Antonio
“We’re done for the night.” I looked over at Jimmy, who was following closely on my heel. “You can go fuck that redhead or whatever you want to do.”
“I already told her good night, boss.” He shook his head, his eyes never leaving my face as he continued behind me like a puppy dog. “I figured we could grab a drink or something.”
“I’m headed home. Alessandro’s with Elisabetta, and I know he’ll kill me if I leave him with her all night.”
“That’s crazy that she’s your sister,” he said, chuckling. He was walking beside me now.
“I mean, I guess.” I shrugged.
“She’s pretty.”
“Yeah, and?”
“I mean, she’s real pretty.” He shrugged. “You and Alessandro ain’t pretty.”
“I guess she took after her mom.” Even as I said the words, I knew them to be false. Luisa was not a beautiful lady. There was nothing delicate in her features at all. It was odd how unlike either of her parents Elisabetta looked. I supposed she was lucky that she’d gotten some throwback genes from one of her ancestors.
“I guess so.” He nodded. “That Callie is pretty as well.”
“Not a very smooth transition, Jimmy.” I rolled my eyes as I stopped next to my Range Rover. “I’m not talking about her.”
“She never did anything with that Troy,” he continued, and I held in a sigh. Sometimes Jimmy never knew when to shut up.
“I know,” I said dismissively as I opened my car door. “I’m going home, Jimmy.”
“No man is an island, boss.” Jimmy grabbed my passenger car door and jumped in. He slammed the door and looked over at me with a grin. “I’ll ride with you.”
“Jimmy, bro, not tonight. I’m tired, and it’s been a long day.” I shook my head. “Go home. Get some rest.”
He stared at me for a few seconds and then shook his head. “I’m worried about you, boss.”
“What the hell, Jimmy?” I slammed my fist down on the steering wheel. “Did you go to bed last night and grow a fucking pussy? What’s up with all the talking?”
“I was listening to this podcast, and they were saying it’s not healthy for—”
“Enough.” I glared at him. “Do you hear yourself? Do I need to fucking shoot you to get you to man up?”
“Nothing wrong in processing feelings, boss.” He shrugged and gave me a lopsided grin. “You’re the closest thing I got to family, boss.”
“Jimmy, your ma and pa live in Queens, and your sister has two kids and lives with that Puerto Rican dude in the Bronx.” I shook my head.
“You know what I mean, boss.” He smiled. “I seen your face when that Callie left…” He sighed. “And, well, you disrespected Tommasso today. You never disrespect the consigliere, no matter what he says or does. He obviously got to you. And I think it’s ’cause of what happened.”
“It’s been a long twenty-four hours, Jimmy.” I rubbed my forehead. “I just need to process how to move forward after all of this.”
“Apologize?”
“I did apologize to her. She doesn’t give a shit,” I growled. “It’s done. Over. Kaput. I ruined my chance at getting revenge on her dad. She’s not going to give me another chance.” I shook my head. “It’s over.”
“Maybe not, boss.” Jimmy winked at me and started scrolling through his phone. If I looked at his screen and saw he was on Tinder or some dating app, I’d shoot one of his fingers off.
“What does that mean?”
“See this?” Jimmy held up his phone, and all I could see was a pair of pale knockers and droopy nipples.
“What the fuck?” I asked him. “You on some granny dating site?”
“No.” He chuckled as he looked at the screen. “Shit, I didn’t mean to show you that.” He laughed. “And she’s not a granny. She’s just a mom.”
“And?”
“Her nipples been sucked on by a bunch of babies. It makes them sag a bit.”
“Jimmy.” I started my engine. “Get out of my car and go home.”
“Wait, boss.” He sighed and held up his phone again. I looked at the screen but couldn’t make out what he was showing me.
“What is it?”
“Gina Mazzaro… or, as you know her, ‘drooping tits,’ is based in Philly.”
“Okay, and?”
“She knows Nico Di Lorenzo and the Di Lorenzo famiglia… well…” He paused. “Her baby daddy is one of Nico’s soldiers.”
“Okay, and?”
“Guess who’s been in contact with them?”
“What the fuck is this? Twenty questions? Out with it, Jimmy.”
“Tommasso Romano has been in contact with Nico to know if he has any interest in our territory.”
“What?” I froze. “So he’s pissed pissed.”
“And he says he knows how to bring you to your knees.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The girl.” Jimmy sighed. “We can all see you’re into her, boss.”
“I’m not into her.” I shook my head. “So, what’s his plan for Callie?”
“I don’t know.” He shook his head. “But I could guess.” He smirked. “That’s where you come in.”
“Where I come in?”
“You get her before he gets her.”
“She’s not coming with me for love or money.” I laughed sarcastically. “She’s done, remember?”
“Then we don’t ask her if she wants to come.”
“What are you suggesting?” I raised an eyebrow as he smirked at me. “You want me to kidnap her?”
“I could grab her, if you prefer.”
“Jimmy…” I paused for a few seconds, and then I nodded. “You’re a genius.”
“You think so?”
“Her dad will be beside himself, thinking she’s run away or something.” I grinned. “Maybe I’ll keep her locked up and…”
“Antonio…” Jimmy’s breath smelled like cheap whiskey and cigarettes. “Maybe put that to the past. You really wanna—”
“Jimmy. Don’t overstep. We’re friends, but I’m still your boss.” I glared at him. “Callie is a means to an end.”
“But, boss, if you play with fire, you’re going to get burned.”
“I played with fire and I got burned.” I pulled out of the parking spot, hit the pedal, and sped off down the street. “I am the fire now.”
“Whoa, Antonio.” Jimmy buckled his seat belt quickly. “You a firework or something?”
“I’m the fucking great balls of fire… and Callie’s about to find out that you don’t mess with a fucking fire-breathing wolf, not unless you wanna experience some wrath.” All of a sudden, the fog that had been clouding my brain was gone and was replaced by something very akin to excitement.