Revenge.
I'm familiar with it. You have to be when you're the firstborn son of a notorious mafia leader. Death and vengeance have been the very foundations of my life.
So who in their fucking mind would be stupid enough to cross me?
My brother and...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
My fingers drum against my steering wheel in frequent habit. I keep my eyes peeled open, never stopping in one place for too long. It's all too likely that I could come across someone I know and that can't happen. No one can know I'm here.
A knock on the passenger door grabs my attention and my jaw clenches immediately. I don't think I'll ever be able to look at the bastard and not want to immediately blow his head off but then again, I don't have to. So I don't bother hiding my disdain as I unlock the door for him and eye him the entire time he gets inside and shuts the car door behind him.
"Well?" Ferrera asks. My fingers curl around the steering wheel at the sound of his voice. It's linked to too many things that have made me as soulless as I am today. "What's this about?"
Always acting indifferent and clueless. Nothing in his life is real. It's all for show and he never fucking gives it a rest.
"Do you ever get tired of dicking around?" I ask in all seriousness.
He raises a brow. "Am I supposed to know what you're talking about?"
"You sent the Romano brothers for us. You've breached our deal."
He faces me in his seat, face contorting. "It was a moment of desperation. Maria called begging for me to bring her home and I couldn't do anything so that was a last resort. I acted a father and I won't apologize for that. You have to respect that I at least tried."
For a moment I feel a flare of anger and something else I can't name at the thought of Mariana calling this bastard to take her away. But then I realize Romano's death was days ago and the conversation Ferrera is talking about was probably near the time I told Mariana to quit her job. Even so, I wonder if she would ask her father to take her away again if she had the chance. But that's the least of my worries.
"Respect?" I seethe. My hand shoots out and grabs him by the collar, yanking him forward. I'm fucking itching to choke him to death right about now. My voice drops to a murderous whisper. "Never imply that there is anything about you to respect after what you did. I know the truth, coglione."
He doesn't say anything, face passive and eyes hard. I don't know why I expected him to feel any semblance of remorse. If he was a human, he wouldn't have done the things he did.
"You're underestimating the lengths I would go to if the aftermath was your ruin. I will fucking destroy you, Ferrera. There are no what-ifs about it."
"Then why am I still alive?"
"Don't get cocky. You are alive because I allow you to be."
"And why would you do that when you know what I've done? What you think I've done?"
"What's the point of ripping a soul apart if it isn't alive to feel it?" My fingers tighten their grip on his collar and I shove him back. "Your days are winding down dangerously fast. The next time you try anything I'll send a bullet through your throat, consequences be damned."
