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Chapter Thirty-Six
Nico
“Gabe and I will be there shortly,” I told Salvatore over the phone as I revved the engine and headed toward Onyx.
A trip down to that stone-walled room hadn’t been on the agenda tonight, but I needed to be sure.
“Make sure our men are in position. We move on Berlusconi at ten PM.”
I looked at my watch.
9:14 PM, it read.
“You got it, boss. Ten PM on the dot.”
I hung up the phone and cursed while I navigated the short drive toward Onyx. Gabe was smart enough to keep his mouth shut the entire ride. I caught him casting furtive glances at me, though, like he couldn’t quite figure out my state of mind.
“I’m just pissed,” I told him as we pulled into the parking lot. “I’m sick of…” I slammed my lips closed on the words that had nearly slipped out.
I’m sick of this life, I nearly told him, and that was no thing for a big brother to say. I needed to be strong, committed, leading the rest of my brothers without a shadow of doubt.
“I get it,” he said as I slipped the car into park. “I said some things I shouldn’t have.”
I turned to him and tilted my head to the right.
“I called you a monster before, but I didn’t mean it. I just wanted… I wanted you tofightme,” he said as anger flared in his eyes.
“You want to fight me?” I repeated, not bothering to hide my confusion.
“Not a fist fight, you moron. I wanted you to tell me I was wrong. I wanted you to tell me to go to hell. I wanted you to give me some sign you don’t actually see yourself that way,” he said, nodding toward Onyx’s rear entrance.
I shrugged then moved to open the car door. “I am what I am.”
“Would you stop drinking the goddamned Kool-Aid?” he hollered, slamming his fists down on the console.
“The Kool-Aid?” I said, cocking a brow while I clenched my jaw, my hand still hovering on the door handle.
“No matter what you think, you’re not like Lorenzo. You’ve always done what you had to do. He did the shit he did because he enjoyed it.”
“And you think I don’t?”
Gabe paused. “I think you like it because it’s the only way you could make yourself do it. It was the only way to survive it.”
“Thanks for the advice. Let’s go,” I said, popping the trunk and getting out of the car.
I slammed the door shut behind me, effectively putting an end to the conversation.
It was no simple task to get the thug out of the car, but I managed to get him over my shoulders, hefted him downstairs, and dropped him on the wooden chair in the middle of the stone-walled room.
I grabbed a bottle of water. I found one next to my row of knives, all neatly organized. I twisted the cap off, turned the bottle upside down, and dumped it over our special guest’s head.
He came awake slowly despite the cold shower.
It was showtime.This is who I am. This is who I always will be.
The monster came awake, sending blood pumping through my veins. The monster cracked his knuckles, the sound of bone popping echoed in the thick air.
Then the smallest wrinkle furrowed my brow. Something was wrong.
