AGAINST THE TIDE Book #2

Chapter Forty: Her Jealousy Part 2

Marcelle's POV
"When you and Juan Carlos were born, you were just too identical to tell apart. I remember how we had to put bands on your wrists so that we could differentiate you two. Yours was a strange green color that Reina picked with her eyes closed. Juan's was red. It didn't help that we got you two identical cribs so the bands came in handy until we could finally tell you two apart. We didn't rely on your looks because that wasn't helpful. It always boiled down to character. In that regard you two are like the sky and the sea."

"Is this going somewhere?" He asked me in a flat tone.

Carlitos and I haven't been talking to each other since he abandoned Yuki back when she was pregnant. I told him we are done and I meant it. But on father's day last year he sent me a watch. I have never worn that watch. I dropped it in a drawer and closed it. He never said anything and I never said anything. We stayed that way until now. We can be in the same room and not speak or even walk right past each other along the street and neither one of us will glance at the other.

"It's great that you stepped up when Juan left. But that ends now. You go back to your life in London."

"Where is this coming from?" He narrowed his blue eyes at me. "Are you serious?"

"Do I look like I'm joking Carlitos?" I asked him.

"Juan said I should stay put until he comes back and that is exactly what I plan to do. Rocco agrees that the families shouldn't know Juan is gone. You have no authority-"

I scoffed. "What? Can you say that last part again? I didn't hear." I grabbed the back of his neck with brutal force. "What do you think this is? Do you think this is one of those impersonation games you and Juan used to play? This is life and death and your character just doesn't cut it. You will die when you fuck up."

I released him.

"And what is wrong with my character? You cannot stand that  I am not like you! That is your problem!"

"None of you are like me. None. Not even Juan Carlos. You are too immature to handle this much power so you are going back to London. You're done here."

I was on my way out when I heard him following me.

"You're not being fair." He closed the door before I could step out. "I fucked up. I know. I did a lot of shitty things that made you hate me. But I have changed... I'm changing."

"That is good figlio mio. But the mafia is not a training ground. This is real life and there are no second chances in this position. I don't know what Juan or Rocco were thinking by carrying out this lie but I'm sure I don't want you here. You don't belong in this world. Pack and go back to London."

"Which proves my point! You only believe in Juan! Even when we were almost kidnapped, when I came back you called me Juan. You wanted Juan to come back, not me!" He still remembers that. To be fair, Rei called him Gian. We both mentioned the child we are drawn to. "You don't love me! You never have! I'm just stuck living under Juan's shadow and I'm fed up! I deserve just as much as he gets!"

"Juan didn't deserve this. Juan earned it. What have you done to earn it?"

"What do you recommend? That I join a cartel? Is that the criteria?"

This boy exhausts me. If I had both him and Nerina in my life really get now I'll die of a heart attack.

"The criteria is accountability and responsibility. You possess neither." I opened the door. "Rocco!"

"Jefe." He answered. I'm sure he was eavesdropping.

"This..." I pointed to Carlitos. "Ends now. Send him back to London with a security detail."