AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What did you do, Tommaso?” I stand tall, and my voice turns harsher with each word.
He stares at me, wide-eyed, as if racking his brain for a lie.
I check my watch. “I’d prefer not to spend the day beating the shit out of you for answers since I’m a busy man, but I’ll cancel my entire schedule if that’s what it takes.”
Tommaso jumps to his feet, as if suddenly growing a pair of balls. “Do you know who you’re talking to?” He smacks his hand on his bare chest, as if preparing to fight me. “I’m also the son of a don. Show some respect, Marchetti.”
“I show respect to those who deserve it.” I smile wickedly. “I’m speaking to the man who put his family in harm’s way. The idiot who’s putting my family, my wife—who’s alsoyour sister—at risk.”
He scoffs and shakes his head. “You’ve been married to Neomi for less than twenty-four hours, and suddenly, you’re her protector? My sister is more at risk from being married to you than anything.”
Bullshit. As soon as we saidI do, Neomi became one of the most protected women on this planet.
I curl my upper lip and step into his space. “Start talking, Tommaso.”
He’s quiet for a moment and backtracks a step as if ensuring there’s enough distance that I can’t right-hook him when he replies. “It’s Sammie Karpenko. I owe him money. The day before the wedding, one of his men threatened they’d make an example out of my family if I didn’t pay up.”
Sammie Karpenko is the largest loan shark in the city. He’s known to loan large sums of cash and charge outrageous interest. He’s also vicious if you don’t repay him.
“Easy fix,” I say. “Pay him back.”
His face turns grim. “My debt is over a million dollars.”
“Fuck,” I hiss under my breath, holding myself back from punching him again. “How did you get yourself in debt for a million dollars?”
“Gambling.” He does a sweeping gesture toward the coffee table. “Drugs … sex.”
What a fucking idiot.
“It should be easy for you to get pussy without having to pay for it, Tommaso,” I say in annoyance. “From now on, find some poor girl who is stupid enough to fuck you. And make a pit stop at rehab while you’re at it.”
“I tried to stop, but it’s addictive.” His arms fall slack at his sides. “I messed up, Benny. You don’t think I know that?”
Anyone else would probably feel sorry for him.
But I don’t.
I don’t have one bit of sympathy toward him.
I fix my glare on him. “You or your father needs to pay him every cent you owe—today.”
“My father doesn’t know.” He shuffles his feet. “And it’s not like we have a million dollars just lying around.”
“You’d better find it then.”
“I’ve tried, trust me.”
“Try harder. If you continue to endanger my wife, I’ll hand you over to Sammie myself.”
“Do that, and you’ll have a war with my father.” Tommaso straightens his stance, as if his words will scare me.
“I don’t mind starting a war over my wife.” I cock my head to the side and deliver an evil smirk. “I’m sure you heard what my father did to the man who threatened his.” I form a fake gun with my hand and imitate shooting myself in the head.
Tommaso recoils at my response.
“Get Sammie paid, Tommaso. Or there will be hell to pay.”
* * *
