Page 64 of Runaway Queen

“Still cracking jokes in the face of death, boy? I take it prison didn’t knock any sense into you.”

“Everybody dies one day. Your day is coming soon.”

Antonio glowered at me. “Are you really threatening me? Can’t you see who’s in control here?”

“All I see is a sad, wasted old man who couldn’t even keep his own family safe.”

Antonio smirked. There it was. He didn’t know that I knew Sofia was alive. He took pleasure in denying me that knowledge. Knowing that he was the man who had threatened Sofia’s safety, Leo’s safety, made me want to kill him right here and now. Sadly, he was right. It wasn’t the right time. I was too outnumbered, and Antonio deserved far worse than being shot, clean and simple, by the highway. His death should take days. No, years, actually.

“Ah, yes, you’re referring to my whore of a daughter. At least with her death she stopped embarrassing me. Honestly, it was a relief.”

I was on him before I could stop myself. My first, explosive movement caught everyone off guard. I was able to get in close to him, and my first punch landed well in his gut. A second later, hands were dragging me back. I laughed as his bodyguards got in a few hits.

Antonio staggered over to me only when my hands were held too tightly to move.

“You stupid piece of shit. If it wasn’t for your brother, you’d be dead, shot down like a dog at the side of the road.”

“Too bad you can’t do anything, clearly. All you can do is tickle me? Come on, guys, put your back into it.”

“You are totally mad. Prison sent you off the deep end.”

“Oh, Tony, you have no idea.”

Antonio stared at me for a long time before straightening up and smoothing his suit.

“I wanted to see you, to remind you what messing with my family had done to you. I can see it broke your weak mind.”

“Sticks and stones, De Sanctis. Let’s just be honest. You wanted to see me to dig the knife in. You wanted to remind me about her and see the hole it tore, when she died, right? Cut to the chase, I don’t have all day to stand around measuring dicks with you.”

Antonio laughed, shaking his head slightly. “I see I was wrong. I thought you cared about Sofia. You were the only man in her life, did you know that? Except for her cousin, of course.”

“Don’t speak his name in front of me.” The threat left me before I could hold it back. Damn.

Antonio’s eyes lightened. “Is Silvio a sore spot? Is that because his murder sent you to jail for so long? Or is it because he kept trying to fuck Sofia, like an unfixed dog?”

Antonio leaned in, getting in my face. “You know, I don’t think I ever told your brother. Sofia was pregnant when she died. I never was sure if it was yours or Silvio’s.” His small eyes burned with malice.

His casual words undid my self-control, and I was on him again. This time, the bodyguards got more involved. I revised my plans of killing him right here and now after all. The fucker just needed to be gone from the world.

The butt of a pistol to the forehead sent my vision blurring. I fell to my knees as Antonio staggered into his men’s support. He was holding his chest.

“Too exciting for you, Tony? I forgot you had a bad ticker. I could probably kill you just by pissing you off. It comes naturally to me, so be careful.” Blood dripped from my eyebrow, down my face and across my lips. I wiped it away.

“You’re not worth the hospital stay,” Antonio muttered and nodded to his men. He’d only come to gloat, clearly. His hands were tied.

They left me there on the floor of the woods. I stared at the blue sky framed by the trees above.

My mind strayed to Sofia and Leo. I wanted to be back there already, not here arguing with her father, a man who was soon to be dead. A twig snapping to the left of me sent me sitting up.

“Changed your mind and decided to finish the job?”

I twisted around to see who had found me now.

A man stepped out of the trees. He seemed to be alone. He was tall and broad, wearing an Italian designer suit like he was born for the job. He didn’t have his sister’s smile, but he did have her dark eyes.

He towered over me as I sat on the ground and peered up at him.

“Renato De Sanctis. Two De Sanctises in one day. Lucky me. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

---