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I release him and move away for his own sake. If I hold on to him another second, I’m swinging again. I’m using him as a punching bag, as an outlet for the rage destroying me from the inside out. With my back to him, I force a couple hard breaths into my lungs.
“Get the fuck out,” I pant. “Now. I don’t want to see you for the rest of the week.”
“Boss—”
“WE’RE DONE HERE!”
I expect the sound of his feet plodding as he scrambles to go. But Robby doesn’t move an inch. He stays where he is, dripping blood on the carpet. He wipes the mess up with his shirtsleeve to no avail. His nose is too much of a leaky faucet. Then he laughs.
The fuckerlaughs.
My head snaps in his direction, my eyes narrowed. I don’t know what to make of it. If Robby’s gone off his rocker. Maybe I’ve knocked some screws loose in that brain of his. He must be delirious, out of his fucking mind if he thinks—
“This,” he says, spitting more blood, “is why you’ll lose.”
“What did you just say?”
The left corner of his lip rises in a nasty grin, exposing his bloodstained teeth. “You don’t even realize it’s already over. You’vealreadylost.”
The boldness behind his statement is so unexpected, my anger is on hold. It gives way for the shock rippling through me. I take a step closer, staring at him with eyes narrowing further and further into slits.
“What are you talking about, Robby?”
As I step toward him, he steps backward. But he does so with a cavalier air, like he knows even if I fuck him up, it doesn’t change the bigger picture. Which is…
I stop in my tracks, my fists dropping to my sides. “You’re the rat.”
“Such an ugly word.”
“You’re an ugly son of a bitch. It fits.”
Robby sputters another bloody laugh. “Boss, don’t do me like that. I’ve given you how many years of service? I’ve pledged my life to you.”
The shock fades and anger returns in another burning flash. I advance, but he retreats like the bitchcabronhe is, putting a sofa between us. A grin curls onto my lips as my gaze darkens, tracking him and his movements.
“Oh, so you’re going to make me chase you down like game. That fits too.”
“You know what else fits? That you’ve allowed some stripper to ruin your empire,” he goads. “Some stupid bitch who has you pussy-whipped is your downfall! Another Sorrentino fuck-up for the history books! Just like your father.”
“Sounding bitter, Robby. This about your father never being chosen by Don Grimaldi?”
“If he was, things would’ve been different. The family would’ve been prospering. We would’ve already had our empire established in every corner of the country. We wouldn’t be playing catch-up to the fucking Lovatos like you and your incompetent father.”
“Careful, or I might have to break more of your teeth. You haven’t learned your lesson about talking shit.”
“Keep reacting in anger, Gio. That’s gotten you far!” He rounds another corner of the sofa as I stalk closer, putting more distance between us. “I used to think you were going to be different than your father—a smarter, more logical boss over the family. But you’ve done nothing but prove the opposite. So deep in stripper pussy you didn’t even see the signs.”
“You told Lovato about the hit tonight. You gave warning.”
“I didn’t just give warning. I sabotaged our crew when we tried to carry it out.”
Anger grips me tighter, suffocating me. I trek closer, waiting for the right moment. “And the night of the opening. You helped Lovato’s guys infiltrate the casino.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t notice. Your right hand constantly slipping up like that? But you weren’t even suspicious.”
“You were supposed to keep an eye on Falynn.”
Robby laughs. “The girl’s not worth my time, Gio. The only use she has is to fuck with you. Which I did when I convinced her to leave you.”
