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I'm shocked at the idea, though, when I took a moment to think it through, it feels very accurate of Dante's father. He always did like to keep an eye on his property. I had no doubt he thought of his son as such.
"Men like Romano don't let go of things easily. He's going to retire at some point, either by choice or by bullet. Having someone watch over his son is just a failsafe to keep his heir alive and out of trouble. Though his guard does a shit job if the stories about his chop jobs are to be true." Tank shivered, as if the memory of what he'd heard gave him the creeps.
I fought back a smile. It wasn't every day the big bad Tank got ruffled. I loved it even more because it was my Dante causing it.
"Thank you for this information. Now let's eat because I've got a man to track down."
Tank laughed as he pulled his phone out and dialed a number. "Yes, Langford, we're ready now."
"Of course. That makes total sense," I said aloud as I thought of the look in the owner's eye before.
"What?" Tank said, his voice all feigned innocence. "A man can't have friends?"
Memphis snorted at that. "Every time you have a friend who doesn't work for you in some capacity, you end up fucking them or fucking with them. So yeah, Preacher has a point."
Tank reached out to swipe at the other man only to come back with air. Memphis was already up and moving toward the door. He wasn't going to stay a minute longer than needed.
"You've always had interesting taste," I told him.
He raised his glass to me. "Seems like you do too, Preacher. Here's to uncovering secrets long since buried."
I tapped my glass to his, confirming the toast and commencing the longest meal of my life.
CHAPTER SEVEN
DANTE
Another night,another kill.
Since I returned to the city, it's all I've been able to do to quell the urge inside of me. My father hasn't said what the reason for calling me back here was. He's been too busy dealing with some stuff for the organization lately to meet with me. Instead, he'd sent me on random assignments around the city to speak to different factions of his people.
I've felt like nothing more than a toy for him. Something he could show around to people to prove he still had an heir and that the power of the Romanos wasn't lost.
"You really shouldn't have forced yourself on that little girl two days ago," I mused to my latest victim.
Dale Harbor was forty-seven years old. He worked at the local bank and often volunteered at the local children's hospital as part of a work point earning program. That's how he realized he had an interest in little girls. But Dale wasn't the type to shit where he ate, so instead of hurting the girls at the hospital where he'd get caught, he turned into a pedo and tracked girls on their way home from school.
I'd caught wind of him a few days ago. Something about him felt off as I'd passed him on the street. I made Ricardo stop with me so I could turn around to watch the other man. It hadn't taken long for him to pick a girl and watch her walk out of the school. He trailed her until she was home, then he walked away without a care.
The next day, he'd done the same thing. It was as if he was watching to see if she had the same routine each day. Ricardo suggested we take him out before things got worse. He knew what I did in my spare time, though we never spoke of it. I was pleased to know he'd be right there beside me if I ever needed, but he had to learn the rules first.
Rule number one:Always watch your target for every tell. You never know when they'll make your job easy.
Rule number two:Never let them hurt someone, but you must have proof of their evil. My gut is usually pretty accurate, but if he were just a sperm donor wishing he had custody versus a pervert, then I might wind up killing someone who didn't need it.
Which led to…
Rule number three:Always protect the attacker's victim before mutilating your target.
That's why two nights ago, I'd stepped in to stop Dale from committing a heinous crim. It had been the third day of watching him, and from the way he grabbed the girl and dragged her towards his car, it was the day he intended to take her.
Not on my watch.
I rushed forward, my body slamming into his from behind. With my momentum, I was able to send his pudgy body off balance enough he released the girl. She fell to the ground, then pushed herself back away from where we tussled.
"Run," I'd told her. She wasted no time in looking back. Her backpack bounced as she took off through the city.
I'd been so focused on her getting away that Dale managed to get a cheap shot to my face. He then dove into his car and sped away.
