Page 18 of The Boss

Ryan is standing in the corner of the room, arms crossed, waiting for me to give him an order.

“I asked you a question.”

The man huffs out a laugh. “I ain’t telling you shit.”

Now it’s my turn to laugh. “We’ll sit here all day if that’s what it takes.”

I look back at Ryan, who still stands there, almost looking bored.

“My man here wants a crack at you, but I wanted to see if you would be forthcoming first.”

For a few minutes, we stare at each other, neither wanting to crack.

“Your name is Jamie. You live on 33rd Street with your wife and three kids. Is that correct?”

He doesn’t respond, but I can tell by the flicker in his eye that I’m right.

I would never hurt women or children, and I really don’t want to hurt this guy, but I need to show some force around here.

“We had our tech guy do some digging. You’ve had some form of association with the Russos since you were a teenager. But you haven’t had to do much outside of managing a property or two, so tell me, have the Russos given you any new orders?”

Nothing. He doesn’t say a goddamn word. And I’m getting frustrated.

I turn to Ryan, thinking we might just let him go; he knows nothing. But before I get the words out, Jamie speaks.

“You’re just a piece of shit, and I hope you never find your man,” he spits out.

And that’s when I lose it.

I stalk up to him painfully slow and land a sharp blow to his jaw.

He laughs in response, so I punch again. I keep the amount of force necessary until I feel a hand on my shoulder, yanking me back.

“Let me go,” I yell.

“No,” Ryan’s voice cuts in.

He pulls me back until we’re against the wall. He turns me around and slams me against it.

“Gino, don't become your father. We both know you’ll regret it.”

He grips my shirt and leans down slightly to look me in the eyes. He is much taller than all of us at six-foot-six. He doesn’t let me go, and we just stare at each other in a standoff.

“I’m not going to become my father,” I grit out.

“At this moment you are. Let me handle him; don't do this to yourself. Juliet and Vanessa would hate you if they found out this is what you were doing.”

He’s right, I know he is. Juliet and my sister would probably hate me or never forgive me if they saw me acting like this.

“Gino, you have to promise me if I let you go, you will not go over there and attack him.”

I put my hands up in surrender.

“I won’t.”

He lets me go.

“Don’t move.” He turns and walks to Jamie in the chair.