I’ve lost you once. I’m not losing you again.
Suddenly, the noise stops. Carmine looks at me apprehensively, and then both doors to the study slide open as Eric enters with a vicious look in his eyes.
“Eric, what are you doing here?” Carmine roars. He brings his hand to the pistol holstered at his side. He senses it, as do I. Something is off.
“Sorry, Boss, this couldn’t wait. I was supposed to meet with your father today, but Lizzie informed me he hasn’t been around?” Eric says, unconvincingly.
Carmine lowers his brow, hand still at his side, ready to retrieve his pistol if need be. “Since when does Lizzie concern herself with my father’s affairs?” Carmine questions.
“Since she became my girl and has been looking out for me,” Eric says, as if that would make either of us flinch.
A sarcastic chuckle spews out of Carmine’s mouth. “Ah, I hate to disappoint you, Eric, but if you came here to flaunt your newfound relationship with Lizzie, I could give a rat’s ass who she fucking spreads her legs for. So, cut the shit and tell me what you are really doing here.”
Eric shrugs his shoulders before throwing up his hands. “Alright, Boss, you got me. I didn’t only come here to tell you how good of a fuck Lizzie is. I also came here to tell you that this little reunion you are having with Sienna—well, that ends tonight,” he says with a sadistic look.
“Oh, yea, and why is that?” Carmine steps to Eric, puffing out his chest. Both of them are muscular and tall, but holy shit does Carmine tower over Eric, in both size and intimidation factor.
“Because we are going to fucking kill you both,” Eric says, laughing.
Rage overcomes Carmine as he charges Eric. Eric ducks and tries running toward the fireplace, but Carmine is too fast and grabs him, slamming him by the collar against the bookcase. Books come crashing down as the bar cart vibrates from the force of their scuffle.
Carmine takes his clenched fist and crashes it into Eric’s smug face, which only makes him laugh, fueling Carmine’s anger more. Blood begins to trickle down into Eric’s thick beard as Carmine doesn’t relent, continuing to pound his fist into his face.
“What the fuck do you mean,we? Who is the fucking we?” Carmine demands between punches.
Suddenly, the sound of heels clicking down the hallway steals all our attention.
“Her and me,” Eric mumbles, wiping the blood from his lip.
Lizzie appears in the doorway wearing a long, tan trench coat, with a matching hat that is serving some serious Carmen Sandiego vibes.
“Good evening,” she says, giving me a vindictive glare first before directing her attention to Carmine and Eric.
Carmine releases his grip on Eric as he walks in Lizzie’s direction.
“What the fuck are you doing here,” he seethes.
“Oh, Carmine, don’t pretend that I am a stranger in front of your girlfriend. I have serviced you plenty of times after work in this very study.”
I internally cringe at Lizzie’s comment. She looks at me instead of Carmine, as if waiting for a reaction from me. She can wait all day. I am not giving her shit.
“What are you and numb nuts doing here?” Carmine demands.
“Seeing things through is all,” she says with a smirk. But I notice through her forced smile she keeps side-eyeing Eric. I then decide to divert my attention to Eric in case he has any tricks up his sleeve.
“What the fuck does that mean?” Carmine asks, unimpressed with how they are dragging whatever this is out.
“It means,” Eric interrupts, “you are an ungrateful son of a bitch. You don’t deserve any of the opulence or power you have. And you certainly don’t deserve her.”
Carmine’s jaw tenses as he is still facing Lizzie, with his back turned to Eric.
“You are right, Eric. I certainly don’t deserve her, yet she has chosen me over you, and she will continue to choose me over you in this life and the next.”
Eric shakes his head, clearly pissed off. He goes to open his mouth, but Carmine, back still turned to him, cuts him off.
“Is that why you did it?” Carmine asks.
“Did what?” Eric asks.
