Page 30 of Blood Money

“Never ask me that again.”

Vito snorted. “Dude, you really are fucked up over this guy.”

“I mean it, Vito. I know you’re my brother but?—”

“I’m not going after your man. I get all the dick and pussy I want.”

I rolled my eyes. That was true as hell. My brother could have anyone he wanted. Anytime. I knew he was just pushing my buttons like he’d enjoyed doing our whole fucking lives.

“I’m calling because I want to help you,” Vito said.

“Help me what? Get my head on straight?”

“You’ve not been straight a day in your life, bro. I want to help you keep it from Pops. If you need a place to go, if you need anything, just let me know. I can enlist Crandall any time we need him. All he needs is a keyboard and five minutes to fix pretty much any problem.

Crandall was the cyber expert we used when we needed more than our usual contacts to track someone down. He was fucking amazing, but…. “He reports to Pops just like we do.”

“Crandall only reports to himself. When you have skills like he does, you can even fuck over the best of the best.”

I wanted to believe that. “I should turn Pound over to you until Liam’s debt is paid.”

“Is that what you want to do? I’ll take it on. I’ll probably lose money, because you know I’m not a financial genius like you, but?—”

“Vito, you’re just as capable as I am at running a business. Don’t act like you’re not. You don’t have to play dumb with me.”

He huffed. “You’re the smart brother. I’m just the muscle. That’s how it works.”

“You know what I’ve told you about putting yourself down.”

“It’s not a bad thing. I mean, girls love it; guys love it. It works for me. You’re evading the question. Do you want me to take over?”

“Fuck no,” I said as I turned onto my street.

“Then enjoy Liam while you get him out of your system but be careful.”

After what happened in the private room, I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to do that, but I didn’t dare say that to Vito. “And you’ll cover for me?”

“You shouldn’t even have to ask. I’d do anything for you.”

“I love you, bro.”

“Love you, too.” He ended the call, and I pulled my Corvette into the parking garage designated for my apartment. Once I slid into my spot, I dropped my head onto the steering wheel.

I shouldn’t be indulging myself like this. Vito counted on me. It took both of us to keep our position in the family stable. If Dom decided he was done with us, we’d have the Marchesis as enemies and nowhere to go.

16

LIAM

Iglanced around carefully, making sure no one was paying attention to me as I slipped out of the storage area I’d rented, pulled down the door, and locked it.

I’d moved what stuff I could there. I had my mattress on the floor and the rest of the belongings I’d been able to haul piled up around it. At least for now, that’s where I was going to live. If got kicked out, I still had my mom’s old car. Thank God I didn’t owe any payments on it. I crossed my fingers every day that it would keep running until I pulled myself out of this hole. I was trying not to lose faith that would happen one day. Somehow, I had to come up with tuition for Ava’s spring semester.

She’d called me a few times in the last week and left messages. I’d sent her a few quick texts, but I hadn’t called her back. I didn’t know what to say. She knew what I’d done and she hated it, but the money was spent and I was working it off. Nothing would change that, and I didn’t want to argue with her. I would do whatever it took to keep her on the path she wanted to be on.

Earlier that day, Val texted me that he’d reserved the room we’d used a few nights ago.

My pulse sped up as I imagined what he intended to do to me. He’d told me to expect to be worn out, not that I’d needed the warning after the way he’d face fucked me. He liked control, and he like to punish. He didn’t mind hurting me for his own pleasure, but I had loved every second of it. Ava constantly said I was trying to punish myself, but now I had someone to do it for me. It was a hell of a lot better that way.

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