The Lucky Doberman

Chapter 42: Dinner With De Luca

De Luca:

I sat in Stefano's office with a cigarette in my hand as he read through the two notebooks I had and wrote things down.

At one point, Stefano and Mattia were friends before he was murdered. Caio hates Stefano and prays that every day is the day he gets to strangle him and even though I hate Stefano too, he's helpful. So I offer him protection and mute my hatred so he can get shit done. But the moment I don't need him anymore...I'll kill him myself.

"How long is this shit gonna take?" I asked.
"Few weeks."
Bullshit.
"But I'm not giving you the answers until the wedding."
"Right." I replied dryly.

"So...did you fire the girl?" he asked as he read through the books.
"No." I answered.
His eyes looked up towards me.
I didn't speak.
"Why not?"
"Cause I ain't feel like it."
He sat up all the way. Like he was puffing his chest out to challenge me.
I sighed and leaned over with my arms on my legs. I flicked my ashes onto his rug then took another hit while staring at its designs.

"You're pissin' me off, Stefano." I exhaled and picked my head up to look at him.

He didn't respond.

I turned my head to the side and just looked at the pictures on his wall.

"You think you run this because I want you to decode a book. A book that, if I give her enough time, that same girl could decipher because she's gifted...So that means I don't need you."
I looked back at him as I took another hit of my cigarette.
He didn't respond.
"I've agreed to what I've agreed to in order to shut you the fuck up. And it ain't workin'. Next step is to rip your fuckin' tongue out."
He looked down at his desk.
"The girl ain't goin' anywhere and I'll do with her what I want to. At the moment she's plannin' your daughter's wedding. For your sake you should get comfortable with her bein' in my life because I'm real intrigued by her and I'm not done with her, yet."
"Are you cheating on my daughter?" Stefano asked.
"Right now?"
He just stared at me.
"No."
He looked like he could finally breathe.

"I don't consider it cheating if the entire relationship is based off of money and acts of service." I flicked my ashes onto his rug again. Then looked back up to him. "That bitch ain't married to me. I ain't married to her. When that wedding is over, I still won't be. Don't ask me shit that don't have to do with those books." I took the last puff of my cigarette then put it out on his desk. "Get it done."
I got up and walked out of his office.

Now I gotta check three more buildings and a fuckin' warehouse before I can go get ready for a date I made on a whim.

~~~

I took a shower and was dressed. Clock said 7:30.

I left the house to get in the car and head over.

My mind just thought about her panic over me and Viviana.
I don't know how many times I gotta tell her it ain't real.

She's too fuckin' nice. Any other woman I've met would've just not gave a fuck. What's wrong with her? She got some kind of bullshit moral compass? If I was engaged to Lucky, Viviana would still try to fuck me at least twice a week.
You don't get anywhere bein' that nice and sensitive. You get stepped on. Nobody's gonna care about her and take her into consideration as much as she does for other people.

I arrived at her apartment and got out.

I knocked with the back of my index and middle finger knuckles and waited.