Page 73 of Cocky Jerk

“Floyd didn’t mention anything about Brooklyn.”

“He didn’t mention anything about anything. He ordered us to the van, and that’s that. We can be walking into a fucking massacre for all we know,” he mutters as he inches forward and focuses on the two undercover detectives in the front of the van. “Hey, you guys wanna tell us what the hell we’re doing?”

“Dinaso will fill you in.”

Richie quirks a brow and turns to me.

“Tony isn’t even here,” he mumbles.

Realizing this thing is going to eat up most of my day, I pull out my phone to call Antonia and tell her I might be late. I really hate to do that to her, especially since she’s set on having me talk with her old man.

Just as I go to hit send, the van comes to a stop and the back doors swing open. Tony Dinaso jumps in, all out of breath, and parks his ass on the bench across from me and Richie.

Deciding the call to Antonia is going to have to wait, I pocket my phone and stare at my buddy as he tries to catch his breath. His eyes dart to me, and a wicked grin appears on his lips.

“Where the fuck did you come from?” Richie asks him. “And why are you smiling at Marco like that?”

“Yeah, man, it’s creepy,” I agree.

He points a finger at me.

“You’ll be thanking me later,” he says, unscrewing the cap from a bottle of water. He takes a long drink.

Good.

Maybe he’s dehydrated, that would explain why he’s not making any sense.

“What am I thanking you for?”

He lowers the bottle and fixes me with a pointed look.

“For giving you a chance to finish those fuckers off.”

Still not grasping what he’s trying to say, I look at Richie, but he just shrugs his shoulders and offers Tony another bottle of water.

“I think he’s been out in the heat for too long,” Richie mutters under his breath.

Tony tips his chin toward the front windshield of the van and we both follow his gaze. A gated lot comes into view. To the left, there is a large warehouse and parked in front are about three dozen motorcycles. I don’t need a mirror to know my face pales, nor do I need the confirmation that comes from Tony’s mouth.

“We’re about to take down the Corrupt Hellraisers.”

“Wait a minute,” Richie says, sounding just as shocked as me. “I thought you were working on taking out Bendetti. What the fuck is this?”

“Bendetti pointed us here.”

Floyd sounds in our ears, ordering us out of the van, and the sound of his voice snaps me out of my trance. I turn to Tony and grab his arm.

“I can’t go in there.”

“What are you talking about?” Tony asks, pulling his arm out of my reach. Before I can answer him, he kicks open the back of the cage and we’re greeted by SWAT. I rush to stand in front of Tony and force his attention back to me.

“I can’t fucking go in there, Dinaso, because you’re about to take down my girlfriend’s father,” I rasp.

He narrows his eyes.

“You already went a couple of rounds with them at the feast. I thought you’d be a shoo-in for this.” He pauses and closes the distance between us, poking his finger against the vest shielding my chest. “I’ve worked this case for six fucking months, I’m not about to throw it all down the drain because you decided to dip your dick in Hellraiser pussy. Now, put your personal shit aside, you’re a fucking cop. It’s your duty to put these assholes down and if you fuck up, Floyd’s going to have your badge.”

There’s nothing I can say.

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