Page 90 of Saving Wyatt

I scoffed. “So, what? You’re trying to tell me you didn’t try to murder that poor kid from New York? Hell, you killed his men.”

“I did no such thing. I have never killed anyone.”

“Oh yeah. I forgot. Your men do the dirty work for you so you have your hands clean. Was it Shorty or Stretchy?” I leaned my head back from side to side to indicate the guys behind me.

Wilson just smirked.

“Maybe you didn’t kill them. Maybe you’ve kept your hands clean all this time you’ve been secretly ruling the criminal underworld of Mayberry, but I’m sure that wasn’t the case when you were Ferraro’s right hand, right? You did his dirty work then, didn’t you?”

“What do you want, Wyatt? What are you trying to get at?”

I shook my head and laughed. “I thought it was obvious. I want you gone from my turf. I want you to stop hurting the people I love. But clearly you can’t. Tell me, what made you change your name to Salieri and infiltrate a whole fucking mafia family? Did you want to learn the trade secrets? Or were you planning on stealing the money from the get-go? Or was it an ego trip of some sort? Do you come from money, Wilson? You must do with a name like that. So why? Why turn to crime? Why build a criminal empire?”

Wilson sighed and looked to the side. “I understand you are upset about what happened to your friend, but he had it coming, and it’s all your fault. You brought him here, you made a plan to bring me down, and it didn’t work, and now you’re looking to place the blame on anyone but yourself.”

A knot formed in my throat, and I struggled to swallow for a moment.

“So reckless. You say you care about these people you brought here, yet you play with their lives like they’re nothing.”

The knot returned tenfold, and instead of trying to fight it, I burst out at him.

“You motherfucker! Don’t you dare touch anyone again. I’m not afraid to expose you. I will go to the papers. I will speak to the police. I’ll do it all. You’re not that powerful. You’re not God.”

Wilson laughed. “The man accused of murder is going to cry wolf about the mayor? I’d love to see you try.”

“How do you know I haven’t done it already?”

His expression darkened. “You wouldn’t dare. You don’t know what you would unleash on your people.”

“If it brings you down, maybe it’s worth the cost.”

Wilson’s fists tightened. He seemed to be fighting himself not to lose his composure. His face twisted as if at war with itself.

“Then you don’t mind if I take out your right hand. Autumn, is it? I forget.”

I all but launched myself at him, grabbing him by the lapel and smashing his head on the desk. I smelled the blood that poured out of his nose as I was yanked away by the guards, and Wilson pressed his hand over his broken face.

“Take him. Take him away now! I’ve had enough of you, Goodman. Enough, you hear me?” He screamed an inhuman cry, and in record time, I was dragged outside, through corridors, past so many witnesses that would probably never utter a word about me, and shoved into a car.

The last thing I remembered was the car screeching into motion and a cloth placed over my nose and mouth, and the sweet chemical scent that sent me dizzy.

And Ari. His beautiful face formed in my head, smiling at me, kissing me, making love to me.

I had probably signed my death warrant. I might never see him again. There was no return after what I’d done. I just hoped I hadn’t screwed everything up.

If only so I could hold him one last time and tell him how much he meant to me and how much life his love had given me.

Because he loved me back. I knew that. And I loved him.

At least if everything failed, I would die knowing I wasn’t entirely unlovable.

That was something, I guess.

THIRTY-TWO

ARI

Ihated this plan.