Page 357 of The Tempted

Chapter Thirteen

I fucked up.

No surprise there.

The only difference this time, was that I felt bad about it. I’ve walked away from a lot of people in my life and never once looked back. Hell, my own family might as well think I’m dead for all I know. Still, I don’t feel any kind of way about that; it doesn’t make me feel guilty, just indifferent. But the way Lauren looked at me that bothered me. It was one thing to be angry; I expected that much, but I didn’t expect to see the hurt in her eyes.

I didn’t want to hurt her. I should’ve realized she wouldn’t just be angry like every other girl I’ve discarded. She wasn’t like any other girl. She wasn’t the rule, she was the fucking exception, and I was the asshole who thought rules were meant to be broken—to hell with the consequences. I realized I didn’t just break a rule, I broke Lauren’s ego, something that was already hanging on by a thread.

“Give us a minute, Riggs,” Jack said, pulling me away from my thoughts. I forgot I was sitting around a table with Jack, Blackie and Bianci, waiting for Bianci to spill the reason we were there to begin with.

“Yeah?” I asked, looking confused.

“You okay kid?” he questioned.

Yeah, I’m fine, just grew a conscience.

“Kid’s probably got the shits,” Anthony surmised, suppressing a grin. “Just found out his favorite woman will be in town for a few weeks,” he said, reaching over and squeezing my shoulder.

Then there was that.

We were waiting on Jack when we got here, apparently our Prez has a piece of ass tucked away, thinks it’s okay to keep us all waiting on him while he gets his dick sucked. Anyway, I guess Bianci felt the need to pass time with me and told me that mommy dearest was moving back to Brooklyn. I was tempted to ask him if that meant Lauren would be too but he didn’t give me the chance, sharing with me he and Adrianna had two houseguests until Maria found another apartment.

So I had two crazy women with the last name Bianci who wanted me dead. Three if you add Adrianna.

“You got yourself a woman?” Blackie asked.

“Fuck no,” I protested, pointing my thumb toward Bianci. “This fucks’ crazy mother is coming home.”

Dread churned in my belly. I needed to get away from this psychotic family before they found out I fucked their princess and they tried to hang me by the balls.

“Think you can put someone else on babysitting duty? Me and “Carmela Soprano” don’t exactly see eye to eye.”

“The only eye she sees of yours is the black one she gave you,” Jack added, laughing as he spoke.

Go on and laugh. It’s fucking funny. I’m a clown here to amuse you. Oh, my God! I’m starting to sound like Joe Pesce. I needed out.

Stat.

“Don’t stress it too much, kid. She’ll be too preoccupied to pay much attention to you,” Anthony insisted, glancing down at the table, a small smile worked his mouth.

Yeah, right.

“Adrianna’s pregnant,” he said.

Of course she is. Christ, they’re expanding a family. More people with the last name Bianci. The matriarch was going to be a real basket case now.

“Mama “Leone” is going to be a grandma? Fuck, if I thought she was crazy before, she’s going to be all sorts of bonkers now,” I muttered, before shaking my head and glancing toward Anthony. “Congrats on the kid,” I mumbled, before heading toward the bar.

I was retiring from life.

At least for today.

Yep, that’s my plan. Get drunk and get stupid.

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