“You know, at first I thought you were just a careless fuck.” Rico looks down at the guy, seething. “But nah, you’re a fucking cowardly idiot. You were going to let your little brother take the fall for the bullshit you orchestrated.
“As if I don’t already take care of your family. As if you all want for anything. As if I’m not paying for your sister to go to school.
“Anything you’ve come to me for, I’ve done for you. Maybe that’s my fucking problem. I’m too good to you guys.
“Is that it, Mario? Am I too good to my guys? Is that why this fuck is shitting in my face?”
“Maybe, boss.”
I glance further into the room and find a handsome guy with a scar on the right side of his face. A slash right down the center of his right eye. It doesn’t take away from his handsome face. It adds something to it.
Rico circles the guy on the ground, and his face comes into view. His dark hair is messy, falling into those gorgeous eyes. My gaze drops to his chiseled chest.
Damn.
He pushes his hair out of his face with one hand as he grabs the guy by his hair and tugs his head back with the other. The dark look on Rico’s face is enough to strike fear in me. However, I’m frozen. I can’t look away.
“What should I do with you, Jonny? Should I make you watch me kill your brother first, or should I kill you now and be done with your family forever?”
“No, please. This was all me. Ma needs your help.
“Anna still has two more years of school. Don’t take that from her because I fucked up. You’re right, you have been good to us.
“I got greedy. When Andy came to me with the offer, I took it and dragged Pauly into it with me.”
“I had so much respect for your pop,” Rico says as he releases Jonny’s hair. “Too bad he wasn’t around to raise you better. Because of him, I won’t cut off your family. Mario, bring Pauly in.”
Mario straightens and goes to another door inside. He brings in a younger-looking version of Jonny. His mouth is taped, and he looks like he’s about to shit his pants.
Meanwhile, Rico has pulled a gun and is twisting on a silencer. The one Mario just dragged in begins to cry and tries to speak through the tape on his mouth. I should run from here, but I can’t bring myself to not watch.
“Pauly, did I not tell you your loyalty should always be with me?”
Pauly nods frantically. Rico tilts his head to the side and wipes his forearm across his face. Pauly is trembling at this point and Jonny is on his knees, crying.
“Then why would you intentionally help your brother in a plot to set me up?”
Pauly tries to reply through the tape once again.
“You know what? I don’t care. It’s loyalty or death. You chose.”
“No, no, no, no,” Jonny cries.
His cries fall on deaf ears as Rico pulls the trigger and Pauly’s brains splatter all over the plastic that has just drawn myattention. Rico then turns his gun on Jonny, who’s doubled over, sobbing.
“Why? Why? Pauly … Pauly … I’m so sorry. I’m so fucking sorry.”
“Save that shit. You should have thought of who you were double-crossing, asshole. I’ll take good care of your ma and sister, you fuck.”
With that, he pulls the trigger again. I jump and get ready to turn and run. I don’t make it a step before I hear my name called.
“Oni, get your ass in here.”
CHAPTER 4
Let’s Talk
Rico
