Page 76 of Unexpected Complication

“She disappears tomorrow.”

I clenched my hands, but I knew it was time.

“You’ll send Julia to get her?”

He shook his head. “Julia is too far away now. Frank will get her.”

“Frank knows?” I hissed. I hadn’t breathed a word about Skylar to Frank.

“Yes. You aren’t thinking clearly. I told him. He’ll go get her tomorrow and take her to Julia. She’ll be safe until this is over. You get your head back in the game one hundred percent. You’re Tony. I don’t want to see Cian until that fucker is in handcuffs or dead. You understand?”

He was right. I should have let her go before now, but I had been selfish. If she was with Julia, she’d be looked after and safe and I’d relax. I’d see her as soon as I finished what I started. I was still rather pissed over him telling Frank, though.

I nodded curtly. “Done.”

I pushed Carlo hard, shoving him into the wall. “I told you to shut your fucking mouth!”

“Can’t handle the truth, Tony?”

“If I want your opinion, I’ll tell you what it is.”

He arched his eyebrow, his silent signal for me to step it up. “Fuck you,” he drawled.

I drew back my fist and slammed it into his stomach. His gasp of pain was real, even though I hadn’t put as much force behind it as I normally would have. We had an audience and I knew it had to look real, and I was still smarting over the Frank thing, so I did give it to him a little harder than I actually had to. He slid down the wall, gasping for air. Leaning down, I grabbed his hair, lifting his head roughly. “You’re lucky I don’t kill you right now, old man.”

He snarled up at me. “You don’t have the balls.”

My gun was pressed to his head fast. “You want to find out?”

Orson stepped forward, his tone placating. “Now, Anthony, think before you pull that trigger. I’m sure Carlo didn’t mean to insult you.”

I stood, breathing heavily, making sure I looked every bit as pissed off as I could. We had started our “argument” outside, making sure it got louder as we moved farther into the house. We started shoving each other around, cursing in Italian and English over Carlo’s supposed lack of respect and an imaginary infraction. It was loud and angry enough to draw Orson and Rex into the hall, which was exactly what we wanted.

I kicked at him, making sure my foot glanced off his thigh, more moving his leg than actually hurting him. “I’m sick of your face.”

“Then fucking leave,” he hissed. “I’m not so happy with yours either.”

I cocked the gun again. “I think I’ve had enough of this shit.”

Rex stepped in front of me, his voice like sandpaper as he spoke. “You need to cool off.”

I glared at him. “Did I fucking ask you?”

“We’re all tense. Maybe Carlo is right.”

“You telling me to leave, Rex?” I asked, keeping my voice angry, even though it was exactly what I wanted to hear.

He drew back his shoulders, his already large body becoming gigantic. His voice held a warning. “I’m suggesting you step back.”

I tapped the gun to Rex’s massive chest. “I’m suggesting you move the fuck out of my way unless you want to taste the bullet first. I really don’t give a fuck.”

Orson spoke. “But I would.”

I glared at Rex, who stepped out of the way. I pointed the gun at Carlo, making sure my hand was steady as I began to press down on the trigger.

Orson spoke again. “Rex is right, Anthony. You’d regret this before the bullet hit him.”

I dropped my arm and rubbed my face. “Fuck.”