AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Brick by brick, I will tear them apart.
“Thank you, Damon. We Italians need to stick together, watch out for one another. I consider youfamiglianow,you know.”Lorenzo’s gaze doesn’t waver as he stares at me.
Outwardly, I smile. Inwardly, I sneer in disgust. He has no idea of the meaning of family. What we Papparado had wasfamiglia. I push those thoughts away and nod again at him. “And I consider youfamiglia, as well.”
Liar.
He walks to me and places his hands on my shoulders, dragging my frame down so he can press kisses to either cheek. It’s a traditional greeting for family. My mind skips to the last memory of my mother placing this same kind of soft kiss on my cheeks. When Lorenzo releases me, I know I’ve had all of his presence that I can stomach.
“Grazie,” Lorenzo says as he returns to his desk.
I leave the room, breathing harshly through my nose once the door closes behind me. I need to tell Marcus about the change, of course, for us. He keeps watch on everything, so I can’t keep how things have transpired from him. It’s almost here… our time to crush them. And we will, slowly and painfully. Our revenge won’t be swift or merciful. No, it will be dragged out, and they won’t even know what’s happening until it’s too late.
***
It’s taken me two days to negotiate with the local cartel. The police were easier. But with enough money and the promise of repercussions for Angel, their leader finally accepts my offer of recompense for the deaths of his men and the spoiled shipment. Lorenzo hadn’t stated what power I had to clear up this mess, but I’m sure everything was at my disposal, and I didn’t want to spend too much time with the scum of the streets.
“Is that you, Damon?” A voice laced with alcohol and mockery comes from the main drawing room.
I could keep walking and pretend I don’t hear Lulu’s drunk mother, but I’m bored. I use my foot to push open the door. Leaning against the doorframe, I stare at this sorry excuse of a mother.
She blinks and stands. The martini glass in her hand is empty, which is good because if it weren’t, it would be sloshed across the floor.
“Have you seen my boy?” She blinks several times, a false eyelash crooked on her cheek.
“Your cat?” I ask, fucking with her.
Her eyes widen. “My cat?” She’s far more intoxicated than I thought.
“Yes, the black-and-white tomcat. Is that who you’re looking for? If so, I haven’t seen him.” There is no cat, but that’s of no consequence.
She shakes her head and steps forward. The martini glass is upside down by the time she reaches me. Her leopard print shirt is too tight, her artificial breasts pouring from atop the straining buttons.
“My boy,Angel. He hasn’t been seen for two days.”
I push off the doorframe.
That’s an interesting development.
I shake my head. “I haven’t seen him.”
She waves the glass in the air. “I’m sure he will turn up.I ragazzi saranno ragazzi.”
Boys will be boys.I want to smirk at that. Angel is no boy. He’s a menace. “Yeah. I’m sure he will show up soon.”
She shrugs. “Don’t strain yourself to help.”
I turn away from her as she sits back down. “I won’t,” I mumble.
I leave the drawing room, only to find Lulu standing like a regal queen in the hallway. Her head is held high, and the extravagant plaits that wrap around her head make her look ethereal.
I want to walk past her. I haven’t spoken to her since the incident the other day. I’m trying to create distance. Going after her family won’t be easy if she’s always looking at me with her pretty hazel eyes, just like she’s looking at me now.
“What’s on your mind?” I ask instead. I can’t help myself when it comes to Lulu, not after that kiss. It was… unexpected. Even more unexpected was how it ramped up my lust for her to impossible degrees.
I can wait, though. Knowing she will be mine one day keeps my want at bay.
“My brother is on my mind.”
