Page 95 of Dirty Behavior

“Things are moving pretty smoothly and all, you think you could handle things for a little bit on your own?”

“Why, what the hell do you have planned?”

“There's something I left unfinished a while back, I kinda wanted to go get it.”

I was trying to read his mind, but he wasn't giving me much. His fingers tapped nervously against the door frame, eyes wide and darting around my face.

What the hell is he going to do?

“Sesto, what are you talking about?”

“Look, you got this whole boss thing down, you don't need me. And honestly, I don't know if I can be in this a hundred percent until I do this. My head just ain't right, not yet.”

“Will you just spill it already?”

“Dante.” His brow jetted up, forehead wrinkling in the same wave of lines our father once had.

No questions. I got it.

“Alright, alright, go, I'll be fine.”

Slapping the wood, he nodded. “Ivy, keep an eye on him, don't let him fuck anything up while I'm out.”

Saluting, Ivy jerked her body square. “Yes, Sir.”

“You're both a couple of smart asses, you're perfect for each other.” Shaking his head, he pointed at Ivy. “Oh, and don't go having that baby while I'm gone.”

Smirking, I cocked my head. “Ses, she's like six months. How long do you plan on being gone?”

“As long as it takes.” Winking, his hand slipped free of the door and his feet thudded down the stairs.

And like that, he was gone.

“Where do you think he's going?” Ivy asked, cuddling up into my arms and running her hand up and down my chest.

“I'm not sure, but it's something he doesn't want to talk about.” Pulling her in tighter, I stroked her arm. “When are your parents coming down?”

“Next week. My mom said my dad should be home from rehab by then, and she's really looking forward to a fresh start.”

After all the shit with Remo, Ivy was finally able to find out the truth. And she was right. Against all the thoughts I had about her father, he didn't do it for the money.

Ivy's dad had two choices; give me your daughter or lose your whole family.

He had a gambling problem, a big one. I had no idea that Remo was running some shit on the side. Not only was he working with us, but he was also a fucking loan shark.

Remo let her father get in way over his head, all to get what he wanted. He could have cut him off, he could have made him work to pay him back another way, but he didn't. He wanted Ivy, and he was willing to let her father dig a hole so deep he couldn't get out.

Her father wasn't really given an option at all. It was either take the offer he gave, or Remo was going to snuff out the whole damn family.

And Remo would have done it, he would have killed them all and left her father to wallow in his own tears. He didn't want to let Ivy go, he never wanted to let Remo slip away with her that night. But he did what he thought he needed to in order to save the rest of his family.

I'm sure it wasn't an easy decision, it had to weigh heavy on him. I doubt he'd ever forgive himself for it. But Ivy wouldn't allow him to feel that type of pain, she refused to let him think that he'd made the wrong choice.

I think if Ivy had to do it all over again, she would, just to save her family herself.

The slaughter at the yard went down as a bad deal. With all the blood that was spilled there, my father's murder got tossed on the back burner. They were no closer to solving it, not that they were even close to begin with.

Six men had died in that building, that overshadowed the single death of one mob boss. My father wasn't worth the trouble anymore, the cops had bigger game to find. We were in the clear.

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