
“That’s not possible right now. Don Fernando is still in critical condition.”
I hold his gaze for a moment before shifting my attention to Carlo, who’s still glaring at me like a hunting dog. I then turn back to Giuseppe again. “I see. Any idea who’s responsible?”
“Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, there was no foul play. It seems to have been a regular accident. The truck’s brakes failed and plowed into Don Fernando’s Chevrolet.”
For some reason, I almost laugh.
Considering the life he’s lived, the thought of Don Fernando going out like this feels like a bad joke. This is a man who’s skinned others alive, left countless families mourning their loved ones. For someone as powerful and violent as him to meet his end in a random, mundane car accident? It’s absurd.
Carlo seems to read my thoughts. He jumps to his feet and comes toward me with long strides. Just a few steps away, he halts, barely restraining himself from lunging at me.
The bloodshot look in his eyes makes it clear he hasn’t slept in hours. Lorenzo stands behind him, and the rest of his men are circling me now.
I meet his gaze calmly, but I’m fully aware that one word from him, and his dogs will tear me to pieces.
“You’ve got five minutes to walk out of here on your own feet,” he says, voice low and deadly. “If you’re still here a second past that, you’ll be leaving on a stretcher, headed for the morgue. Got it, Tony?”
Rage boils in my veins, but I keep my face blank. The only thought in my mind is,I’m fucking your wife, you son of a bitch.No matter how you slice it, I’m miles ahead of him.
I’m certain the mask of calm on my face is flawless. Tilting my head slightly, I ask with feigned cheerfulness, “What’s with all the hate, Carlo? Scared that without your daddy you’ll lose your little empire?”
To my surprise, he doesn’t explode. Instead, his eyes fill with mockery, his gaze dripping with contempt. A smirk tugs at his lips as he replies, “Scared? Of who—you? A fucking scavenger picking at the scraps we lions leave behind?”
The smile on my face stiffens. I can hear the pounding of my heart in my head, feel the thud of my pulse in my throat.
