Roses & Ruin

Chapter 82 (Anthony)

         I wasn't overly drunk, but I was feeling the buzz of it. When Lexi dropped me at home I went and had a tall glass of water. I ripped my shirt off and walked into my bedroom to bring it to the laundry. Then I was in my closet picking out a pair of joggers to sleep in. I don't sleep in shirts if I don't have to. Only when I'm cold, which I am not right now.

I could feel the flush of the booze just under my flesh. My thoughts went back to Lexi. God I wish it was just me and her tonight. When I leaned forward in the car I could smell the shampoo of her blonder than blonde hair. Something sweet yet tart like green apples.

        I knew I shouldn't have even texted her tonight. Lexi's been a sore spot between me and Enzo lately. But I was thinking about her, and I couldn't stop myself from thinking about her, even when there was a club full of women trying for my attention. 

I couldn't believe it. Anthony Rizzo was surrounded by beautiful women all around me, and I didn't sweet talk a single one of them.

I need to get her out of my head. It's late. 

I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth and ready myself for bed. Not long after slipping under my sheets did I hear a loud knocking on the door. Who the fuck is that? 

        I got up and tucked my gun into the waistband of my sweatpants to be sure it wasn't trouble. When I looked through the peephole my hands started undoing the lock before my mind even processed who it was. "Lexi?" I was asking as I opened the door, and then I got an actual look at her. 

I paused. No, I turned ridgid. Clenching my jaw I took in the sight of her. Red rimmed eyes, a dish cloth around her hand, and it was bright red and soaked through. She was gently holding her wrist like maybe it was hurting her. I brought her inside straight away.

        "What happened?!" I asked first thing. In my mind the only explanation I could come up with was her family. Maybe her dad was mad that she went out in the middle of the night again. Or her older dickwad of a brother. Maybe they fought and things turned physically. I was already shaking inside with rage.

"I'm sorry I came here. I-I didn't know where to go. I think I need stitches and my father's gonna flip out when I'm not home tonight. And Enzo-" she stopped and sucked in a breath. I turned more than rigid now, I was like a predator on the verge of lunging. But at what? I don't know yet.

"What about Enzo?" I gritted out. "He pushed me" she looked up and one single tear rolled down her pink tinted cheek. I felt like the floor came out from under me. 

It wasn't the Petrov men that did that. It was a Rizzo. Enzo fucking Rizzo. I couldn't believe it. I was literally shaking and trying to hide it.

        "Tell me everything Lex. And come here. Let's look at this" I brought Lexi closer to the sink and removed the towel. I cursed when blood came pooling up as soon as I lifted. It was a semi circle slice so it looked like a flap of skin could be lifted up. 

"It was glass" she muttered then she told me exactly what happened. "I'm gonna kill him" was all I kept saying. I was seeing red. And I don't mean Lexi's blood. I was so goddamn furious that I saw red like a fucking animal. 

        "You will need stitches Lex, or at the very least surgical glue" I told her. "Surgical glue?" She didn't seem to know what it was, but I realized it's because she was really out of it right now. I went to explain but she perked up and said, "Do you have any? I don't wanna go to the hospital."

Well, I'm a mobster who gets injured more than the average man. Surgical glue is what I used on my ribs when I got shot a few weeks back. So yes, I did have some.