Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 75585 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75585 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
I was in so much trouble.
15
VALENTINO
My phone rang as I tore out of the parking lot. It was Vito. I wanted to ignore it, but I knew better. If he was determined to talk to me, he’d keep calling until I answered, so I hit the button on the car’s screen and his voice boomed out of the speakers. “You didn’t hurt him too bad, did you?”
Did he know what had happened? “What are you talking about?”
“Bro, don’t tell me you forgot we can all log into the surveillance anytime we want.”
“Vito, if you—”
He chuckled. “I cut away as soon as you broke in. It’s not like I want to watch you fuck him.”
I gripped the steering wheel so hard my hands hurt. “I told you I’m not going to—”
“You don’t have to play with me, Val.”
There was no way he was going to believe me. I never could keep secrets from him. “Fine.”
“I also got a call when you ordered a code red cleanup. I assume that’s for the guy I saw groping Liam.”
“You’d be right.”
He sighed. “What are you doing, Val? You said yourself that you don’t break Pops’ rules.”
“There’s no reason why I can’t take a dancer to a private room. It’s my damn club.”
“Except that dancer happens to be paying off his debt to the family, and Pops is a stickler about that rule.”
Did he really have to make me feel even worse about my lack of control? “There’s no need for Pops to know.”
“You know he always figures out everything.”
I took a turn much too fast and nearly slid off the road. “It’s not going to take that long for Liam to pay off his debt.”
“He’s that good, huh?”
“Never ask me that again.”
Vito snorted. “Dude, you really are fucked up over this guy.”
“I mean it, Vito. I know you’re my brother but—”
“I’m not going after your man. I get all the dick and pussy I want.”
I rolled my eyes. That was true as hell. My brother could have anyone he wanted. Anytime. I knew he was just pushing my buttons like he’d enjoyed doing our whole fucking lives.
“I’m calling because I want to help you,” Vito said.
“Help me what? Get my head on straight?”
“You’ve not been straight a day in your life, bro. I want to help you keep it from Pops. If you need a place to go, if you need anything, just let me know. I can enlist Crandall any time we need him. All he needs is a keyboard and five minutes to fix pretty much any problem.
Crandall was the cyber expert we used when we needed more than our usual contacts to track someone down. He was fucking amazing, but…. “He reports to Pops just like we do.”
“Crandall only reports to himself. When you have skills like he does, you can even fuck over the best of the best.”
I wanted to believe that. “I should turn Pound over to you until Liam’s debt is paid.”
“Is that what you want to do? I’ll take it on. I’ll probably lose money, because you know I’m not a financial genius like you, but—”
“Vito, you’re just as capable as I am at running a business. Don’t act like you’re not. You don’t have to play dumb with me.”
He huffed. “You’re the smart brother. I’m just the muscle. That’s how it works.”
“You know what I’ve told you about putting yourself down.”
“It’s not a bad thing. I mean, girls love it; guys love it. It works for me. You’re evading the question. Do you want me to take over?”
“Fuck no,” I said as I turned onto my street.
“Then enjoy Liam while you get him out of your system but be careful.”
After what happened in the private room, I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to do that, but I didn’t dare say that to Vito. “And you’ll cover for me?”
“You shouldn’t even have to ask. I’d do anything for you.”
“I love you, bro.”
“Love you, too.” He ended the call, and I pulled my Corvette into the parking garage designated for my apartment. Once I slid into my spot, I dropped my head onto the steering wheel.
I shouldn’t be indulging myself like this. Vito counted on me. It took both of us to keep our position in the family stable. If Dom decided he was done with us, we’d have the Marchesis as enemies and nowhere to go.
16
LIAM
Iglanced around carefully, making sure no one was paying attention to me as I slipped out of the storage area I’d rented, pulled down the door, and locked it.
I’d moved what stuff I could there. I had my mattress on the floor and the rest of the belongings I’d been able to haul piled up around it. At least for now, that’s where I was going to live. If got kicked out, I still had my mom’s old car. Thank God I didn’t owe any payments on it. I crossed my fingers every day that it would keep running until I pulled myself out of this hole. I was trying not to lose faith that would happen one day. Somehow, I had to come up with tuition for Ava’s spring semester.