Page 109 of Bad for You

She walks toward us, her gaze bouncing between Bria and me. She’s about to reveal truths that will destroy us all.

“I want what is rightfully mine. I helped build your empire, and in return, you discarded me once you got what you wanted. You used me.”

Aldo shakes his head. “Still playing the victim card, I see. The lies you tell yourself,amore mia.”

The pet names they use for another are supposed to denote love, but they are anything but.

“I’m protecting what is mine, seeing as you allowed your love to blind you to what is under your nose.”

Bria exhales, knowing her secret is about to be revealed.

“What are you talking about?”

Gianna looks at Bria. “Would you like to tell him? Or shall I?”

“Fuck you.”

“What is she talking about?” Aldo questions Bria.

She lowers her chin, knowing what this will do to her father. “I’m the one who was stealing from you. I’m the one who was undercutting you.”

Aldo stands tall, but the twitch in his jaw is his downfall.

“I’m sorry, Papa.”

Aldo takes a moment and turns his attention to me. “You knew?”

I nod.

He shakes his head. “You allowed an innocent man to die when you knew the truth?”

“Yes.”

There is no point sugarcoating anything. I will accept my punishment.

He begins to pace, needing a moment it seems to digest that the two people he trusted betrayed him.

“I was only trying to protect you,” Gianna has the gall to say. “Your daughter’s dealing affected us both. This is why I brought her here.”

“Oh bull-fucking-shit! You only have your best interests at heart. You brought me here to blackmail my father!”

“Your father’s loyalty has cost us both a lot of money. You undercut us both. Neither of you would have ever told him. I’m doing this for his own good.”

“Enough,” Aldo says, defeated.

His own flesh and blood betrayed him. There’s no coming back from this.

“You think I’m unfit to run my empire, and you’re the best candidate for the job?”

“Yes. I’m giving you a choice to hand it over to me, or I will take it from you. When word gets out that your own daughter betrayed you, your reputation will be ruined. I’m helping you save face.”

We all know that’s a load of shit. Gianna does everything to benefit herself. Her empire is in shambles, so she needs another to stabilize her failing kingdom. She hopes Aldo’s slipup will sway his men into siding with her.

But they don’t have a choice because there will only be one drug lord come morning.

Aldo sighs, twirling the ring on his pinkie. There’s no way he will do what Gianna is proposing. But she also has him by the balls. This is a disgrace in the eyes of his men, and they would expect him to deal with Bria betraying him how he would if this were a stranger.

She is to be made an example of.

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