AllFreeNovel
Share Us
DOMENICO
I’ve yet to kick my brother’s ass. He still deserves a beating, despite proving himself over the course of three weeks. He took a run-down business and did a one-eighty in less time than I ever thought possible. It should have taken months to achieve what he pulled off. Apparently, Sienna isn’t the only business-minded one of the three of us.
If he can do that in New Orleans, he can do it here too. I saw the wheels turning over behind his eyes. He’s found his calling, or at least one of them. As much as I hate to admit it, and won’t out loud, at least for a while, Ren and Sasha make a pretty good team. She was good with the talent. She has a knack for teaching. Who would have thought?
But I’m team Sienna, and Sasha isn’t home free yet. She still has a lot to prove if she’s going to earn my trust. There’s also the matter of Dimitri Sokolov that could be problematic if he isn’t neutralized soon. Krishna has feelers out for him, but I’m itchy. We should be out looking for him right now, not bonding with Matteo.
When my skin pricks, something bad always follows. The only reason I’m playing entertainer tonight is because I searched for that motherfucker until dawn. I came up empty. The bastard was last seen near his father’s home, taking in the destruction Mischa left. He hasn’t been spotted in three days. He could be anywhere—Canada or New York.
“Why can’t I come with you, Daddy?” Brooklyn’s whine from the back seat of my SUV pulls my eyes to the rearview mirror to glance at her. Her brows are furrowed and her lips are pinched. I have to bite the inside of my cheek to keep myself from smiling. I don’t know why I like this kid, but I do. She’s got spunk. “I don’t want to spend the night at Nana’s. She makes me go to bed too early.”
“You probably should have a better bedtime schedule,” Matteo volley’s back. “You stay up too late as is.”
“No, I shouldn’t. I’m not a baby. Only babies go to bed when Nana and Paw do.” Her eyes snap up, capturing my stare. “I want to watch movies with you, Domino.”
“Girl,” Matteo starts, his irritation present in his tone. “You better watch yourself. He is not your father, I am, and I say what you are or aren’t going to do. You’re having a sleepover. That’s final.”
Movement from outside the vehicle catches my attention. Looking past Krishna and out the passenger side window, I see Matteo’s mom walking toward us. She and my mother used to be friends before my parents were married. The only reason I know this is because I discovered photographs in the attic years ago of the two of them. There were a lot from the time they were younger until Mom’s senior year of high school. Nothing after that, so I don’t know what happened between them or when. I never asked my father either, figuring if he wanted me to know, then he’d tell me.
“That’s BS.” She huffs, and I can’t help the bark of laughter that escapes my lips.
“Brooklyn Martina!” Matteo scolds. “You are not allowed to say that. It does not matter that you didn’t say the actual word. The meaning was still implied.”
“I don’t know what implied means, but Si said I could say it. She trumps you, Daddy.”
“No, she does not.”
“Says the man that got his butt kicked by a girl.” She shakes her head, as her lips pucker.
“Kid has a point,” Krishna adds without lifting his head from his attention on his cell phone.
The rear door on Krishna’s side opens, Martina popping her head inside. “Hey, my little angel. Ready to see your pops? He’s thinking about taking you out on the boat tomorrow.”
“Okay, that’s definitely worth it.” She unbuckles herself and then turns her head to her dad. “See ya, Daddy. Bye, Domino. Later, K.” She lifts her arms and Matteo’s mom scoops her up.
“Later, kid,” Krishna adds.
When the door slams, I lift my foot from the brake. I never put it in park when we stopped. A feeling of needing to be somewhere but not knowing where keeps gnawing at the back of my head. Ren hasn’t responded to the messages I’ve sent him today, and it’s pissing me off, irritating me even more. Sienna and Sasha should be at the club to pick him up by now. She left Martina’s over half an hour ago. She’s supposed to text when they’re en route.
I’ve seen enough tits and dancing to last me a while, so a strip club was off the menu for tonight. Matteo will have to get over that if he thinks that’s where we’re headed. No clubbing either. It’s too crowded and I need to be able to have eyes on all of them: Ren, Sienna, Sasha, even Krishna and Matteo. It’s not that they aren’t capable of handling and defending themselves, it’s that I need to be the one to do that myself. They’re mine. No one messes with my shit and continues to breathe.
In all honesty, I don’t even like the kid out of my sight. She’s become one of mine too, and fuck if I know when that happened.
A text comes through while I’m driving, so I reach down to the cup holder, grabbing my phone. I hand it to K.
“Motherfuck!” I snatch it back and look at the screen, the road in front of me no longer important.
Sienna:They have Ren. Sasha went after him. I’m going after her. Find us. I can’t wait on you.
