Page 187 of Mafia Kings: Valentino

“I can see that,” he chuckled, then shook his head. “Why the fuck would you pull this bullshit just so you could godrinking?”

“…I like getting drunk,” I said, not knowing what else to say.

Don Vicari started laughing again and turned to Rocco. “He likes to get drunk!”

Rocco hesitantly smiled, but his eyes were still wide with fear.

In this instance, Rocco was smarter than I was.

I started laughing along with Don Vicari, thinking the danger was past –

And that was when he sucker-punched me.

His fist slammed into my gut like a sledgehammer.

Rocco couldn’t hit, but his old man sure as shit could.

I wasn’t ready for it. All the air went out of me, and I collapsed to my knees in pain.

Vicari grabbed my hair, yanked my head to the side, and bent down close to my ear.“That’sfor talking back to me, you little cocksucker. Do not EVER do that again. If you disrespected me like that in front of anybody else but my son, I’d put a bullet in your head on principle. Do you understand?”

I just nodded, unable to say anything because I still couldn’t breathe.

“Andthis – ”

Vicari slammed an open palm into my face, knocking me to the floor.

I’d been punched by over a dozen guys in my lifetime.

Most of them didn’t punchhalfas hard as Don Vicari’s slap.

“ – is for not following my fucking directions and doing your goddamn job,” he snarled.

I lay there sprawled on the floor, unable to breathe –

And then air finally rushed back into my lungs. I inhaled with a groan.

My left ear was ringing, the side of my face hurt, and my guts felt like they were on fire.

Don Vicari stood up and straightened his jacket. Then he looked over at Rocco.

“Despite him being a shithead, that took some fuckin’ balls,” he said. “You could learn a lesson or two from him.”

“…yes, Papa,” Rocco whimpered.

“Nowget up,”Don Vicari growled at me.

I forced myself onto my knees and staggered back to my feet.

Vicari glared at me. “You think my business is sobeneathyou? You think you don’t have anything tolearn?Then you can just stick around the compound until you get married.”

SHIT.

I tried not to betray my panic –

But if I couldn’t get out of the compound, then I couldn’t see Cat.

FUCK!

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