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Brutalized. The guy was fucking decimated. His limbs are twisted like noodles, his chest smashed in, his neck…Christ, someone punched right through his goddamn throat.
I fall to the ground next to my guys. “Did you ask around? Did anyone see anything? What about the security cameras?”
Duke shakes his head. “I checked the feeds. Nothing.”
“How the hell is that possible? One of the cameras shows this parking lot. How come we didn’t catch who did this?”
Duke shrugs, not able to formulate a scenario that would make this shit-show possible, and rubs the back of his neck. I know he and Carlo were close, and this has to be torture for him to see. He doesn’t need me shitting on him right now, but the panic twisting my gut makes me anxious for any information I can yank out of him.
I sit back on my heels and fold my fingers together, trying like hell to pull myself together. “Okay, the doc is on his way. We have to take care of this quickly and quietly.”
“What about his old lady?” Rocco looks up. “What are you gonna tell her?”
“I’ll tell her,” Duke says, still staring down at his friend. “I’ll take care of it. Right after Doc takes care of him.”
I clap him on the arm. “I’m coming with you. In the meantime, let’s get him inside. We’ll wait for the doc in there.”
It takes a few attempts, but we manage to hoist Carlo up and carry him into an empty room right inside the club. There are a few spare areas we use for private meetings. We lay his bloody body on the floor in the center of the room, and I turn to Rocco. “Come with me. Now. Duke, I’ll be back.”
Duke nods, sinking into a chair next to Carlo. “Okay. I’ll wait.”
“I’ve never seen him look so human before,” Rocco mutters once we get back into the hallway.
“He just lost a good friend in probably the worst possible way, and he couldn’t do anything to stop it.” A sharp pang in my chest makes me wince. Great, because all I need is to have a fucking panic attack right now. I crack my knuckles again as we walk, my voice dropping. “This is just the beginning, Rocco.”
He nods. “I know. This stinks of Luca Cappodamo. He’s back, and he wants revenge. And the guy is as sick as they fucking come. He was out in California at the same time I was, you know, after your grandfather kicked my ass outta Jersey a few years ago. I’d heard he was doing some amateur shit since he was booted from the WFA for being hopped up on PCP for all of his fights. Dude, you have no idea what he did to those poor fuckers. He takes that shit so he doesn’t feel. He thinks it makes him invincible. He’s a twisted bastard, and if you’re next, man…” Rocco shakes his head and lets out a whistle. “You’re fucked. I hate to say it, but—”
“Screw you, Rocco.” I grit my teeth. “I can handle myself just fine.”
Rocco snorts. “Why? Because you gunned down his old man? Once? You really think that’s gonna help you? What if he goes after Shaye? Or your mom? Or Lily?”
“He won’t. It’s not how he operates.” I know that better than anyone. I’ve seen his MO in action. If you fuck with him, he fucks you up. But only after he sends you a message that he’s coming. And if you get that message, read it, put your head between your legs, and kiss your ass goodbye.
I got my message. I know he’s coming. But kissing my own ass goodbye isn’t an option. I need to change the game, but time isn’t on my side. And Shaye’s dad Tony is already on the shit list of the Cappodamo family since he screwed them on a business deal awhile back. His guys know about us. And they’ll feed Luca whatever information he needs to get his revenge, including my girlfriend.
I can’t take that risk.
“So you think you can analyze him to death, Mr. CEO? Do you have any idea who you’re dealing with, Nico? This guy is a lunatic. Certifiable, for Christ’s sake. He only knows how to destroy. He doesn’t understand the talking thing.”
“Thanks for the pep talk, but what I really need you to do is watch over Shaye for me.”
His mouth drops open. “So this is a promotion, yeah? To babysitter? Why can’t I be on the fuck ’em up team?”
“Because I need someone I trust watching out for her. If I end up in another warehouse in Bayonne, it won’t end as well as it did last time for us. Lightning doesn’t strike twice. I need to keep her safe and keep running shit here. I can’t let things fall apart. That’s what he wants. I won’t give that to him.”
“And you think he’s doing all of this…and using his dad as an excuse…just to get you back for—"
I hold up a hand. “If I had to guess, yeah. But the reason why he’s here doesn’t matter. It only matters that he is here. He’s finally come home, so now it’s time to settle up. He’s gonna pay. Not only for Carlo, but for everything else he’s done.”
And fuck, I remember it all…screams that could shatter glass, the sickly sound of fists connecting with bone, the wailing sirens, and the blood…all of the fucking blood.
My gut clenches as an image of Shaye’s tear-streaked face floats in front of my narrowed eyes, short, sharp breaths slicing into my lungs.
I can’t let what he did happen again. I won’t.
* * *
NICO
